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I'm going to the doctors today for my spots :(

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Reply 20
Original post by <3Music
Thanks for your response - i've just got back from the doctors (what a relief lol) and you were right they gave me co-cyprindiol. Just hope it works :smile:


I had acne on my back and chest for around 2-3 years but fortunately it's cleared up now. However, it decided to move onto my face (last May/June) and it was disgusting. Got put on antibiotics and cream - didn't even work. Only Feb that I got put on new, stronger antibiotics and cream (contains benzoyl peroxide + adapeliene) I'm just praying that it'll work. Good luck to you :smile:
Reply 21
Original post by <3Music
Before I start this is the first time i've created a thread and wasn't sure whether to put it here or under "Fashion and BEAUTY" anyway here it goes ..

So as the title says, i've had spots for like eight years now, and i've finally snapped; they really annoy me and they are really getting me down :frown: But when I booked the appointment my spots were at there worse, and now the day of my appointment has come, my face isn't that bad (I go through phases lasting 3 days where my skin doesn't look awful - not good though) and i'm just worried that as my face is relatively clear compared to how it normally is that the doctor won't give me anything for them.

Has anyone else been to the doctors for spots? And do you think they are likely to give me anything today, considering my face doesn't look REALLY bad? - Thanks in advance :')


This the first time you've seen the doctor?
I had horrible acne since I was 13, took a course of accutane when I was 19 to get rid of it.
Considering you've had acne for 8 years, you'll probably get an antibiotic like tetracycline, which will last for 3 months. Tetracycline didn't do much for me, and in the month I was off it my acne came back.
By far the best treatment for acne is accutane, but you need to have shown resistance to other antibiotics before you can be given it, and it can only be prescribed by a derm.
Hang in there, I know how upsetting acne can be.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 22
Original post by Skarm
This the first time you've seen the doctor?
I had horrible acne since I was 13, took a course of accutane when I was 19 to get rid of it.
Considering you've had acne for 8 years, you'll probably get an antibiotic like tetracycline, which will last for 3 months. Tetracycline didn't do much for me, and in the month I was off it my acne came back.
By far the best treatment for acne is accutane, but you need to have shown resistance to other antibiotics before you can be given it, and it can only be prescribed by a derm.
Hang in there, I know how upsetting acne can be.


Was tetracycline really ineffective? It's what I've been put on from around the start of Feb and I'm not particularly noticing much difference. I was put on Doxycycline last year and that did nothing for me. I still have a huge load of active spots. I've got this Epiduo cream as well, which is benzoyl peroxide and adapalene and my God, I'm praying that it works.
I used to use Dalacin T Topical Solution - I was prescribed it by my GP - and it did the job. Been using it on and off now for about 3 or so years (they recommended to try and not use it when each bottle was used up but mine kept on coming back). I still had a couple of spots but nowhere near as bad as it was, now I hardly have any. I always found that if I caught the sun a lot my spots cleared up, so it's good summer is coming up! :biggrin:
Original post by TooEasy123
I don't really want to trust a doctor again. They said that my diet had nothing to do with my skin, but I noticed whenever I ate badly, my skin would flare up. It was no coincidence.


While a lot of people find that diet does affect skin, there is actually very little evidence to show this, and as a result, doctors can't really tell you that it does. The problem is that there seems to be no real reason why diet should give you acne, as it's more of a hormonal problem. Having said that, there are certain foods that can affect your hormones, so there may be some link there.

I personally think there probably is a link, but my uncle is a dermatologist, so I guess I have to go by what he says... Besides, if they thought it would help, they would tell you.

Please trust doctors, they are there to help you!
Reply 25
Original post by Skarm
This the first time you've seen the doctor?
I had horrible acne since I was 13, took a course of accutane when I was 19 to get rid of it.
Considering you've had acne for 8 years, you'll probably get an antibiotic like tetracycline, which will last for 3 months. Tetracycline didn't do much for me, and in the month I was off it my acne came back.
By far the best treatment for acne is accutane, but you need to have shown resistance to other antibiotics before you can be given it, and it can only be prescribed by a derm.
Hang in there, I know how upsetting acne can be.


