Prescription acne meds that are safe?

[LisaR]

Or is that an oxymoron? DD (almost 15) has had acne for years. We have tried everything we can think of and over the past 6 - 8 months it has gotten so much worse. I took her to a dermatologist maybe 2 years ago and they gave her a prescription strength benzine product. It didn't help. She has tried Proactiv, tea tree Oil, Burt's Bee products, Milk of Magnesia, aspirin that has been crushed into a powder, the off brand of Proactive, etc. She has an appointment with another dermatologist next week and I am wondering if there is anything specific I should ask for or avoid? I want to do anything to help her but the thought of something like Accutane worries me.

 

[dcentity2000]

Back when I was plagued by acne, I was prescribed Minocycline (Minocin). One capsule a day, the spots *vanished*. No side effects whatsoever.



Rich::

 

[merrily]

My son is using an oral antibiotic as well as a topical cream called epiduo. This combo is working really well for him.

 

[golfgal]

My son is using an oral antibiotic as well as a topical cream called epiduo. This combo is working really well for him.

Same with our son.

 

[LisaR]

Thanks! I looked up the Epiduo and it has very few side effects. That makes me happy. I hope it works. I feel so bad for her.

 

[dcentity2000]

I could also recommend a high powered cream called Quinoderm. It didn't get rid of the acne, but it did keep it suppressed. Unfortunately, it dried my skin out a bit. That's when I was put on Minocin.



Rich::

 

[landshark]

I have used both Benzaclin (benzoyl peroxide & clindamycin), tetracycline pills and Ziana. I was 18 when I was first prescribed Benzaclin and that's been my go-to solution since then, even now at 25.

Benzaclin worked the best aside from the fact I eventually bleached about every colored towel I came in contact with. The pills had too many rules for me to think about to take them and gave me acne in places I'd never had it before. The Ziana was too strong for me and regular use turned my face red, it peeled, itched like crazy and made my acne worse. These are all pretty standard side effects, though. Not harmful, just annoying and ugly.

It sounds like your daughter's acne doesn't respond to OTC methods; I'd say quit trying them. My acne is mild compared to some, and none of the OTC stuff ever helped me. She'll likely just have to keep experimenting with prescription meds until something works. Keep in mind that you need to use this stuff for at least a month or more before you'll ever see results.

 

[iwrbnd]

My son finally had to take accutane and let me warn you...he got depressed, irritable and down right horrible to be around!

 

[LisaR]

My son finally had to take accutane and let me warn you...he got depressed, irritable and down right horrible to be around!

That is what I am afraid of. DD has a very busy summer coming up and will be away from us for a couple weeks at a time. I don't want her to try something like that when I am not there to watch over her for signs of depression.

 

[iwrbnd]

That is what I am afraid of. DD has a very busy summer coming up and will be away from us for a couple weeks at a time. I don't want her to try something like that when I am not there to watch over her for signs of depression.

You're right to be scared. We actually started to worry my son was suicidal by the end! He was irritable, cried, quit trying in school, grades plummeted, threatened to run away and was absolutely awful to be around! I can't even explain it! It's been 2 years and I'm still scarred from it! In the beginning we thought it was just teenage behavior (even though we knew this could happen). It happened so gradually that by the time we realized how bad it was it was almost too late! We got him off the meds and he returned to normal pretty quick.

I took accutane as a teen and none of this happened to me so I wasn't expecting anything. My son does have some other issues (ADD and mild asperger traits) so that might have been part of our problem.

Good luck! I would only give her the accutane when you can be around to watch her closely.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I'm on Duac and Differin.
I've been on Duac for awhile, but Differin has replaced Retinae and Tretinoin.

 

[Abbie]

I don't know if you want to go in this direction, but oral contraceptive pills often have a side effect of clearing up acne.

 

[LisaR]

So not to sound stupid but what the heck causes this? I know teen acne is common but why is it so bad in some and barely noticeable in others? When I was a teen, I remember people saying chocolate was an issue but I have read that isn't even it now. Is it just hormones? Her teen girlfriends are nowhere near as bad as she is and I can assure you they are very hormonal.

