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Thread: Need acne help

  1. #21
    barkley1 is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    This is all great advice - some thoughts: I did oral abx as a teen. They did work somewhat, but looking back, that explains a LOT of loose stools, IBS symptoms, and heartburn (from taking them immediately before bed w/ not enough water). So, I was miserable a lot, but didn't know why. and either I didn't share w/ my mom, or she just gave me Immodium or something - my fault for not seeking out more help, but that was my personality and I didn't know better.

    I also took Accutane when I was in my early 20's. My family dermatologist wouldn't give it to me, and almost ridiculed me for asking. Then I went to see a woman dermatologist with an entire sheet of paper filled with everything I had tried. She agreed it was time and it was the best thing EVER. I've only had a handful of zits since then in the past 15 years, and that's being lax on washing my face every night. Only now at 38 am I starting to see more pop up, and I guess it's hormonal old age stuff. I don't know what the supposed long term effects are, but as far as I can tell, I don't have any.
    DC ~ 9
    DC ~ 7

  2. #22
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    ^^ I'll agree re long term oral abx. I did oral abx as a teen and they did help a little at first but I wish I had never taken them and could go back in time with what I know now. I ended up with recurrent yeast infections in college and the medicated creams would cause so much irritation that I would then get a bladder infection every time. I used so much monistat and prescription creams that I developed a sensitivity to them and cannot use them any more, ever (imagine the worst skin reaction you've ever had - down there!!). Given the rise of abx resistant bacteria in general due to rampant overuse and the fact that acne bacteria are also becoming resistant to oral abx, it's not a decision I would ever make again. Maybe a short course (1-2mos max) while working on the underlying cause but I really feel those long courses of oral abx ruined my health and are part of the reason why I was SO sick so often in college (I had lots of other issues with strep and bronchitis that wouldn't respond to abx). Derms in general ended up being a giant waste of money for me, as they were just managing the symptoms instead of treating the underlying cause. I never had severe acne so something like acutane was never even a consideration, and some of their recommendations actually made things worse (like going on BCPs!)

    I had cyclic hormonal acne off and on through my 20's and 30's. Frustrating! Once I discovered that hormonal BCPs and the depo shot were making me break out like crazy and I quit them it helped tremendously, but after my last baby (5 years ago) my hormones went haywire again and I was breaking out more. Quite by accident (doing an elimination diet with DH for his migraines) I discovered that completely cutting out gluten and cutting WAY back on dairy made a huge difference. No more inflammatory acne. I can tell if I accidentally get gluten because within a few days I break out in huge painful bumps on my cheek (I can tell before then, but the breakout confirms it was gluten and not a stomach bug!)! I still get mild small pimples here and there around my period or ovulation but nothing awful. I also discovered that the advice I'd always been given about not exfoliating "too much" was the opposite of what I needed. My skin doesn't turn over well on its own. I now use my clarisonic daily and I use an enzyme/aha cleanser with it. I use a mild AHA serum daily, as well, and do glycolic or lactic acid peels about once a month. I do need to be careful not to be too aggressive right around when I do the peels but if I back off this regime my skin goes bonkers. I discovered this many years ago, and the dietary changes finished it off. I'd highly recommend looking into Makeupartistschoice.com They are incredibly helpful and if you send photos they will help you determine products that could help. They offer sample sizes so you aren't out a ton of cash. Top notch products and great c/s. I like the mandellic acid products and use them off and on (peel, serum, and toner) but I love their niacinamide serum, lac-luronic, and gly-luronic serums. I rotate among them but I think I've finally narrowed it down that my fave is the lac-luronic (lactic acid and hyaluronic acid). I am probably not spelling any of these correctly, btw! I also use their peels monthly or as needed.

    This is not to say that every skin type needs this, but to point out that there is definitely no one-size-fits-all approach and to be open to trying other things and going against the grain to see if it helps her. In retrospect I wish I'd completely skipped the abx and BCPs!

  3. #23
    KrystalS is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Default Need acne help

    Update:
    I'm not sure how to edit the title but I wanted to update this thread.
    Took DD to the dermatologist about 2 weeks ago. He prescribed Minocycline (antibiotic) and Clindamycen gel. She has been on the medication for less than 2 weeks and her face is already getting better. For anyone on the fence about taking your teens to the dermatologist, GO! DD is so happy to have her face looking better. She hasn't had any side effects from the antibiotic so far. She washes her face twice daily with Cetaphil and uses the gel. He recommend Cetaphil lotion if her face gets dry but she hasn't experienced this at all. Her face has always been very oily and it's finally just normal now.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    -Krystal

    DD 2/04
    DS 10/5/10

  4. #24
    mom2binsd is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Glad you got her seen finally and are seeing results! I can't believe it took so long though! I love love love our dermatologist, she is great with DD and since we've seen her, her acne it totally under control, and now that we have an established relationship its so easy to be seen for all the other skin issues (warts/weird fungus on feet etc) that seem to come up! At times we find we do need to use a benzol peroxide facial wash, but Cetaphil and the clindamycen and antibiotics works well. I am so sad when I see kids who have raging acne and their parents refuse to see a dermatologist because they say it's just part of growing up!

  5. #25
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    So happy to read the update! This is such a huge problem for adolescents and teenagers and I'm always happy to hear positive results. Thanks to everyone , especially cckwmh, for posting their experiences and info - I'm definitely filing it away for future use. DS1 is just entering this stage at 13...some minor pimples, but I notice a lot on his peers. I know one of his close friends has already seen positive results from a dermatologist prescribed regimen, so I won't hesitate to take my two boys.

    Oddly enough, my perimenopausal hormones are causing me major skin issues. I just started the R+F regimen and like it so far. I am on week 3 and my face is clearer than it has been in a few years. My SIL had to go to a dermatologist to clear her acne at 40. Both of us had clear skin as teenagers and up until we hit 40. I need to figure out how to fix the scarring on my forehead. I'm polka-dotted lol
    Karen
    -----------
    Mom to 2 hockey-playing, Lego-loving boys DS1 2003 & DS2 2005

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