what would you do if you got painfull acne?

[damac]

I've cycled prescription antibiotics, topicals, washes, for just over a year and painfull acne is starting to come back. I assume it will go downhill from here. This stuff was great for taking away the painfull ones but I still breakout all over and it scars. Not fun since I'm in my mid 20's.


Only thing I haven't tried is accutane which is a drug that might give me a long term chance of getting breakouts under control. There are risks but its not like you can die from it. Bad stuff can happen though.


My thinking is I have to try this shit because its the hand I was dealt, and I'm wondering if most agree? I have got the workover and I'm ok physically, don't drink or smoke. Exercise and am at a healthy weight. It just happens to some people, even older people the docs say.

You wouldn't think it could be that painfull but it brings tears to my eyes and never lets up, thats no way to live and I should do whatever I can to stop it right?

[Cirrus]

acne = bad food

try macrobiotic, after 2-3 month you skin will be fine. I'm speaking from my own experience.

[pink_in_the_middle]

Try acutane (I think thats how you spell it )
It will clear ANY acne you have!!! But it does have major side effects.
I've never had to use it but I have a good friend that had really bad acne and it worked wonders for him
Ask your doc about it.
P.S If you're a girl and pregnat or thinking about becoming pregnant DO NOT TAKE THIS!!!!!
I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE THIS!!!!!

[ColKurtz]

i heard it helps if you wipe your first piss of the morning on it. True story.


But my advice would be wash with neutragena acne cleanser three times a day (morn, miday, before bed), and also use like clearasil creme before bed too. Drink more water, and exericse.

[Gutterboy]

First, don't get so desperate you'll try anything. That is how people peddling all sorts of quack cures make their living. Find a good dermatologist with experience in treating severe acne cases, and follow the advice you get.

[FlyingIguana]

Originally posted by damac
I've cycled prescription antibiotics, topicals, washes, for just over a year and painfull acne is starting to come back. I assume it will go downhill from here. This stuff was great for taking away the painfull ones but I still breakout all over and it scars. Not fun since I'm in my mid 20's.


Only thing I haven't tried is accutane which is a drug that might give me a long term chance of getting breakouts under control. There are risks but its not like you can die from it. Bad stuff can happen though.


My thinking is I have to try this shit because its the hand I was dealt, and I'm wondering if most agree? I have got the workover and I'm ok physically, don't drink or smoke. Exercise and am at a healthy weight. It just happens to some people, even older people the docs say.

You wouldn't think it could be that painfull but it brings tears to my eyes and never lets up, thats no way to live and I should do whatever I can to stop it right?

i took accutane for a week before it damaged my liver and i got sick as hell. felt like i was gonna die. was weak for almost a month afterwards.

i've never had acne that bad. still get it now when i don't take drugs for it. have you seen a dermatologist?

[stevo]

Ouch, that sucks... I had bad acne in high school, but nothing major. You say its starting to come back again - as in it went away for awhile? Sometimes if you use something too much, it loses its effectiveness. You've probably tried everything though, but there's gotta be something out there that works. I remember for some reason that sunlight improved my skin, and instead of crap that dries skin i tried moisturizing lotions and that sometimes did better, i dunno maybe its just me. I read the side affects of accutane - id be scared to take that crap! In life you control the deck, just gotta watch out for those jokers...

[Thedillyhoho]

Ok first of all really deep bad acne is usually caused by hormones and genes. Especially if it comes on in the 20's for a person. Im in my early 30's and have developed bad deep acne on my back. My back was perfect in my teens and 20's. Not fun and very painful if messed with. One thing I've read is that the formation of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) build up in your body as you get older can cause this. It's a genetic factor. Tell me, are you by chance losing your hair ( balding on the scalp) as well? My best advice is to look to your diet for a cure. Topical acne solutions are wasted trying to cure the symptoms not the source of the problem.

[damac]

Thanks for the replies but I don't think I made my point clear.


I honestly do live clean and do all the right things the majority of the time. This hit me all of a sudden a couple years ago and got real bad. Nothing in high school, no siblings or parents that had bad skin. And I have recently got the workover physical, blood work to check my thyroid, all that stuff. Clean bill of health given after 2 seperate doctors.


So yes I went to respected dermatologists and got all my prescriptions from them and follow all directions. I have pills in my system, I wash with powerfull stuff all over a couple times a day, and apply different goop to my face and body daily as well. Even tried numerous stuff in cycles at their suggestion.


That leaves the accutane. I was trying to put you in my situation where besides the stress of looking unpresentable because of constant breakouts and scarring, it is very painfull to where you are thinking about it all the time. Not fun at all. I have been dealing with it because the routine was stopping atleast the painfull breakouts until now.


And since accutane is the last thing for me to try and I don't want to live with this, cant even, It seems I have to do whats right for me and atleast give the stuff a chance, and fight my insurance.


