What acne medication have you used and how would you rate it?

dustycupboard

I have mild acne, the kind with loads of blackheads all around my nose, on my nose, on my chin and forehead and even ingrown hairs on my shoulders due to blocked pores. So, what have you used (e.g. Dianette, tea tree oil) and did it work?

MiseryMary

dustycupboard wrote: »

I have mild acne, the kind with loads of blackheads all around my nose, on my nose, on my chin and forehead and even ingrown hairs on my shoulders due to blocked pores. So, what have you used (e.g. Dianette, tea tree oil) and did it work?

First off you should use a cleanser for the black heads and wash the face with plain water no soaps and there is a really good cream you can buy over the counter its Quinoderm ,I put it on at night myself and i think it's really good cream for acne you may feel a tiny sting maybe just killing any infection well getting rid of acne but not bad, you should get it and I hope it will work for you.

MickFleetwood

Accutane. It's worked very well but as many probably know, it can be a very taxing drug to take and I honestly would strongly advise against it unless nothing else has worked.

xzanti

If you have acne, antibiotics are the only way to go, in my experience..

I took Minocin for 6 months when I was 15, having suffered with acne since I was 11, and it worked for me.

Re blackheads.. the Bioré strips are great for removing them, but steam your face first and then use a hot cloth over the area when the strip has come off. Then bath your face in ice water for as long as you can bare it to close the pores.

Hope that helps.

Afollower

Dermalogica do a very good range for teenage skin. I got it for my teenager and it really helped. You can buy online a lot cheaper than from beauty salons (not available anywhere else) try beautyfeatures.ie and they often have special offers too.
Another tip is try to drink lots of water - at least 2 litres a day, and avoid greasy/fatty foods.
Try not to get too upset about your skin, it looks much worse to you than to anyone else and it's the person underneath that is really important.

Twee.

If it's actual proper acne, then I do not believe remedies or diet changes will help. Maybe with just regular breakouts. Of course you should keep your face clean and eat well anyway! Vitamin E is good for skin repair so you might try a face wash, cream or even capsule to help your skin recover.

You need to consult your doctor and see which avenues are available to you. In my experience, they treat it based on the severeness of the problem, so I was a level three (out of five). Started off with Cetephil and Weleda cleansers, and they did not work. Tried two anti-biotics and no joy there. Finally, Dianette was prescribed and that worked! Obviously it is the most extreme of the three so it was not a quick fix. The doctor won't want to jump to anything too invasive if there are other options. Also, it is not recommended to stay on Dianette for too long, so I had to come off it eventually. Luckily the acne did not come back. This was an issue when I came off the antibiotics.

Accutane and Roccutane are absolute last efforts for severe acne. While they do work, they have a lot of side affects, including depression.

Pythia

Twee. wrote: »

Accutane and Roccutane are absolute last efforts for severe acne. While they do work, they have a lot of side affects, including depression.

I think that would be potential side effects! Not everyone encounters depression!

I took the pill (Dianette) and it has gotten rid of the majority. The rest is then down to your regime and diet. Also for backne things like changing your bra regularly and not wearing a bra after you have sweated in it.

I bought myself a Clarisonic and hoping that will get rid of the smaller spots around chin and nose.

Twee.

Yes, potentially! My apologies.

panda100

Pretty much agree with all of what Twee said.

My acne is very concentrated on my lower cheeks and chin.I first started getting my spots at 25, and am 30 now. I started off on topical creams prescribed by my gp. They didn't work so she referred me to a dermatologist. The dermatologist prescribed me antibiotics and dianette. They worked a bit,but didn't really clear my spots. I've now just started on roaccutane, and they seem to be clearing a good bit, so fingers crossed.

These are treatments for acne though, and not blackheads. If you have blackheads would you not be better with a good facial, or clarisonic?

all_smilz

Duac- prescription only

MickFleetwood

When I took Accutane last year I got seriously depressed and fell to suicidal levels twice. Back pain, joint pain, prevented me from doing sports. Dry lips to the point where I couldn't eat properly without breaking the skin on 'em and bleeding all over the place.

Just not a good drug at all to take, and again, it should only be used if absolutely nothing else has worked. If you've only taken a few anti-biotics or creams and they've failed, do not just jump straight into an Accutane course, or attempt to. Made me quite hazy also.

It usually works, but at a potential cost.

bscm

I've found La Roche Posay Duo to be good at reducing cystic acne and similar spots overnight.

I don't use it all over every day/night because my skin built up a resistance to it after a week of daily all over use, and some stubborn acne remained, but it's the best product I've tried at significantly reducing sore spots/acne in a short period I dab it on a blossoming cystic acne spot, and the next day the soreness is gone and it's already on the way to healing, instead of waiting days for it to die down and heal.

