Acne for 18 years

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cherrywaves
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 1:51 pm
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by cherrywaves on Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:52 pm

Acne for 18 years

Hi, I could really do with some advice after having suffered with acne since I was 11. I am now 29. When I was younger I took several rounds of antibiotics with no success. I used several topicals like benzoyl peroxide and dalacin t. None of this helped so I eventually took roaccutane. This worked like a charm but after my treatment ended the acne came back. I have since taken 2 more rounds and the acne always returns. I had success if I stayed on the pill dianette after taking the roaccutane but the doctor took me off it as he said it wasn't safe to be on it for a long time. My sister then contracted a blood clot whilst taking the pill yasmin so I don't want to take that either. I have also tried a laser treatment at a private clinic that just made things worse. I then begged my doctor to prescribe spironolactone even though they didnt want to but this again didn't help. I have now been using a combination of duac and differin but my skin is still breaking out. My skin is extremely oily and I break out in big lumps under the skin that sometimes don't come to a head. They throb and are very sore. They generally appear a week before my period. I am wondering whether to try a different combination birth control pill but I have no idea which one. I am really am at the end of my tether. My self esteem is at an all time low.

Thanks if anybody can help.

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wendygreen
Posts: 52
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 8:23 pm
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by wendygreen on Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:32 pm

Re: Acne for 18 years

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that you're at the end of your tether having suffered from acne for such a long time, but please don't give up - I'm sure you will find a treatment that works.

I think there are three main areas to focus on - your skin care regime, your hormones and your diet.

As you say your skin is very oily, despite using duac and differin, I wonder what you’re using to cleanse your face with? The manufacturers of these treatments recommend a mild wash-off cleanser - and it’s important to cleanse your skin morning and night.

As hormonal disorders are often involved in acne I think it's worth discussing your symptoms with your GP/dermatologist to see whether it’s possible that you have an underlying hormonal issue that's causing your skin problem. As you suggest - it may also be worth trying a different birth control pill - this might involve trial and error until you find the right one for you.

It may also be helpful to look at your diet. There is growing evidence that eating foods with a high glycaemic index (GI) and some dairy products – milk in particular, can exacerbate acne. The glycaemic index refers to the rate at which the carbohydrate in a food is converted into glucose. Refined carbohydrates convert more quickly, causing spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which have been linked to increased oil production and acne. Whereas the carbohydrates in unrefined carbohydrates take longer to break down - helping to keep blood glucose and insulin levels steady. So aim for a low GI (glycaemic index) diet, which means cutting back on refined carbohydrates such as white bread, biscuits, cakes and sweets and replacing them with unrefined carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruit and vegetables.

I wish you good luck in finding a treatment that works for you.

Wendy
Wendy Green
Health Expert & Author - BSc (Hons) Health Studies
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... _green.php

cherrywaves
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 1:51 pm
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by cherrywaves on Fri Sep 30, 2016 8:55 am

Re: Acne for 18 years

Thank you for your reply Wendy. I am already using an extremely mild cleanser so I don't think that is causing a problem. I have also been checked for pcos which i don't have, but i guess that doesn't mean that something still might be going on with my hormones.

As for diet, I've already totally cut milk out, maybe i need to cut out dairy completely, it's just so hard as I'm vegetarian and all veggie meals have cheese in!!! Xxx

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