acne on back

#15

ive tried minocin, oxytetratcycline and zindaclin over the last few years, as well as benzoyl peroxide. but i still have bad acne on my back. can anyone give me advice on what i could ask the doctor about? i dont want to go on roaccuatane.
thanks.

jetfire

http://www.quickacneremedy.com/
http://okidir.in/search/Acne%20Treatment/

maybe you'll be able to find some more info on these sites? cant think of anything other then to drink lots of water and shower every day.

#15

thanks, do the acne remedy really work?

elly

hi,

Are you male or female?
I suffered with really acne on my back, shoulders and chest when I was a teenager, and the only thing that worked for me, was the pill Dianette. So if you are a guy this wont be an option!

darth insidiari

I have very oily skin so I have to be careful to avoid outbreaks. Things I've found that help:

-If you use conditioner on your hair always rinse it out BEFORE you wash the rest of you. Water alone wont remove the residue from your skin.
-Certainly shower everyday but, if you can, shower again before going to bed. Oil and sweat can clog your pores while you're sleeping.
-Ask your dermatologist about Duac. It's fairly new and quite a bit milder than the other ones. Good if you have sensitive skin. It's also a once a day application.
-I know this sounds odd but try using Stieprox shampoo as a shower gel on your back. My dermatologist told me that the active ingredient "Olamine" is good for oily skin and blocked pores (which are the usually causes of spots). Your doc should be able to give you a prescription if it's right for you.
-If you are a woman consider the pill. There are several specifically for acne such as Dianette and Yasmin. If you're a bloke...sorry!
-Don't just use your hands when washing. A proper loofa, or round yoke I don't know the name of, is essentail to get rid of the oil and dead skin cells that will bloke your pores. Don't scrub too hard though or they'll spread.
-After taking a shower run a hot bath and pour in 3 or 4 good handfuls of epsom salts (available at chemists). These salts are high in magnesium which encourages healing. Salt is also naturally antibacterial. Don't rinse off afterwards. The bath should be as hot as you can comfortably stand to encourage absorbtion.
-Use topical cream at night. For some reason they are more effective while we sleep. The same goes for the epsom salts.
-swap tea and coffee for green tea and herbal teas. Full of antioxidants and minerals that'll help your skin. Also good for hydration and getting rid of impurities.
-Take a multivitamin and a fish oil supplement every day. I found taking a vitamin c and zinc one did wonders for my skin. Boots have a reasonably priced own brand one with a relatively high dose.
-Don't moisturise oily skin.
-Only wear natural fibers like cotton next to your skin. Anything man made creates the perfect environment for oil, sweat and bacteria to make spots.

I hope you'll find something in there you haven't tried/will work for you. Let me know if you need more help.

*a probiotic supplement may also help

I have this a bit too, best way is to get the sun at it, drys it right up. The only problem is the sun aint to reliable here

I also had some blotchy marks on my skin, doctor doesnt know what they are, just gave me cream to put on em

Dave!

Why don't you wanna go on Roaccutane? It may be your only option left, if your acne is bad enough. eniarah is right though, the sun is really good for it.

steveland?

I used to have it really bad, the odd spot or two on my face but loads around my shoulders/chest area. Minocin worked somewhat but what really worked was cutting down on Coke and other syrupy cack drinks.

Back when I was 14 or 15 I used to drink at least a litre of coke a day...

Also went to school in town so used to go to McDonalds and Burger King all the time for lunch... didn't help either...

A good diet can be much more effective than any pills or creams you can get.

By the way, out of interest, how old are you? Not to be too blunt but if you're in your teens chances are you'll grow out of it soon

#15

im 19 but while my face is almost perfectly clear now, my back is as bad as ever.

eniarah, im in a catch 22 with the sun- i know sun exposure is good, but its too embarrassing to take my top off.

darth insidiari thanks for going into so much detail, i appreciate it. if you think of anything else, i would be grateful if you posted it.

and im male, so the pill isn't an option, although id nearly take it if it would improve my back:D

my diet is fairly good and i drink 6-9 pints of water a day, so im at a loss as to what to do. i have heard bad things about the side effects of roaccutane, so i am not too keen on it, tbh.

Dave!

