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DAMN! Expensive and plagued with crazy side effects! I wouldn't want to take anything that could severely damage a fetus unless it was vital to my health - like if I would die if I didn't take it. Even though I don't plan on being pregnant, it just sounds so unhealthy.
I dont think anyone's mentioned Proactiv. It really does work, even for some extreme cases. I don't have super bad acne, but I still always get pimples and blackheads...tried it for two months and saw a huge difference.
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Take milk thistle! It cleans out your liver, so that your hormones do not wind up in your skin. I notice a two-thirds reduction in breakouts when I take this herb.
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None of these treatments you ladies described work for cystic acne. This is the kind of acne that is painful and never goes away without medical treatment from the INSIDE.
When you have this kind of acne no matter how little or how few you get, trust me. Accutane is the only thing that works and cures it for life. I never wanted kids, so I knew that wouldn't be a problem to use stringent birth control while I was on Accutane.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexxaHex
DAMN! Expensive and plagued with crazy side effects! I wouldn't want to take anything that could severely damage a fetus unless it was vital to my health - like if I would die if I didn't take it. Even though I don't plan on being pregnant, it just sounds so unhealthy.
I dont think anyone's mentioned Proactiv. It really does work, even for some extreme cases. I don't have super bad acne, but I still always get pimples and blackheads...tried it for two months and saw a huge difference.
Well if someone feels that their life and their self-esteem is already badly damaged by something that can be as disfiguring and horrible as cystic acne, trust me, Accutane is a godsend.
Re: They keep coming and coming and....
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexxaHex
DAMN! Expensive and plagued with crazy side effects! I wouldn't want to take anything that could severely damage a fetus unless it was vital to my health - like if I would die if I didn't take it. Even though I don't plan on being pregnant, it just sounds so unhealthy.
I dont think anyone's mentioned Proactiv. It really does work, even for some extreme cases. I don't have super bad acne, but I still always get pimples and blackheads...tried it for two months and saw a huge difference.
Yes, Accutane is harsh and not for everyone. I think of it more as a 'cure' and any other treatment just a method of daily manangement. A cure would save lots of time, effort, money, and potential scarring over the years for someone who routinely gets a reasonable amount of acne.
I tried proactive for a while, it does help manage things. However, I am allergic to benzyol peroxide(the main active ingredient in ProActive and almost all the over the counter stuff). I had to quit using it when my face swelled up like a tomato. And again, once you stop using it, the breakouts come back.
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tetracycline (or any other antibiotic) could affect how well your birth control works, so i would try and stay away from that.
as for acne, the only good treatment that's worked for me has been stuff with salicylic acid in it. benzoyl peroxide burns my skin, as does every prescription medication i've been on (Retin A micro and Tazorac)
being sensitive sucks :(
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You have to do what works best for you. Accutane is THE last resort because of its myriad side effects, but I would recommend it in a heartbeat for someone who has tried everything and has the cystic type of acne. It worked wonders for me. Zabrina good luck on your treatment and keep me updated in e mails :)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlluringAva
If a person does start to feel some depression or mood changes then of course you should get off the Accutane. I've been on every single acne thing you can think of, from tetracycline, doxycyline and erthyromcin, and I can tell you I hated taking antibiotics. They're not good for you in the long run and they messed up my digestion.
My problem was never a lot of acne...what the problem was a few very painful cysts that would never go away with something that deals with acne on a different less severe level, such as ProActive or the other TOPICAL ones. My skin could not handle Retin A...in fact I got a severe allergic reaction from that stuff.
The dermatologist and I came to the conclusion that Accutane was right for me as long as it was the lowest dose.
You don't stay on Accutane for more than 4-5 months at a time. occasionally in severe cystic acne cases, another set of treatment might be given for another 5 months, but that's pretty rare. It was the best damn thing I ever did for my skin, ever.
