acne question!!! please reply!!!!!

I dont have bad acne now(although i did in the past) just a few pimples here and there but they bother very much i want to have nice clear skin.my dr.said i should take accutain because thats the only thing that will really work.
I wanted to know :
A.if my face will get really bad while taking it.
B. if there is anything else i could take that is less strong but will work as well..

[loiloi]

Some patients find their acne gets worse at the beginning of accutane treatment, but then it will improve. The side effects include dry skin and lips. After a six month course most people will be free from acne for a long time. Other treatments include lotions from your doctor such as Dalacin or Differin, oral antibiotics such as oxytretracycline or going on an anti-androgen pill such as Diane35. Love loiloi xx

[lily336]

do you think i should start using it even though my acny is not bad?? and do i have to be on it for 6 months???

[loiloi]

Go on Dianette (Diane 35 in the USA) first. You have to agree to be on the contraceptive pill before they'll give you accutane anyway as you must not get pregnant on accutane. You may find the dianette clears your acne on it's own, if not go on accutane. If your doctor is offering accutane s/he obviously thinks your acne is severe enough to warrant it. Severity is not just about how bad the spots are, but also about how much they affect you. A course of accutane lasts between 16 and 24 weeks. x

[C333]

No!  I would not recommend Accutane; people with sever acne have taken multiple courses and still have acne. There is no guarantee your skin will get better.  And while on Accutane there are many side effects. I remember one in particular was anal bleeding.  The drug dried me out and I was miserable while on it. I did it twice and it did not cure my acne.  It sounds like you acne is mild to moderate and you should probably not take any serious drugs for it. I have been on many drugs and used creams, and out of everything I have done the natural approach has worked the best. For example, I use a tea tree oil face wash and a lavender moisturizer with high quality ingredients.  I also take suppliments for my skin health, of which Omega 3 is something I highly recommend.  What ever you do though, PLEASE research for yourself and make an educated desicion.  There are many holistic approaches to help your skin that will not harm your body.

Take Care & Best of Luck

[lily336]

thank you for responding.. im really confused and dont know what to do about accutane because i know there are side effects and uncomfertable ones but on the other hand no other med.will really get rid of the acne.my Dr. told me he can give me a 100 diff.things that will help short term but only accutane will help for long term..its a hormonal problem. i used proactive in the passed it help for a short while then stoped working..im using something very good now which keeps my face really clean but i still have some acne..and i want my face clear!!
what is omega 3? is it a cream??

thanx 4 your help ;)

[lily336]

oh and i alo wanted to ask how is your skin today with taking omega3 and all????

[loiloi]

Medicines effect everyone differently. I'm so sorry to hear about C333's experiences on accutane. The only side effect i had was dry lips, and my hair grew more. I have very sensitive skin and severe allergies so unfortunately cannot use the lavender or tea tree oil which help C333. Do your research and, with your health professionals, find the personalised acne management program that is right for you. x

[lily336]

thank you all for your help i did some more research and decided not to go on accutane.its not worth the risk!!! but i would love to hear of any other treatments for acny that are not as harsh as accutane that worked well for you ...

[kitaly]

I am a true believer in Accutane.  My son had devastatinging acne and it really had him quite depressed.  After five months on accutane his face was completely healed, with no scars, and his confidence level boosted.  It does mean monthly blood work, but for him it was worth the inconvenience.  A good dermatologist will carefully monitor your progress with the product.

[loiloi]

I agree with Kitaly. Accutane gave me a complete break from my acne both times i took it, and i'd never been happier. I would not recommend it to you if i thought it would harm you, although i do acknowledge that some people have suffered bad side effects. With any medicine, the expected benefits need to be weighed up against the potential side effects. If you decide to go on it in the future, find a good dermatologist. In the meantime, discuss alternatives with your doctor like erythromycin, oxytretracycline or Diane35. Love loiloi xx

[lily336]

i think that for boys its safer then for girls... i asked my homeopathic dr.about it, if she thought it was safe enough and this is what she said : "I had a client who took accutane and wasn't able to get her period for years nor was able to conceive afterwards."  now you probably cant know 4 sure but i wouldnt want to take the risk! no thank you!!! its not like im suffering really badly form my acne..i ratrher deal with the disscomfert of the acne then have to deal with any future sicknesses like that.

thanx for your help everyone ;)

[lily336]

what are erythromycin, oxytretracycline or Diane35. ??? are they pills or creams??

[loiloi]

Differin and Dalacin-T are creams available from your doctor. Erythromycin and oxytetracycline are both antibiotic tablets and Diane35 is a contraceptive pill that blocks the male hormones in your body (called androgens) as those are the ones which cause acne. Well done for not letting your spots bother you, i wish i was like you-mine make me really depressed. x

[lily336]

have any of you ever heard of minocycline???

