4 months from 19 and still have acne
 

well Im going to be 19 pretty soon and I still have acne. Ive had it since I was 14 and I saw a doctor when I was 17. I was prescribed antibiotics and tretinol cream. This combination didnt seem to work. I have moderate scarring. Both my parents had acne, my mom had severe acne and had her scars diminished via some sort of treatment, my dad had little or no scarring. Both of them claim their acne ended around 18. Is it normal to still have acne at 19? I know is it normal questions are kinda dumb since we're all unique but I still wonder if Ill have acne into my 20s.

everyone generally has some form of acne, it depends on the severity. I am 19.5 and from time to time get some acne but it is no where near as severe as it was. It doesn't just stop but more phases out. If it is as prominant as before, then there may be a problem. There are some other threads in this section which cover some treatment plans if that is the case.

Otherwise it is still normal.

I'm almost 21 and still have acne. It bothers me, but I know a number of people my age and slightly older who still have it. I've tried a few things, but nothing has ever really worked. It has never been bad enough for accutane, but enough to be an annoyance. It gets really bad when my allergies act up, but stress also. I wish there was an answer, but you will outgrow it eventually. I'm still waiting.

acne doesn't just magically go away when you graduate highschool or anything. some people have problems with it quite a bit later in life, some its just ongoing

posted this in another thread...

Acne comes and leaves people at different times, but you still shouldn't have to suffer with it. I recommend going to see a doctor and looking into acutane. you would be amazed at how much your face will clear up. Acutane treats acne, but it will do a number on your liver. So word to the wise don't drink too much while on it. I used it and can't complain a bit.

I'm 22, and the acne on my back didn't really go away until I went on accutane 3 months ago. I've gotten maybe 5 or 6 zits in the last 2 months, a significant improvement.

I don't what point you are at in puberty but I went through puberty real early and had zits for most of high school. My brother, who is 21 and hit puberty (hair on the chest, back hair type puberty) later still has zits. Also, for me stress is a factor. Around finals and midterms I usually will have a stray pimple or two pop up.

does anyone know if that proactiv stuff works??

i'm 22 and i get it all the time. I've been to a dermo, got prescriptions (pills, creams, lotions, etc..). it helped but the pills were giving me a lot of probs which is one reason i dont want to go on accutane!

i've heard some ppl say that proactiv works and some that says its nothing but B.S.

so does anyone here know if it worked for them or someone they know??

Hey iam_immigrant,

Since you live in the GTA area, just order Proactiv off tsc.ca (The Shopping Channel) and try it out. They will give you a 60 day money back guarantee.

i've heard good things about proactiv and nature's cure looks intriguing. Acutane would definitely work, just be warned that it takes several months for the whole treatment, and will totally dry your skin out. I had a friend in HS who I remember spent his whole junior year with massive amounts of dead skin flaking off his face. Wasn't pretty, but I have to admit, he now looks way better without the acne.

I have some gray hairs and I still have zits.

non-alcohol moisturizer is my friend.

the dead-skin flakes suck though.

I use Proactive and really like it. It's pretty expensive if you're a poor college student like me, but well worth it.

The first step is a light exfoliator that I absolutely love. The second is a toner that really helps with my somewhat oily skin and the last step is a gentle lotion with light medication in it.

I noticed a difference within the first week that I used it and still love it.

do you depend on it to stay zit-free?? cuz i dont want to be dependant on a certain product...thats one reason why i stopped doing the pills. sure they helped but gave me other health probs at the same time. And once i was off them BAM, zits back again!

so i'm gonna try out proactiv and see how it goes..

thanx all for suggestions/recommendation/opinions

Man, I'm 18, and I've got acne too. But its not severe at all. But it pisses me off because I never had acne until I started shaving. I have sensitive skin, and I only get pimples in areas I shave in. That shit sucks.