I haven't had acne for 8 years, I don't even have acne at the moment but I do have quite a few spots but I wouldn't say enough to categorise it as acne, which is why I have never been to see a doctor .. I was offered benzoyl peroxide and co-cyprindiol, but people have told me that the benzoyl peroxide isn't very good so I went with the co-cyprindiol - just hoping that it will work :')
Reply 26
Original post by Nistar
I had acne on my back and chest for around 2-3 years but fortunately it's cleared up now. However, it decided to move onto my face (last May/June) and it was disgusting. Got put on antibiotics and cream - didn't even work. Only Feb that I got put on new, stronger antibiotics and cream (contains benzoyl peroxide + adapeliene) I'm just praying that it'll work. Good luck to you :smile:


Thank you! Good luck to you to :')
Reply 27
Original post by EmperorMustard
I used to use Dalacin T Topical Solution - I was prescribed it by my GP - and it did the job. Been using it on and off now for about 3 or so years (they recommended to try and not use it when each bottle was used up but mine kept on coming back). I still had a couple of spots but nowhere near as bad as it was, now I hardly have any. I always found that if I caught the sun a lot my spots cleared up, so it's good summer is coming up! :biggrin:


So yours actually worked? Everyone I have spoken to that have been perscribed stuff for their spots all said that lotions and creams didn't work at all and that antibiotics were best .. i'm happy it worked for you though :')
Original post by FrogInABog
While a lot of people find that diet does affect skin, there is actually very little evidence to show this, and as a result, doctors can't really tell you that it does. The problem is that there seems to be no real reason why diet should give you acne, as it's more of a hormonal problem. Having said that, there are certain foods that can affect your hormones, so there may be some link there.

I personally think there probably is a link, but my uncle is a dermatologist, so I guess I have to go by what he says... Besides, if they thought it would help, they would tell you.

Please trust doctors, they are there to help you!


But if junk food is definitely affecting my skin, then should I really trust the doctor? They can only tell me what research suggests, if there even is any genuine research on it... When they say there is insufficient evidence, I reckon they haven't tested it properly and/or don't have a real way of testing it to get accurate data. :/

You mentioned hormones stuff. Well, my oil levels increase dramatically if I eat badly. Surely that is enough evidence (in my body's case, at least)? I don't need a doctor to confirm it for me, it definitely makes a difference, no hallucinations or imaginations. Conversely if I eat well, then my skin stays calm.

Also, I may have had a different kind of acne associated with bacteria overgrowth due to a bad diet in the past. Maybe this is why my experience goes against the research. Taking antibiotics like the doctor wanted me to might have made the case even worse. well, it did. But anyway, following the advice of taking probiotics and whatnot has dramatically improved my skin health. Even though it says this, "Although the medical profession does not really provide any credibility on this subject there have been many people who have reported success..."

Here's the link:
http://www.infobarrel.com/How_Does_Candida_Cause_Acne

In terms of acne, the doctors haven't been helpful. Maybe for other health conditions they're helpful. I don't mean I can't trust them for everything.
(edited 12 years ago)
Thought I'd just add that my brother had bad flare-ups of acne (which had always improved by the time he got an appointment) and he was worried he wouldn't be taken seriously.

Soooo he took photos of his face up-close, during one of his flare-ups. He then then showed the doctor the photos on his phone. Did the trick.
Reply 30
Original post by Nistar
Was tetracycline really ineffective? It's what I've been put on from around the start of Feb and I'm not particularly noticing much difference. I was put on Doxycycline last year and that did nothing for me. I still have a huge load of active spots. I've got this Epiduo cream as well, which is benzoyl peroxide and adapalene and my God, I'm praying that it works.


For me, tetracycline wasn't really that effective. I didn't expect it to be though. I'd been taking pretty much every treatment going for my acne, did nothing.
You've gone through the same treatments as me so far, I started with doxycycline, then was prescribed tetracycline. That didn't do much for me, so was refered to a derm for roaccutane. Honestly it's the best thing for acne, it WILL get rid of all your live spots. The sides can be a bit bothersome, but for me clear skin was well worth it.
Reply 31
Original post by Skarm
For me, tetracycline wasn't really that effective. I didn't expect it to be though. I'd been taking pretty much every treatment going for my acne, did nothing.
You've gone through the same treatments as me so far, I started with doxycycline, then was prescribed tetracycline. That didn't do much for me, so was refered to a derm for roaccutane. Honestly it's the best thing for acne, it WILL get rid of all your live spots. The sides can be a bit bothersome, but for me clear skin was well worth it.


