adult acne grrrrrrrr

[mudder147]

I am 40   and i have acne all my life just about since i was 13 i have had acne.right now i use retin A a minocycline.but even with this i still break out i dont know why?that about 27 years of acne longer than some of you have been alive.i even still get acne on my back and have some scars from acne i feel so ugly.no one my age has acne but me.i know how you all feel i really do.Is there anything more i can try or do?why do i stillget acne after all these years?i dont think its normal...I wish all of you the best of luck clearing up your acne i really do.

[loiloi]

You can have your hormones levels tested. They may show you have too many androgens, or that you are particularly sensitive to the affect of androgens. However, taking an anti-androgen contraceptive pill carries higher risks in patients over 35. Have you ever taken accutane (isotretinoin)?it is the only drug currently available that offers hope of long term remission. Whilst other treatments can control the acne for the time they are taken-in most cases only a period of a few years during adolescence-if your acne is persistant you should consider it.

[Jenflax]

Hi,

I am 37 and posted "finally an answer". recently. For me what has worked VERY well is 100mg of spironolactone prescribed to me by my derm. It is an anti-angdrogen. I had tried the various birthcontrol pills for acne and nothing worked. I have tried every cream, antibiotic, pill, cleanser.....I even worked for a derm. one year when I was 19 and he had me try everything he had. I had given up for a while and my derm (not the one I worked for) happened to notice during an annual mole check that I had acne and asked if I wanted something for it............I thought "I am sure it is just some new cream/pill that won't work"...........but I tried it anyway and am so glad I did!

I am only three years younger than you and have had it since high school. It got worse after I had my first daughter. I then started to breakout on my neck. So on the odd chance that I didn't have too many pimples on my face or chest.....it didn't matter because I had them on my neck. I kept thinking, when is this going to be done. Like you I felt like why do I feel like the only one this old to have acne ALL the time.

It can't hurt to ask your derm. about it. Mine didn't test my hormorne levels. He just asked me a few health questions and started me off at 50mg once a day. Within a couple of weeks I noticed a big difference but was still breaking out. He then changed my script to 100mg daily and I don't have one pimple on my face, chest or neck.

one caveat....you have to use some kind of birthcontrol with this medication, it is not safe to get pregnant while taking.  

Good luck!

P.S.  Please let me know if you end up trying it and how it works for you.

[Jenflax]

Duh...completely ignore my last post. I just happened to read another one of your posts, in which you say that you are a guy. So I doubt you need an anti-androgen med.

Sorry about that.

Good luck!