I guess I would say that I am dependent on Proactiv. I stopped using it for a while to see what would happen and my face did go back to being broken out. So I used Proactiv again and it cleared up really fast. So I guess what I'm saying is, it's the best thing that I've used, so I don't mind being dependent on it.

i read somewhere that tee tree oil helps with acne.

i don't know if it is true, but it may be worth a shot. it's cheaper than other methods at least.
they also say cutting back on refined sugars and carbs helps too...*shrug*

just my 2 cents

tea tree oil is like an anti septic and yes it does work, cause it kills all the bacteria and stuff in the pimple. Wait unitl its nice and juicy (the pimiple) so its easy to squeeze, you get bad scarring if you scratch and really squeeze hard, but after it pops, put some tea tree oil inside the pimple and it helps the healing process. Don't pop pimples prematurly cause thats where a lot of scarring can come from.

i also use paw paw cream, like a skin ointment for all kinds of rashes, cuts. abrasions, dryness etc and its also really good. A lot of the natural stuff wporks wonders. Its pretty cheap as well. Fortunatly i seldom get pimples anymore, 19.5 now, which i am very happy with :D

Yah I'm twenty and I only get acne where I have shaved

Proactiv works on some people, but not everyone. It can take between like 2 weeks to over a month to work.
I haven't tried it but I intend to, I know some people who got results, some who didn't.

I have acne pretty bad. I get it on my face, under by chin, my neck, my back, my chest, my shoulders and my arms (rare). I have been on antibiotics, like 4-5 different gels and creams, I was even on a full run of accutane but I still have pretty bad acne. What pisses me off is how it isn't really prominent on my face but my neck and back and chest are bad and that is embarassing. My dermatologist has suggested that I might try a 2nd run of accutane in a month or two, since some people need a 2nd run. If I do it and it doesn't work, I'm going to be so pissed. I had to deal with flaking skin and nose bleeds forever (the nose skin dries and cracks sometimes) and I don't want to be on it again. When I was in my 3rd month of accutane, I don't think I had more than 2 zits. I was hoping for that to be permanent but when I got off it, the zits progressively piled up and now I am almost as bad as before (although not as bad). Accutane isn't good for your liver and you need regular blood tests so I'm not happy about needing a 2nd run, but I'd do it to get rid of this acne.

acne is often caused/made worse by over stimulating the face so if you've got a real bad case don't be tempted to over wash your face it'll make it worse instead of helping, just do it like you would normally, morning and night. shaving and scrubbing dry with towels can also trigger it.
lots of people have mentioned milk, I keep reading processed wheat can be a major factor, maybe try staying away from cereals for a while.
sunlight and exercise always help(boosts circulation) .
as for dealing with individual spots toothpaste dries em out, just dab some on and leave it to dry (you will a bit of a prick though) just don't over do it cos you'll also dry your skin out

I am another accutane user, it sucks while you take it but it works, I took it 15 years ago, when it was new, and it cleared my skin up great, just a single zit now and then and my skin looks much younger than other people my age. My wife had used Proactiv and she ended up sending it back for a refund, if your going to spend the money get the real deal.

My problem is that accutane didn't work for me. I might need to take it for a 2nd 7 month run if my acne doesn't go away or lesson significantly soon.

Edit: *Accutane worked, but did not have lasting effects. When I got off it, the acne slowly came back.

According to everything I've ever read about acne, diet has nothing to do with it.

Just thought I'd let you know.

drew carey said something about as he got older his acne migrated from his face down his back and onto his ass.... something to look forward too.

Stay away from Accutane, that shit is heinous.

I used proactiv for a little and it did help a bit, but I stopped and it seems to be clearing up with age... My acne is half as bad as it used to be, and Im also due to be 19 in november.

i used to have systic acne, thsi is where you get pimples the size of golfballs on your face, i took the miracle pill - acu teen - and bam my face is smoother then a babys ass besides some moderate scaring....it works..trust me

I'm 22 and still have some slight acne here and there. Just be glad you aren't losing your hair like me!

Hey its one of those things that you just live with and go...with. Life what a bitch...... =}

Dude, im 23 and still get it sometimes. I noticed that it moved as i hit puberty- chin.... then, forehead,....then, neck. Acne makes me question the existance of God.
I find that my skin gets really clear after i hit the alcohol.

I used to get cystic acne a couple years ago, now its regular pimples but the scars are there

My acne is caused by Dairy Products (MILK! !@#!@#) and sometimes super greasy foods :( ..

