Acutane or Diane-35

[Jessica]

I am 22 and have been using various acne treatments for years with only moderate results.  Recently I noticed a new drug advertised called diane-35 which has just become available in Canada.  I am considering this or acutane, but had severe side affect from depro-prevera and I'm now worried about taking more hormone theraphy, advise?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Jessica:

I have never resorted to hormone therapy for acne.  Some doctors use it, but there are always equal or better alternatives.  Accuatne may be one of these, though your own doctor can help you decide.

Best.

Dr. R

[Sean]

hello
i am 33 years old and had acne for as long as i can remember, i have lots of scaring from acne,i have tried everything over the counter and my family doctor but nothing work for me is the a time when i will never get breakouts  is there anything that can be done with scaring, will acutane prevent future breakouts please help. thanks    ***@****

[stephanie]

I was on accutane back in 1991 when I was in college.  It worked, but now at 28, I've had skin problems again, however not as severe.  Beware of nosebleeds and dry lips!!!

Recently, my primary care physician put me on tetracycline, which I took FIRST years ago, before minocin and accutane.  It worked for 2 months, but now my body isn't responding any more.  I'm affected in the areas of my chin and eyebrows, where new hair follicles are growing, but getting irritated.  Please help. I don't have the time at 28 in my career or home life to deal with this frustration! What can be recommended to apply over my chin and eyebrows or taken in pill form to stop or prevent this?

[sr]

do they have any studies involving accutane and lukemia?
why do you need blood tests if you are on accutane?
side effects?

[Daniela]

I'm 27 and for the past 2-3 months I have developed what one dermatologist called "moderate to severe acne." i get one or two painful pimples at least once a day. I am scarring and am all inflamed. I have never had this severe acne, though have used topicals since about 19 for mild acne. It is close to a month that I am takin minocycline once a day, and have just started taking Diane-35. I also take two topicals: stevamicyn and clindamycin in dilusol aha. I have been researching on the web and reading all about the side effects of minocin and diane-35, but still wonder about the combination of these two drugs. Are they effective together?  I am very apprehensive in continuing this treatment as I feel I may be causing long-term damage to my body. FYI: I have Celiac disease and had Hep A or C (not the Aids kind, but from water contamination).

[Mike Pat]

I am taking Minocin (200 mg per day).  I have been on the drug for 1 year now and have been absolutely clear.  However, (is this due to winter?) I have been recently breaking out around my chin.  Is bacteria becoming resistant to this drug?  Also, I have been reading quite a bit about Minocin creating liver damage?  Can you shed any light on my problems

[melanie]

I have used Diane 35 for 4 months now.  I have not noticed any changes in my acne.  Should I try Acutane?

[sarah]

i have taken all kinds of medicines for my face.i went to the dermo. today and he said that that i only have one other chioce, before i take acutane.i am only fifteen and have tried every thing possible for my face....HELP!!!!. i am really scared of needles and the thought of having blood drawn for 5 months scars me more.i dont know what to do . my dermo said that if acutane doesnt work i should try ELECTRICAL SURGURY!!!!some one send me some info on this acutane or good rates on electronical surgury....PLEASE!!!!send it to (  ***@****)
thank you...

[sunita]

I would just like to comment that taking all the antibiotics and applying all sorts of creams help some or in some cases do not help at all.  Have you tried to find out what causes the eruption?  May be it is certain foods.  Just start making a note of all the food that you have eaten (everyday) and see if you can come to some conclusion.  

In my case I found out that my skin breaksout when I eat any acidic foods  eg. tomatoes, citrus fruits, apples, grapes, any products with vinegar----like salad dressings, and milk and milk products.

Hope this will help atleast some people if not all.  Goodluck.

[Mins]

Hi there.

I have been using Diane-35 for about 3yrs and am worried about the long term effects of this product. Diane-35 has done wonders for the control of my acne, but when I stop taking it, the acne starts to slowly creep back. I've thru' all the antibiotics, but my body just adjusts to them.

What would you suggest?

[Audrey]

My treatment of acne first started with minocine. I took it for a few months and cleared up.  About a year later, my acne reappeared. This time I went on Accutane. I cleared up after 5 months of taking it.  But now, about a year and a half later, my acne has once again reappeared.  I put myself back on minocine (bought the pills in Tijuana where you don't need a perscription) and have now been taking them for about 2 months. HOWEVER I had to stop taking them because I have symptoms of vitamin A toxicity (too much Vit. A in the system) and those symptoms are extreamly painful and frustrating).  I DON"T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW!!!  If anyone has comments or advice please e-mail: ***@****  THANK-YOU!

[Sayuri]

Hi, I'm 17 and I've been using Diane-35 for 9 weeks now. I just wanna say they are great, my face looks much better. My forehead, nose and chin have cleared up, and I hope the rest of face will clear up soon. I didn't feel any side effects, whatsoever. Of course, there was an initial break out. I'd recommend them to everyone.

Sayuri

[nikk]

how long do you have to be on acutane?

[Talia Dalley]

I have just begum Diane 35 after trying various antibiotics to control mild to serve acne.In addition to the acne, I have lots of facial hair. I am 31 and most of the medications worked for a short time,treating the acne, but once I stopped taking it, the it flared up again. My question is: Will Diane 35 correct this condition even AFTER I stop taking it? I dont want to be relyant on Diane 35 for the rest of my life to control this condition. What do the long term trials prove with Diane 35 AFTER the pill is no longer taken?
Thanks,
Talia

[marie]

I have had acne since I was in 5th grade. When prescribed doxycyclene I would sometimes take it without water and it created horrible dysphagia which is difficulty swallowing at first i couldn't eat anything but now i am learning to live with it. It has been over a year and the doctors still don't know how to treat it. I was recently put on acutane but it hasn't kicked in yet. My brother went though it and he has perfect skin now. The side effects for me are nosebleeds dry lips and skin, and my back hurts all the time. But to get rid of my acne and the scrutiny of others i would endure so much more.

[susie]

I have been on Diane 35 for almost 10 years and am now thinking of trying for a baby. Are there any issues I need to know about? How much of a hindrance to becoming pregnant will my long stint on Diane 35 be?

[susie]

I have been on Diane 35 now for almost 8 years. I now want to stop taking it and to try and have a baby. What issues should I be aware of in terms of trying to get pregnant after being on Diane for so long.

[Daniela]

Since i started to use diane I haven't stopped bleeding (I have been using it for 12 days) Is this normal, though it's very little what I bleed )like when you are in your last day of your menstrual period.
Please answer me quickly because I'm really scared

[B]

I am 15 and have had acne (moderate) for 2 years I have been on Acutane for 3 months now, and all the smaller pimples have been going away, but there are still some big honkers, and a few small ones left how much longer?

[sarah]

Im 20 and i have been on diane 35 for about 5 months now, i started taking it for my skin.  My skin is pretty good, i still occasionally have a few pimples, but nothing like it used to be.  However, i have been acting very strange lately, my doctor didnt tell me about all the side effects, and i was wondering if depression was a side effect.  I have noticed a decrease in libido as well, and i am going to be spending a lot of time in the sun and i was also wondering how this will affect me.  I am thinking i need to get off of this pill, but at the same time i am worried that my acne will come back.
please help,
sarah

[Kunju]

I have been taking Diane 35 since I was 20 yrs old (I am 25 now) on and off.

In the last six months I have been having sleep problems, I visited a herbalist and I have been told that my sleep disorder is due to Diane 35. What would you advise ?

[Kunju]

I have been taking Diane 35 since I was 20 yrs old (I am 25 now) on and off.

In the last six months I have been having sleep problems, I visited a herbalist and I have been told that my sleep disorder is due to Diane 35. What would you advise ?

[paula 2000 30 may]

i am 48 yrs old and have been coping with acne with varying degrees of intensity all of my life i've taken drugs used topicals vit A steva ect ect
i've be on courses of different horomes and even injections provera in the late 70's which i'm pretty sure didn't do much
to improve my general health mental emotional or physical
also depo  whatever injections in 1998 in association with severe
endometriosis. you know i've always known and beleived that acne  is hormonal imbalance not a skin problem,just as bipolar disorder is a hormonally related mental illness
i've using acutane for the past 2 mos ,this is my 1st time with acutane,anyway my skin has made anoticeable improvement already and as far as side affects go i'm only experiencing dry lips so far the large very sore cystic type breakouts wre occurring at all times no more cycling at all and boy they getting larger and sorer and more painfaul than ever.and my nose always had two or yhree eruptions at a time.i never would have beleived i would still be fighting this battle til now.luckily i don't hav too many scars btu the ones i do hav e;many of them were recent
those large cysts leave large scars or pits i hate thoses pits the most
anyway i'm doing very well so far isure hope the improvement continues
my dr. says that it should and that i should not need another course of it.i hope not when would that be at 65 or 70
i forgot to mention that my dosage is 60 mgs daily  i weigh 130 lbs

[Robert]

I took my daughter to the doctor the other day and he prescribed Diane 35 for her acne. She is almost 15 years old and she is worried about the side effects. She checked it out on the internet and is worried about putting on weight or losing here hair. What can I say to her to hopefully try this out.