Fair enough, the side-effects aren't pleasant, but neither is having severe acne... You can try all the different diets and herbs and things that you like, and they may work, they may not. Roaccutane works, 90-odd% of the time!

I'm not tryin to twist your arm or anythin, it doesn't bother me either way, but I suppose it comes down to do you want to wait and try other things for a year, then go to a derm and for them to tell you that Roaccutane is the only answer, or do you want to bite the bullet and dive straight in.

Either way, go to your GP and get referred onto a dermatologist and they'll give you better advice.

Scraggs

Out of interest what age is the OP?

Dave!

#15 wrote:

im 19....

GAWD :rolleyes:

darth insidiari

Not a bother.

I should say that while roaccutane has a good success rate it's not right for everyone. You are right to weigh the side-effects against the benefits. Skin-wise it will basically turn a very oily complexion into a very dry one. Not to mention all the other things I'm sure you've read up on. Chances are it will improve with time but the other things I mentioned have helped me. I know it seems like a lot of work but I guess it depends on how serious you are about it.

I definately agree with what others said about a good diet. I know you said you eat well but keep in mind that a typical Irish diet isn't really ideal. It's hard enough for me to get my 5 portions of fruit n veg a day. In Japan they recommend 12! That puts my diet into perspective a bit anyway.

Scraggs

Jeez louise Dave it was only a question, I'm ever so sorry for missing that piece of info:o:D

Sorry OP, I was just asking that because it may have something to do with your hormones levelling out. I've had acne from a very young age and when I was younger it was really bad but in the last couple of years [I'm 19 too] its gotten much better. I still have it like but its definately not as bad as it used to be. I'd say get a referral to a dermatologist if you havent already to get it sorted.

Someone else mentioned the sun being good and you replied sayin that you felt embarrased ...well perhaps go out into your back garden or somewhere else you'd feel comfortable for awhile? I know its easier said than done but you really shouldnt feel embarrassed.. there are so many people with acne, its no big deal [except for the sufferer really] and I really doubt if people are even going to give it a second glance so don't worry! [And btw this is coming from someone who wouldn't leave the house on a bad skin day:)]
Good luck hope it all works out for ya:)

C Fodder

A general question hopefully helpful to the op. Do sunbeds work similar to natural sunlight for clearing up spots, acne etc. on the back?. Curious because come every summer my back is a mess and after the first day or two of sun it clears up for another year. BTW i'm quite a bit older than the op and all of the typical onitments etc only do a containment job until the sun arrives.

Dave!

I asked my derm about sunbeds and he told me to stay well away from them, the risk of cancer is too great.

http://www.who.int/uv/publications/sunbedpubl/en/

I'd say they would help your skin, yeh, but is it worth the risk? Up to you!

Marksie

DaveMcG wrote:

Why don't you wanna go on Roaccutane? It may be your only option left, if your acne is bad enough. eniarah is right though, the sun is really good for it.

http://www.lindermyers.co.uk/article.asp?id=168

Hippo

Try acupuncture, it can really work.

soma

The following really works for me:

1) Sea Water. Even while wearing a wet suit, I see the benefits almost immediately.
2) Fresh air & sunshine.

Preferably get 1 and 2 simultaneously

Oh finally - Try to take more baths (not just showers).

#15

#15 wrote:

eniarah, im in a catch 22 with the sun- i know sun exposure is good, but its too embarrassing to take my top off.

I just kinda sit around my back garden. I mean, just wear a top that exposes your back or somthing, just dont care what other people think

Also get a friend or family member to mix Salt with vasaline, it really really REALLY scrubs all the ****e off it. Do this after a good day in the sun, believe me it will clear up alot.

Strokesfan

I know that roccactuine stuff or whatever is dangerous but my boyfriend had acne on his back really painful and went on it for a few months and it cleared it up! it hasn't returned either. When he was in San Fran or anywhere hot it clears up on his face (he gets the odd spot now, nothing bad at all) - I would say try the sunbed or sauna, heat kills the surface bacteria which make these so bad. If you're too embarrassed to take off your top seriously head to the sports complex or gym during quiet period and do the sauna, steamroom or sun shower thing. Lots of fellas sneak into the sunbeds where I go.