I know the doctors say that its impossible.. but I'm living proof... Except mine isn't really acne.. its more of an Allergy to milk and oils.

Drew Carey is right.

Ya, Drew is right. I used to have my acne on my forehead. Then it was my cheecks and nose. Now my face has less, but my chest and back have more. I just hope it doesn't reach my ass. It better go away soon (but my uncles still had acne in their 30s) but it likely won't. I want to go on a 2nd run of accutane. I never got depressed from it, only dry skin. I don't see how anyone can be depressed about their acne going away. If anything, you should get happier from taking accutane.

I used to have crazy bad acne. Like 5 pimples per square inch, all over my face, neck, back and chest. Over a two year period, I went on two accutane runs, which got rid of most of of the acne, but over time it would always come back. Having acne since before high school, I am now almost 19, and finally have it under control. Basically, I have three basic rules to live by:

1) DO NOT overwash or over dry your skin. torturing your skin will only cause it to break out more. Washing more than twice daily will usually do this.

2) DO NOT over moisturize your skin. I only use non-alcoholic moisturizer, and on the really dry skin (facial dandruff around the mouth) I use Eucerin cream(oil free)

3) Different strokes for different folks. In order to achieve the two above, I had to toy with different perscriptions and washes for over 4 years. In the morning, I use Proactiv on my face, and Brevoxyl 4% wash on my back and chest, and apply Differin to my face. At night, it is the same, but w/o the Differin. I also take two minocycline pills each day. I use moisturizers as needed.

Basically almost five years of trial and error have paid off. I always stuck with it, tried different things every month or two, and now, I get maybe a small pimple each week. Good luck and don't give up!

Take showers at night so you don't sleep with a sweaty, oily face.

Use Neutrogena toner. I used to use it after washing my face because my face would dry out. The neutrogena stuff doesn't have any alcohol, and it helps to clean it off.

Eat lots of cranberries! I.e. cranberrie juice, jellied cranberries, dried cranberries, etc. It really helps.

Edit: If that doesn't work, you can always get the prescription stuff that clears it up for life. Really. My last roomate used it and it worked for him.

it doesn't matter what age you are. acne can arise even in your 50s. although it's very rare to see a severe case.

STOP washing your face with soap and other crap like that.
Friends and now my son had suffer from acne, got them to stop using soaps and other irritants that dry your face and make your bidy send more fat to recover. Use plain water even when you shower, soap for the armpits etc. not for the face. The acne will diminish, the pimples will keep coming out if your diet is poor, lots of coke and fries and ice cream etc. try it for a month and just pop the pimples that you get after they are ripe and clean the spot with denatured alcohol. If you want no pimples eat some fruit and cut the greasy food. After I convinced my son to try it, it worked and the acne cleared up as well as a friend I had when I was 20. Now I don't get any pimples/acne just gray hairs.

well it prob a good idea to think about what you have done that day, for instance, if you work out or have sex, take a shower, if it was hot out and you did alot of sweating, take a shower before you get to sleep

Woah, that milk comment just clicked with me...

I've been out of the country for a month. Didn't drink one bit of milk. Didn't get one pimple.I get back, start eating cereal again (with MILK of course) and I'm getting minor break outs.

Goddamn you milk!

My dermatologist said that the longer your 'run' of acne is, the less chance there is of having to do a second cycle of it. Of course this is harder for some folks, as the side-effects can be pretty harsh sometimes. I've pretty much gotten used to them by now though, less than a month left, yeay!

Whoa, I stopped drinking milk for the last few days and my skin is really clearing up =D

Well i have no acne so im pretty lucky but dude i totaly sympothise with u its sucks i guess!

I agree with a lot of this stuff. play with your diet. trying skipping milk based products. try cutting down on your carbs. work-out so that you are sweating. the sweat will help to clean the skin but then take a nice shower and wash the dirt away. Basically, start eating better and working out more. Your skin is an organ like your brain or your liver, living a healthier lifestyle can only help it ou. Besides, even if it doesnt clear up the acne, you will feel better about yourself and start to be in better shape. That in itself might help you more than anything. Like a lot of things in life, stress and worrying too much about something can make a bad situation worse.

