I’ve been on almost every form of acne treatment out there… commercially available, extemporaneously compounded and otherwise… everything short of Accutane and anything acquired through an infomercial. I’ve battled it since I was at least 11 years old, and by the time I was 18 or so and halfway through pharmacy school, I decided to call it quits with the creams and pills because nothing had ever actually taken it away entirely or even come close. And I figured if I kept going from age 11 to age 35 or whenever it decided to naturally subside, I’d be well on my way to skin cancers and severe hormone deficiency and hot flashes at age 50.
Quite some time after I’d stopped taking any medicine, my face flared up with acne pretty bad for a few months for whatever reason. Bad enough that everyone asked me about it. I was fine with my complexion, and while most people battle with a negative self image of themselves, the source of which everyone around them is completely oblivious of because there is truly no terrible thing visible to the naked eye, I apparently was broadcasting something on my face that was unbeknownst to me.
The most common comment I got was “what happened to your face?” People would actually say that. And not just one or two - like every acquaintance I had. Friends stayed friends and I looked the same to them no matter what. But I got it from all ends, even strangers. I tried to brush off the question at the post office, but the lady pressed on, “Is it a rash?” I used to volunteer at a soup kitchen on Vancouver’s downtown eastside, and the people there, the people who didn’t have a change of clothes, who hadn’t showered in several days, who hadn’t eaten since hot dogs were served the night before, they asked me what was wrong with my face. It was really hard for me.
I started taking antibiotics to make me a pretty pony for my wedding day, and I’m going to attempt to pictorially document how it works on me over the next 6 months.
Jonathan Keller’s website documents his daily photo project…. he takes a picture of himself everyday… for the rest of his life.
What does this have to do with me? Maybe you’ll see a photo montage of me at the end of this.
How upsetting that people would be so rude. I can’t think how they might think that was okay - I mean, maybe your close friends, but perfect strangers? Even when I think I’m offering someone a compliment I usually try to step carefully. I have three times in my life complimented someone on their weight loss - only to find out that one’s wife was having an affair and he was so upset he couldn’t eat, one had cancer, and one had a miscarriage. If I can’t just say - hey, you look great! I just don’t comment anymore.
I tried antibiotics, birth control, creams, washes, all of it. When I was 20 I took accutane for 6 months and I don’t regret it one bit! It dried me out for sure, but it completely cleared me up and I thank God for it! I’m so happy to hear that acne hasn’t bothered your self-image, it did mine. I was completely clear of acne for about 3 years and only recently has it started to come back, but it’s only like one or two pimples rather than a face full of them or redness. That’s something I can deal with. I would recommend considering accutane if you’re really ready to get rid of it. As far as nosy strangers, tell them to bug off! That’s just rude that they would make comments like that! I can’t believe it.
You are not alone! I was somewhere in my late teens/early 20’s when I stopped into a mini-mart to grab a slurpee or something. The clerk said “there is this product that can help with your skin.” geez, thanks. I still deal with acne at age 28 and it is annoying. I have found that monthly facials help a lot!! It can add up in price but it has done wonders for my skin. They really get in there and get out all the bad stuff. Also, not overusing products helps. I used to be a product whore and it would dry me out, which would make me break out MORE.
I can’t believe strangers would ask you that. how rude!
so happy that this has bounced off of you.
i had the regular rash of it in my teens, and havent dealt since….until recently.
its not a face full, but its very noticeable to those who know me bc i havent had a pimple in probably 8 years.
i can’t believe strangers came out the box though.
the pictorial montage would be very interesting.
Accutane has been the only thing that’s *really* worked for me. That said I don’t know if I would take it again. Hated the side effects–*so* dried out, and I think it affected my mood considerably. I think it affects everyone differently though so it might be worth checking out.
Hang in there sister! Those nosy parkers are nuts.
I just looked at the pics in your post and realized that i have been on every single thing posted!
