Posts by Douglas Price5

Sandra Parker3 said:.....
looking for an answer in a glass of bourbon
drinking just to drown out the truth
it wouldn't hurt if I hadn't known
that others were stealing you away from me
but it kills me that I was the last one to find out 😁

Talk about a bruised ego

Does anyone else ever feel like they’re living out those lyrics, "laughing on the outside while crying on the inside"?

How are you all feeling right now?
Please be honest with me—don't just go by what the poll numbers say.

Should I go ahead and pitch this idea for a movie or what?

Kyle Sanchez6 said:Yes, I always make sure to do that right before heading into my appointment with the dermatologist.

Did you deal with any side effects? Also, how often did you have to get those tests done, and did you have to really push your doctor to let you go on the pills?

Kyle Sanchez6 said:What kind of checkups are you referring to?

You know how these things can drag on until the end of the month, but I’m not losing hope—I’m still fighting the good fight. Right now, it’s just localized to the back of my scalp (folliculitis), so it isn't the worst thing in the world... though the next step involves it spreading to my face... 😲

blood and urine tests

Kyle Sanchez6 said:Greetings from a veteran of this struggle. I’m 24 now, and I’ve been battling these little monsters since I was 16... let's just say my "bloom" arrived a bit later than most...

I’ve tried everything under the sun, and I’ve finally reached the conclusion that external factors have absolutely zero impact on my condition. Maybe it works differently for others, but for me, it’s a closed case. My skin fluctuates from catastrophic to almost decent regardless of what I do...

The only truly successful period I’ve ever had was while I was on Accutane. I know people love to harp on about how dangerous the medication is, but then again, every medicine is essentially a poison, and ninety percent of the junk we consume daily has the same effect...

But my cases are particularly stubborn; I was on Accutane for a stretch of 9 to 12 months, sometimes even hitting 60 mg a day. I finished my course right at the 12-month mark, and yet, here they are again. Since this was actually my second time using Accutane (during the first round, some doctor at a public clinic prescribed a dose meant for children rather than a grown man like myself...), and having spent about three months riding that Accutane high, I find myself wondering what comes next. Nothing, I suppose... I'll head to my private dermatologist for advice and to see if she can help ease the sting on my wallet...

PS. Don't take all this advice to heart, because everyone is different. A cream might work wonders for one person and feel like nothing more than water to another. So, keep researching; I know I certainly will... Fight the power.

Man, hearing your age really puts things into perspective (and you're still dealing with this).
Have you been going to your follow-up appointments?

Nathan Doyle8 said:I honestly don't know how to comfort you, and if I'm being totally real, I'm not even sure if a high-quality acne cream actually exists? My sister is an esthetician and she just told me to go get professional facials here and there, but when it comes to creams... most of them don't do squat. It’s because, unfortunately, you have to tackle the root cause of the breakouts, and a cream just can't do that! I have to admit, my skin stays clear whenever I'm on birth control, but hey... that won't help you! Oh, and one more thing: stay far away from dermatologists—my mom's doctor did way more damage to her face than any product ever could!

I think there are exceptions to every rule,
In my experience, I once saw a doctor (who’s been in the game for years) do an absolutely phenomenal job.
But another time, she was tied up, so she handed me off to her junior nurse, who honestly did a terrible job.

vividmaker532 said:Is that Benzoyl Peroxide stuff still available in stores around here? I haven't spotted it yet.

Since my last post, I’ve actually stopped applying anything to my face. I just wash once before bed and once before school (using some Dove soap with a mild exfoliating effect and some moisturizer mixed in). Since then, no new inflamed breakouts have popped up—just maybe two or three basic whiteheads—though I do have one massive angry one on my chin that’s been sitting there for a week now, seemingly refusing to explode. 🙄

But I assume things will probably take a turn for the worse soon, so I'll try to track down that Benzoyl Peroxide stuff I was thinking about. I used La Roche-Posay Effaclar, but I just realized I might have been using it wrong. I was leaving it on—anywhere from one to several hours—as www.acne.org suggests, which is why my skin was constantly irritated and red. Now I see it's only meant to stay on for a few minutes to an hour at most, acting as a cleanser rather than a leave-on treatment... bravo me. 🤣
And apparently, you leave the Benzoyl Peroxide on longer (?)... I need to get it. Maybe combining it with the La Roche-Posay Effaclar for cleansing might work... hmmm.

The dermatologist prescribed those creams to me during my last visit—they were the only ones that actually worked.

Here’s the deal:
You can find Aknefug-oxid mild 5% (that's what it says on the tube) at most pharmacies, just look for it. (Are you currently in the US?)
La Roche-Posay Effaclar is a WASH, so you apply it to damp skin, rub it in gently, let it sit for 3 minutes (or 5 minutes if you're doing your chest or back), and then rinse it off.
After that (wait about 10 mins), apply the Aknefug to your DRY face. Leave it on until it starts stinging a bit; you can even leave it on overnight.
Just a heads-up—after you rinse the Aknefug off, your face will stay red for anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. (Maybe don't plan on going out in public right after!)
Actually, a few days ago I started using the Aknefug again (since my main issue used to be leaving cream on for hours), and I also started taking huge amounts of Pit Natural Wealth beer yeast tablets. I can tell you that my skin
has definitely improved; it stays oily for much less time.

gentlepanther10 said:Yeah, and on top of that, it’s totally possible for acne to be caused by your mental state in the first place!