If you had tried everything wouldn't you do what you had to do and try accutane, even at the chance of it fucking up your system? I may have fucked up my system already some say with all the long term antibiotics.


Sorry it seems like a no brainer to me going through it, but I can't believe people would put up with scarring and 24/7 pain because they fear drugs?

I just wanted to see what some outside my circle would say to such a situation before I fight this shitty insurance company for one last time. If they don't treat me right, then I'm gonna have to go to a private doc and pay out the ass for the prescription and blood tests.

[ryph]

Originally posted by Gutterboy
First, don't get so desperate you'll try anything. That is how people peddling all sorts of quack cures make their living. Find a good dermatologist with experience in treating severe acne cases, and follow the advice you get.

Fuck that. What you think a dermotalogist is? He's a peddler too, only with a degree. I went to one for 2 years and didn't help shit.
Flax seed oil and Brewer's yeast my man. Then go jogging every once in a while to get blood flowing evenly and you'll be fine in no time. I know I am.

[Kanoealoha]

i had acne, no bad, but still you know...
I found keeping my hands off of my face really improved it...
you know how you rest your head (face) on your hand...its only blocking the pores more...silly I know...but it helped me...
and accutane does work...i get rid of it by birth control...i assume you're a guy...so that doesn't work
Good Luck

[ryph]

Originally posted by ryph


Fuck that. What you think a dermotalogist is? He's a peddler too, only with a degree. I went to one for 2 years and didn't help shit.
Flax seed oil and Brewer's yeast my man. Then go jogging every once in a while to get blood flowing evenly and you'll be fine in no time. I know I am.

http://www.nzhealth.net.nz/products/flaxseedoil.html

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~cp391990/brewersyeast.html

you'll thank me in a coulpe months

[Theo]

Try another dermatologist. He should make you blood tests, prescribe you drugs and tell you what things you shouldn't eat. If you follow all these your problem will decrease a lot,there's always the chance it will return, so you'll have to start a therapy again. Acne is common,i had problems as well, but I didnt know it can be painful

[lilmia]

I know this might not seem like a good idea, but if you wash your face daily with Aveeno bar soap, it DOES help outbreaks considerably.

Being a girl, who did struggle with acne for a LONG time, I've tried everything and resorted to only using one kind of product on my skin, I would recommend wither..the aveeno soap, or St.Ives face products.

good luck!

[PersianKitty]

The most expedient way to get Accutane inexpensively is to see a physician who will send a form to the indigent need program at Roche. They will provide the medicine for free if you are uninsured, indigent, willing to submit a copy of your W2, and the indications for the medicine are met. No generics are available. I imagine the drug is cheaper in Mexico.

Also once you have a prescription there are many online sources at lower cost.

Also.. have you tried a lotion called Isotret? It contains acutane and is loads cheaper. My local place I've gone to for a peal has it for order online. She had my 15 year old use it for a bit a couple of times a week. His acne wasn't bad but it really made a difference....
It's the last item at http://www.skinhealth.com/package_details.asp?pkg=3

[Kanoealoha]

I don't know if you've ever heard of Scar So Soft, all the sites i know of look lame and stuff, but I bought it anyway, i get keloid scars...hope you don't...i guess at some point i popped a pimple or something, and when it scarred, it just kept going, resulting in a ugly brown bump, and you can't do anything about it...so i researched and all...its all i could find...and it works...so maybe you can try it out...

http://www.crying-babies.com/products/scar-so-soft.html

http://www.scars-keloids.com/english/products/sss.htm

[FlyingIguana]

hmm, acutane in a lotion, wish they had that a few years ago. i took pills and it put my liver through hell.

[MonkeyMan]

Adult webmasters giving each other tips on curing acne.

This is golden.

[KrazieSweets]

does anyone know if that proactive stuff works from TV i heard it does...has anyone used it from this board

[Kanoealoha]

i haven't but my ex has and he said it worked for him...but it was to much $$ for his family at the time to keep up treatment

[Theo]

Kanoealoha, i just found very good feedback about this product. Did it dissapear your scar/s? I have some, not the most visible and I don't mind,but if this works i'll give it a try.

[Theo]

maybe i should do a massive order and resell them in the gym

bling bling

[Kanoealoha]

its good, but as always it takes awhile for them to dissapear...
i used it and they started to flatten out...and then i stopped treatment because i applied the stuff to bandaids and then placed the bandaid over the scar...and then...oh the fun...the bandaid sticky part was leaving marks...extra sensitive skin in the chest area i guess...so it was difficult for me to use it constantly... but it works...and mederma or soemthing like that, is suppose to be good to, but it smells like onions or soemthing...

i've done lots of research...i hate being asked where the hickies are from and then i have to say, no those are scars...

