Acne

For the past 8 (9??) years I have suffered from acne which has progressively become worse and worse rough out the years.
Thankfully, I've only ever really had it on my face, with just one or two on my chest every now and again.

The doctors have tried putting me on literally everything. Seriously, the BNF (the book GPs/doctors use to find medications, indications and interactions) is fast running out of options.
Benzoyl Peroxide they have tried multiple times, and every single time, it only makes my skin worse. They tried Azelaic acid once, but same story. I have been on topical antibacterials (zineryt) which neither improved nor worsened it, though it stung the first few weeks. I have been on oral antibiotics (oxytetracycline and lymecycline) which, on their own, helped a bit for a few months (mostly with redness rather than the spots), then my skin flared up again, so I stopped everything entirely for a few years, and set about working on my diet and lifestyle instead.

Well, after a few years of exercising regularly, eating healthily, eliminating dairy and all those other things blamed for acne, eliminating SLS and many other things in face and hair products that it turned out I was sensitive or allergic to, my skin was worse than ever.

When I went back to me doctor she wanted to put me on Roaccutane immediately but had to wait for a dermatologists appointment. She put me on the pill, lymecycline, and adapalene (a topical retinoid related to accurate). Cue three months of the worst, most painful breakouts in my life (it was summer, and usually the extra sunlight calms the redness and irritation a bit, probably since I think the redness might rosacea-related which is why the antibiotics improved that, but I had SPF50 on just to protect my excessively fragile and irritated skin). I started seriously worrying about scarring. Needless to say, as soon as I got back from my trip, I went back to the doctors. Now, it had got so bad, every doctor I saw was in agreement over the need to go on Roaccutane, but I was still on the dermatologist waiting list. So they changed the pill to the mini-pill (I was getting migraines and my brother had a stroke from a blood clot in his venous sinus) and the adapalene to isotretinoin gel (isotrex) -basically the topical version of roaccutane.

Suddenly, my skin started clearing up. There was none of the burning that all the other topical creams had given me. Within a month, my skin was almost completely clear. But the dermatologist appointment was already made.

So a few months down the line, I go to the dermatologist, with a completely clear face and armed with a picture of how it had been before they changed the stuff, hoping she would just keep me on the same stuff. She said had she seen it then, she would have prescribed Roaccutane, but now there was no need. So she took me off the lymecycline and put me on Duac - an anti microbial with benzoyl peroxide (yes that same benzoyl peroxide that always makes my skin worse and stings to high heaven). Why??!

So now I have spots again. Not as bad, mind you, since the isotretinoin seems to sort that out. The ones that have returned are the ones that start out deep beneath the skin, grow into a painful hard lump, then eventually grow a head. Nodular Acne, I believe it's called. These are the ones I worry about with scarring. I also, as a pharmacology student myself, don't believe a topical anti-microbial cream could penetrate so far down into the dermis. And benzoyl peroxide just irritates the skin so much so that they don't heal so well. I'm tempted to just dump that stuff and carry on with the others.

So, I turn to you lovely folks in the hope of a little help with these deep little buggers. I feel the whole "anti microbial" thing could be replaced without the same irritation with something like lavender essential oil (I think it's an antiseptic and anti-fungal). I'm not sure what to do though - a face wash, a salve? I don't know. (Edit, I also have aloe from my own plant which might make a soothing gel?)

What about from the inside? I'd like to go back to dairy, since my oatmeal tasted so much better, and i get it from a local farmer who's cows are healthy and free-range and not pumped full of hormones. I'm not fussed about sugar since I don't have a sweet tooth, but I like an occasional one in the holidays. I eat a lot of veg. My main downfall is probably not drinking as much water as I should, though I try.

If anyone can help in the slightest, I'd be very grateful.

Hi Tigereye,

I can honestly relate to you. I started to suffer from adult acne at about 35 years old. Never had 1 pimple in my teenage years, but at 35??! What the heck!

Antibiotics worked for a while. But I don't like to take chemicals so I stopped after a few years.

What seem to help me is this:

- I do a face scrub (2-3 times a week) with pure honey (antibacterial) and white sugar. I scrub lightly, skin face is so sensible.

- After I wash my face morning and evening, I put 2-3 drops of oregano oil in a half cup of water(warm), I dip a cotton wool in it and put it every where on my face and let it dry by itself.

- If I have a pimple, I take a Q-Tips and put pure tea tree oil on it and apply it to my pimple a few times a day.

It might dry your skin a little, but for me it's worth it. I tried everything and this seems to help me.

Also, I take Estrosense for hormones balance and it helps to clean the liver.

Good luck!

