Acne Advice Thread

heybaby

PrincessLola wrote: »

Ok I need some advice please!
I have (very) bad cystic acne that is very painful painful, I've had acne for a long time but never been as bad as in the past two years.

Been on antibiotics (minosin, Tetralysal), benzol-peroxide cream, everything you can think of, NOTHING has worked for me!!; my last resort is apparently roacutane (sp?)
Heard some pretty bad stories about it.. Is it worth it? Is it true about the depressive feelings?

Check out acne.org a brilliant website for acne sufferers. The guy who runs it used to suffer from acne himself, he suggests 2.5% bp to be used religiously morning and night, the bp oxygenates the skin, and as the acne which causes bacteria can only survive in an environment without oxygen, use of bp prevents growth of the bacteria causing spots. Careful cleansing of the skin is also important as is diet but certainly the bp is the most effective thing i have ever used, and its heartbreakingly simple, well it was in my case anyway.

I know you said you already used bp without any good results, but so had i until i learned to use it properly, the trick is being consistant, you must have the bp on your skin 24 hours a day for the first few months at least and you must rub it in completely, this cimbined with a noncomodogenic washing solution was sufficient to stop my problem in its tracks. I of course avoid dairy as much as i can or i get breakouts but the success of bp in my case is without question. The best of luck to you.

davedfc

I have acne mostly on my back but a bit on my neck is there anything i can get in a chemist or is the doctors my best bet. Its my back that annoys me more using facewash on my face and neck seems to work there.

Siog-Alainn

Found this really good video for covering acne with make up. If only I'd seen it a year ago!

mle1324

davedfc wrote: »

I have acne mostly on my back but a bit on my neck is there anything i can get in a chemist or is the doctors my best bet. Its my back that annoys me more using facewash on my face and neck seems to work there.

Doctor. Thats what I did.

davedfc

Thanks for your reply. Was it tablets the doctors perscribed to you? Was it expensive.

mle1324

davedfc wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. Was it tablets the doctors perscribed to you? Was it expensive.

Yep and cream as well. I wouldn't know as it was on the medical card.

Brenireland

Hi,me here!,Just wondering if anyone has had a similar problem as me.

I'm 20 Years Old & I've been having problems with my facial skin for say 6 years,I keep getting spots!,Mainly around the chin area/Cheeks/Eyebrows & forehead!

It really annoys me as I hate going out when my skin has a spot/spots on it and this is most of the time!,If I am going out some night of the week I always make sure I know days before hand so I can reduce the visibility of my spots,Sometimes I use Sudo Cream & some times I use normal powder which helps dry up my spots/Facial skin,so It really annoys me.

Now after I shave the spots seem to come back so I have to dry my skin quickly prevent this!,It seems that after 6 in the evening my skin get greasy & this is when the problem increases,I wash my face regularly but not to often as it seems to agitate the skin :mad:

so anyone else have it this annoying?:)

Macca3000

So got my bloods done this week, they came back all fine today. Got them faxed to the derms office and he just rang me there to say he would be posting out my last script. Little over one month left on roaccutane Really chuffed I saved myself a hundred euro by not having to go to his office.

Have to say Im really glad I gave in and went on roaccutane, the first and only thing that has worked for me. Shouldnt admit this but its a great buzz when someone mentions how good your skin is looking.

Insect Overlord

Macca3000 wrote: »

So got my bloods done this week, they came back all fine today. Got them faxed to the derms office and he just rang me there to say he would be posting out my last script. Little over one month left on roaccutane Really chuffed I saved myself a hundred euro by not having to go to his office.

Have to say Im really glad I gave in and went on roaccutane, the first and only thing that has worked for me. Shouldnt admit this but its a great buzz when someone mentions how good your skin is looking.

Fair play to you Macca. It's been great to be able to follow your updates in this thread. Best of luck with the last month.

Shane101

Anyone know if accutane is covered by the medical card? Cheers.

Macca3000

Shane101 wrote: »

Anyone know if accutane is covered by the medical card? Cheers.

