Taking a teen with acne to dermatologist?

[MommaSnowwhite]

I have adult acne and I have found a Neutragena (spelled wrong) set that works wonders for me. It has a cleanser, a gel and a lotion. It contains both the acid and peroxide in the 3 steps.

 

[Luvmy4boys]

Please please please give it at least 4 months total to even start working. The derm should have told you this but maybe he/she didn't.

The usual course for a vitamin A cream like Retin-A or Tazorac are to see slight clearing after a couple weeks, a fairly monster flare up at around 1-2 months, and then gradual clearing by the 4th month OR longer. Remember I said my experience was that I wasn't quite happy at the lower % RAM and upped it after about 9 months on it. That cleared me completely. I was on 0.04% and increased to the 0.1% strength.

He is using the 0.1% strength. He did have a flare up about a week ago. It has improved since then slightly. He started using Retin-A 12/22/09. I just was praying it would be the miracle we needed and he'd wake -up one morning crystal clear! I hope you are right, that we just need a little more time. (Notice I say "we". I feel so badly for him. As a mother "I" am suffering for him.)

 

[2bearsmom]

I would do some research on using tea tree oil and how diet (high saturated fats, dairy-milk, cheese etc and animal proteins) affects acne, also zinc and B6 vitamin deficiency (especially in menstruating women, the reason for breakouts before your period) and essential fatty acids, like in cod liver oil. Acne is normally caused by an internal problem, not external.

My dh started having breakouts due to stress and wanted to try Proactiv or see a Dr for meds. I made him a cleanser with tea tree oil and Dr Bronner's soap and had him apply tea tree oil topically to the breakouts. I also will use tea tree oil topically on a pimple and it clears up wonderfully with no harmful drugs. There is a brand called Desert Essence that makes tea tree oil pads http://www.desertessence.com/skin-care/natural-cleansing-pads-tea-tree-oil that might be helpful along with a cleanser called Thoroughly Clean, that I would like to eventually get. Since I started taking a good quality daily vitamin along with other supplements I do not get breakouts before my period, must be truth to the vit B6 and the essential fatty acids deficiency. I typically stay away from dairy due to an allergy but when we were snowed in here for a couple of weeks I ate what we had, which was a lot of dairy containing foods and I started breaking out. Prior to this I haven't had a pimple in over 8mo.

 

[yeartolate]

I also would recommend acne.org.

My son went through it all. Of course all the usual OTC, proactive , creams, gels, etc. Then came all the topicals cocktails of creams followed by months of antibiotics. Eryhromycin to Retin A to Benziclens to Doxycyclin to minocyclin.

We finally resorted to Accutane. It is now month three and the difference is remarkable. They actually suggested Accutane over a year ago, but there were some side effects that we didn't want to chance at the time.

Take the time between now and the dermatologist to look over acne.org.
One thing that you will learn is that what is good for one, is not good for another.

My son is on month three of Accutane and the difference in his attitude and skin is amazing.

If you do start accutane, stck up on good lipbalms (aquafor is pretty much a lifesaver) and good sunscreens and mild soaps - you get real dry and real chapped!!!

The nice thing about accutane is it is a relative "cure" so once youare done, you do not keep it up for years on end. Sometimes a second round is needed, but not usually. But educate your self on the risks. And the funny thing is that they make the guys join "I pledge" as well, They essentially have to promise not to get pregnant.

 

[CowboyCO]

No...I wasn't "suffering"...They felt...as many do, it's a normal part of growing up.

So is chicken pox, but I got my kids vaccinated once there was help to prevent getting it.

I had acne as a teen and if a derm can help a child with appearance (AND SCARRING) then I see no reason reason to believe that acne is some mythological "right of passage".

And of course, you as a parent have every right to make your decisions about your child's care. Not flaming, just my .02

 

[Irin997]

He is using the 0.1% strength. He did have a flare up about a week ago. It has improved since then slightly. He started using Retin-A 12/22/09. I just was praying it would be the miracle we needed and he'd wake -up one morning crystal clear! I hope you are right, that we just need a little more time. (Notice I say "we". I feel so badly for him. As a mother "I" am suffering for him.)