Some people also love it for pore minimisation and decongesting blackhead prone areas. I personally can't speak about that but there is a thread with photographic proof of the effects it's had on someone.

JenL

bscm wrote: »

I've found La Roche Posay Duo to be good at reducing cystic acne...

I gave heard great things about La Roche Posay Duo and seen some impressive before/after pics. Vichy Normaderm range works great for me. Was using the face wash for a few months and skin cleared up well. Stopped for a bit and I'm all flared up again, just got some more and the toner and moisturiser and hopefully will be clear in a few weeks.
(Also I spend most of my day in work on the phone and had noticed they seem to develop easier where the phone rests by my cheek and chin so now clean the phone with alco wipes every day and that helped too)

biohaiid

I've struggled with acne for almost 7 years now, and while it's still not fully cleared it's a lot better than it was.
I've tried so many different things, and honestly the things that worked the best for me are lemon juice and aloe berry nectar.
With the lemon juice, I'd make a scrub with sugar and use on my face maybe 3 - 4 times a week.
The aloe berry nectar is especially good. I used to drink 2 30ml shots a day and it really really made a difference.
I use the proactiv skincare system right now, and while it did not and does not clear up my acne like I expected, they do a good job of keeping it at a minimum.
This system, the lemon juice and aloe berry nectar are a winning combination.
I've tried prescription medication and it never worked for me.

ennis81

I second the person who suggested quinoderm, there is a facewash and lotion they are cheap and effective, available in most pharmacys:)

biohaiid

ennis81 wrote: »

I second the person who suggested quinoderm, there is a facewash and lotion they are cheap and effective, available in most pharmacys:)

Quiniderm is really effective, but I found when I used it, although it did clear up my acne, it burnt my skin.
I was literally in agony, my skin was dry and peeling and everything.
I decided I would rather acne than skin like that.

La_Gordy

Quinoderm 5% thirded!!! Just make sure you use a really good moisturiser after as it's very drying. I've been using Quinoderm for 3 years and it changed my whole confidence. Please give it a go it's by far one of the cheapest options and highly affective!

gg2

Minocin and Minox on and off many years ago - there was a shortage of it here so couldn't get it for years. The minocin really helped.

Was taken to the dermatologist when I was 13/14 as my GP felt I would be better off going on a course of roacutane, however the derm said that she would want to put me on the pill first and at 13 that didn't go down well with the mammy!

Then tried alternatives - tablets from Tony Quinn that were huge, brown and smelt like manure!! Had to take 30 a day- was about 14 at the time and it felt like the worst thing in the world! Don't think that even lasted a week.

Tried topical creams - duac, another which as a little bottle filled with liquid and a blue pad stretched across the top... can't think of the name now....

Started having facials about 6/7 years ago which really helped, then about 4 years ago went back on minocin and the pill and haven't looked back!! Think it was a 3 month course of minocin - cleared everything right up. Still on the pill so that's probably helping too. But you would never think now that I ever had such bad skin.

I do think its really important to establish a good skincare routine. I use the La Roche Posey Effaclar range, have been using it for what feels like 8/9 years. Tried other things but always came back to it.

Good luck witht whatever treatment route you go down

collegeme

Gg2 I think the antibiotic topical liquid is zineryt. Ive been prescribed it and i'm taking it two weeks now and see a tiny improvement.
I am 15 weeks pregnant and broke out in terrible acne about 6 weeks ago. It spread across my chin and jawline and up my cheeks. Really hope the the zineryt works.

Lima Golf

I suffered with acne about 9 or 10 years ago. I tried all sorts of antibiotics, prescription face washes and creams and nothing really cleared it. What did work for me was going on a contraceptive pill, (doc said something about hormone imbalance) and using quinoderm before bed. It stings a little and if you feel your skin is getting sore just skip a night. I know everyone is different and you need to try to find the combination that's right for you. I still keep a tube of quinoderm and dab it directly on a spot if one appears from time to time. Also panoxyl is very similar to quinoderm but if you try it put old pillow cases on the bed as it will permanently stain them.

Miss Lockhart

I had moderate acne but it was extensive and affected my face, arms, chest and back. I was on Oxytetracycline tablets for months and found them useless. I was put on Dianette and it all cleared up after 3 months. I was switched to a standard pill after a year and it stayed under control. I tried coming off the pill a few years later but it all flared back up so I went back on it.

I find using oil-free moisturiser prevents any individual spots or blackheads appearing.