Acne which does not go away is a sign of Toxemia and Acidosis ~

Buy : Alkalize or Die ~! forgot the author

also a small booklet : Acidosis

[jenriggs]

Is roaccutane the same as accutane? Me and my brothers and sisters went on it, however, I don't really think I needed to go on it. Accutane worked wonders! Applying apple cider vinegar to your face (try braggs, it has to have the mother in it) may work, I read it worked on blogs. There is a good product from kiehls called rare earth pore refining tonic. Use it when I have a pimple, it drys it out and expells toxins from your face. Also, applying fresh lemon juice to your face helps as well, it might stings for a minute. Face masks work. Other than that, I don't know. I am sorry to hear about this. Having acne really sucks and it really messes with your self confidence.

I would say definetly keep using the aloe vera gel, it is very soothing. Although i don't suffer from acne i suffer from hidradanitis suppurativa which is a skin condition. Aloe always helps soothe and i always eat lots of greens which helps. I find when i am at my most stressed it is always worse. Derm doctor put me on roaccutane for four months last year. My hair came out in big clumps, i was so suicidal it was rediculous, so i would def stay clear

[mdavies5]

I was on Roaccutane a few years ago and while it has helped I still have visible acne and my face is covered in scars and seems saggy as in it's not as elastic as it was even though i'm only 20! To be honest at the time it made me feel very depressed being on them and still affects me from time to time even today, however that can depend on family history if you're more likely to get it, some people don't have any negative affects from taking it like that.
So do take a good look at different peoples experiences from it, I am glad I went on it because my skin is better than if I wasn't on them.

I understand how frustrating it can be for you when people judge and just say if you did such a thing it would make your face clear when in reality you tried that long ago. At the moment I take herbal supplements to help aid the skin and use organic facial products, a big help mentally is positive affirmations. Say to yourself in the mirror that you are beautiful and you love your body. I sometimes say things such as 'my skin is radiant and beautiful, it is blemish free and hydrated'. Things like that seem to be helping, i've only really started it after reading Louise Hays heal your body and its helping me change the direction of my negative thinking about my skin.

Just keep finding things that work for you, light therapy is quite good at calming the spots, you can get hand held ones of blue and red light, it can just be a bit time consuming though, but like with the healthy eating I see how annoying it can be when we do detoxes and stuff and still have acne where as people who have very unhealthy lifestyles seem to have smooth clear skin which is a tad annoying along with those who make such a drama out of having one spot, I just think god help them if they had my skin.

Sorry for my ranting and mumbling it's late and i'm tired hehe, if you ever want to talk about it or anything just send me a message and i'd be happy to help you or just be a friendly ear. :)

Originally Posted by VisionQuest

Acne which does not go away is a sign of Toxemia and Acidosis ~

Buy : Alkalize or Die ~! forgot the author

also a small booklet : Acidosis

As a pharmacology student, I know about acidosis and alkalosis and toxemia. Humans these days as a rule tend to be more acid than alkali, but alkalosis is equally as dangerous. Also, contrary to popular belief, what you eat doesn't change that significantly - it's mostly kidney function and breathing that effects it, since the body's natural metabolises are acidic (or alkaline in the case of CO2).
Toxemia is an outdated term for a condition that only occurs in pregnant women. I am definitely not pregnant, nor have I been for as long as I have been alive, so it definitely can't be that.
Now toxicity, I can get, since too much of anything (including water, hormones, sugar, antioxidants(these in particular are cancer-causing at high levels), drugs etc.) is toxic. I'm pretty sure it's my hormone levels that are out of whack, but I've tried my best to even it out.

Originally Posted by jenriggs

Is roaccutane the same as accutane? Me and my brothers and sisters went on it, however, I don't really think I needed to go on it. Accutane worked wonders! Applying apple cider vinegar to your face (try braggs, it has to have the mother in it) may work, I read it worked on blogs. There is a good product from kiehls called rare earth pore refining tonic. Use it when I have a pimple, it drys it out and expells toxins from your face. Also, applying fresh lemon juice to your face helps as well, it might stings for a minute. Face masks work. Other than that, I don't know. I am sorry to hear about this. Having acne really sucks and it really messes with your self confidence.

Yes, accutane is Roaccutane. Anything that dries out my face any more is an absolute no-no. I tried the lemon thing. I was crying for about an hour it stinged so bad. Never again, at least not while I'm on topical meds.
Thank you.

Originally Posted by mdavies5

I was on Roaccutane a few years ago and while it has helped I still have visible acne and my face is covered in scars and seems saggy as in it's not as elastic as it was even though i'm only 20! To be honest at the time it made me feel very depressed being on them and still affects me from time to time even today, however that can depend on family history if you're more likely to get it, some people don't have any negative affects from taking it like that.
So do take a good look at different peoples experiences from it, I am glad I went on it because my skin is better than if I wasn't on them.