Oy. It sucks. I did accutane about 4 years ago, and it helped alot (although sucked badly at the time). Now I have rosecea (can’t a woman get a break!!), with an occasional break out. Actually just called my derm doc for some antibiotics. The fun never ends. I don’t think wedding stress is helping one bit either.
i had horrible acne in high school and had similar experiences with people’s comments. etc. i tried over the counter creams and washes and then a variety of prescription ones. when none of that worked there was the retin-a and antibiotic combo. i went through quite a few antibiotics though as one would seem to start working (my face would clear up a bit) and then it would be as if i had built up a resistance to it and it would just get worse again.
the only thing that worked for me was accutane. i was hesitant to take it because of the monthly blood tests and my horrible (still!) fear of needles. it worked wonders though and i didn’t have any real side effects. the only negative for me was the blood tests.
it’s been about 16 years (i took it when i was 16 and i’m about to be 31) and i’m still acne free. i have the occasional zit (once in a blue moon), but they’re not even remotely similar to what i used to get (they’re not cystic anymore, just your everyday, average pimple).
sorry this was so long. hope everything works out for you!
I too tried everything in the book, but two courses of Accutane later - voila, almost perfect skin (except for period time, when I get a couple of little zits). the dryness I experienced on Accutane was nothing compared to living in Winnipeg and dealing with -45 C , so I say it’s worth it. Do you have a good dermatologist? If you’re willing to go to Vancouver, try Dr. Thomas on West Broadway and Heather - he’s the highest paid professional in Vancouver, I hear, and is well worth it - as in Accutane, if your antibiotics don’t work out.
I had a family friend ask me that too, right before I went on Accutane - she bent down close, right to my face, and yelled, “oh God, what’s WRONG WITH YOUR FACE? YOU USED TO LOOK SO NICE’…gotta love loudmouths.
I agree. Accutane is worth the 6 months of dryness for a few years of great skin and then normal skin for life. My dad took it as a test subject in the early 80’s and has had normal skin since. I took accutane when I was 17 for acne on my face, chest and back. It worked like a charm. Just keep aquaphor on hand for lips and cetaphil for face and hands and you’ll be fine.
Hi - I’ve always has problem skin and have also been on Accutane when I was in school. But since leaving university and started teaching myself, I realised that I needed to find something that would really work because I hated facing my students sometimes with clear skin and other days having obvious spots over my face. I read acne.org website and ordered their treatment cleanser and moisturiser and it’s been absolutely brilliant. My skin has already cleared after only a week using the creams but my skin feels so much better and the moisturiser is the best I’ve ever used. I’ll be so so releived if this continues to work because it’ll be one less thing to worry about in the lead up to the wedding day.
I’d recommend people looking at the website just for info about teh different treatments available - it was set up at first just on advice so it’s not purely an ‘advertising/selling’ website…… http://www.acne.org
Ffi xxx
I have just started a round of treatment for my skin from the doctor. I am hoping for the best. My skin does seem to be getting clearer (but it isn’t close to perfect). My husband had bad acne, he stopped eating GLUTEN and his skin completely cleared up! Now if he cheats and eats pizza, it’s pimples for a week afterwards. I tried to cut GLUTEN out hoping for the same results but it wasn’t the miracle it was for him. But you may want to try it. You never know!
I FEEL YOU Miss Milkshake! I also struggled with acne since high school and received several comments from strangers about my skin. When I worked at Nordstrom part time in college customers would constantly tell me I should do something about my skin. Like you, I had tried everything the dermatologist had to offer at that point and it would make me so upset that these people had the nerve to think that I wasn’t doing anything about my skin. I had “friends” tell me that I should cleanse more regularly.
Finally I ended up going on accutane (three courses for me b/c the severe acne kept coming back, but now it’s gone for good). That was over five years ago and I’d like to think the whole experience made me a better person, but I’ll have to admit that it felt good when I ran into a guy who had completely ignored me years ago when a friend introduced us at a party…I could still remember his eyes scanning over my face in a way that made me feel so self conscious. Now that my face was clear, he didn’t recognize me and was trying to hit on me…it felt good to walk away without giving him my number b/c I already knew what kind of person he truly was…
GOOD LUCK…I hope the antibiotics work for you…you deserve to feel truly beautiful for your wedding!!
wow, people are incredible! so rude!! I work in the medical field and agree with pp regarding accutane. It sounds like you have tried it all and this may be a good option for you. Talk with your dermatologist. I really think you would be quite pleased.
GL
As a fellow sufferer, it makes me really angry that people would make comments like that to you. You seem to have dealt with it way better than I would have. My THIRD COURSE of Accutane ends 2 days before my wedding. Unfortunately that means I will have dry skin on the big day and will be hiding from the sun on my honeymoon. Accutane has worked for me in the past for a while but then the acne comes back. I actually blame myself, though; I wasn’t the most reliable with taking the pills. If you decide to go this route some day, take all your medication!! Just a tip from someone with REALLY chapped lips right now 
I too have battled horrible acne for years, tried everything posted, then 2 courses of accutane. The Accutane worked wonders, my skin is 99% better now, but I still have about 6-10 pimples at any given time. My favorite product now is Estee Lauder Clear Difference Oil Control Hydrator. It feels like a moisturizer on your skin but dries out the oil for about 6 hours. It makes my skin look and feel wonderful! They have other products in their line but skip those, they don’t transfer enough of the active ingrediant to your skin to do much.
Yep, I’ve taken everything in that photo (and then some). I had perfect skin until I went to college, then the acne started. I actually started skipping class because I was too embarrassed to leave my room. THAT bad. I took antibiotics and used Differin, but after I stopped the antibiotics, the acne came back. Then I used Retin-A. Didn’t help. I tried Proactiv prior to all this but of course it didn’t work. When I was 22 I was tired of it and took a course of Accutane. My skin was GREAT after the course but when I turned 25 or so the acne came back. It’s not nearly as bad as it was when I was 18, but I have these horrible stretches when I have 6-10 large cystic pimples on my face, and it happens about once a month. Right when they’re cleared up, a new round shows up. I’m now trying a regimen of benzoyl peroxide cleanser in the AM and salicylic cleanser at night, and using salicylic acid moisturizer and benzoyl peroxide on the spots. It’s working ok…
Enough about me - I KNOW how you feel and it’s so horrible when people make comments about your skin. I hope you find something that works for you!!!!!!!
Miss Milkshake, believe it or not, I’ve also tried most of those medicines/cream that you mentioned throughout my H.S. years and halfway through college. I finally said forget it, I’m not messing with medicines anymore. I listened to my mom and washed my face at least 3 times a day (when I wake up, mid-day and b4 I go sleep). Always use a separate towel to dry your face. Afterwards, I applied some vaseline/petroleum jelly on my face to keep it moisturized. That’s one thing I noticed about my skin, it is very sensitive and I can’t use brand name moisturizer or those expensive stuffs they have on the market (which is a good thing). I know this sounds very simple, but it could be frustrating when you don’t see the immediate results that you expected. Just be patient. It totally worked for me!
i too have done everything out there. i was even on antibiotics for two years (i’m allergic to some of them now). i took accutane for 9 months and about a year later my acne came back, worse than ever. so - nothing is a guaranteed fix. pretty much the only thing that’s worked well for me is birth control, and i still get zits. i just no longer get the horrible bloody cystic stuff.
i hope you have success!!
I work for a dermatologist, and at the beginning was having the same problems. Often times when your skin won’t respond to medications, it could be because of hormones, and your skin won’t clear up until that is addressed. I’m more of a natural kinda gal and I’m not really into the meds. I would talk to a Dr. or naturopath to see if hormones are an issue (it was definitely a problem for me) and once I got everything balanced out, the stuff the Dr I work for gives me worked.
It’s important to moistureize - dry skin can cause breakouts. Aveeno moistureizers are incredible. And I love panoxyl and cetaphil cleansers (which can be bought over the counter). chemical peels are definitely helpful (for the acne itself, scarring, sun spots, and fine lines).
And a side note for retin-a users - start out using it every other day, and if that still dries out your skin go to every 3 days. build up until your skin can handle it every day.
But you know what’s even better than all the skin products in the world? Our guys are gonna love us no matter what our skin looks like.
I completely sympathize with you. I struggled with severe cystic acne from the age of 12 until last year when I was 29 and finally decided to do Accutane. I had been against it for years because I heard how harsh it was and that it would wreak havoc on my system. But my beloved nurse practitioner recommended it and I really trusted her opinion. So I tried it and it took about 5 months for my skin to clear up completely and I’ve only had a couple of breakouts since (that was a year ago). I wish like hell I had tried it sooner. It really affected my self-esteem for a long time, although I pretended it didn’t. During the time I was on accutane, my skin was pretty dry–I think the worst part was my chapped lips. But it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had imagined it would be. The monthly pregnancy tests were a little annoying, and it did flare up before it got better, but it was worth it.
It’s shocking how rude people can be. I’ve had a lot of people ask me what’s wrong with my face, too. It’s so unfair.
I wish you the best!
Hi Miss Milkshake. My acne started when I was about 11, maybe even earlier. I suffered with it most my life, and even went through several series of Accutane. There are now really great treatments that don’t have all the side effects. I’m now 35 acne free. About a year and a half ago, I saw a new dermatologist and he started me on Yasmin birth control pills and then added spironolactone. It’s a diuretic, but it and the Yasmin both have an anti-male hormone component to them. It worked. I seriously cried and hugged my dermatologist the next time I saw him. I get comments all the time on how beautiful my skin is. I can’t tell you how surreal that is. My advice - find a good dermatologist that specializes in acne, and ask about treatment with Yasmin and spironolactone. It will require occasional blood tests to check your potassium levels. I haven’t had any side effects or problems with it, and I can’t wait to pose for my wedding photos!
Accutane was the best thing I ever did for my skin - I actually took it for 6 months before my wedding (stopped taking it one month before) and went from wondering how much the photographer would have to photoshop my face to having such perfect skin on my wedding day that people actually made comments…a first for me. I have had near perfect skin for the past 2 years now! The dry skin while taking it was a pain, but nothing like perfect skin.
Hi Miss Milkshake - sorry people are so insensitive! I have had “bad” skin most of my life - BUT I have learned that it is not medicine that can help me to a clearer complexion. You know what it is for me & lots of others? I can’t, can’t, can’t eat dairy, Miss Milkshake. When I cheat, they pop out rudely! So for those of you brides who are just trying to medicate to gorgeous skin, try adjusting your diet…it can take a couple of weeks. I know, being without the “milkshake” might be hard…and pizza…and aged cheeses…and whipped cream. So replace them with other guilty pleasures - like gummy bears! So discover what food might be upsetting your system (dairy, wheat, soy, milk choc.) and try reducing or in my case, almost eliminating. I was able to live without a life of topicals & oral drugs. Now I have great skin. Docs don’t always think “nutrition”. Enjoy your journey, Miss Milkshake!
I too took Accutane and have just started having zits again 9 years later. After trying everything…the best product line I’ve found that consistantly keeps my skin clear and is all natural, not too expensive and not too harsh is Mario Badescu.
I am echoing many previous comments - but hormones do play a role. I had perfect skin, and then I went on birth control for the first time and developed cystic acne within the first month. My doctor switched my birthcontrol and put me on an antibiotic, and the whole thing was gone 3 months later.
My little brother and sister both took Accutane. As someone else mentioned, the key to the dryness is carrying lotion and chapstik with you at all times. My siblings bought mini bottles of lotion and had them in their pockets, purses, gym bag, car, office, every room of the house… so dryness wasn’t much of a problem because they went on the offensive. Good luck!
Hi Miss Milkshake,
I also have struggled with acne, but my biggest concern was that the redness underneath would never go away after the acne itself cured. I recently went to my dermatologist and she bombarded me with prescription face washes and pills, BUT they were not covered by my insurance policy and they were much too expensive for me to buy them on my own. So I tried a few of the things that she gave me samples of and I could buy over the counter and I can’t tell you how HAPPY I am with the results.
