Acne Help!
Posted by abrimmer on May 16, 2007 · Member since Jan 2005 · 1198 posts
I was wondering if anyone has any ideas for helping cystic acne. My 15 year old has a bad case and the doctor wants to put him on Accutane. :o Are there any remedies that REALLY work? Currently we are trying blue light therapy, but so far we haven't noticed a difference.
There are some natural acne treatments, but I only know of them working for slight acne.
It shouldn't be this way, but kids with acne suffer socially and there are life long self esteem issues involved (from the social side) and potential permanent pock marks, so it's not just about the medicine. I don't fill about 2/3 of the prescriptions my doctor gives me - but when I need it, I'm grateful for the other third.
My little brother had awful acne when he started high school, and my parents got him on a treatment program of Accutane and something that started with a D (I know it's a brand name prescription...just can't remember the name). It's some harsh stuff, but it worked for him. Now, he continues to use Retin-A Micro daily and it seems to have done the trick. While I understand your hesitation in using such harsh and unnatural treatment, I agree with Humboldt_Honey in that acne can have a huge impact on a teen's self esteem--I know that it did for my brother, and I hated seeing him so self-conscious. This is why there is no 'rule book' for veg*nism--times like these require a pros/cons assessment that will be different for each individual.
Sorry, that didn't give you any ideas about natural remedies...I just don't think tea tree oil (and the like) will cut it for cystic acne.
Sorry, I don't have any natural remedies, either. I just wanted to say that I am currently on Accutane and it's working great. It's the only med that I take because I felt I would be very unhappy if I didn't. It does dry out my skin and my lips crack, but I prefer it to the big, sore cystic lumps that I used to get. I'm 21 and had bad acne from about age 12 on. My mom also had acne until she had a hysterectomy (sp?) / hormone replacement stuff in her 40's. So I figured that if I didn't do something (a little harsher than what I had already tried-meds, diet, gels, creams, washes), I'd have issues (cosmetic and confidence-related) for the next 20 years or so. Anyway, Accutane apparently can cause some mental health issues, which I'm sure you're aware of, and these should be taken seriously. I have not had a problem with this, but I can only speak for myself. I think I'll be much happier in the future without the lumps!
I guess one remedy I was told about was Apple cider vinegar. Dab in on the skin or drink a sip. I tried putting it on my skin, however, and broke out in a rash. But I'm guessing that this was partially due to the Accutane/senstive skin
Thank you for the advice. I appreciate your input. :)
The combonation that has worked best for me is diet and teatree oil. I'm sure that some of mine is hormone related though. I didn't have any problem w/ zits until I was 23 or so. My acne isn't overwhelming but it is cystic. I would always have around 10 giant lumps mostly around my jawline and forehead.
Tomatoes and other foods high in acid can cause certain body types to be more prone to acne. I am a tomatoaholic and don't like like giving up my favorite veg but it really does work miracles for me.
The teatree oil I use morning and night after I wash my face. I dampen a cotten ball w/ an alcohol free toner and then add 4-5 drops of the oil. I use this on my whole face and neck area. If I skip a day I immediately get a few lumps.
For me I noticed that I need a combonation of the two. just one is slightly effective but the two together really works well.
A couple of other things to consider. He might respond well to facials. I go to an esthetic's school every couple of weeks and get a full facial which also really helps keep my skin deepdown clean and hydrated. This would also help teach him about skincare. The school I go to only charges 20$ for a facial you would easily pay 60-100$ at a salon. I don't know if you have tried proactive or not but when I first started having problems it did work well for a while. I'm not sure if it is vegan or not. I wasn't when I used it so I never read the label.
Good luck!
For cystic acne and rosacea, I've recently discovered that Sea Buckthorne works wonders. My derm was so impressed at my last visit, she is considering reversing her recommendations of laser treatment (not that I would do that anyway, but at least it's vegan.)
On a side note, I was previously taking minocycline which was helpful. The minocycline itself is vegan in it's powdered state (I had the pharmacist review the excipients list with me), but is typically prescribed in capsules. I ordered the bulk powder and capped my own pills. Still, I know the drug was tested on animals and am very happy to be off the med altogether.
Additionally, I use a very gentle cleanser and no exfoliator or mask. My skin will still misbehave if I wear a lot of makeup (probably not an issue for your son) or get stressed out.
Good luck!
Mdvegan, I have cystic acne and rosacea, too. Nothing I've tried so far works for me (except birth control pills, but I'm off those now). I am very interested in Sea Buckthorne, but I've never heard of it. Is that a brand name? Where do you buy it? And what do you use for a cleanser? I'm using Paula's Choice products right now but it's not doing much for me. I've tried everything, including ProActiv, but nothing seems to work for me.
http://seabuckthorn.com/ I use the Aubrey skin care products http://www.aubrey-organics.com/product1.cfm?product_id=763, but I am finding the cleanser to be a little too heavy for summer. I am going to try this one, I think http://www.albabotanica.com/?id=53&pid=366 . I also use Solaray Sea Buckthorn veggie caps http://www.houseofnutrition.com/soseabu3010.html?ovchn=FRO&ovcpn=Froogle&ovcrn=Solaray's+Sea+Buckthorn+300mg+100Vcaps&ovtac=CMP.
WOW, thanks for all the info!! I think the price may put the Sea Buckthorne products out of reach, but I'll try and find the Aubrey and/or Alba cleansers. Thanks again!!
One more thing Mdvegan if you don't mind...which of the SeaBuckthorne products do you use besides the veggie caps?
I have taken two rounds of accutane (first as a teenager then a couple years ago as an adult). It worked for a time but then last year the cystic acne came back and i really didn't want to take medication again because of the side effects (the internal ones).
Accutane also caused a lot of brown frekles on my skin because of the drying effect. I wear sunscreen but i had those pesky sunspots and i couldn't figure out why until i talked to a couple skin care specialists.
I went to my local health food store and checked out a couple products and I also try to use organic based facial products. The one toner that really helped me with cystic acne was hyland's clear ac and i know they have homeopathic pills too. The toner is pretty strong and i would definately do a test patch if you have "thin" sensitive skin.you can dilute with water but it really does get all the grime off your face that can clog pores.