I am thirty and have had acne forever. It's gotten a lot better recently, but I am living a better life, eating much healthier and lighter (lots of fruits and vegetables) and working out all the time. Now that my skin has gotten better, I do have some scarring.

Eh, what are you going to do, though? be yourself and don't worry too much.

I have fought this battle for years, since i was 13... I'm 19 now and still fighting... THe only things that have worked for me is prescription Benzyol Peroxide 8% Cream (Brevoxl). I've been using it for 4 years now... For me personally, I have to keep my face dry dry, and the Benz. Perox. dries you out. I havent tried moistuirzing because that just seems to me to be feeding the fire. I was also on minocyline, it made it alot worse for me. It made my skin like... tough. It like got thicker, and therefore the pimples had a harder and harder time getting through, which made it alot worse.

One thing i"ve noticed for sure is that i get zits on my forehead if i use a hair gel like the blue "la looks" or some shit, the cheep gell, I started using whipped gell, from Loriel Paris or whatever, and it cleared my forehead, especially the area around my hairline of zits, i think the cheeper "LA Looks" or those brands make your skin nearby react.

I dont know what the solution is, I"m almost 20 and still looking for an answer. I put NO faith in dermatologists, I've gone to 3 diff. ones and everything they gave me made it worse. My advise is, if its an ongoing thing for you, start trying the different products out, keep a list of what you've tried. I'm going tomarrow to go pick a moisturizer to use, cause after the shower using the Brevoxl, my face is really stiff, very dry. Keep fighting. Eat fruit, take one a day vitamin, I'm even taking a pill for "women" called Biotin, its a pill that helps the face, skin in particular, just to be healthy.

I still get about 1 zit a month and I'll be 30 this month. I've always had oily skin and have had to stay on top of it since puberty. I was on Retin-A and Tetracyclene when I was younger but now just make sure to wash at night, as a previous poster said.

-Mikey

I'm 48 and have to watch how I shave, especially my neck area. Shaving too close makes for ingrown hairs that turn into zits. The only way to get rid of those id to get the hair out....not an easy task. The way I avoid this is to not shave too close and always shave with the way the hair grows, not "against the grain" so to speak. And I only go over each area once or maybe twice, but not over and over like some people I've seen.

I would also get random zits here and there. Found that using an exfoliant every other day - I use one from Nivea for men - has really helped. I've gone off of it before and the random zits came back.

the proactiv has worked really well for me..the trick is to only wash in the morning and night and if you get greasy to use a lil of the toner as a touch up...but even if you don't order the whole system splurge on the refining mask they carry...like you use it like once or twice a week for 10 min and you can put dabs directly on the zits before you go to bed...it gets rid of them overnight without the creepy crusty dead skin thing. a thought on the accutane..doesnt it interfere with birth control?

I would recommend drinking a lot of water each day (about 1 oz. for every 2 pounds of body weight) Also get plenty of excersize. Sweating will flush your pours out. Just be sure to shower soon after, so they do not get clogged again while they are wide open.

Good Luck

I'm 19, and just before this past summer I ended my accutane treatment. The dryness I suffered during the treatment and for a period afterward was a pain, but man it was worth it. Acne 99% gone nowadays.

I had acne up until last year and used Accutane prior to it going away. It had a decent effect but what has really kept it away is swimming. If I swim once or twice a week I never get any, but if I go for more than two weeks without swimming, I'll get one or two. It's probably something to do with the chlorine.

One thing that always helped me with acne as a teenager was drinking a lot of water and working out a few times a week. The more you bother it, the worse it gets, most of the time.

I started getting pimples in elementary school (fifth grade, to be exact)... it was pretty bad up until just the past year or so. I guess I just mostly outgrew it.

On the up side, as you get older your face won't dry out and get as wrinkly as other peoples' faces will! :D (seriously, my dad looks like he's forty, not 52)

If you dare to try accutane, please be careful because it has some very scarey side effects. For example, in pregnant women it has been known to cause severe birth defects and miscarriages. Also, Accutane has caused people to become depressed and experience suicidal thoughts. It can change your vision, mess up your liver, and cause swelling, speech difficulties, joint/muscle/bone problems, chest/abdomen pain, hearing loss, bloody stool, and seizures, just to name a few. Hell no, thank you very much.

Accutane information.

Ask your Dr about stuff to help. I never had acne too severely as a teen. It came and went with my stress and general health. Lately with stress from buying a house and moving, plus my hormones went through another change (I'm 30) I had some more trouble with them. Some of the acne were so bad that now that they're gone there's still brown marks where they were. It was almost as bad or worse this time as it was when I was at my worst as a teen. For me it helps if I keep my hands off my face. Not sure why but I tend to rub and pinch my jawbone when I'm stressed. Consequently I'm working germs and dirt into my skin and I get lots of acne around my jawline when I'm stressed.

Keep your hands off your face and keep them and your face clean. Other than that get help from your doc and don't worry about it. Acne is normal and it never completely goes away. My mom is 50 and still has trouble sometimes.

Im 36 and I still get them when its time for me to start my period

ok well it's been awhile, and I haven't been really active, but heres the current situation. I've stopped using soap on my face and I noticed that the acne doesn't flair up as much after I shower now. I don't drink milk, nor do I consume dairy products beyond an occasional yogurt. My skin is still oily, and I still have a ton of acne. The scars are more noticeble and I am considering a chemical peel once the acne subsides. My parents both had acne well into their 20's so I have a ways to go still.

I have cystic(sp?) acne and it really sucks... dermatologists always give all this stuff to me and it turns into a 15 minute ordeal to wash my face. Sometimes I think all the shit they give me just make it worse. was contemplating accutane.. what are some of the side effects and are they all pretty common? Would be great to just take a pill (though I am taking 2 a day now for the past 2 months) and have it go away. As it is now it will go away for a day or 2 sometimes then fill back up. Its pretty much always been completely located on my chin in the front (not underneath) and I have never really had a problem with standard pimples.. its just the big mofo's that wont go away!!

Oh yea, and I also have very oily skin.

i'm 5 months from 19 and have acne. it sucks. Ive had it since i was 13 and have been taking medication since i was 14. really doesnt do much but reduce the amount i have. I still have quite a few active spots at any one time. this december i'm hoping to go on roaccutane. i've tried so hard to avoid it but really i think it's the only thing that will work. I've tried altering my diet and working out more etc etc. I've drank lemon juice to cleanse my body, i drink pints and pints of water a day. none of it really makes much difference. i'm sure if you had acne purely from a bad diet that stuff would work but if it's hormonal i dont think it does much at all.

so this december i will be starting roacctutane. i'm not looking forward to the sideeffects (apparently in the first month you get worse than youve ever got before, chapped lips, nosebleeds, headaches, lethargy) but i've had enough. i'm sick of being too selfconcious to look people direct in the eyes for anything longer than a few seconds.

I never had a serious acne problem, but my sister had it until she was 20 and at that point she finally took acutane. It was 6 months I believe, having to get her blood drawn once a month to see if she was pregnant and possibly also for her liver. Durign that time she would always have chapped lips and really dry skin, like I suppose most people. At one point she put a small piece of tape on her lip to hold onto it and it tore a piece of her lip off when she pulled it off. If you can tough it out it's worth it because she also looks infinitely better without acne, but otherwise I'd just wait it out. Puberty can still be in full force for people at 19 and that could be a cause I suspect.

Hrm? I'm seeing some contradictory things... is acne caused by dry skin or oily skin?

as i understand it it can be both. you want a little bit of oil on your face as that is natural and is healthy but too much or too little and you get spots. i understand why an increase in it can cause spots but not a decrease but if that was a way to stop spots everyone would just dry their skinout so i guess it is true.

i've always had acne and it's not VERY bad, some scarring, proactiv doesn't work but i use it... i know how you guys feel.. don't worry about it!

I have acne. Tis' not something that is great. I basically just deal with it. Not touching it and washing it is the best thing. Popping them is bad. Only makes more.

You can have acne even if you're an adult...