Question I'm a 44 yr old fem who suffers from occasional cystic acne. I've had an ongoing problem with this since my teens. I have a skin cleansing regimen but lately have been getting more acne of this type. I'm not on medication now but have been on everything including accutane. I will not go on accutane again because of the side effects. Is there something I can do to prevent it and when I do, what can I do to shorten its time on my face? It always leave a very dark spot.
Answer Cystic acne is very difficult to control. If you do not want the full course of accutane which is accutane every day for 5 months, you can go on low dose accutane which means you take 20mg three times a week. Low dose is very helpful and the side effects are almost none existent. Other options include oral antibiotics such as Adoxa, Doryx, Solodyn, Keflex or Bactrim. Cystic acne since it is deeper in the skin cannot be controlled by cleansing agents or topical medications. The oral medications are best but have more side effects. If you have irregular menstral cycles you may want your hormones tested to see if this can be the cause of your acne. If you have hormone irregularities Spiranolactone can be helpful. Dark spots can be controlled by prescription bleaching creams like Lustra or Tri-Luma or Epiquin. I recommend that you visit your local dermatologist for the correct treatment of your skin condition.
