Cystic Acne

Accutane will work ... but you cannot be pregnant.it causes severe birth defects.

I took Accutane it works.. it is somewhat uncomfortable.. you are dry like a dessert.. lips chap... skin is dry and flakey but it does get rid of the acne.

you take it for about 5 months.

The only thing that helped me was taking Accutane back in my 20's. It was a life changer. You definitely can't take if pregnant but if you know you are done you could look into it after baby #3. (After nursing as well...lot's of risks to a child)

Just giving my sympathy. I had this, too. It was better in pregnancy for me, though. I started eating a traditional diet (raw milk, soaked grains, lots of saturated fat) and taking fermented high vitamin cod liver oil and I don't have it any more. But it could be age/hormones, too. Who knows? For my wedding, I did go have my dermatologist inject my cystic acne with cortisone and that worked miraculously. But that's not a long term answer. But if you have a special event, you can look into that. Again, I feel for you. I hope you find your answer.

My husband had horrible cystic acne! The first time I met him, I felt so sorry for him. He was 20. His face looked so painful! The only thing that worked for him is Proactive. He is in his late 40's now and still uses it several times a week to stay on top of breakouts. His scarring looks so much better. He never tried Accutane and I didn't want him to. It's such a harsh drug. A previous boyfriend had been on it, and to be honest his face looked just as bad with all the redness, cracked and peeling skin, as it did with the acne. I would save that for an absolute last resort. I hope you find something that will work for you. If you haven't tried Proactive, give it a shot, they have a small size intro kit you can get at a decent price to try it without having to buy the big bottles. Good Luck!

I had cystic acne and it caused me to have pitting scars. :( It's something that hit when I was about 24 and I suffered on and off for years with the fluctuations of hormones.
Honestly there were two things that helped me the most. Accutane and my eventual hysterectomy (not because of the acne of coarse) that I had two years ago. I kept my ovaries, but I have not suffered from one zit since. Obviously you can't do either while you are pregnant, but those are two things that helped me the most. Looking back, I wished I had done a hyst right after I had my son! Probably wouldn't have gotten so bad....Just my two cents...

I had horrible cystic acne as a preteen/young teen, and was a trial patient for Accutane when the drug was first approved. That was eons ago. My brother also took Accutane. It was a miracle drug for both of us. My face cleared up within months, and I have no scarring. My 15yo son is taking it now, and is also having amazing results.

As others have mentioned, you can't take it while pregnant or breastfeeding, but it might be something to consider later. It's a controversial medication because of all of the potential side-effects, but my family tolerates it well, and has greatly benefited from it.

I hope you find something that works for you. Acne is awful to deal with.

I had the same problem, and while I was pregnant with my son, it was constant for 9 mos. All on my chin.
The ONLY thing I found that works for me is a product called Buffering Lotion. It's from Mario Badescu. It really does work. It would clear up the breakouts in 1-2 days, instead of the 7-8 that it normally took for them to heal.

It's a serum that's zinc based.
https://www.mariobadescu.com/buffering-lotion

It's expensive, but one bottle typically lasts for a few months, even with consistent use.

Also..use a heat compress when you wash your face. 2-3x/day. Just hold a hot washcloth on the area for 5-10 seconds. It brings the bacteria to surface of your skin, making it easier to treat more quickly.

Once I started doing both of these things, I saw a pretty good reduction in the amount of breakouts I had. I used them both in the morning and at night.

I used the mud mask from Origins (you can get it at most department stores) with success. Good Luck!

Yes. I had terrible acne. My face is still scarred up to prove it. My acne was so severe and disfiguring that I was put on Accutane at age 13 (which is unheard of now). I was on it for a total of four years (also unheard of now), and had a recurrence two years ago. The only thing that keeps the acne away now is birth control. I strongly suggest you see a dermatologist and ask about accutane, once you are done with your pregnancy (and you CANNOT breast feed while on that medicine, or become pregnant, its very toxic). It's the only thing that worked for me.

I feel your pain and I've dealt w/ it, too. Do some research on diet and acne. You'll find that there are certain acne triggers (dairy products, shrimp (due to iodine), and YES! They finally admit that chocolate can also be a trigger).

I went to the dermatologist Dr. Fulton for years (who created Retin-A and benzoyl peroxide, incidentally) and he recommended treating cystic acne with ice twice daily. Apply the ice directly to the lesion for 3-4 minutes. This helps greatly with the inflammation. He's also written a great book on acne:
http://www.amazon.com/Acne-RX-James-E-Fulton/dp/0971281009

Right now, I use a product called NeoStrata Gel Plus AHA 15. It's for people that have oily skin and are acne-prone. I swear by it. As a bonus, it also helps with fine lines and sun damage. At any rate, you should start using some glycolic products (NeoStrata is one). Skip the drugstore stuff, though, and go for the medical grade products.

Good luck!

I never had it until this year (I'll be 50) so I know it's hormones. The one product that seems to work well is Phisoderm Anti-Blemish Gel Wash. You need to use it EVERY day in order to prevent the breakouts, but the great thing is that is is super cheap ($4 at drugstore.com).

After years of very painful cystic acne, I finally tried Accutane, and it worked. I had the clearest, best skin I could ever remember having. The results lasted, too. I was on it for about 4-5 months, but as soon as I went off it, my skin was so soft, even, smooth and comfortable! That was 15 years ago, and while I notice the occasional zit now, they are not the painful cystic ones and one zit every few months is a lifetime away from the cards I had been previously dealt.

I tried everything under the sun, before Accutane. Everything. Prescriptions, diet changes, topical...the only thing that cleared away (and prevented further) cystic acne -for me- was Accutane. However, it's known to cause birth defects, so DO NOT TAKE IT while pregnant. I'm not sure about nursing, if you plan to do that.

Good luck.

I too started to break out terribly in my mid-30's. My doctor said that the cystic acne was an infection so he gave me an antibiotic (minocyclene). As long as I was taking the antibiotic, the cysts went away. But within days of stopping, they returned. I went to a homeopathic person and she gave me a product called "Infection" from the Standard Enzyme Company. After 7 weeks, 4 drops in the am and pm, I am cyst free. I noticed improvement within a week of being on it.

http://standardenzyme.com/products-page/homeopathic/infec...