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dreamworld06
LIF Adult
Member since 2/07 1341 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Acne- I am out of options
I have tried everything for my face and I can't get anything to work. I see a dermatologist (meds work for about 3 months) and I've had facials which were supposed to "clear everything out". I don't know what to do next. Nothing seems to be working....any advice
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Posted 11/5/08 9:40 PM  |
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evnme
My little lamb
Member since 8/05 12633 total posts
Name:
aka momma2b
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
what meds are you on? oral and/or topical?
it could be hormonal.....
also, are you on the bc pill? ortho tricylen lo has helped me.
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| Posted 11/5/08 9:45 PM |
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dreamworld06
LIF Adult
Member since 2/07 1341 total posts
Name:
Heather
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Right now I'm using differin and benzamycin gel. I've been seeing a dermatologist for over 2 years now. I started with oral antibiotics and topical meds. He started light and kept increasing the strength of the meds. I went to him about 5 months ago for these new meds. They worked great for 3 months and now I'm back to where I started.
I'm also on loestrin which I was afraid may be making my face worse.
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| Posted 11/5/08 9:50 PM |
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Deedlebugs
Blessed
Member since 12/05 10281 total posts
Name:
Kiki
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by dreamworld06
Right now I'm using differin and benzamycin gel. I've been seeing a dermatologist for over 2 years now. I started with oral antibiotics and topical meds. He started light and kept increasing the strength of the meds. I went to him about 5 months ago for these new meds. They worked great for 3 months and now I'm back to where I started.
I'm also on loestrin which I was afraid may be making my face worse.
I think it could be the loestrin. I had horrible acne with certain BCP.
Are you able to take another BCP or must it be low dose?
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| Posted 11/5/08 9:52 PM |
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HeatherRose
Life is Good :)
Member since 11/07 6605 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by dreamworld06
Right now I'm using differin and benzamycin gel. I've been seeing a dermatologist for over 2 years now. I started with oral antibiotics and topical meds. He started light and kept increasing the strength of the meds. I went to him about 5 months ago for these new meds. They worked great for 3 months and now I'm back to where I started.
I'm also on loestrin which I was afraid may be making my face worse.
loestrin was fine for me for a long time, then one day my face started to break out so bad, and it went on and on for months. I went off it and its all gone.
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| Posted 11/5/08 9:52 PM |
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evnme
My little lamb
Member since 8/05 12633 total posts
Name:
aka momma2b
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
i use duac in the morning and differin at night. i also wash my face with plexion face wash (all meds from my derm). what oral meds were you on? i was on menocyclyn and then doxycyln (sp?).
maybe you need to switch derms?
and ask your obgyn to give you a different pill specifically to help your acne.
what kind of make up do you use? how often do you clean the applicators?
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| Posted 11/5/08 9:54 PM |
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groovypeg
:)
Member since 5/05 2423 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
i also use duac in the am but i use atralin at night. i have seen great results from this.
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| Posted 11/5/08 9:58 PM |
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wannabemom
look who's freshly baked!
Member since 12/07 7364 total posts
Name:
aka marriedinportjeff
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
it's a brutal last option with lots of side effects, but it permanently solves the problem....
accutane... your face will be clear for life after a 6 mo course of pills... but it's a nasty med.... and some dr's won't prescribe it.
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| Posted 11/5/08 10:00 PM |
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CaseyGirl
Mommy to 3 Boys :)
Member since 5/05 19978 total posts
Name:
Jen - counting my blessings...
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
I had terrible acne growing up...nothing worked...nothing!!! What finally helped was using Clean And Clear Continuous Control face wash and also I went on Ortho TriCyclen birth control. After that it cleared up. Sorry I know how you feel! 