I read your post after this one above and that is some thing that I experienced too. After trying out the others that you mentioned my dermatologist prescribed Accutane to me as a last resort and that is what it is. It did it for me. No more cysts. Like you typed after this post... nothing else works for cystic acne and that is what I had. That is why I suggest that she see her doctor because it is used in the most extreme cases. Unfortunately some gals get a few pimples and want to use Accutane. It does not work that way for the less severe cases. As you already know... it is typically used for severe cases and that is why I had as a teenager. Now... I have flawless skin.
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See a dermatologist, they are so helpful with acne.
Re: They keep coming and coming and....
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlluringAva
Well if someone feels that their life and their self-esteem is already badly damaged by something that can be as disfiguring and horrible as cystic acne, trust me, Accutane is a godsend.
Well, to each her own, I suppose. As long as you are informed of the risks and still think the good outweighs the bad, by all means, go for it! I just know I would have a hard time with taking such a serious drug unless it was a really critical situation. It might seem like that to someone who is in the business of making sure their looks are always top notch.
And I didn't know there was such a thing as 'cystic acne'...must be hell.
Zabrina - it sucks to hear about you being allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide - There must be less harsh treatments out there. I hope you find something that works for you and it's worth it to you also...
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Ava, how long did the side affects last?
I'm looking so much into Accutane that i've decided to take it. :) I'm so sick of oily skin and painful cysts. I mean I can get rid of them fast, but they'll come again. It's so tiring, & so much maintnance. I also regret taking so many antibiotics over the years. Since 15- 23. Not taking anything right now, well not anymore unless it's Accutane. NONE of them now work on me.
I also get the PMS zits & the skin gets oiler. Hate it. I'm thinking of getting accupuncture as well for PMS cramps and everything that's associated with it....like zits and irregularity etc. But I want to do this first before taking accutane.
Re: They keep coming and coming and....
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexxaHex
DAMN! Expensive and plagued with crazy side effects! I wouldn't want to take anything that could severely damage a fetus unless it was vital to my health - like if I would die if I didn't take it. Even though I don't plan on being pregnant, it just sounds so unhealthy.
I dont think anyone's mentioned Proactiv. It really does work, even for some extreme cases. I don't have super bad acne, but I still always get pimples and blackheads...tried it for two months and saw a huge difference.
If someone wants to have a baby, they have to wait 6 months after the course. So my derm told me. But i'm 24 yrs. old right now, and I don't plan on having kids til my early-mid 30's. So I better take this now.
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P.S. If anyone is suffering from cystic acne and oily skin, I highly suggest you to read about it on acne.org. i've learned so much on there that i'm willing to take the plung. you just have to follow proper rules to avoid any serious side affects.
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I just got put on spironolactone and a stevia cream for my recent random acne. I'll let you all know if it works out.
Also, i've heard dairy can cause outbreaks. That's depressing- is there any truth to that?
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I wouldn't go by what types of foods make you break out, bc everyone is different. For me coffee and peanuts makes my acne worse, but other ppl can have that just fine & wont break out.
I've done the clean strict diet & nope, my skin didn't stay clear. It can help a bit, but nothing major.
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Try Blue light therapy for acne.
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www.acne.org has already been mentioned. This site saved my skin.
My sis has problem skin too, and she's seen an improvement by taking lots of Vitamin C.
mollyzmoon-Dairy can totally cause breakouts for some. My mother had super bad CYSTIC acne all through her youth which she went on antibiotics for. The only thing that worked was cutting out all dairy, esp cheese for some reason. Her theory is the hormones that milk is loaded with trigger acne breakouts.
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^^Thanks, I was afraid of that. I don't really eat dairy anyway because it's too hard on my gut, but recently I've found I can digestively handle a little cream cheese on a bagel. But then I thought I noticed a breakout correlation every time i had the cream cheese...which ok, I can give up again. Just a little bit of false hope. I kinda miss cheese. Soy cheese, not a big fan.