Yes, it is

Shane101

Macca3000 wrote: »

Yes, it is

Ta fella Had me blood tests today and appointment next week fingers crossed.

beautytalk

pheasant tail wrote: »

I was on roaccutane for 6 months and finished 7 months ago and going on it was the worst mistake i ever made in my life as everything is such a mess now wouldnt let me worst enemy to go on it its serious stuff! But i wish everyone thats on it the best!
Can i ask has anyone any tips on controlling acne after roaccutane????

i was never on that medication but suffered from acne up untill the last few weeks. i had no confidence couldnt look people in the face constantly upset so i decided to go for laser acne treatment now three weeks later i have completely clear skin. it cost 300 euro but i would pay that ten times over . it really is the end of the road for acne.

derek1979

I recommend cavitational peeling- works very well.
It is a new, free from side effects, system for extensive skin care and skin regeneration. Ultrasound peeling works on the skin in a gentle way, by pleasant, natural vibrations - without the use of electric power.

Deep pore cleansing allows better exchange of ions and improves skin oxygenation. It prepares the skin for all kinds of cosmetic procedures. Therefore, what occurs, is better penetration of products without the use of electricity; the effect of an increased makes the melanin level drop, while dark spots and skin flaws disappear.

Cavitational peeling is recommended for very sensitive, delicate and thin skin, susceptible to irritations and blood vessels widening; it is also suggested as a non-invasive cleansing procedure for acne-ridden and oily skin.

Shane101

Can anyone recommend a good moisturiser while on Accutane, skin been drying up something awful.

Macca3000

Shane101 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good moisturiser while on Accutane, skin been drying up something awful.

That happened fairly quick. What mg are you taking? I've used Boots No7 Anti ageing balm. Bout €16 but you only need a small amount and it lasts about 6-8 weeks. Stock up on the lip balm by the way.

Macca3000

Took my last dose of roaccutane today. Was like losing a friend throwing the empty pack in the bin. But worth it to lose the other friends off my face lol. It has definitly worked although my skin is not as clear as I thought it might have been. However the improvement is incredible, really happy with myself for going on it.

And as the derm said leave it for a few months and if I wanted to try a short 3 month "top up" course then, provided my bloods are good, he would have no problem with me doing that.

Now to enjoy the Summer

bluemooner

Macca3000 wrote: »

Took my last dose of roaccutane today. Was like losing a friend throwing the empty pack in the bin. But worth it to lose the other friends off my face lol. It has definitly worked although my skin is not as clear as I thought it might have been. However the improvement is incredible, really happy with myself for going on it.

And as the derm said leave it for a few months and if I wanted to try a short 3 month "top up" course then, provided my bloods are good, he would have no problem with me doing that.

Now to enjoy the Summer

thats great to hear you're finished! well done on getting through it and i hope you enjoy your summer. Im on it at the moment and finishing up at the end of may. A friend of mine was also on roaccutane and his face wasnt really that clear when he finshed up on it. But even after he finished taking the tablets his skin continued improving. within a month or two his skin was almost perfect. I hope you get the results you deserve after putting up with those tablets!

J_E

Is it true that factors such as stress contribute more to acne more than diet? A friend was having this discussion with me and he said his doctor said that. Seems to correlate with Wikipedia too.

Boofle

Cydoniac wrote: »

Is it true that factors such as stress contribute more to acne more than diet? A friend was having this discussion with me and he said his doctor said that. Seems to correlate with Wikipedia too.

Yes I definitely think that stress contributes significantly to breakouts of acne. There has always been conflicting views regarding the influence of diet on acne. Personally I found it didn't make much of a difference.

Macca3000

Cydoniac wrote: »

Is it true that factors such as stress contribute more to acne more than diet? A friend was having this discussion with me and he said his doctor said that. Seems to correlate with Wikipedia too.

I think for me it was definitly stress that kicked it all off. I was quite an anxious/angry young lad in my teens and this was when I started getting acne. Now I don't know if this was why it persisted so long (28 next week) but at work or college if thing got a little heavy I would notice new breakouts.