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| Posted 11/5/08 10:11 PM |
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headoverheels
s'il vous plaît
Member since 6/07 42079 total posts
Name:
LB
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
i think the problem with a lot of dermatologists is that they are not willing to experiment with different topical medicines. i had to see THREE different derms and i tried every medicine under the sun before i found what worked for me. trust me when i say i looked like the "before" pictures for YEARS  but now i have really great skin, i get compliments on it all the time.
i am currently using finacea, and that is what works for me - but that won't necessarily work for you.
it also depends on what kind of acne you have - if you have cystic acne, like i did/do, then most regular topical creams like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide won't work for you for very long - they will clear the acne you have but they cannot prevent new spots from forming. that is where the prescription meds come in. things like differin, finacea, retin-a, those are all designed to work at the source of the acne. that's also why it can take weeks for you to see any results.
if you would like a recommendation for a new derm i would be happy to recommend mine, she is wonderful
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| Posted 11/5/08 10:42 PM |
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Chatham-Chick
*********************
Member since 5/05 10312 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by wannabemom
it's a brutal last option with lots of side effects, but it permanently solves the problem....
accutane... your face will be clear for life after a 6 mo course of pills... but it's a nasty med.... and some dr's won't prescribe it.
Some doctors won't prescribe it because of the hassles involved. Each derm and primary I spoke with complained of the red tape involved in offering it to patients and that it's just not worth the hassle despite the drug's postive results for the majority of their patients. (The hassles are a result of the links to depression, not the possiblilty of birth defects.) I myself have done 4 treatments and was a part of the ever increasing red tape. 
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| Posted 11/5/08 11:00 PM |
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Deedlebugs
Blessed
Member since 12/05 10281 total posts
Name:
Kiki
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Posted by wannabemom
it's a brutal last option with lots of side effects, but it permanently solves the problem....
accutane... your face will be clear for life after a 6 mo course of pills... but it's a nasty med.... and some dr's won't prescribe it.
Some doctors won't prescribe it because of the hassles involved. Each derm and primary I spoke with complained of the red tape involved in offering it to patients and that it's just not worth the hassle despite the drug's postive results for the majority of their patients. (The hassles are a result of the links to depression, not the possiblilty of birth defects.) I myself have done 4 treatments and was a part of the ever increasing red tape.
was it worth it? I have always wanted to use Accutane, but was afraid.
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| Posted 11/5/08 11:04 PM |
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LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19461 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
I had horrible cystic acne and my dad got me proactive. I had tried everything short of acutane. The proactive worked. I love it. I feel like I am now the "after" photo because of it. It was truely magic for me. I had acne until I was 25. I am sorry you are going through it.
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| Posted 11/5/08 11:05 PM |
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PattyCake
LIF Adult
Member since 2/07 1007 total posts
Name:
Hope
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
I've never had acne but 2 people I know got theirs clear for LIFE from accutane. Might be worth a shot.
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| Posted 11/5/08 11:14 PM |
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Chatham-Chick
*********************
Member since 5/05 10312 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by Deedlebug126
was it worth it? I have always wanted to use Accutane, but was afraid.
It was totally worth it for me!!!! I'm so grateful my derm gave me the option!!! Most people don't need 4 treatments (I did 3 full and 1 theraputic), but I have no regrets! I was fortunate in that my only side effects were dry skin (primarily on my face) and chapped lips (I never went anywhere w/o my Carmex.) My DH used it as well and feels the same way as me. It was a wonder drug for the both of us.
Unfortunately now I'm on Retin-A as an anti-aging treatment and it's making me break out. 
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| Posted 11/5/08 11:16 PM |
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Beth
The Key to your new home....
Member since 2/06 24849 total posts
Name:
Beth
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by Chatham-Chick
Unfortunately now I'm on Retin-A as an anti-aging treatment and it's making me break out.
Retin-A was horrible for me in terms of breaking out
my derm put me on that in HS- I went to see him b/c I would get maybe 5 zits at a time
and he put me on Retin-A
OMG- my skin was GROSS
no thank you
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| Posted 11/5/08 11:29 PM |
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SuperLRN
Im a big boy now
Member since 5/08 2527 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
I also suffered from bad acne and went on antibiotics for a year which did nothing. All other topicals the derm gave me did nothing. I went on Yasmin abd started proactiv and my skin was clear and the best it ever was. After coming off yasmin i started breaking out again. I use the proactive repairing lotion as a spot treatment and Perricone "Clear skin" facial wash and my skin is just as nice as when I was on yasmin. Good luck. Its always hard and frustrating until you find what works.