Overall I would recommend anyone suffering acne to look for treatment from their GP but to remember that it's often a slow process and that different things seem to work for different people.

ClubDead

I suffer with mild/moderate acne with the occasional nasty cyst popping up (once/twice a year). I’ve taken erythromycin (prescription antibiotic) when I’ve had a major flare up and it really does work. The down side is that it takes a while to kick in, it also cause upset tummy and it’s also not ideal to take antibiotics for extended periods of time.

One topical solution that I turn to time and time again that really does work is Zineryt, a topical erythromycin solution that is extremely fast acting for my moderate acne. It also contains zinc with is good for healing skin and preventing hyperpigmentation from acne.

Overall, my number one piece of advice is diet. Its over said at this stage but you are what you eat. If you eat $hit you going to look like $hit. For some people (not everyone) certain foods are a trigger, for me it seems to be dairy, anytime I have large amounts of diary my skin erupts. It might also be a good idea to look at your diet and see if you are really eating that well. Also try to be aware of times when you skin is worse...is it during hormonal times or when you’ve had a particular food or even if you’ve been under stress (another acne trigger).

Hope this helps.

Ilyana 2.0

I've been struggling with my acne for a long time too; I'm at my wits' end with it. My skin is currently the worst it's ever been since I was 18 (21 now).

Antibiotics only worked for me for the duration of the course, then the acne came back when I finished the course. I've built up a resistance to any topical treatment I've tried, including Duac gel and Quinoderm.

Dianette worked the first time (three years ago) but I've been on it again since December 2012 and it's yet to have any effect, although I know it could take a little longer yet. If the Dianette doesn't work, Accutane and Roaccutane are my only options and I really don't want to take them.

The only thing that seems to be helping right now is La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo; I usually get cystic acne and I haven't had any major cyst-type spots since I started using the LRP. I think it's nipping them in the bud before they get going, and the LRP is also supposed to help blackheads and blocked pores.

So yeah, after that essay all I can really recommend from personal experience is the Dianette (well, maybe) and the LRP. Hope you get it sorted OP; I know how crappy it is!

Victoria.

Ilyana if what you're doing isn't working don't be afraid to go for the Roaccutane. I like a load of people in this thread have tried every level of treatment before I finally went ahead with Roacctane and I finished my course just after Christmas and the height of the 'acne' if you could even call it that has been 3 blocked pores. Absolutely amazing. I wouldn't have been the typical candidate for Roaccutane because my acne wasn't severe but definitely wasn't mild either probably moderate but it swung into different levels of severity through the years. I'm the same age as yourself 21 and was getting spots since 13 (just a few) and then when I came off the pill at 17 I never got it under control again, nightmare.

Things I've tried:

Antibiotics: Minocycline, erythromycin topical (that's the one with the blue fabric on it that gg2 was describing) and lymecycline. All these were fine and worked well when I was on them first but then they didn't.

The combined pill: Had hardly any spots when I was on it from the ages of about 15-17 combined with the antibiotics and my Mum didn't mind because I was using it for cramps too, then decided to come off it and everything took off. Went back on the pill about 2 years later but still wasn't great.

Differin: I'm using this now after the Roaccutane and it's really good! Used it before a few separate times before Roaccutane and it was just fine, never totally clear. On prescription.

Isotrexin: combines a retinoid with erythromycin the antibiotic. This one is really good! Definitely would be my choice if anyone is looking for a prescription topical.

Duac: Hated this. Benzoyl peroxide caused peeling and the red marks left after the spots went to persist for way way longer than they would have if I wasn't using it.

Diet: everything under the sun at some stage from dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, limiting refined sugar, gluten free. I only ever drink water or the odd smoothie and more than reached my 2L a day the entire time had acne, made absolutely no difference when you have anything more than the odd spot.

Roaccutane
Flippin amazing. I'm absolutely delighted with the results. I had no mood problems other than just getting frustrated for it to work and that took a while probably 4 months for a massive difference to be seen which is where I personally believe that a lot of the depression comes from. It takes so long and so many failed treatments to finally get your hands on Roaccutane and when you finally do you want to take the first pill and wake up the next morning to find no acne and when that doesn't happen for 4 months and actually gets worse in the beginning it's not surprising. I had a bit of joint pain but just for a minute when I got up and walked when I was doing nothing before and a bit in my lower back but it was fine. I obviously had dry lips and skin which was nasty but you'll go with it if you want it enough and it wasn't anything that couldn't be dealt with. I had bloods done every month and you had to, all my levels were fine throughout. It's not as scary as people like to portray it, a miracle drug in my view. The dry lips/skin and the joint pain went away less than 2 weeks after stopping it and you can stop the treatment any time you want because it's in pill form so you're in control of it so it's worth a try if you're someone reading this and scared to take it.

