I have had horrible acne for the past year or so. I’m 19 years old and I didn’t really have it at all when everyone else in high school did. I started getting acne around 16, but it became a huge problem around 18. I don’t pick at them or anything, but they leave scars and welts after they go away. I’ve worked really hard and got the acne to die down a bit, but there’s still a small cluster on each cheek that won’t go away no matter what I do, but then again it doesn’t get any worse lol. I was SPECIFICALLY told by a dermatologist that Proactive is garbage and that I should stay away from it. I’m in the Army so I don’t really have the time to go to beauty parlors and get facials and all that fun stuff. What home remedies or over the counter stuff can I use to get rid of the acne? And what about the scars the old acne left behind? How can I get rid of those too? I have jojoba oil and vitamin E oil(70,000 IU) in my med cabinet.
Thanks!
Left cheek:
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/artillereee/DSCF07055.jpg
Right cheek:
http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss184/artillereee/DSCF0713.jpg
Hello,
First of all, _respect_ for your Army career. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks too for the helpful pictures.
It sounds as if you have tried mostly lotion- and cream- treatments. I don’t know how much of a try you have given to acne- antibiotic tablets. That would be a pity if you haven’t, because you clearly have very active inflamed papules and pustules on your cheeks. I mean antibiotics like Tetracycline etc., which you have to take in low dose but every day regularly ? From your doctor, usually ?
Well, we don’t have Proactive in the UK, but we do have the same constituents, Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic acid, by other names.
Sometimes sunlight is good for acne, does your Army carreer give you a chance to try that ?
Benzoyl Peroxide cream PLUS Antibiotic tablets daily, would be what we in the UK would call "first line treatment." Or "immediate action drill" (I.A.) maybe <g>
Th next line of treatment is to consider Ro-accutane (Isotretinoin) tablets. These work by completely blocking the production of skin grease, (which the Acne germ feeds on). They are extremely effective, but because of possible side-effects, in the UK they are only prescribed to severe or distressing cases, (I would call yours "distressing"), and only under the supervision of a Hospital Consultant. You end up with a very dry skin for several months, but no acne.
Getting rid of old acne pits,… the best treatment is to "grind the skin flat again," called derm-abrasion, with a rotating wheel under general anesthetic. Sounds a bit drastic, I know. It works best when your acne is no longer so active, - either when it is under very good medical control, or in your thirties when your hormone-surge is over and the acne has "burnt itself out."
I was once in our uk regular-army forces (our ‘parachute regiment’), - and one advantage was the excellent, free medical treament !!
Acne is disfiguring and distressing, and no doctor will pooh- pooh- you as making a fuss about nothing. I urge you to get it sorted out. Really. I have to say I think modern medical treatments are more effective than home medicine-cabinet remedies.
I hope this is of some help.
Best wishes,
Belliger
retired uk doctor
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