Accutane

[Missy]

I have a friend who is on it and really loves it. She said it is kinda a PITA b/c she has to go in every month to take a pregnancy test. I guess accutane causes birth defects? Anyways, it may be worth a try.

I think (depending on where you live) you also must get blood tests every month in addition to pregnancy tests and take part in the ipledge program.
http://www.aad.org/member-tools-and-benefits/practice-management-resources/compliance/ipledge

It is a hassle but if you are of childbearing age it is necessary as this drug can cause horrible birth defects. Personally I think they go overboard but unfortunately we are paying the price for people who are not as responsible about taking birth control. You have to promise to use 2 forms of bc while on this drug because you do not want to become accidentally pregnant while taking Accutane.

 

[Lotus99]

I'd also suggest an elimination diet. I discovered that chocolate gives me big, nasty cysts. It's no fun avoiding chocolate, but I've gotten used to it.

I've been using Boscia products for a few years. While they're not strong anti-acne products, I find they've helped my skin. I always used to have a few spots at any given time throughout my 20s and 30s. They seem to cleanse my oily skin without drying it out too much. Some of the products have willow bark, which is a form of salicylic acid. It's just a suggestion for those with difficult skin.

 

[packrat]

I need to get a pen and jot down some of these things that have worked for you guys.

The wheat/gluten thing makes me wonder..mom brought me a magazine about cutting wheat being something that helps you lose weight and in a sidebar it mentions it being an acne trigger. It makes me think well heck, what if that's part of the problem?? I eat a lot of things w/wheat. I have GI issues sometimes too, maybe it's all related. No Dr.'s, dermatologist or otherwise, have ever asked me about food allergies or suggested that might be a cause.

When we were in the derm's office, there was a picture (did I already say this? I'm too lazy to scroll) of common skin issues, and one of the pics was of rosacea..I always thought that was itty bitty bumps, like tiny goosebumps, on red patches of skin. A friend of mine in school had rosacea and that's what it looked like. But in the picture, it looked more like pimples too..so maybe I have some sort of insane combination or something.

I used that Aczone cream Thursday night and felt icky Friday..so I don't know if it was lack of sleep or the cream. I'm going to try it again tonight and see how I feel tomorrow. I hate being so sensitive to things.

 

[radiantquest]

I wanted to add that my derm told me that taking accutane permanently changes the way your body secretes oils. After going off I may be a little drier now than before, but I'm not overly dry. She said that the longer you take it the more permanent the results will be.

I don't use any harsh products on my face and still slather the Eucerin on my face before bed.