Ugh unfortunately it takes Retin A a while to start working. I would recommend giving it at least another 2 months and then if nothing has changed, go back to the doctor. Like I said, it did clear me completely and I hope it works just as well for your son. If you want I can PM you some before and after pics. The difference is truly amazing.

 

[disney1990]

My first husband had horrible acne. He has really bad scaring now because of it. When our daughter started having breakouts, I immediately took her to a Dermatologist and she was put on Accutane. She is now in her 30s and has perfect skin. I am so glad that I didn't wait.

 

[yeartolate]

My first husband had horrible acne. He has really bad scaring now because of it. When our daughter started having breakouts, I immediately took her to a Dermatologist and she was put on Accutane. She is now in her 30s and has perfect skin. I am so glad that I didn't wait.

They gave accutane when she first started her breakouts?

 

[krcit]

I would urge anyone to really research Accutane before using it. I am not saying NOT to use it but I would only consider it a last resort after trying everything else.

 

[elgerber]

I would urge anyone to really research Accutane before using it. I am not saying NOT to use it but I would only consider it a last resort after trying everything else.

I'm guessing those of us that have gone that way probably did do a ton of research before hand, and thought long and hard about it. I know I did.

 

[Luvmy4boys]

Ugh unfortunately it takes Retin A a while to start working. I would recommend giving it at least another 2 months and then if nothing has changed, go back to the doctor. Like I said, it did clear me completely and I hope it works just as well for your son. If you want I can PM you some before and after pics. The difference is truly amazing.

I spoke with Dr. on phone Friday. He said if didn't seem to be helping at all we could try something else. He phoned the pharmacy. The pharmacy called Sat. said whatever the Dr. prescribed would be $80 or the Dr. said if that is too expensive we could do something a little different which the pharmacy said was $30. So I told them we'd try the cheaper one. It is Clindamycin/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel, 1%/5% (generic for Benzalin 1-5% gel). But I didn't get to pick it up right away and in the meantime really took a good look at my ds face and asked his opinion. He thinks the Retin-A is helping. I too think maybe it is starting to work. But just in case I did pick up this other stuff. He has Dr appt. April 2. Fingers crossed we are on the right track.
It is a shame that this all such trial and error!
Thanks

 

[Shelton123]

It's called puberty, and there isn't much you can do to do get rid of it. Except age 3 years but that takes about 3 years.

 

[elgerber]

It's called puberty, and there isn't much you can do to do get rid of it. Except age 3 years but that takes about 3 years.

If it's strictly puberty then why do so many adults also struggle with it? I am sorry, but it's not always that simple.

 

[Shelton123]

If it's strictly puberty then why do so many adults also struggle with it? I am sorry, but it's not always that simple.

Oh well it says "teen" in the title, and the first post, so I figured that's what we were talking about. Sorry

 

[disfan07]

I never dealt with acne as a teen but now at 20, I have steroid induced acne (too much prednisone for my asthma and too much steroid cream for my eczema).

My derm put me on Evoclin foam which has worked wonders (its a foam with clindamycin in it).

If you have a teen with acne and sensitive skin and a derm prescribes clindamycin, try adn get the kind without parabens. (even if they don't have sensitive skin try to get it without parabens) The gels and lotions have parabens which can irritate sensitive skin and overall, are just not good to use everyday. The foam does not have parabens (I know this because I am severly allergic to parabens)

 

[John VN]

I do not have any miracle solutions for the acne problem, only personal experience from over 40 years ago before wonder drugs became available. Getting to a Derm. is the #1 thing to do in my opinion. The evidence is still very apparent on my face even after the early medications, UV treatments, early years of the now more refined Dermabrasion and silicon injections to elevate the craters in my crater face as fellow HS classmates would call me.

Also as previously mentioned, I would suggest a review of everything in your son's diet and try to get back to "natural basics" if possible. This is VERY hard to accomplish in many instances but it is definitely a good place to start at home.

Good luck to all.

 

[golfgal]

It's called puberty, and there isn't much you can do to do get rid of it. Except age 3 years but that takes about 3 years.

Sorry, but you are wrong. There are many medications on the market that help tremendously. Our DS14 has acne and with his medications you would never know.