The products that I am using are:
La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Pharmaceutique products and they are:
* Toleriane Foaming Cleanser (a little bit goes a long way)
* Rosaliac Anti-Redness Moisturizer
* Anthelios SX Daily Facial Moisturizing Cream (this has SPF 15 in it as well)
I also got some samples of the Duac bleaching cream and the Tazorac cream that you have pictured.
The derm also told me to cut out Milk, Chicken, and Beef as they have lots of hormones and could mess my hormones up! She also told me to limit my intake of chocolate and nuts, cause they are too oily =(…but I still sneak a couple of these in there…
I have a daily routine that I could share with you, but please email or comment back and I will let you know what it is.
Oh and good luck with whatever you try! I know you’ll still look beautiful on your wedding day!
Yep, that sounds like me too. I have had co-workers and clients, and even complete strangers offer unsolicited advice about “my poor face.” A lady even offered to give me some of her cream (I politely declined. I have no idea where her fingers had been before digging in the jar! ew). So, it’s been a sea of lotions, potions and pills… LOL. I hope you find something that works for you, and don’t let those rude people get you down.
I know someone who tried almost everything. the antibiotics didn’t work that great but he tried a megadose of pantothenic acid (one of the vitamin B’s.. it’s either B5 or B6) and it cleared up. i’d do more research if i were you, though.
good luck! and don’t forget that you’re beautiful!
How ironic as I just came from my first visit with a dermatologist in prep for my wedding! He told me that sometimes milk can be a culprit, so if you drink a lot of it, try reducing to 1/2 glass a day and eat other sources of calcium, or take a supplement.
I also share the same concern about skin problems. I was on Obagi Nu-Derm for a while but found that it, like most prescription strength/over the counter acne potions and pills, had strong side affects so I searched for a healthier option. I started seeing an herbalist and taking Chinese medicine and it has helped a great deal.
Miss Milkshake, good luck with your pursuit and I’m sure you look lovely.
Nothing ever worked for me. I use to have treatment every two weeks when I was a teenager. Kids use to say I had a pepperoni face. I know how mean. My acne would probably never went away. I was on Accutane everything you can name! My mom would drag me to the next thing she heard worked. Finally, I found something that works. N.V. Perricone. I swear by it. After a week, I saw a major difference. It is a bit pricey, but it lasts for 3 months. It’s been about 2 years now and I’ve never had any major breakout. I have one here and there, but that is about it. You can get a small trial size at Sephora. That was how my love affair with Dr. Perricone began. Good luck! I only wish someone had told me about it sooner.
I started Accutane a month ago - Just long enough for the 5 to 6 months with a bit of recovery time before my October wedding. I too was so worried about photographs. I’m notorious for breaking out right before any event, big or small. I’m already seeing improvements. The side effects are pretty annoying, but I really think that it will be well worth it. Forget the visual issues, those giant pimples hurt… and at 28, it’s just not normal to have acne anymore.
Mrs. Milkshake, Seattle/Vancouver, BC
Age and Occupation: 23, Pharmacist
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Pharmacist
Engagement Date: May 2007
Wedding Date: August 2008
Blogging Since: December 6, 2007
Venue: Victorian Mansion
About Me: Despite the fact that I’ve invested many long years of my life studying the sciences in college, I’m glad to be out of there and I would never do it again! I’m super artsy at heart - I run an indie craft site, I grew up shooting and developing my own film, doing jazz and ballet, and the whole gamut of art classes. I’ve been called a Jane of all Trades… but I was also told many years ago not to make my passion my career because it’d suck the fun out of it. Hence my choice of day job. We live in Seattle but are having our wedding in Canada to be fair to all our family and friends.
hi. i understand your struggle with acne. i have gone so far as to take accutane (only effectively cleared up my back) but am now taking spironolactone (antibiotic). it turns out several of my girlfriends are also on it. i am not going to pretend that i have perfect skin now, but it has helped tremendously in reducing the number of breakouts i have. have you tried it?