[loiloi]

yes, it is a tetracycline antibiotic which kills the bacteria which causes acne. There are many antibiotics which are either broad spectrum (have lots of uses including treating acne) or specifically for acne. Lymecycline and doxycycline are two other antibiotics. I was thinking about the lady who had menstrual trouble after taking accutane. Whilst there is a theorectical risk that you could experience menstrual disturbance whilst on accutane this sort of side effect should stop when you finish the course. you have to use birth control whilst on accutane, so it is more likely that she had a Depo-shot or used a progesterone pill, after which it could take a long time for your periods to return to normal. If you do decide to go on accutane take a modern low dose eostrogen pill such as Diane35, Yasmin or Femodene. There is no evidence that these cause fertility problems. Don't be put off by other people's experiences, it is possible to have an allergy or bad reaction to any medication. Conception is a complicated process. I had amenorrhoea (no periods) and still got pregnant! Don't rule out accutane for the future, but in the meantime good luck with the antibiotics xx

[lily336]

are there any side effects from taking minocycline?

[loiloi]

The most common side effect from taking antibiotics is feeling a bit of nausea when you start taking them. Other side effects such as headaches or rashes are rare. I have taken 3 different types of antibiotics for my acne over the years without side effects. xx

[lily336]

I would love to hear about  what minerals can help my acny!!!
inlighten me!

[loiloi]

With regards to the above comment, Zinc is a good supplement to take as acne sufferers are often deficient in this. loiloi x

[Monty21]

Hey lily, I took accutane because my acne would NOT go away.  I tried everything and it's the only thing that 100% completely cleared my face.  I had some side effects, but not any of the serious ones.  I did get really dry... my lips and my skin.. but other than that, it went well.  I was very very pleased with my results. My face stayed clear for about 5-6 months after I was off the accutane, but now my acne is back.  Not as bad but it's baaaack.  Hope this helps!

[lily336]

thanx 4 writing...
im sorry ur acny is back.. i know the feeling and its the pits!!!! im not taking the accutane for many reasons and one is bc almost everyone who took it had to take it 2 or more times to really get rid of the acny and even that sometimes didnt help...
was your acny really bad???
do you know of anything that can take away spots???

[Monty21]

No problem..

My acne was horrible.  People used to say I had a beard of acne, because it was all over my chin and around my mouth.  =( Before I was on accutane I was taking benzaclyn ( probably spelled that wrong), but it worked well. It's just a cream you put on before you go to sleep.. there's face cloths too; my friend uses those and she LOVES them. The cream didn't totally get rid of the acne but it kinda kept it under control a little.  I don't know how old you are, but I know that birth control can clear up your face as well.

Hang in there! I know it how bad it sucks!

[Kerry30]

Hey Monty and Lily I'm sitting hear reading you guys comment, and I feel bad.  I used to had a friend who had acne and I explained the same thing to him that I will explain to you.  Many creams will help you to cover up your acne problem but none will help you get to the root of it.  Acne is an inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles.  It is very important to do your due diligence on minerals that can aid in the permanent riddance of your acne.  
My friend still takes his minerals (not specific to acne) but he does his keep up with his mineral intake to keep his system running efficiently. Something a lot more people should consider.

[lily336]

thank you.. it can get really hard.. thank g-d i dont have a lot of acny..but i want a clear face and every little spot drives me crazy!!! it controles my life!!!
im almost 20 and i never took anything for my acny be 4 believe it or not.. ive just used oxy cream which really doesnt help.. im thinking of taking minoycline have you ever heard of it??
its just nice to see that im not allone and that there are other people in the world that know how i feel...
thanx 4 writing back.

ps
how is ur acny now???

[sbgirl16]

I have been on minocycline and it didn't work, although it may for you. It is one of the more powerful drugs you can take before you decide on accutane. Please try everything else you can before accutane. 6 years ago I would say, what the hell, take accutane because its a miracle, but then 3 years later my acne flared up even worse. I took accutane again and got very ill. I was sick everyday, stomach aches, pounding headaches, dizzy, achy joints, naseau until I finally stopped it but I still have acne. I feel like nothing will ever work for me and it sucks. :(

[heyang]

Lily, it was your last comment that I saw your age. Your acne is part hormonal, part age. All comments are on the right track, however, the quickest and most reliable route to consistently clear skin for you at your age is a birth control pill .... such as the new one Yasmin. Although antibiotics will help for the time you ar on them, they do not deal with the 'base' problem, which is hormonal. Yasmin has an androgen suppressing quality to it that calms down the oiliness and breakouts of your skin, with the added bonuses of lighter periods, milder pms symptoms.

In addition, benzaclins, which is a combo of benzocycline and clindamyacin, available by prescription, works topically to dry and as an antibiotic.

It's a frustrating road ... omega 3 won't do it, proactiv won;t do it ... you've got to control the hormones. Good luck, and do your research.