As for diet, I wouldn't have a particularly health diet, certainly don't eat enough veg, but I also don't eat much sweets-chocolate-cakes-biscuits either. One thing I would say is drink your 2 litres of water a day. I think that helped make an improvement in my skin all over while I was on roaccutane.

Roomic Cube

Macca3000 wrote: »

I think for me it was definitly stress that kicked it all off. I was quite an anxious/angry young lad in my teens and this was when I started getting acne. Now I don't know if this was why it persisted so long (28 next week) but at work or college if thing got a little heavy I would notice new breakouts.

As for diet, I wouldn't have a particularly health diet, certainly don't eat enough veg, but I also don't eat much sweets-chocolate-cakes-biscuits either. One thing I would say is drink your 2 litres of water a day. I think that helped make an improvement in my skin all over while I was on roaccutane.

Yeah the water thing deffo helps just clear our all the crap and keep you hyrdated which on roaccutane is only gonna help ya! Nearly finished myself now so i'm looking forward to getting my lips back :P Dry skin and beards are also not the most fun

Eathrin

Hi, I don't usually post here but I have a rather unusual situation, I think. I got a fairly large spot on the side of my mouth ( not on my lips, but very close) which has caused a lot of my cheek to swell up! I'm not used to the selling and I'm not really sure why it's happened this time. Can anyone advise?

P.s: It looks like I got punched in the mouth. Ye

catdog2011

Hello, I don't have acne as such but i've always got spots and im 22 now so I'm fairly fed up of it at this stage. I've went on the pill over the last year, first i was on microlite which made my skin even worse, then yasminelle which was ok for the skin but made me feel sick in my stomch, and now my doctor has put me on logynon. Has anyone got any experience on how this has affected their skin?? If it makes it bad again i will lose my marbles!!!

JPLON

is 100% pure extra virgin olive oil good to use on your face along with pure olive oil? not virgin, extra virgin etc? I still have some acne and my expression lines show a little bit, and people say it's good but I don't want to have the oil clogging the pores of my face and make me look like a freak again like a few years ago.

seanboy2010

im not sure about olive oil

never tried it

I would recommend jojoba oil

its very like olive oil (same texture)

but it is not biodegradable, and so acne bacteria cannot feed off it

apply a little to your skin to moisturise

it will also stop your glands from producing oil, since it tricks your skin into thinking its well lubricated (which it is)

as for Roaccutane, im an old soldier in this game

i took two two courses, one in 2001 and the next in 2003, both about 80mg per kilogramme cumulative dose (total 160mg)

in the past year I have developed pains in my joints and tinnitus

basically my ligaments and tendons have hardened, calcification, which causes the arthritic pain, and also the tinnitus (lots of little ligaments in your ears)

I cannot recommend strongly enough, to avoid taking roaccutane

the long term side effects of the drug are completely ignored by the medical profession, i only became aware of them when i started developing symptoms

the dermatologists around dublin 4 would be better advised to give young people a fighting chance when deciding to take this drug, dont be so economical with the truth,

i would recommend www.acne.org for info re stoping acne

basically you need

1) non soap fash wash
2) bezolyl peroxide
3) moisturiser

best of luck, and stay away from Roaccutane!

ohthebaby

seanboy2010 wrote: »

im not sure about olive oil

never tried it

I would recommend jojoba oil

its very like olive oil (same texture)

but it is not biodegradable, and so acne bacteria cannot feed off it

apply a little to your skin to moisturise

it will also stop your glands from producing oil, since it tricks your skin into thinking its well lubricated (which it is)

as for Roaccutane, im an old soldier in this game

i took two two courses, one in 2001 and the next in 2003, both about 80mg per kilogramme cumulative dose (total 160mg)

in the past year I have developed pains in my joints and tinnitus

basically my ligaments and tendons have hardened, calcification, which causes the arthritic pain, and also the tinnitus (lots of little ligaments in your ears)

I cannot recommend strongly enough, to avoid taking roaccutane

the long term side effects of the drug are completely ignored by the medical profession, i only became aware of them when i started developing symptoms

the dermatologists around dublin 4 would be better advised to give young people a fighting chance when deciding to take this drug, dont be so economical with the truth,

i would recommend www.acne.org for info re stoping acne

basically you need

1) non soap fash wash
2) bezolyl peroxide
3) moisturiser

best of luck, and stay away from Roaccutane!

