Cystic Acne? Please Help

Mar 29, 2012

Paige S.

im at a loss, ive tired everything and ive been on the reversion regimen for about 4-5 months now and i started getting cysts again. its pretty upsetting to me:( i would really appreciate your advice guys thank you <3

Mar 29, 2012

Heather H.

I know exactly what you're going through Paige. I also struggled with bad acne (face, chest and back) when I was a teenager and in my early 20s. No over-the-counter products will cure it (although, they may calm things down a little) so I suggest that you find a dermatologist. Seeing a dermatologist, for me, was one of the best things that I have done for my skin. Seriously, I no longer have any breakouts.

Mar 29, 2012

Paige S.

thank you..:)it really is hard to deal with when so many girls have such perfect complexions...i made a appointment to see a dermatologist today because its gotten so bad. what medicines where your prescribed? 

Mar 29, 2012

Heather H.

First they tried topical medications like clindamycin and retin-a, but they didn't help. They tried to put me on antibiotics, but I refused because my body doesn't react well to them and it's not good to be on them long-term. My dermatologist now has me on a long-term low-dose of isotretinoin. I've been on it several times since I was 17, full doses and now the low-dose. There are potentially serious side effects for some people, but I've known quite a few people to take it and only one had a weird rash issue with it.

Mar 30, 2012

Jeannie L.

I didn't have severe cystic acne but it was noticeable enough to prompt my mother to take me to a dermatologist when I was in high school. I was prescribed Accutane, given medicated topical treatments, had vitamin A and light treatments done, and all that only helped marginally. The only thing I did that really cleared up my skin was changing my diet. I stopped drinking cow's milk (which I've read studies on has been linked to causing acne), and I try to avoid highly processed/refined foods. I did have a lapse once during finals week once, I ate an entire package of Chips Ahoy cookies in one week and the next week, I broke out everywhere. So you may want to try doing an elimination diet, just taking out things you normally eat from your diet and seeing if there's any reaction. 

Mar 30, 2012

Heather H.

@Jeannie I've actually known a few people to have the same reaction to milk and soy! It's amazing how many products that milk and soy are in.

Mar 30, 2012

April A.

Aww, don't be depressed over it! I'm sure you're an amazing person and all of us have things we hate about our skin (I hate my rosy red cheeks). I feel your pain. I still have some scarring I'm working on getting rid of .・゜゜・（／。＼）・゜゜・． Granted some girls don't have to work as hard as it as others, but the people who have to work harder at it, usually know more because they had to work at it. So take this as good experience because you'll get to know your skin a lot better!

I just wanted to add to also pay attention to where you're breaking out and if you're under stress. Stress, diet, products you use can all be contributing to this. For instance, I was breaking out a lot around my jawline / neck and that was because of the shampoo I was using! It never even occurred to me that could be part of my problem until I saw it on youtube. Once I stopped using it, it went away. When you change something up then make a note of what you changed and pay attention. (｀・ω・´)” 

Mar 30, 2012

Theresa K.

I know how you feel! I had really bad cystic acne (my chin now looks like a gravel road wih scarring) and the only thing that cleared me up was Accutane. Go see a derm and see what they say :)

Apr 2, 2012

Britt A.

The best thing you can do is see your dermo! Don't feel bad, plenty of people are in the same boat! When I was in HS I had to beg my mom to take me, but they teach you about the right products to use and help you learn more about your skin type, which will benefit you for the rest of your life! Think of it this way- you already made the first step to achieving your best skin ever- seeing your dermo :) It's all up from here darlin!

Just drink water, water, water. I know it's cliche, but it's true. That and follow dermo instructions to a T! I also find that sun exposure does wonders for about 10 minutes a day. Try not to stress-it only makes it worse. You may also want to consult with the dermo about different foundations/concealers that will work well with the medications they put you on. My dermo recommended Bare Minerals makeup to me, and I've never looked back.

Apr 2, 2012

Kristen W.

I just went through a terrible case of acne in November/December. My derm put me on Doxycycline and Epiduo. I only used the samples of Epiduo since I couldn't afford it, and it was a little to harsh for my eczema. But if you do not have really sensitive skin, retinol is a great option. I took Doxycycline for a few weeks and it made the biggest difference. I have not taken it in a month and the deep blemishes have not come back. I have also done the elimination diet that Jeannie suggested and that helped, too. I switched my skincare routine to Clinique Acne Solutions, which is great and has not irritated my skin. I do have a few acne scars left, but I use Mederma on it(not the gel; I like the one with SPF 30) and I also put on Clinique's Acne Solutions gel on the scars once a day. The combination is fading the scars and prevents new breakouts. I am sure you can find a cheaper product similar to the Acne Solutions gel, but I have found that it works the best. I have also started taking fish oil, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and a a vitapak from GNC specifically for healthy and clear skin. Oh, and a good, inexpensive masque I like is the Queen Helene mudpack masque. It clears pores but does not dry out skin. I got a huge tub from Sally's for about $5.00. Also be sure to keep your cell phone clean. I like having alcohol pads on hand because mine caused bad breakouts on my cheek. I hope your derm is able to help you =)

Apr 3, 2012

Joi K.

