Help please -- those with experience! Does acne...?

Question

ever go away?!!?! its all i can think and worry about. ive had it since 11 and at first it used to be small on my forehead then it migrated towards my temples, cheeks, nose, around my mouth, and now its on the side of my face and on my body!! im 15 now so its been 4 years and i'm just SO DEPRESSED I EVEN CRY!! i started proactiv when i was 14 and it worked but my acne was very mild then and then i stopped and then it got worse and now im on it again but it wont go away!! or maybe its the scars idk. ive been prescribed minocycline but i became immune to it after a year and my parents wont take me to the derm anymore because they tell me i will grow out of it but i dont think i will its been 4 years already and NO ONE in my family has ever had acne and mine is always there year after year getting worse and maybe its just the proactiv maybe i should stop and wash it with water only but im scared it'll infest my face more after i stop. ohhh do you think it should go away slowly soon?
hbu?

Answer 1

I sympathize - my parents were the same way when I had acne as a teen. Luckily, my skin survived in pretty good shape. The key is not to pick.

Here are some suggestions:
1) If a dermatologist costs more under your parents health insurance, then see your family doctor or primary care physician. He/she can also prescribe helpful medications.

2) Here are the best sites I know of for skin care advice: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/art.asp?ID=29
http://www.kidshealth.org/Search01.jsp


3) These sites are good for medical research about acne:
http://www.webmd.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?query=acne&sourceType=undefined
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/acne.html
http://www.4woman.gov/faq/acne.htm

4) Here are some home remedies:
You can crush up 6 plain, uncoated aspirin tablets and mix it w/ a little water or aloe vera gel to make mask. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes & rinse off w/ cool water.

Milk of Magnesia - apply in thin layer where needed & allow to dry 5-10 mins. Will absorb oil & tighten pores. Can be used as a spot treatment too.

Facials can help too. Here's how to DIY: http://www.ehow.com/how_2564_give-yourself-facial.html

5) In my experience, acne is tied to hormonal fluctuations & will diminish or disappear as you enter adulthood.

Be sure not to pick at your pimples - you risk scarring.

Don't use harsh products. I avoid things containing mint, menthol or camphor.

Keep hair off your face. If you wear eyeglasses, then wash them daily to remove skin oils.

Answer 2

A dermatologist is your best bet, so find a new one if the other one wasn't helpful!!! There are other antibiotics you can try and last resort... there's acutane (which they do not like to prescribe to women because if you were to become pregnant while taking this drug--it causes severe birth defects) Acutane also affects the liver so you have to have liver fuctions tests done while you take this drug.Routine blood test. Acutane can also reduce scars caused by acne!

Try a 1-2%salicylic acid body wash or facial cleaner(wal mart, neutragena, any brand-doesnt have to be the most expensive) leave it on for a couple of minutes and then shower it off.(shave your legs while you wait...lol) Try it everyday but if your skin becomes dry then try every other day or two. No heavy lotions or oils.
There is a stronger salicyclic acid 3% which is in dandruff shampoo--you can also try that and use it as a body wash. It works pretty well even though it might sound weird.
Try to avoid touching your face with dirty hands-your hands are always dirty. Watch how you rest the phoneagainst your face too! Shower at night since its summer and you get sweaty all day. You can use a mild soap like a baby soap so your skin doesnt dry out when you arent using the body wash.
Acne just happens and some people really get it bad while others just dont...teens are plagued because of hormonal changes...most people do grow out of it but remind your parents it's not fun nor fair.

Answer 3

I don't mean to sound like a downer, but I'm 22 and STILL have acne. I am slowly getting it under control. I started proactiv a year ago, and it has helped a lot, but only if you are CONSISTENT and use it twice every day, morning and night, in the exact way that they say to. Try the extra strength proactiv, I was told that it is the same price as the normal one. Also, try the proactiv Advanced Blemish Treatment. It's pretty expensive, $30 for a little tube, but I would say that it is well worth it when used consistently.

Consistency with proactiv is extremely important. I used to use proactiv when I was younger, but I didn't stay on track and mixed it with other medications and it did NOTHING for my skin.

Also, if you wear foundation, try using a mineral foundation. These are actually good for your skin and won't cause more breakouts. Try SheerCover, it is distributed by the same company as proactiv (guthy-renker).

And the last of my advice, drink a lot of water, every day!!

Answer 4

It may depend on what kind of acne you have. Lots of people your age have white heads & blackheads- these are often just due to your hormones & will go away eventually. If you have cystic acne (the kind that makes a painful red bump on your face but never seems to form a head), then you might need something from the dermatologist. Also, if your acne seems to be getting worse while using Proactive, you may try changing to some other product. Try something specifically for sensitive skin and try not to wash your face too much- that can lead to more irritation and blemishes.

Answer 5

I don't know anything about the meds you are taking but i am now 24 and have a very bad back still, but my face cleaned up once i started using a Garnier toner....blue bottle, cant remember the name soz

Everyone always says cleanse, tone and moisturise but honestly now i wish had started earlier. try a pore clearing wash and use it morning and night- when you use the toner, keep going over it till the cotton wool is clean and eventually it'll settle down.

If you wear make up, make sure you take it off before bed!!!! and get one of those back washer things and bath or shower at least every other day!!

I hope something helps hun....but it wont happen overnight, so you have to give it time!

Answer 6

I totally sympathise with you, but please don't worry it will settle down. Worrying could be making it worse. To treat my acne I had to try a million different products to find ones that suited my skin and I find that natural ones work best (for me) such as Origins or Liz Earle. Don't over clean your face, try not to touch your spots either. If you can get Philosophy's Hope in a Bottle, give it a go. It dries your skin up and it may help out. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser (Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish is great), put on a light moisturiser for oily skin, once it's soaked in put a little of the Hope in a Bottle on over the top. I hope this helps and good luck!

Answer 7

I have been through the same thing. It will eventually go away, there are things to do to help. Try switching to a different face wash. You may be immune to Proactive or you may be experiencing a different form of acne. Also, continue asking your parents to see the dermatologist.

Answer 8

im so in the same boat as you =(
i started when i was like 10 or 11
and i just became 14 on the 18th.
i went to a dermatologist, and he gave me some pills and 2 creams. but i am only allowed to use the pills for 3 months, and i still have pimples so i dont know what im gona do then lol
but good luck
i just wanted you to know you're not alone <33

Answer 9

i suffer from acne its caused by stress,do things to stop you getting stressed i went to the gp and they gave me some yellow tablets looked bit like m&ms and smarties but wasnt lol and they cleared them up but i had side effects now i use cream but mine are vanishing but every month they always seem to come back!! so soon im going to go back to doctors if they come back and talk to them about lazer treatment cause they said i could have it if it gets worser maybe you should do the same dont get depressed about it,its nothing to worry about,im 15 to 16 this august lol and ive had acne since i was about 12

Answer 10

i have the same problem, ive had it since the 4th grade, and now i'm 16, if it is scars, theres this thing called buffing the face, ask your parents to take you back to your dermatologist to ask about it, and theres this medicine called Doxycycline, and lotion called duac tropical gel - you apply it every morning and night, worked like a charm. ask a docter :] its worth a try, it helped my severe acne. my whole familys had acne, it sucks bad, but they all said once they hit 19 they grew out of it, so i bet you will!!
i wish you luck*