If your son had acne...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Is Accutane still a 4-6 month course? I took it way back when for about 5 months. It is easier for boys to take it since they don't have to worry about pregnancy, right?

Each of my sons did six months.

[Anonymous]

I've got 3 teenagers. One teenager can control her acne with OTC topical products, another just uses soap/water and spot treatments. The third has used topicals (OTC and prescription), oral antibiotics and, when those failed, Accutane. He does not have cystic acne but it was so severe that it was starting to scar. He's now on month 6 and the difference is incredible. Until this month, dry lips were the only negative side effect. This month, he's started to have very dry skin on his forearms. Both side effects are managed well with lotion/vaseline. FWIW, he's also on an SSRI for anxiety and we've noticed no negative change in his mental health - in fact, he's in a much better place since he's no longer self-conscious about his complexion.

[Anonymous]

How do you know if it’s cystic acne? DS is 14 and his acne is bad, much worse than anything DH or I had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you know if it’s cystic acne? DS is 14 and his acne is bad, much worse than anything DH or I had.

You can compare their skin to pics online, but you really should take them to a dermatologist. Accutane is a wonder drug, but there are other things a doctor can do for cystic acne to prevent long-term damage such as using cortisone injections. Don’t risk disfiguring your child’s skin.

[Anonymous]

My DD is now on accutane after years of treatment. We go to Mclean Dermatology, and I see lots of teenage boys and girls at the office. It's a tough decision, and we are still in the early stages so no results yet. Good luck whatever you decide. I am in the camp of you know when it's time for accutane. We knew and the dermatologist agreed.

[Anonymous]

My 14 yo son’s (non-cystic but pretty significant) acne has improved significantly with very, very close compliance to a multi-step routine prescribed by his dermatologist, down to the timing (e.g., wash face, wait an hour, apply cream). The difference between before (using the meds but not following her very specific schedule) and after is pretty dramatic. It’s not 100% cleared up, but it’s much better.

We have some family medical history that makes both antibiotics and accutane risky, so we’re doing everything we can to avoid that path.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 14 yo son’s (non-cystic but pretty significant) acne has improved significantly with very, very close compliance to a multi-step routine prescribed by his dermatologist, down to the timing (e.g., wash face, wait an hour, apply cream). The difference between before (using the meds but not following her very specific schedule) and after is pretty dramatic. It’s not 100% cleared up, but it’s much better.

We have some family medical history that makes both antibiotics and accutane risky, so we’re doing everything we can to avoid that path.

OP here. Can I ask what topicals he is using? Do you have to supervise all of this? My son has ADHD and his meds have worn off by bedtime so I have to stand next to him to walk him through it.

[Anonymous]

Cutting our all dairy cleared up DS’s terrible acne.

[Anonymous]

My DS' acne isn't cystic, but he's had really good results with the acne.org system. The key is consistency -- twice a day, and following the system to the letter, including by not scrubbing/rubbing his face. The treatment is benzoyl peroxide (and an AHA gets added in later) but the facewash and moisturizer are very gentle (and applied gently) so as not to strip the skin and irritate it. Skin with acne should not be treated roughly!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mine has been on two different antibiotics so far. The first one resolved about 80% of it. I'm concerned about trying accutane due to family history of liver disease.

My son also went on an antibiotic that cleared up his acne beautifully. Of course, once he stopped taking it, it came back with a vengeance. That’s when we went to accutane. Acne has been gone for over ten years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again. Is Accutane still a 4-6 month course? I took it way back when for about 5 months. It is easier for boys to take it since they don't have to worry about pregnancy, right?

Each of my sons did six months.

Same here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've got 3 teenagers. One teenager can control her acne with OTC topical products, another just uses soap/water and spot treatments. The third has used topicals (OTC and prescription), oral antibiotics and, when those failed, Accutane. He does not have cystic acne but it was so severe that it was starting to scar. He's now on month 6 and the difference is incredible. Until this month, dry lips were the only negative side effect. This month, he's started to have very dry skin on his forearms. Both side effects are managed well with lotion/vaseline. FWIW, he's also on an SSRI for anxiety and we've noticed no negative change in his mental health - in fact, he's in a much better place since he's no longer self-conscious about his complexion.

This was exactly our experience with both sons. Their cystic acne was causing anxiety and depression. Neither wanted to socialize and their grades were dropping. After Accutane, it was like seeing butterflies emerge - a complete 180. So much more self-confidence and happiness. I don’t like to think about what might have happened had we not gotten serious about their acne.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 14 yo son’s (non-cystic but pretty significant) acne has improved significantly with very, very close compliance to a multi-step routine prescribed by his dermatologist, down to the timing (e.g., wash face, wait an hour, apply cream). The difference between before (using the meds but not following her very specific schedule) and after is pretty dramatic. It’s not 100% cleared up, but it’s much better.

We have some family medical history that makes both antibiotics and accutane risky, so we’re doing everything we can to avoid that path.

OP here. Can I ask what topicals he is using? Do you have to supervise all of this? My son has ADHD and his meds have worn off by bedtime so I have to stand next to him to walk him through it.

Clindomycin in the morning and highest concentration of Retin-a at night (at least an hour after washing his face), as well as a prescription dandruff shampoo 3x/week. He’s very disciplined/routine-oriented, so I don’t have to supervise. But I totally would if I needed to—the results have been worth it.

[Anonymous]

Retinol prescribed plus salicylic acid washes. Cleared up at 21

[Anonymous]

I ruined my digestive tract with antibiotics back in the day. I have problems still when I have dairy. If there are any allergies in the picture get food testing. Milk has lots of additives that are bad for some people’s skin. Soda also gives me trouble still. I’m in my fifties and still struggling with this. Birth control pills made the most difference, but obviously not for sons!