My dermatologist is in Dublin 4 and he was far from economical with the truth. Gave the facts straight up, told me to go home and research the drug, which I did fully, and then decide what I wanted to do. I went with it as for me the pros far outweighed the cons and I had seen first hand the enormous success rate of it.

Non soap face wash, that peroxide stuff and moisturiser is all well and good when you're like 14/15 and aren't suffering that badly with acne. Yes, it does work for some people and clears them up. But what happens when you're 20, covered in spots and none of the above stuff has worked for you all your life? What do you do when what's on your face is making you feel very, very down? What do you do then?

So no, some people can't just 'stay away from Roaccutane'.

CookieMonster.x

I posted this in Fashion and Appearance but I'm not really sure where to post and I might get some replies here.

Can anyone recommend good, non oily suncream. I have red hair and very fair skin that burns easily so I need at least factor 50. I used Boots brand Soltan (yellow/orange bottle) before on my face and it really made it very oily and I got a lot of spots from it (I'm 15 btw). Otherwise it's fine for my body.

Can anyone recommend a good suncream for your face that is not oily and is factor 50?

Also, if you put on suncream can you put make up on over that? I know that most have spf of maybe 20 or around that but I need more so I can't really miss out on the suncream.

Thanks

Elba101

catdog2011 wrote: »

Hello, I don't have acne as such but i've always got spots and im 22 now so I'm fairly fed up of it at this stage. I've went on the pill over the last year, first i was on microlite which made my skin even worse, then yasminelle which was ok for the skin but made me feel sick in my stomch, and now my doctor has put me on logynon. Has anyone got any experience on how this has affected their skin?? If it makes it bad again i will lose my marbles!!!

I have tried EVERYTHING; every cream, every pill, every lotion everything! I'm 25 and i still get breakouts, sometimes there really really bad. I started drinking Turmeric powder about a month ago and my skin has really cleared up.

Just half a tea spoon in a pint of water every day. It doesn't taste too bad, but I drink it over the space of an hour cos it's not the nicest either.
You can get a big bag of it in the spice section for about 3 euro.

I also have a cream with turmeric in it and use that twice a day. It's really calmed my skin down and I would definitly recommend it. Starting seeing results after about 4 days.

Hope this helps!!

ohthebaby

CookieMonster.x wrote: »

I posted this in Fashion and Appearance but I'm not really sure where to post and I might get some replies here.

Can anyone recommend good, non oily suncream. I have red hair and very fair skin that burns easily so I need at least factor 50. I used Boots brand Soltan (yellow/orange bottle) before on my face and it really made it very oily and I got a lot of spots from it (I'm 15 btw). Otherwise it's fine for my body.

Can anyone recommend a good suncream for your face that is not oily and is factor 50?

Also, if you put on suncream can you put make up on over that? I know that most have spf of maybe 20 or around that but I need more so I can't really miss out on the suncream.

Thanks

I use Nivea Sun Moisturising Sun Spray every day on my face. It's factor 50 and also has UVA and UVB symbols on the bottle so it's pretty good. I don't find it too oily at all, I actually still have to put my regular moisturiser over it! They also do a kids version of it so it might be more kind to your face if you've gotten spots from suncream before!

And yes yes yes you can make up on over suncream! Just put it on a while before you do your make up so it has had time to sink in. SPF of 20 in a bottle of foundation isn't really going to protect your face that well... I saw something on UTV last week that said Factor 30 is now the new recommended protection. But yeah, make up over suncream is grand.