OTC stuff that I think is good:

La Roche Posay Duo - Really good but has benzoyl peroxide so I wouldn't recommend it for sensitive skin and definitely an 'on the spot only' treatment. It's hardcore and will actually cause visible peeling if you're sensitive to benzoyl peroxide.

Clinique Blemish Solutions gel - really good too and the main active ingredient in this one is salicylic acid

La Roche Posay Cicaplast gel - doesn't do much in my experience for active acne but is the best thing I've found for healing marks left behind or if you lose it and squeeze the hell out of a spot in a moment of weakness it'll calm it all down.

Cetaphil gentle cleanser - a good cleanser that is basically inert, it cleanses and once you've dried your skin you wouldn't have known that you just cleansed it. No special ingredients but that's what's so great about it. A must for Roaccutane. Blistex is the best lipbalm for Roaccutane people too. Another tip for Roaccutane people or anyone really is to just dab your face dry with tissues. I never use a towel now it's so much more gentle and hygienic. Absolutely NO scrubs are to be used on Roaccutane it exfoliates you from the inside out lol, you'll regret it face especially but body too.


tldr: go for antibiotics plus or minus the combined pill if this works before making the jump to Roaccutane but if it doesn't don't be afraid to go for it.

miss no stars

omg I've tried so so many things over the years.

As a teenager I tried various types of antibiotics from topical, to tablet to combinations of them. Never found that the topical stuff worked at all tbh. The tablet stuff worked while I was on it but the effects went away fairly much immedaitely after stopping them. Also found that it mostly dealt with the acne on my face but not my back or chest.

Tried going on Dianette, which worked for the first couple of months and then the spots started to reappear. Went off it after 6 months and onto Yasmin, which worked a bit better than Dianette. Went off it after a while to see how my skin actually is. Acne came back.

Then got referred to a dermatologist who put me on creams and antibiotics, which worked while I was on them but had no lasting effect. He discharge me as uncurable, because I wasn't bad enough for roaccutane (can't go on it anyway) and the antibiotics were as good as it gets. I was also reluctant to go back on the pill as I had felt very sluggish on the Dianette and Yasmin.

Went to a new college doctor who actually listened to why I didn't want to go back on the pill and suggested a very low dose pill that's not usually prescribed for acne but that tends to work quite well, so I said okay and that's what I'm on at the moment (Mercilon) and it's working quite well. It agrees with me and although my skin isn't perfect, it's not bad either. The acne is completely gone from my chest and back and other than that I just get the occassional few spots on my chin, which I can happily live with.

I think it's also very important to look after your skin properly. My skincare routine has gotten much better in recent times and after investing in really good skincare stuff.

Morning
Cetaphil - cannot recommend it enough, it's SOOOOOOOO gentle. (use the one for all skin types - not the oily skin one which is a bit harsher)
Vichy anti-ageing normaderm - I mostly use it on my T-zone as I find it prevents my pores from getting bigger and reduces the amount of blackheads I get. Leaves the surface of the skin feeling lovely, too. (http://www.vichy.ie/Anti-imperfections/ANTI-AGEING-NORMADERM/p6084.aspx)

Kaeso beauty rebalancing moisturizer - it's nice and gentle, isn't very oily or not moisturizing enough. (http://www.flair.ie/products.php?c0=1&ct0=beauty-supplies&c1=105&ct1=skin---bodycare&c2=271&ct2=kaeso-skincare&c3=437&ct3=rebalancing&p_id=11316&pt=kaeso-rebalancing-moisturiser-495ml)

Then I put the origins super spot remover on any spots that happen to be hanging around, or anywhere I feel one about to appear. It works an absolute treat. (http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp?itemid=895)

Finally, La Roche Posay tinted sun cream (SPF 50+), which evens my skin out enough that I don't need to put on foundation on a day to day basis and provides the sun protection. (http://www.laroche-posay.ie/product-treatments/Anthelios/ANTHELIOS-XL-SPF-50-Extreme-Tinted-Fluid-p4018.aspx)

Evening
Cleanse & tone with the Kaeso rebalancing system. Every second night I put on The Sanctuary facial oil, and every other night just normal moisturizer. Origins super spot remover on any spots.

Once per week
Exfoliate using Kaeso rebalancing gentle exfoliator and then put on a moisturizing mask.

I've found that being really quite gentle on my skin, getting rid of specific acne treatments except for the origins spot stuff that literally only goes where there is a spot has really helped. My skin seems to have found its own balance again and it's not being stripped of its own oils too much. I reckon that letting my skin get really moisturized has kept the pores more open and not covered with dry, dead skin so the spots aren't really appearing.

