Comments on: On Isotretinoin

By: Causalien

Causalien — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:25:39 +0000

Yeah, I’ve thought about the aging factor… but mine was bad. I guess you’ve only seen me during the first 2 years of university. It got worst at around 2003 and I also experienced the cyst like acne.

My brother got it worst than you, but his problems are isolated to his back and he had to go on antibiotics for a year which did jack for the problem. It is only recently that it got better, so age could be a factor, but he also made a huge lifestyle change, including eating habits.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:56:56 +0000

@Causalien — I didn’t think your acne was very bad…not even noticeable actually. I think you also have to consider the fact that our bodies change as we grow older, and hormones along with it. My acne has gotten much worse without any lifestyle changes. Yours may be due to aging as well.

@trolley — Antibiotics apparently aren’t supposed to clear one up completely. It’s a temporary solution; as soon as we get off them, the acne comes back, sometimes worse. And taking antibiotics is very bad for the body long-term. I’ve heard good things about Proactive. Maybe my acne was bad enough that the doctor recommended I skip straight to the strong stuff.

By: trolley

trolley — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:31:56 +0000

I was on antibiotics for 2+ years but it still didn’t completely clear it up. I’m using Proactive now and it’s actually working OK, but it’s still not completely clear.

By: Causalien

Causalien — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:07:47 +0000

You know how bad my acne used to be. It lasted till the age of 26. And it has really disappeared now. I think there are 4 major things that changed. Don’t know if it’ll help you or not.

1. Overdose with water everyday (~1L)
2. Stopped touching my face
3. Sleep at least 7 hours a day
4. Make sure that I don’t sweat everyday.

I find that the cyst like acne appears more often after a days of bad sleep schedule.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:26:08 +0000

I tried everything except the sleeping habits, which I found very difficult. When I saw a Chinese medical practitioner, he told me that it wasn’t something that could be fixed, or even controlled, but lessened with the right diet. The diet wasn’t an easy adjustment though. I have my doubts too, but this drug is worth one last shot for me.

By: joe

joe — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:03:09 +0000

I once had a gigantic cyst next to my eye that wouldn’t go away, the doctor used a syringe to draw it empty. There were a few times when the cysts were not so gigantic, the dermatologist would use a syringe to directly inject some medication into them, and the cysts would flatten in a day or two.

I doubt if acne is something completely curable, it’s hereditary, like baldness. You can only keep it under control by maintaining cleanliness, controlling you eating and sleeping habits, keeping you gut regular—lots of fruits, adequate sleep.