cystic acne

hi, my daughter is 16 years old. she has cystic acne on her face. chest and back. we have tried everything. peels. accutane, birth control pills, creams. so on and so on. is there something or someone out there doing cutting edge treatments? drug trials ? please just a product name or a name of a doctor that can help beyond the norm. thanks jim

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I am perlexed to hear that you have tried Accutane and that it has apparently not worked.  In my experience, that is extremely rare.  It makes me wonder whether thhis drug was given at the right dose for a long enough time.  Or perhaps the acne is indeed better but isn't entirely perfect, in which case you and your daughter may need to recalibrate your expectations.  Maybe treatments with oral and external antibiotics should be considered, since these may help in ways they didn't before Accutane was given.  I think these are the kinds of questions you should discuss with your dermatlogist.  There aren't to my knowledge special "cutting-edge" treatments (laser, for instnace) that are worth placing special hopes on.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[couscous]

Hello,  just read your story and pessimism that followed.    My friend went to a guy named Dr. Neal who specializes in acne specifically.  He got completely clear after previously failing accutane.  I would say, find this guy and do place special hope in an answer.  I can't imagine anyone just sitting by and accepting a life with cystic acne.

Good luck,
-C

[terryb1]

hELLO I WAS JUST LOOKING OVER THIS SITE. i ALSO HAD CYSTIC ACNE FOR YEARS WHERE I WOULD GO IN AND THE DERM WOULD INJECT THEM. i DID ACUTANE TWICE I HAD TO STOP PART WAY THROUGH IT THE SECOND TIME.
nOT A GOOD DRUG TO BE ON. aNY WAY MY DERM HAS ME ON  SPIRONOLACTONE 100MG ONCE A DAY IN THE MORNING. iT IS A DIARETIC. wELL IT HAD WORKED NOT ALL DOCTORS USE THIS . Before this i was on all kinds of antibiotics they would work for a while and then it would stop working. The diaretic works by getting rid of excess fluid so your glands dont get filled up and infected where cystic acne comes from. Talk to your Derm it has been a god sent. I have been on it for over a year now. So far so good, If i can be of help ***@****