Another thing I'd watch is be careful of use-by dates on makeup and keep it incredibly clean, particularly concealer and foundation (and their brushes) that will be in contact with areas of your skin with acne.. I'm fairly fussy about keeping my makeup clean so thought I'd be okay to keep my concealer set a bit beyond the 12 months recommended on the package but I realised it was making a break out worse. Bought new concealer and the breakout has improved a good bit!

tigerblob

I've currently been on Dianette for 3 months. It has cleared up 90% of my face acne but don't practically nothing on my back or chest. The doctor said give it another 3 months and then we'll try antiobiotics. I'm feeling hopeful, but I've been Dianette before when I was about 16 and it made my face look fabulous but never cleared my back or chest.

The only side effect this time round is my skin is quite dry, but I think that's worth it. Last time round my boobs grew a cup size and stayed that way forever, but maybe that's because I was young anyway!

Stench Blossoms

I had backne for years and the only thing that worked for me was Dianette.

helenaisabelle

Fortunately when I was a teenager I never suffered with acne. But as soon as I hit my mid twenties, it hit me with a bang. Initially I tried all the usual stuff. Tea tree oil, clearasil, changing my diet, etc. None of it worked.

Then I went to my local beautician (she's amazing!) and explained to her over the phone what was going on and booked in for a facial. When I went in for my appointment, we had a good chat and she went over loads of questions to see if there was any obvious trigger. She then used the dermalogica range on me. She gave me samples of stuff to try as well to see which ones worked best. Within a few days, I noticed the redness get better and then the spots began to clear. Using the samples, I found which products worked for me best and then went back and bought them.

I attended my GP a couple of weeks later for an unrelated problem. He commented on my skin (even though it was much better, but obviously not 100%) and gave me a prescription for bymycin. He told me to take it for 6 weeks and it should do the trick. And it has.

Now I'm not completely blemish free but I'm 90% better than what I was. I've even bought a lighter consistency of foundation I'm doing that well!

Hope you find something that works for you!

SusieBlue

I've suffered with acne for years.

I started out on Dalacin, a topical lotion. Did absolutely feck all for me and didn't clear my skin up at all.

Was put on Minosil next, and experienced a mild improvement, but nothing major.

After that we tried Tetrolycal which really helped, though didn't eliminate all of it. Ended up having to come off it because it contributed towards a breast bone infection I got.

As a last resort my doctor put me on Dianette which made me a miserable, moody cow and also made me put on 20lb. I was depressed, mood swings, you name it.

Only stayed in Dianette for 3 months before switching to Yasmin. Have been on Yasmin for about 4 years now, no problems, has COMPLETELY cleared my skin up apart from the odd breakout. No weight gain or mood swings to speak of.

I recommend Yasmin and a thorough cleaning routine that suits your skin to clean it up.

I wish I'd found something earlier because I have awful scarring on my chin from years of squeezing spots

Sheela

Since before Christmas my skin has been absolutely mental. I was Duac and Yasmin in the past and started back on them a week and a half.

I also think Yasmin is great. My sister used it though and had very bad mood swings....

The Duac made a difference literally overnight. I have had only 2 new spots since I started using it, which may sound a lot but is brilliant for me!

On Xpose tonight they were in a beauty salon just off Leeson Street and they did their 5 dos and don'ts of Acne skin-care, and they said don't used a scrub as it makes your skin produce more oil. I would have thought that regular exfoliation would be good (obviously avoiding active acne). What's everyone's option on that??

miss no stars

Sheela wrote: »

Since before Christmas my skin has been absolutely mental. I was Duac and Yasmin in the past and started back on them a week and a half.

I also think Yasmin is great. My sister used it though and had very bad mood swings....

The Duac made a difference literally overnight. I have had only 2 new spots since I started using it, which may sound a lot but is brilliant for me!

On Xpose tonight they were in a beauty salon just off Leeson Street and they did their 5 dos and don'ts of Acne skin-care, and they said don't used a scrub as it makes your skin produce more oil. I would have thought that regular exfoliation would be good (obviously avoiding active acne). What's everyone's option on that??

I think the problem is that a lot of scrubs targeted at acne are very harsh and they recommend themselves for daily use, which is waaaay overkill. That irritates and dries up the skin, so the skin tries to compensate by producing more oil, which gets trapped under the dry skin and turns into acne, so you keep using the scrub and it turns into a viscious cycle. I've found that a very gentle exfoliant once a week is fine, but I follow it by a moisturising mask.