Hello everyone,
I have just joined the forum as i have been feeling really down about my skin this past year (im now 27yo). Before this year i never really suffered from acne too bad. A few spots here and there but nothing i couldn't cope with. However, this year my skin feels as though it has just decided to punish me for whatever reason. I wake up every day with new spots on my face, chest and back. It has got me so down i am missing social occasions and hiding inside wanting to avoid going anywhere or do anything. I constantly look in the mirror at my skin and scrutinise it and it just makes me depressed.
Around February this year i decided to go to the doctors for some help. I was given erythromycin for 3 months which didnt help so i returned. I was then given limecycline and differin 0.1% for 3 months which unfortunately didn't work. I returned and was given a 3 month course of azaleic acid and oxytetracycline. Again, no luck. I was hoping i would get referred to a dermatologist to see if i could try accutane to help me. The doctor refused to send me to a derm as they said they would not prescribe accutane as my skin isnt bad enough.
I joined the forum to see whether anyone has had a similar experience where a doctor wont refer them to a derm or whether there acne has been like mine and can recommend something to try.
I currently wash my face morning and night and use the differin still. I apply a clean and clear moisturiser afterwards as my face gets extremely dry and this helps with some relief.
Would you think accutane would be the next step for me or is my acne not bad enough? i have to do something as i am really depressed at the moment and it is affecting my life
I have attached some pictures but they arent the best quality. 
I really don't think your acne is bad enough to go on Accutane...let that always be your last resort.
Where do you live? I'd give the regimen Unblemish a shot. It was my "last hope" before going to the dermatologist and getting put on anti-biotics. Figured it wouldn't work (just like nothing else had) but it did. Took 5 months but my skin is complete clear
I live in newcastle in the UK. Yea i really don't want to use accutane in all honesty as i know the side effects are pretty severe and it does seem excessive for the spots i have. I dont think i would be prescribed it anytime unless i have a major outbreak. I have tried the 3 different kinds of antibiotics i mentioned in my post which didnt seem to do much but i will probably go back to my GP see whether there is anything else they can recommend.
Apologies the pictures arent grear. I get a few white heads, probably every couple of days on my face but they are mainly skin/red coloured bumps on my head which i get daily. I dont squeeze them because they dont have a head so i think it would make it 10x worse. I think this is comedonal acne or possibly something else? The ones i get on my chest are always whiteheads and i get a new one daily.
I wouldn't say my skin was particularly oily either, its extremely dry after i wash and i am using cetaphil moistusier now which seems to help the dryness. Im just hoping it doesnt break me out.
I may try the regimen unblemish. It is worth a shot. After all i will never know until i try.
I have looked at a few internet websites on folliculitis and it is possibly that. Difficult for me to tell as it appears so similar to acne to me. I have differin i have been using for a couple weeks and im going to stick with it along with my cleanser and moisturiser and hope for the best. Accutane is going to be my last resort if absolutely nothing else works although i only really have about 15 spots in total. Azaleic acid seems to be mentioned a few times for treatment of folliculitis so i might try mixing that with the differin.
Gets me so down waking up each day with a new bump/spot. Seems to have really taken a toll on me this year as i never really got acne before.
Fingers crossed something works soon!
I think it is likely folliculitis just as you said MrBakery. My forehead gets itchy around the bumps and that is usually a good indication from what i have read. Question is do you think it is bad enough to go to the GP or is it best to treat it with some sort of home remedy like nizoral shampoo? I have been to the doctors alot this year because of it and i don't really want to keep going all the time but if its necessary then i will.
its upto you really. there is quite a lot of helpful information online regarding treating folliculitis..if your sure thats what you have(?)
a sympathetic doctor might give you medicine or send you to a specialist.. but in my experience, (free) nhsgp's have little time for acne/skin problems.
you might have a better chance of a correct diagnosis/treatment by paying to see a privatedermatologist?