I understand how frustrating it can be for you when people judge and just say if you did such a thing it would make your face clear when in reality you tried that long ago. At the moment I take herbal supplements to help aid the skin and use organic facial products, a big help mentally is positive affirmations. Say to yourself in the mirror that you are beautiful and you love your body. I sometimes say things such as 'my skin is radiant and beautiful, it is blemish free and hydrated'. Things like that seem to be helping, i've only really started it after reading Louise Hays heal your body and its helping me change the direction of my negative thinking about my skin.

Just keep finding things that work for you, light therapy is quite good at calming the spots, you can get hand held ones of blue and red light, it can just be a bit time consuming though, but like with the healthy eating I see how annoying it can be when we do detoxes and stuff and still have acne where as people who have very unhealthy lifestyles seem to have smooth clear skin which is a tad annoying along with those who make such a drama out of having one spot, I just think god help them if they had my skin.

Sorry for my ranting and mumbling it's late and i'm tired hehe, if you ever want to talk about it or anything just send me a message and i'd be happy to help you or just be a friendly ear. :)

The depression is something I worry about, along with possible hair loss. My uncle had depression that led to alcoholism and eventually suicide. I have had a couple of friends who have committed suicide also.
I would hate hair-loss. My hair is one of my favourite things about my appearance and I already had to deal with a ton of shedding going on the mini-pill. Not only is it important to me physically, and a huge investment, but to me, it is related to my spirituality. It is very long and I spend much of my time with my hair up, (I have around $350 of clips and forks and pins for it over many years), but when I do energy work or such, I let it down because I feel it helps me. It was actually a hair-forum I'm a frequent member of which brought me here to Spiritual Forums.

I stopped using the Duac, and just kept up with the isotretinoin because I really didn't want the scarring. Suffice to say, simply stopping that has seen my face, get a lot better simply because it isn't irritated. I use Aloe Vera gel with a couple of drops of lavender oil mixed in. The regular spots have all but gone, though the cystic and nodular ones, though rarer, are still angry and sore when they pop up. I'm waiting what seems to be the compulsory 6 months of "keep trying, it'll improve" before I go back. I plan on telling them just how awful this Duac stuff was and that I'm not using it again, and that I don't want endless antibiotics (which every scientist and science student in the world knows is an awful way to treat something) and can they please stop putting me on stuff I've already been on.

I'll try the affirmations and try and try to get my hands on a light box if they aren't to expensive for me to afford. thanks.

[mdavies5]

Make sure it's a blue light and red light treatment one and not the ones used for SAD and I know what you mean about duac, I recently went to the doctors to ask for anything that could help an outbreak I was having as it just wasn't budging and they just give me duac which ended up bleaching my towels and bed linen so that was a pain to use especially if I finished work late and didn't get chance to let it dry before laying out my pillow before bed. But it just shows you it's strong stuff that you're putting on your face. I really wish there was a miracle cure for it but at least it's helped me over the years to learn not to care as much what others think about my appearance and that beauty is only skin deep. (Though it would be nice to be able to take a picture without it looking terrible lol)

Take care :)

Originally Posted by mdavies5

Make sure it's a blue light and red light treatment one and not the ones used for SAD and I know what you mean about duac, I recently went to the doctors to ask for anything that could help an outbreak I was having as it just wasn't budging and they just give me duac which ended up bleaching my towels and bed linen so that was a pain to use especially if I finished work late and didn't get chance to let it dry before laying out my pillow before bed. But it just shows you it's strong stuff that you're putting on your face. I really wish there was a miracle cure for it but at least it's helped me over the years to learn not to care as much what others think about my appearance and that beauty is only skin deep. (Though it would be nice to be able to take a picture without it looking terrible lol)

Take care :)

Yeah, thankfully they warned name about that. My tubes actually say to use the isotretinoin in the morning and the Duac at night, but the dermatologist said its better to do it the other way around because isotretinoin is degraded by sunlight (so hence, the thing that works would work better), and Duac is less likely to bleach stuff if you put it on in the morning (I discovered my scarf to be the exception to this). I gave up the Duac, like I said, and my skin is improving.
I find my skin always looks better in real life than in pictures for some reason. Dunno if it's just the contrast against my really pale skin that the camera exaggerates.
Right this minute, I'm in the middle of the exam period so my skin isn't at the forefront of my mind which is good. Hopefully the stress doesn't cause too much of a freak breakout. :)

I haven't read through all of this, so please forgive if I am repeating something. I just recently learned that dairy causes a lot acne.