Teen Acne AND Excema

[englishteacha]

I would suggest a visit to the doctor or dermatologist. So many times when we try to treat things ourselves they get worse, or you try so many things that you spent the same amount of money as if you'd been to a doctor, then you still have to go to the doctor.

My mother has severe skin issues and tried for years to take care of them herself. She finally went to a doctor who made some recommendations and her skin finally started to get better.

 

[NotUrsula]

Just be aware that if you do not have Rx coverage on your insurance, any version of isotretinoin (aka Accutane), including the generics, can be unbelievably expensive. DS is on the highest legal dose, and yesterday when I went to pick up his scrip the pharmacy clerk had accidentally processed it without my insurance: 30 days worth of generic pills rang up at $1,207.00

DS has been on it now for 4 months, and we are just now beginning to see real results now that his dermatologist has maxed out the dosage. We are trying to get his skin cleared before he needs to shave regularly, because cystic acne and shaving is an incredibly painful combination.

His acne got nasty when he was 12, and we tried a year of Rx creams and antibiotic pills, but it didn't make a dent. The poor kid has it so badly that if he washes his face with a washcloth it bleeds for quite a while; when he shaves he has to use an ice pack to stop the bleeding.

 

[pigletto]

Just be aware that if you do not have Rx coverage on your insurance, any version of isotretinoin (aka Accutane), including the generics, can be unbelievably expensive. DS is on the highest legal dose, and yesterday when I went to pick up his scrip the pharmacy clerk had accidentally processed it without my insurance: 30 days worth of generic pills rang up at $1,207.00

DS has been on it now for 4 months, and we are just now beginning to see real results now that his dermatologist has maxed out the dosage. We are trying to get his skin cleared before he needs to shave regularly, because cystic acne and shaving is an incredibly painful combination.

His acne got nasty when he was 12, and we tried a year of Rx creams and antibiotic pills, but it didn't make a dent. The poor kid has it so badly that if he washes his face with a washcloth it bleeds for quite a while; when he shaves he has to use an ice pack to stop the bleeding.

Your poor son. I hope this continues to work for him!
1,207 for 30 days of a pill to help with a skin condition????!!!!!
That's criminal. It makes me sick to think what the mark up on that is. Wow.

 

[2bearsmom]

Tea tree oil is great for acne...you can buy face products containing tea tree oil or buy tea tree oil and dilute with distilled water to make a toner type product. Witch hazel is a great toner to use also. Coconut oil is a great moisturizer, especially in the winter, it's all I use for my face and my body. My ds has eczema and his skin is only bad in the spring/summer due to his grass allergy but I use a bar soap containing MSM all year round to keep him moisturized. Hyland's homeopathic makes an acne tablet that worked for my husband.

 

[allforpooh]

I have had acne for the last 23 years. Is he using moisturizer? A lot of people don't realize how important that is even with acne. A good cheap one that my dermatologist recommends is cereve. You can find it at Wal Mart. They also make a face wash that is very mild. Acne can actually get worse if you have dry skin. And I agree, the clarisonic can really dry out your skin. I only use mine at night and wash my face normally in the morning. If I use it twice a day my face hurts.

Also, my dermatologist said a good place to start with mild acne is to use a 1-2% benzyl peroxide cream. Only use it on the spots needed, not the entire face. I know how frustrating this is!

Just took my dd18 to the dermatologist and Cereve is what they recommended. Evening routine, Cereve face wash, then mild over the counter acne treatment, then Cereve night cream. So far the results have been pretty good, they said it would take time and its been about 4 wks with a noticeable reduction. Plus her monthly flair up was extremely mild.

 

[allforpooh]

I would suggest a visit to the doctor or dermatologist. So many times when we try to treat things ourselves they get worse, or you try so many things that you spent the same amount of money as if you'd been to a doctor, then you still have to go to the doctor.

I totally agree with this, there are many different types of skin issues and a dermatologist would be able to determine the issue and the best treatment for an individual.

 

[lisaross]

Stared using Raw Honey as a facewash - its an anitbacteria and its soo smoothing! I read about it on google and i really like it. I also started using coconut oil as a moisturizer - i was using the OCM but i thinks its a bit too drying for me to use daily so i will try it weekly! good luck

 

[NotUrsula]

Your poor son. I hope this continues to work for him!
1,207 for 30 days of a pill to help with a skin condition????!!!!!
That's criminal. It makes me sick to think what the mark up on that is. Wow.

Yes, it's a huge markup. I asked the dermatologist how they could do this on a drug that is out of patent, and she told me it's because they can. She tells me that she has young adult patients who have taken out bank loans just to pay for isotretinoin, mostly because they feel that their acne is adversely affecting their employment prospects.

In a way, I'm lucky; my kid is male. Isotretinoin can cause really severe birth defects and liver damage, so the federal gov't requires all kinds of safeguards to try to prevent that. DS has to have liver-function bloodwork done every month while he is on it, but girls who are on it also have to take medical birth control and have a pregnancy blood test every month; the labwork is just as expensive as the scrip.

 

[Pooh2]

My kids went through Proactive, antibiotics pill and lotions, prescription ointments that smelled horrible, everything off the shelf in the drug store. These products all burnt their skin.

They finally settled in with Tea Tree oil products from The Body Shop when they were college age ( we watch for a sale plus discount to make the cost more reasonable). It smells a bit weird but consistently helps the skin stay clear.