What drugstore products (that actually work) can you use for severe (nodular) acne?
So, I have pretty severe acne...after doing some research online I think it's called nodular acne. I get these huge, painful red bumps all over my nose and sometimes on my forehead. I also get some smaller acne on my cheeks and on the sides of my face, but that seems to clear up more easily. The big, painful acne is the problem. Right now I wash my face every morning and night, and I use one of those oil absorbing sheets after school. I also have tried a variety of different spot treatment creams and gels for the really bad spots, like my nose, and they get rid of the redness, but I still end up with these weird, embarrassing, hideous bumps that never go away. I've had some of them since 4th grade, and I'm in high school now! It's so irritating!
I really want to go to a dermatologist, by my family has no insurance, and my parents say we can't afford it. (My dad lost his job a while ago, so money is pretty tight.) So, are there any products that you can find at, like, Target or CVS or somewhere that are affordable and actually work for my kind of acne? And also, is there any way at all to get affordable help from a dermatologist if you're in a position like mine? Or is there any way to get prescription strength acne medication without going to a dermatologist?
November 28th, 2010 - 03:30
Read more about accutane if you can visit a derm. Accutane is absolute miracle drug! I am sure you can use accutane for severe acne also. I suffered from cystic acne for the latter half of my life and had wasted my money on practically everything – antibiotics, Differin, Retin-A, Clindamycin, ProActiv, special cleansers, and probably other stuff I can’t remember. Nothing worked. I just finished my Accutane treatment and the results are unbelievable. My skin isn’t disgusting and oily anymore, and I cannot even remember the last time I had one zit. I finally don’t have to put on makeup before leaving the house, and I’m no longer embarrassed to wear a tank top. And I was getting accutane online with no prescription, my derm would not prescribe it to me. But It would be better if you ask your doctor about getting accutane first.
P.S. I’ve been purchasing accutane through reputable http://www.pharmacynextdoor.com
November 28th, 2010 - 03:30
This is when you wish you had the NHS eh. Other than not touching your face, drinking plenty of water, and having a balanced diet I don’t know what else you can do :/ Wash your face twice a day and use moisturiser that’s oil free if you can.
November 28th, 2010 - 03:30
I’d love to be able to tell you that there’s something you can buy from the chemist or chain store that will work for your acne. The truth is that the products you can find there (mostly benzyl peroxide treatments like benzac, clearasil etc) work for mild to moderate acne. For cystic or nodular acne, they wont really help much. The infection is very deep in the skin with cystic and nodular acne, and those topical products wont be able to get deep enough to really help.
Accutane from the Dermatologist is the best and most effective way to treat this type of acne, but as you say, the Dermatologist is expensive, and the medicine itself isnt cheap either.
The only other thing I could suggest would be to visit your regular family doctor, and he/she can prescribe some other prescription products which although they arent as effective as Accutane, they will help more than the over the counter products. They can give you antibiotics (tablets to take and antibiotic lotion for your skin) and high strength Vitamin A creams which will help to kill the bacteria in the skin and unblock the skin a bit. I gather from your information about insurance etc that maybe you are in the USA. I’m in Australia, so the brand names of the medicines are different here, but your doctor will know what to prescribe for you.
Not sure if you’re a girl or a guy, but if you’re a girl, some of the new contraceptive pills work wonders for skin problems. Talk to your doc about this as well. It’s just another avenue to try.
Our health system is very different here as well, so I cant advise you about other options for getting reasonably priced treatment, as I dont know how things work there. However, I do know about the skin and how it works, and what will help most.
Also, please dont blame yourself and your diet/habits for this type of acne. It’s a combination of complex hereditary and hormonal factors which cause it, and it’s difficult to treat. It wont be cured by drinking more water etc. Just dont squeeze the lesions, as that will make it worse.
Good luck!
November 28th, 2010 - 03:30
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