I'm pretty nervous about that to be honest, because even with the doxy and the differin cream (which is supposedly very effective) my skin merely got worse. I'm worrying that these tetracycline won't have much effect either (I've not seen any difference really so far - it's gotten worse but I expected that) and that I'll be lumbered with spots til I'm 20 or something like that.
Just wish they'd hurry up and get lost.
Reply 32
Original post by Nistar
I'm pretty nervous about that to be honest, because even with the doxy and the differin cream (which is supposedly very effective) my skin merely got worse. I'm worrying that these tetracycline won't have much effect either (I've not seen any difference really so far - it's gotten worse but I expected that) and that I'll be lumbered with spots til I'm 20 or something like that.
Just wish they'd hurry up and get lost.


I'm 19 on Sunday and still have spots - though mine only appeared about 3 years ago, and I'm a guy (girls are supposed to mature (???) earlier). I used tetracycline for about 6-7 months which did help a lot, but I think it damaged my intestines (possibly killed off the "good" bacteria).

Now I just use Zineryt, which has been mentioned before but I don't think you can get in in the UK? It's a solution of zinc+erythromycin, and that has helped as well. Now I have only about 3-5 actual 3D spots, but some areas of my face are redder than others (I don't kow if that's scars or maybe another form of acne?).

EDIT: used differin as well with the tetracycline tablets, and it did help, but it did irritate the skin if I used it more than once a day
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 33
Original post by Radekal
I'm 19 on Sunday and still have spots - though mine only appeared about 3 years ago, and I'm a guy (girls are supposed to mature (???) earlier). I used tetracycline for about 6-7 months which did help a lot, but I think it damaged my intestines (possibly killed off the "good" bacteria).

Now I just use Zineryt, which has been mentioned before but I don't think you can get in in the UK? It's a solution of zinc+erythromycin, and that has helped as well. Now I have only about 3-5 actual 3D spots, but some areas of my face are redder than others (I don't kow if that's scars or maybe another form of acne?).

EDIT: used differin as well with the tetracycline tablets, and it did help, but it did irritate the skin if I used it more than once a day


Yeah, I developed mine around 3 years ago and I'm only 15 now.
Oh OK. I haven't had any sides of tetracycline I think yet (fingers crossed) but I've heard it does discolour your teeth?

I've got this benzoyl peroxide gel + adapelene (Epiduo) which is peeling my skin quite a lot but I'm getting through a lot of moisturiser. :tongue:

So has your skin significantly improved from before the antibiotics?
Reply 34
Original post by Nistar
Yeah, I developed mine around 3 years ago and I'm only 15 now.
Oh OK. I haven't had any sides of tetracycline I think yet (fingers crossed) but I've heard it does discolour your teeth?

I've got this benzoyl peroxide gel + adapelene (Epiduo) which is peeling my skin quite a lot but I'm getting through a lot of moisturiser. :tongue:

So has your skin significantly improved from before the antibiotics?


I think it might have discolored mine a little bit, but definiately not significantly. Not enough for me to say for sure.

It has improved greatly, yes, people can actually maitain eye contact with me instead of investigating the growths on my face :tongue:

As I say, I think the discoloration of my skin is scarring, it doesn't seem to be affected by anything for better or for worse.
Can doctors help with your spots if you dont have acne if so what do they give you?
Hi Sophie Jess

The treatment of the spots may be done internally or externally and depend upon a number of things:

What caused them?

Location of the spots

What the spots look like

How long they have been there?

Have they spread?

Are they painful?

Any other symptoms?


Prescription treatments are generally more potent than over the counter products. Where treatments dont show a good enough response, a patient can ask to be refereed to a specialist i.e. a dermatologist.

Hope this helps

Liz

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