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hi! i've been struggling with severe acne since i was 15. it was my nightmare. i didn't really care about it when it started, i was told that it was normal for teenagers to have, that it wouldn't last long. spoiler : it didn't. it just became worse, and so did my thoughts about. i started to feel very insecure : avoiding mirrors was routine, so was not tie my hair so my cheeks were hidden. i stopped touching my face, and i cried a lot. i still cry. i've seen many doctors, tried every drug or treatment but here was my acne happily surviving. all my friends were having their skin clearing except me, and those whose skin always glowing and doll-like. things got better when my doctor got me to use isotretinoin, my skin was better, too bad the problem became my lips. it was unreal. they got so crusty, no matter how many products ad brands i would try. it hurted like hell. even my hair were damaged, they just broke on top, so i always looked like i just got out of bed. but still, that summer i was happy. i had many scars and spots but my acne was light, until autumn came. i was prescripted tercacyclin and it helped me trough winter. i almost forgot : as my acne was clearing i had laser to heal scars, the only problem was that i found out that i'm allergic to the anesthetic cream, so i had to do it without, i still can feel the pain and smell the burned-skin stink. but, coming to the present, i'm writing this because i have just seen my doctor after another came-back of the same acne i lived for too many years, and he suggested me isotretinoin. i don't want to take it. i don't want collateral effects. i'm living my nightmare again. i don't know what to do neither how to feel. i can't anymore

Hi patientzero,

So sorry to hear about how you are feeling coping with your acne. It must be so frustrating for you. Have you friends or family that you can share how you are feeling with? Dealing with a condition like acne can be very emotionally draining and will affect your self esteem, and sometimes just by talking to a friend can help. If you check out the blogs you will see you are most definitely not alone.

Although we can not give any specific medical advice out, we do have lots of useful resources and would suggest that you have a look at some of the patient stories and articles as well as some of the blogs here;http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/talkacne/ or here; http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/ta ... ticles.php
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/bl ... ions/acne/

There is also a date for your diary as on April 6th we are holding an expert clinic on Mental Health & Skin Conditions where you may want to put your question directly to an expert? Have a look here; http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... itions.php

Try and keep positive by researching out what works best for you. You should always speak with your GP other health professional if your acne is getting worse though to discuss the treatment options available to you, and let him (or her) know how you are feeling about it with regard to your self esteem.

Hope this information helps, let us know how you are getting on though.

Regards,

talkhealth

The doctor prescribes isotretinoin is the correct treatment. Isotretinoin can inhibit sebum secretion, reduce hair follicle hyperkeratosis, and eliminate acne from its root cause.
Generally, isotretinoin takes several months. And isotretinoin has strong side effects, such as dry mouth and tongue, and the skin feels very dry.
If you are getting acne again and again, you'd better pay attention to your diet and skin care. Please don't eat sweets, milk, fried foods, and eat more fish, beef, eggs, low-sugar fruits, vegetables, etc.
Suffering from acne for a long time can easily lead to breakage of the skin barrier, causing repeated acne in the same area. It is recommended to use skin care products that contain repairing products. Only when the skin barrier is repaired and the acne is cured, it will not grow repeatedly. It is best to use less effective skin care products during acne, such as pyridoxine, salicylic acid, niacinamide, and high-concentration vitamin C.

Perhaps you can speak to the pharmacist in trying other creams and weighing the options.