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| Posted 11/6/08 7:36 AM |
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summerBaby10
let's be nice
Member since 9/07 10208 total posts
Name:
Wifey
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by LSP2005
I had horrible cystic acne and my dad got me proactive. I had tried everything short of acutane. The proactive worked. I love it. I feel like I am now the "after" photo because of it. It was truely magic for me. I had acne until I was 25. I am sorry you are going through it.
Proactive worked for me as well but I don't think my acne was so severe. I still use it if my skin starts to look bad. For some reason after I use it, my skin gets a glow.
How long did you use it for before you started to see results? My brother has cystic acne & I told him to try proactive & I think he tried it for 3 days before he decided that it wasn't working
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| Posted 11/6/08 7:57 AM |
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curliegirl
He's here!!!!
Member since 3/06 10128 total posts
Name:
Gina
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Unfortunately it's all a toss up as to what your skin will respond positively to.
The best for me was minocycline.....magic pill!!!!
ALthough Proactiv was good for a while.
All the topical stuff in the world can't compare.
I'm not on it anymore and I've been contemplating going back. I have cystic acne and many topicals don't really work.....I've been using Zania and Duac intermittently, maybe I should tryit more rigidly before going to pills.....
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| Posted 11/6/08 8:01 AM |
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MikesWife
Wanting...........
Member since 1/06 6887 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Before I got pregnant I was on Evoclin at night and Finacea twice a day. GOD SENDS!!! Even though they are both pregnancy B catagories, I decided to just stop using both until I deliver. Ask your derm about these.
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| Posted 11/6/08 8:13 AM |
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johnsae
Sip.
Member since 3/06 18677 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Sorry, Accutane was not a permanent solution for me. My skin was great for about 2 years and then back to the way it was and I've had issues with scarring after Accutane....like a pimple takes MUCH longer to go away and it leaves a scar when it does.
I tried Proactiv before Accutane while in college, and I didn't give it a chance...I sent it back. Well, after many failed treatments (including Accutane), I tried Proactiv again and it has worked better than anything else.
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| Posted 11/6/08 8:46 AM |
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BunnyWife
Insert Witty Comment Here
Member since 5/07 8274 total posts
Name:
BunnyWife
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
I'd trying switching derms. Every doctor is different and will prescribe different types of meds together. I use Differen at night and duac during the day and my skin looks great. What kinda food are you eating? I also find when I eat a lot of meat my skin goes crazy. Add more fruit, veg and nuts.
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| Posted 11/6/08 9:25 AM |
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baghag
:P
Member since 5/05 10278 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
I was on Accutane twice, and while the results were incredible, they were certainly not permanent.
I use Proactive and the Umbrian Clay face mask ($48, but really worth it). They keep the acne at bay.
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| Posted 11/6/08 9:34 AM |
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Chatham-Chick
*********************
Member since 5/05 10312 total posts
Name:
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Posted by johnsae
Sorry, Accutane was not a permanent solution for me. My skin was great for about 2 years and then back to the way it was and I've had issues with scarring after Accutane....like a pimple takes MUCH longer to go away and it leaves a scar when it does.
Maybe you just need to do another treatment, possibly a theraputic treatment (3 months, low dose)? Derms will tell you that you may need more than one treatment.
What kind of scarring are you getting? Pitting? Or redness/pink areas? Is it just your face or your entire body? Do you use any topicals when you do get a pimple? Please don't take this as an insult, but as we get older, our skin doesn't heal like it used to, so maybe your scarring is related to that and not the Accutane.
I know when I finished Accutane, I didn't have any pimples to give me scarring. My skin was glowing! I never went out in public w/o makeup until Accutane.
Message edited 11/6/2008 9:48:33 AM.
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| Posted 11/6/08 9:45 AM |
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KvsGrl
Round 2!!
Member since 1/07 1202 total posts
Name:
Samantha
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Re: Acne- I am out of options
Change your BC. I was on Levlen for years and did not realize it was the cause of my breakouts. I switched to Yasmin and I NEVER break out. I also use a combination of Neutrogena Deep Clean facial wash and Proactiv toner and lotion. HTH!!
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| Posted 11/6/08 12:40 PM |
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