I see girls and guys like u in my practice all the time and I think first of all u have to factor in ur age accutane which is the brand form of isotretinoin and oral antibiotics like doxycycline and minocycline help and u can take the antibiotics long term in small doses all help to reduce the cystic acne but u have to remember if ur young and still going through puberty which we do until our early 20's then u maybe prone to having some form of acne dont get discouraged though the treatments that a professional can offer will definitely improve things I just dont want u expecting perfection and overnight miracles the average time it takes for any acne treatment oral or topical and u usually need both is about 2-3 months even with accutane but all of it works and not just the Rx stuff their are treatments in the office such as peels and what not that co incide with the Rx stuff but a derm will def help u out

Apr 4, 2012

Paige S.

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback:) I just saw my dermo today and he perscribed me doxycyline 100mg to take once a day and Acanya gel pump he wanted to put me on a retinoid(sp?) to try and peel my face but i tend to have terrible side affects with the chemical peel cleansers...im hoping for the best. do any of you know if doxy will make my acne worse after i finish using it or will it normalize my skin issues?(cysts) im excited to try out my new medicines and really hope things dont get worse!:)

Apr 4, 2012

Joi K.

To be honest it may not get worse but it may just come back and u may have to do a daily supressive treatment of around 40mg to keep them controlled or if they do come back and u decide not to do an antibiotic every day u may wanna talk about doing isotretinoin just because its USUALLY a one time deal and it the success rate is very high but for now just stick to the regimen he put u on and be compliant and take ur meds and take with food generic doxy can cause an upset stomach for some and the acanya is important to very both oral and topical treatment goes hand in hand and really look into the retinoid therapy as well only becauseif the peel does it job it will allow that acanya to get deeper into the skin and work just that much better. As far as the doxy making the cysts goaway forever it may but more than likely it may not it will definitely get things under control to the point where u may only need a Rx for it may a couple times a year if that after ur initial use hope this helps :-)

Apr 5, 2012

Victoria H.

I'm glad you went to a dermatologist! I hope what he proscribes works for you. Should it not, however, it might be worth a shot trying Proactive. I had terrible acne problems for close to 8 years and tried everything, including all oral and topical medicines proscribed by my dermatologist. I randomly decided to try Proactive about 4 months ago and it's been insane how much it's worked. My skin has literally not looked this good since I was 13, and it started improving about 2 days after I started using Proactive. My boyfriend just started trying it for the cystic acne on his back, and it seems to be working for him too, although a bit slower for him than for me. And the nice thing is is that I think they always allow you to order Proactive for a month and if it isn't working you can get all your money back.

Other tips that might help that I learned from dermatologists from over the years:
(1) Don't take super hot showers or go tanning if you break out all over your back. Both cause your skin to peel and clog at a faster rate.
(2) Try changing your pillow case every couple of days if your face is breaking out. The oils from your skin transfer to the pillow.
(3) Your hair products might not be helping anything. We always think the stuff stays only on our hair, but for girls with long hair, it transfers to our necks, backs, faces, etc.

Hope this is useful. Good luck with everything! =)

Apr 5, 2012

Joi K.

@ Victoria H. I have heard that same report from so many patients about proacctiv that it works in the beginning and then it stops and usually its around the 6 month mark not trying to knock the product I think it works well in addition to Rx acne meds but thats a story that I hear from so many of my patients over and over and just a tip to your boyfriend since he has back acne Proactiv's main active ingridient is Benzoyl Peroxide so just a precation because it will bleach his clothes make sure he is not applying any meds on and then putting on his clothes. But I think your tips are great and another good tip to add to that is if u are having the big cystic acne lesions that are full of oil and they hurt a shot of cortisone will help clear those up or allowing your derm to do an extraction to remove the oil that is trapped will help relieve the pain and allow those types of outbreaks to go away alot quicker. I hope all of u do well on your treatments :-)

Jun 30, 2013

Carabelle R.

Looking for ways to get rid of acne! Try this DIY home remedy! 100% organic, fit for all skin types! Find it in my photo gallery! Do check it out if you wish to!

Adios Acne♡Mask of sweetness

Hope I helped♡
xo Carabelle

Don't worry Paige! Leave me a comment if this doesn't work for you! I'll source for other ways (: