Cystic acne

I have had cystic acne for years and have gone from treatment to treatment not being able to get rid of it. So are there any options besides acutane or anything that anyone knows that works?
damn acne

I feel sorry for you...I've been there a couple times and I know how much it sucks. You just have to tell yourself that eventually it will go away, and life will move on. Accutane actually did not work for me, and just caused a severe flare up. The only thing that really has seemed to work is the antibiotic minocycline, along with applying benzaclin and differin at night. I still use all of these, although now my acne is basically gone. Also for your diet try consuming less dairy, less simple or high-GI carbs, and drink a lot of water every day. Make sure to never touch your face at all...never let anything else touch it either, or while youre sleeping. If you exercise, take a shower right afterwords and use antibacterial cetaphil soap. You may think you don't really touch your face that much, but if you actually start noticing during the day, you will realize that you do. Just don't touch it at all and it can help a lot.

Some other natural ways to cure acne are available. You can megadose vitamin B-5, by taking around 20 grams a day. Some people swear by it. You can also try guggulsterones, which stimulates your thyroid. It will help you lose weight, while also helping cystic acne. There was even a study done with this that showed guggulsterones can help get rid of cystic acne better than tetracylcine, which is a commonly prescribed antibiotic. That's about all I can think of for now. And I do know how terrible it is, and how you feel...I am usually a very open and friendly and happy person, and when I had that crap on my face it completely ruined me psychologically. You will get through it though.

edit: I also forgot to mention that lots of people treat themselves by using things that are highly acidic or with alcohol...or just overly drying their faces out to stop oil. Well, this can be bad, as an extremely dry face just causes your face to produce more oil. I take two showers a day, and during each one I wash my face with cetaphil antibacterial soap, then I use this cetaphil gentle cleanser, then after the shower I use cetaphil facial moisturizer. It can help a lot if you don't use anything like this already.

[edit on 27-4-2005 by Shoktek]

the cylcine antibiodics have never worked. I have mild acne on my face and cystic on my back. It's harder to clear up the back acne because your skin is thicker on your back, and when I tried to get rid of it with all those cyclines and things I'd end up breaking out more. It was as if acne was fighting back. I get clearer in the summertime, but I think that it has to do with sun intake. I also have pretty long hair so I'm getting it cut short to see if it will help maybe get rid of the excess oil. Getting my hair cut short is a real sacrifice but i'll see if it works and if it doesnt I'll grow it back. I guess I'll have to just try and dry my skin out and see if it works! thanx... anything you want to add please tell me I'm pretty much open to anything..


[edit on 4/27/05 by Equineartist7]