675d
1
I've been repeatedly let down by my healthcare providers and feel I'm on my health journey alone. I have severe and persistent acne that has proved resistant to every medication dermatologists have thrown at me. Topical after topical, nothing helped. Courses of antibiotics, didn't help. I decided I wanted to try to heal my body internally and went on a gluten-free diary-free and low-sugar diet. Within 6 months my face was completely clear, but as the months went on my skin began to decline and return to it's previous state. Desperate for relief, I decided to go on accutane which is one of my biggest regrets ever. Within a week every inch of my skin was blowing up with painful cystic pimples and all I was being told was that it was just a purge that will go away. I was put on steroids to calm the inflammation but it only helped for a week. After two months the active pain and horrible scarring forming on my face was too much for me to deal with and I stopped the medication. To this day every dermatologist tells me I made a mistake stopping it but they don't know how bad it really was and it's mental impacts (I also experienced drastic weight loss and I'm already underweight). I'm now immersed in understanding the gut-skin axis and learning how I can heal my body from within once and for all. I've been on a Paleo diet + supplements for a year but that unfortunately hasn't helped me at all. I recently got my results back from a stool sample analysis and found I have a huge bacterial dysbiosis in my gut. Based on these results, I just switched to a carnivore diet to try to kill off the overgrowth of a certain bacteria genus. I'm hoping I can one day wake up without throbbing and swelling all over my face and alleviate the severe phobia I have of being in public spaces. Some days I'm even too scared to go out and take out the trash if the sun's out. If you've read this far I appreciate your time and would love to hear your story as well :)
676d
0
What’s the best why to deal with cystic acne? I have like 1-3 all in a very unfortunate location and its kind really uncomfy. They’d been there for like a month or more.
779d
0
As a teen I had bad acne. After 20+ years with almost none, it returned in the form of acne and probably rosacea around the age of 43, during a stressful life moment (divorce/job issues). 4 years later and despite dietary changes, various types of creams, treatments, and medications, nothing seems to help. Maybe someone here can? :)
783d
0
Has anyone here experienced a cyst in their skin? I was told this lump on outside of my ear felt like a cyst at urgent care. He told me it wasn’t concerning but to follow up with a dermatologist. I saw online that heating the area helps. Wondered if anyone knew of other ideas that can cause this to go away. Scheduled a follow up incase nothing works either way but hoping it’s not necessary
797d
3
Any one here been on Accutane? I’m currently on Sprionolactone/Tretinoin combo for the second time to help with my cystic acne, which I’ve dealt with for many years. The first time I went on this combo four years ago (when I was 18 or 19), my skin got much worse initially, then cleared up completely. I’d never seen my skin looking so healthy since I started dealing with acne in middle school (cue biggg boost in my self esteem). I stopped taking the pill when I studied abroad, and within 6 months all my cystic acne came back. I’m now on it for the second time and it’s working slowly, but I worry that if I was to go off it again everything would come again. The spiro pill makes me incredibly dizzy and I don’t want to be on it forever. I’ve heard accutane is really the only permanent solution for people with persistent, prolonged acne. What were your experiences with accutane? Did it work for you? Is it worth it? Are there other solutions I should try before I try accutane?
801d
0
Anyone have any natural ways to combat hormonal acne? I quit birth control and Spironolactone due to bad side effects.
866d
0
Hi! I’ve been struggling with hormonal and cystic acne for 16 years now, oof. I’m 27 now. Spironalactone, winlevi, and aklief help a lot, antibiotics don’t. However, I’m considering accutane because I don’t want to take Spiro forever. I tried going off it and it wrecked my face so I’m back on it again. Has anyone taken accutane? How bad were the side effects?
874d
1
Hi so every now and then I would get acne on my labia ever since I was in my 20s. I’m now in my early 30s. I am not sexually active, haven’t been for a few years, nor do I use toys. this past year especially it has been constant and many. I don’t shave so I am not causing any irritation and I regularly clean myself with natural herbal soap. I’m not athletic so there’s no concern of causing irritation either by that. Any idea why I’m getting it and how to stop it? They’re not little top layer zits either.
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What is it?
Acne is a common inflammatory skin disorder that affects most people at some point of their lives.
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