[TonyL]

I took Accutane and so did my business partner. I highly recommend it and I would take it again. You have blood tests every 4 weeks to check for any weird triglyceride levels. The side effects that I noticed were mild lower back pain and dry skin. Just keep lotion and chapstik close by and put it on constantly. Keep the diet low in fat and you will get through it. Best thing about Accutane is your skin is perfect about 4 weeks after begining treatment. Most of the severe side effects of Accutane are very rare. Aspirin has some pretty scary rare side effects too but you never hesitate to take an Aspirin, do you?

-Tony

[goBigtime]

Originally posted by Cirrus
acne = bad food

try macrobiotic, after 2-3 month you skin will be fine. I'm speaking from my own experience.

Yup.

You are probably allergic to something you are eating.

Dump the dairy, meat & wheat and you'll be good.

Once shit clears up.. SLOWLY introduce dairy/meat/wheat back in (if you MUST) one at a time, maybe 2 weeks to a month in between & you'll find your culprit no doubt.


Oh.. and NOOOO fuggin sugar. No soda, no high fructose corn syrup blah.. if one of the top 5 ingredients is sugar, syrup, dextrose anything like that.. dump it.

At least until you can figure out why your having skin problems.

If you have the will power to change your diet you can get rid of the acne.

You might also go get an HIV test just to be sure
Acne/dermatitis is common in people with compromised immune systems.

[goBigtime]

Originally posted by Gutterboy
First, don't get so desperate you'll try anything. That is how people peddling all sorts of quack cures make their living. Find a good dermatologist with experience in treating severe acne cases, and follow the advice you get.

Gutter - he already has. Thats how he got the topicals and antibiotics.


He could also have a yeast infection.

[goBigtime]

Originally posted by lilmia
with Aveeno bar soap, it DOES help outbreaks considerably.

Yeah Aveeno is great

Diet is most important to control it, but Aveeno is good for existing problems.

[EscortBiz]

Originally posted by pink_in_the_middle
Try acutane (I think thats how you spell it )
It will clear ANY acne you have!!! But it does have major side effects.
I've never had to use it but I have a good friend that had really bad acne and it worked wonders for him
Ask your doc about it.
P.S If you're a girl and pregnat or thinking about becoming pregnant DO NOT TAKE THIS!!!!!
I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE THIS!!!!!

Im thinking of making someone pregnant, can I take it? I repeat can I take it?

[Scootermuze]

Consider this...

[Marcus]

nevermind.

[FlyingIguana]

Originally posted by TonyL
I took Accutane and so did my business partner. I highly recommend it and I would take it again. You have blood tests every 4 weeks to check for any weird triglyceride levels. The side effects that I noticed were mild lower back pain and dry skin. Just keep lotion and chapstik close by and put it on constantly. Keep the diet low in fat and you will get through it. Best thing about Accutane is your skin is perfect about 4 weeks after begining treatment. Most of the severe side effects of Accutane are very rare. Aspirin has some pretty scary rare side effects too but you never hesitate to take an Aspirin, do you?

-Tony

acutane cleared up my acne in less than a week. within a week i got sick. i would not put acutane in the same sentance as aspiron regarding side effects. thats a major drug that can fuck you up.

[Thomas N]

Has anyone seen the movie "Undisputed" starring Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes? In that movie, Ving Rhames has his shirt off alot, and he has these HORRIBLE protruding scars all over his chest...

I don't think it was any movie makeup or whatever, there was no reason for it and no story line involving it, I'm pretty sure it was real scars on his chest.

Anyways, I've never heard of keloids before this thread. Is that what keloids are?

[PersianKitty]

Originally posted by SwordFish
Has anyone seen the movie "Undisputed" starring Ving Rhames and Wesley Snipes? In that movie, Ving Rhames has his shirt off alot, and he has these HORRIBLE protruding scars all over his chest...

I don't think it was any movie makeup or whatever, there was no reason for it and no story line involving it, I'm pretty sure it was real scars on his chest.

Anyways, I've never heard of keloids before this thread. Is that what keloids are?

Yeah... some people are more prone to them then others. Some races are also.

[spankstrocko]

If you have bad cystic acne then no questions asked use accutane.

Otherwise try these things:

High dose B5 pantothenic acid.

The rationale is when your body is under stree it taps your B5 pool. You break out. So flood your pool with extra B5 works for a lot of people I know.

The other thing is guggulsterones or Gigguls.

Spankstrocko

[Cheshire]

Originally posted by damac
I've cycled prescription antibiotics, topicals, washes, for just over a year and painfull acne is starting to come back. I assume it will go downhill from here. This stuff was great for taking away the painfull ones but I still breakout all over and it scars. Not fun since I'm in my mid 20's.

I feel your pain, I've been fighting it for months with Doxycyclene (sp?)