saw this and thought be good to put hear for those who suffer
not written by me


Accutane, antibiotics, benozyl peroxide, zineryt (A GUIDE TO ACNE REMOVAL!)

Right over the past few months I have read countless threads about people either using Accutane, looking into using Accutane or suffering from acne and not knowing what to take. Because of this I've decided to put a thread together to detail over what I have experienced during my time using Accutane, and in my 13 years of suffering from acne. I hope that my experiences will help some of you clear up your acne or even stop you from developing severe acne on steroid cycles like I did.



I'll start by saying that I am not a doctor, nor do I have any medical experience whatsoever. I only speak from experience and the protocols I have followed over the years. What protocol you follow will depend on the severity of your acne.




Mild Acne
PANOXYL HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED!!! The doctor can prescribe benozyl peroxide cream but failing that you can order various other alternatives online. Just remember the prices are usually much higher than they were with Panoxyl!!!

First off if you suffer from mild spots either on or off cycle then a cream that contains Benozyl peroxide will help keep it at bay. Benozyl peroxide works by acting as an antiseptic and drawing oxygen into the pore to release the dirt from within. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which helps reduce the redness of your spots. You can apply the cream to the affected area before bed at night, but remember that it can stain your pillows so just be careful. The most commonly used benozyl peroxide cream is called Panoxyl. It is available over the counter at most pharmacies in the U.K and comes in a variety of forms and strengths. I'd start by using the weakest and depending on how you react I'd slowly (every 2 weeks or so) build yourself up to the strongest. If your acne begins to clear with one of the weaker versions then stick with it. Some of the stronger versions can leave the skin red and looking dry and inflamed.


Side effects of benozyl peroxide can include reddening of the skin, and dry peeling skin.

Another product which is very good for mild acne is COOP hand wash. It contains salicylic acid which is found in clearasil but costs about 40-50p per bottle. If you add some to your bath, or wash yourself with it in the shower it will help to fight the acne.


Products to use against mild acne :
Panoxyl 2.5%, 5%, 10% ( I recommend the cream over the gel, although I think the 10% version only comes as a gel from what I remember)

COOP Hand wash

Simple hydrating light moisturizer. (Apply the moisturizer lightly if you begin to suffer from dry skin as a result of the Panoxyl.) This is the only moisturizer I have ever used that doesn't block the pores and cause more acne. When first applied it can make your face appear slightly red but this subsides within about 20 minutes.


Apply the panoxyl before bed at night to the affected area. Add the COOP hand wash to your bath or use it as a shower gel in the shower. Make sure to wash twice a day and change your bedding (Especially your pillow cases) once a week.



Moderate Acne to Severe Acne
For moderate to severe acne prescription medication is required.

I recommend you just completely avoid all oral antibiotics. They are a complete waste of time. They don't fight the bacteria until it has formed and therefore you will still continue to get spots even whilst on treatment although they do not look as red.



For moderate to severe acne ACCUTANE IS REQUIRED!!!!! I can't express that enough! Changing your shirts, changing your bedding, having showers, changing your diet and even washing regularly all help to reduce break outs, but to treat acne properly and stop it all together ACCUTANE IS REQUIRED!!!!



The doctor cannot prescribe accutane so you will have to be referred to a DERM. Because of this some people choose to source it themselves from online. If you decide to source it yourself always research your source before you buy anything. You don't want fake stuff and you also don't want someone to run off with your money.


Accutane works by stopping the sebaceous glands from producing as much oil. This in turns stops the pores from becoming clogged up and creating acne. Long term treatment with isotretinoin has been shown to effectively treat acne in 90% of patients over two courses. It is a miracle drug imo and anyone with moderate to severe acne should consider using it. The side effects are largely over rated. Most people only suffer from dry lips and dry eyes although some people do get more severe side effects such as massive breakouts of acne etc. So this should be taken into consideration should you decide to use it.

Acne treatment with Accutane

If you are looking to treat your acne for the foreseeable future then the protocol below should be followed. You may find that a few months after stopping treatment your acne returns. In this case you need to run another course for the same length of time.

Accutane should be ran at mg per kg of bodyweight. It is one of the few drugs where the more you take the better. A person weighing 85-90kg should take an 80mg dose of accutane per day, like wise someone weighing 65-70kg should take 60mg dose of accutane per day. This should be taken as one dose either in the morning or prior to bed (although taking it prior to sleep can often cause sleeplessness.)

You should run Accutane for at least 4 months although I recommend running it for at least 6.

Each month you will need to get a blood test for the following:

Complete Blood Count

Liver Function

Liver Values

Lipids

This is to make sure the Accutane isn't affecting your liver, cholesterol etc to much. It is a strong drug so try to get blood tests at all costs.

Running Accutane on cycle

This protocol is to stop acne from appearing on cycle. This will not treat your acne only help control it or remove it on cycle.

If your just beginning a cycle of steroids and are acne prone then I recommend starting to run the Accutane at a dose of roughly 1mg per kg of bodyweight. Again for a man of 85-90kg this equates to an 80mg daily dose of Accutane. Run this dose for the first 2 weeks, then drop into a maintenance dose of 20mg a day or EOD. If your acne begins to flare then increase the dose to accommodate this.

Week 1-2 : 1mg per kg of bodyweight

Week 3 onward : 20mg a day or EOD

Again I recommend you get blood work whilst running accutane.


Accutane to treat severe acne flare up on cycle

If you are already on cycle and you have begun to get a massive flare up then use the following protocol.

Run a dose of 1mg per kg of bodyweight until you notice a dramatic decrease in your acne. Continue to run this does until your face is completely clear. You can then drop your dose to 20-40mg a day and continue to run it throughout your cycle.

Along with this I highly recommend you apply a topical antiobiotic called Zineryt. It is available from your doc on prescription. It will dry your skin up severely and make it look red and inflamed but it works hand in hand with Accutane to reduce your acne flare up as fast as possible. Remember things always get worse before they get better! Don't stop using it!!!!! Apply the Zineryt before bed at night. It will itch to the point it hurts but just know that its working with the Accutane and will help to reduce your acne in a matter of weeks as a pose to months.


Using the above Zineryt / Accutane protocol I managed to remove a severe acne flareup I developed during a cycle of test E a few years back. I managed to remove 90% of the acne in less than 4 weeks! I highly recommend you follow this if you start to suffer from a massive flare up.

Combating Accutane Side Effects

The most common side effects associated with Accutane treatment are dry eyes, tiredness and chapped lips. Some people do experience more severe side effects such as depression, extreme acne flare ups etc. If you suffer from any of the more severe side effects you will need to visit your doc or the hospital to get it checked out.

Treating Dry Eyes
To treat dry eyes you can pick up hypromellose / fake tears from your local chemist for around £1.

If you can't use eye drops Optrex do a product called ActiMist. Again this can be picked up OTC from your local chemist for £12-£15 but I am unsure of its effectiveness.


Treating Dry Lips
I highly recommend a product by Johnsons Lipcare called Moon Care. You can apply it before you go to sleep at night and again in the morning. It lasts for a long time and whilst using it you can hardly tell you have chapped lips from the accutane.



Acne Scarring
If you have any redness / scarring left over from your acne. You have a number of options available.

Firstly you can look into cosmetic solutions such as microdermabrasion, laser scar removal, acid peels and silicone injections. Although these can all cost a fair amount of money.

If you are looking for a more natural approach. Cut half a lemon and squeeze it into a bowl. Add two tablespoons of milk and then apply the solution to your acne scarring. (This will only remove red scarring, pot holes will require cosmetic procedures!). You will notice your skin starts to prickle and burn. This is becuase the acid in the lemon is acting like a natural peel. Do this 2-3 times a week before bed. You should notice a dramatic improvement in the redness within 4-6 weeks.



Sunbeds
Sunbeds can also help to mask the redness of acne scarring. I find they do help to reduce acne flare ups as well, but you obviously have to be careful how often you use them. As we are all aware prolonged use of sunbeds can have dangerous consequences, but if you are sensible then they can be beneficial. I'd recommend no more than 6 minutes every 1-2 weeks. Some people may use them more, but you then run the risk of developing serious complications later on down the line. Only last year I had a mole removed from my stomach which was probably a result of over using the sunbeds so just be careful.

I often find people ask if they can use the sunbeds whilst cycling Accutane as well. I have personally used them whilst on Accutane but I tend to only go on for around 6 minutes every month or so. Accutane makes the skin very thin and sensitive so try to be sensible when using them on the drug.

Summary

Mild Acne :
PANOXYL HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED!!! The doctor can prescribe benozyl peroxide cream but failing that you can order various other alternatives online. Just remember the prices are usually much higher than they were with Panoxyl!!!

Panoxyl 2.5%, 5%, 10% ( I recommend the cream over the gel, although I think the 10% version only comes as a gel from what I remember)

COOP Hand wash (use as shower gel)

Simple hydrating light moisturizer


Moderate to severe acne :
Accutane

Zineryt

Simple hydrating light moisturizer

COOP Hand wash (use as shower gel)


Acne Scarring :
Microdermabrasion

Laser scar removal

Acid peels

Silicone injections

Lemon / Milk (Reduce redness)

Again always try to be as clean as possible. Wash twice a day, wear clean clothes, and change your bedding and pillow cases once a week.

Like I say I'm not a doctor. Everything I have written about here is from personal experience. I just hope it can help other people to deal with their acne problem

I've never suffered from acne and it's highly unlikely I ever will now so this isn't personal experience, but vitamin A is supposed to be a good natural way to keep your skin healthy. And I'm all for natural if possible.

Carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers and good old cod liver oli are some foods high in this vitamin.