 

[bigbabyblues]

So not to sound stupid but what the heck causes this? I know teen acne is common but why is it so bad in some and barely noticeable in others? When I was a teen, I remember people saying chocolate was an issue but I have read that isn't even it now. Is it just hormones? Her teen girlfriends are nowhere near as bad as she is and I can assure you they are very hormonal.

I wish I knew. I'm 33 and I still deal with it. It's not as bad as it used to be, but nothing OTC works for me. It's not bad enough for me to see a dermatologist (insurance won't cover it), and BCP didn't help either.

Hope you find something that works for her!

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

So not to sound stupid but what the heck causes this? I know teen acne is common but why is it so bad in some and barely noticeable in others? When I was a teen, I remember people saying chocolate was an issue but I have read that isn't even it now. Is it just hormones? Her teen girlfriends are nowhere near as bad as she is and I can assure you they are very hormonal.

It's genetic.
My dad had pretty bad acne as a kid, and passed that lovely trait to me. Luckily, my case isn't as severe.

 

[iwrbnd]

So not to sound stupid but what the heck causes this? I know teen acne is common but why is it so bad in some and barely noticeable in others? When I was a teen, I remember people saying chocolate was an issue but I have read that isn't even it now. Is it just hormones? Her teen girlfriends are nowhere near as bad as she is and I can assure you they are very hormonal.

Usually too much testosterone. Taking oral contraceptives or Spironolactone (inhibits testosterone) works wonders.

I had horrible acne and tried everything the dermotologist could throw at me and I stayed away from foods that they said were bad and washed my face so much it peeled! Finally an endocrinologist brought my testosterone down and all of a sudden (within weeks) my face was so clear I could be anything on it and it wouldn't break out! It was like a miracle!

 

[LisaR]

I don't know if you want to go in this direction, but oral contraceptive pills often have a side effect of clearing up acne.

She tried the BCP a few years ago for period issues. They made her puke and now she refuses to ever take them again. I told her when she gets her first serious boyfriend, we will be discussing this again.

It's genetic.
My dad had pretty bad acne as a kid, and passed that lovely trait to me. Luckily, my case isn't as severe.

I had very little as a teen. I actually have more now that I am over 40. DH said he had a year or two where he thought he had really bad acne but says it may just have been that he was in high school and thought even a little was an issue. He never went to the doctor for it and it wasn't an ongoing problem.

Usually too much testosterone. Taking oral contraceptives or Spironolactone (inhibits testosterone) works wonders.

I had horrible acne and tried everything the dermotologist could throw at me and I stayed away from foods that they said were bad and washed my face so much it peeled! Finally an endocrinologist brought my testosterone down and all of a sudden (within weeks) my face was so clear I could be anything on it and it wouldn't break out! It was like a miracle!

I think I will refrain from telling my teen daughter that she might have too much testosterone. She won't ever leave her room again.

 

[elgerber]

My son finally had to take accutane and let me warn you...he got depressed, irritable and down right horrible to be around!

This does not happen to everyone though. My son took accutane, it cleared him up completely and the only side effect he had was dry lips. It actually made his hair not oily, and that was wonderful. Unfortunately the hair oil is back, but his face is still clear.

My dd takes minocylcine and uses a prescription regimen similar to pro-active but with different ingredients/strengths. It works pretty well for. She still breaks out a little here and there, but nothing like before.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I want to do anything to help her but the thought of something like Accutane worries me.

After trying multiple different prescription creams, antibiotics, BCP, and other products for 2-3 years, my DD finally took Accutane. The best money we ever spent. The only side effect she had was the dry lips which everyone gets. She used it when she was 16 and even went to summer camp and was in her cousin's wedding while taking it. She is 23 now and has had clear skin since. The other side effect was that she was more sensitive to the sun. She is a red head and had to b e extra cautious.

I was worried about the depression but it was not a problem for her.

 

[dumplebugs]

I am on the Spironolactone. It is awesome! I had bad acne as a teen. It got a little better as an adult. Then when I turned 35, it got worse again. I don't have 1 spot on my face. I do have to have a blood test once a year to check my potassium level.