I’ve realized that my skin is just super sensitive, and honestly, all that heavy chemical stuff (the same ingredients everyone else keeps mentioning here) actually makes things worse for me. So, I decided to just let nature take its course, and after two months of doing nothing, my skin was totally clear!
All those products just strip your skin dry because they're trying to suck the moisture right out of the pimples!
And the more you dry out that top layer, the more the layer underneath starts pumping out oil to compensate. Your skin is supposed to be oily enough to protect itself from everything—sun, wind, the cold, whatever!
It produces oil specifically to shield itself from those elements.
Then you sweat, the skin pumps out sebum, and you're stuck dealing with all the pollutants in the air, fungi, bacteria, etc., all day long...
The key is cleaning your face naturally at night: just use water and a really mild soap!
That way, you wash away the excess oil and sweat (which is salty and irritating!) along with all the grime you picked up during the day. It keeps your pores clean and empty so your skin can actually "breathe" again.

And if anyone doesn't believe me, try taking a white cotton pad when you get home tonight and wipe your face—you'll see what I mean!

I used to make my three kids wash their faces every single night—because let's face it, teenagers can be pretty lazy and messy—😉
and not one of them ever broke out!

Look, I feel for you guys, I really do. I know exactly how hard it is. Just try this natural approach for maybe four weeks and let me know how it goes. 😉

👋

Not much to report from my end, other than the fact that it didn't work for me. Guess I'll just blame Mother Nature!
(I tried that too)

darksurfer39 said:Look, in my extended family, my cousin's mom dealt with acne for about ten years, and now all her kids struggle with it... especially one cousin who gets really bad, inflamed breakouts. I don't think washing her face at night would have changed much... it's just genetics and that teenage predisposition. Of course, washing up is a must—basic hygiene is key—but your kids might not even get acne if they didn't wash their faces at all. It’s all about hormones; acne is basically just a sign that androgens are working overtime! You might be able to soothe things a little naturally (like chamomile steam, for instance), but it won't make major acne disappear... not if it's a serious issue. I know people who had to go on antibiotics just to manage. On the flip side, I knew a girl who found acupuncture really helpful! Personally, birth control worked for me... but since we're talking about a guy here, I can tell him that out of all the stuff I tried, Anthony was the only thing that actually helped a bit. It's pretty tough going at first, though... it irritates your skin and burns like crazy until you build up a tolerance. I started with a 5% strength as my doctor suggested, and then moved up to 10% once my skin finally got used to it. Just keep in mind, those are all ways to treat the symptoms, not the actual cause...

Here is some info on Anthony (they don't make it under that name anymore!)
If you're in San Jose, you can head to the Curkovic pharmacy over on 5th Avenue to find the replacement for Anthony, which is called Akneroksid.

http://www.tegobe.com/vademecumi/lek/antopar.htm

It’s helped so many people and dermatologists recommend it all the time... good luck!

It's definitely a genetic thing.
I mean, why does one person struggle with breakouts for years,
while someone else doesn't get even three pimples throughout their entire adolescence?
Is it because that person isn't hygienic?
Is it their diet or the climate they grew up in?
Nope. We can only blame our parents (in my case, my mom).
Though, they always told me (even lately) that I'm good-looking, just like her.
Every cloud has a silver lining, I guess, but I'd really love for this "cloud" to pass as quickly as possible. (I've been fighting this for four whole years—tried facials, every cream imaginable, and all sorts of pills except Accutane. I mean, if someone suggested men take birth control, they wouldn't even listen for two seconds.)
The only real fix seems to be a trip to the coast; things always improve after a beach vacation. Maybe I'll just pack a truckload of sea salt and bring it home with me and see what happens.

First off,
you don't deal with nearly as many breakouts as I do or as many people in this community do, so you might not fully grasp the reality of it.
Beyond just being an aesthetic issue, acne carries a much heavier burden: the psychological toll. It hits your self-worth hard and absolutely tanks your confidence. Teens and young adults are already navigating such unstable emotional waters, and dealing with skin issues can push things way over the edge. It can lead to devastating consequences, even suicidal thoughts.

At the end of the day, mental health is far more critical than physical appearance.

So, if someone is struggling, they should just take those damn pills.

So, let’s talk about creams and skincare products for a second.
If you want stuff that actually works, stick to these:
-La Roche-Posay Effaclar cleanser
-PanOxyl 5% Benzoyl Peroxide
Both are from Dr. Wolff.
Everything else you find sitting on the shelves at Walmart is basically just overpriced, colored water—it won't do a single thing for your skin.

On a side note, I've been trying to track down some Accutane through unofficial channels lately. If anyone knows a lead, please let me know.

Here’s how you can keep that extra $100 right in your pocket.
Basically, this was my experience.
I went to my primary care doctor to get a referral for a dermatologist, and instead of heading to a public hospital, I decided to see a private specialist who accepts insurance.
Later on, I went back to her for a facial cleaning, which ended up costing me $83, even though I could have just gone to the hospital and had it done for free through Medicare.
But honestly, since I didn't want to risk someone doing a half-baked job, I chose the private clinic—I feel like they actually put in the effort when I'm paying them out of my own pocket!

So, would those birth control pills actually help guys if they're dealing with acne issues too?

I’m going through the exact same struggle.
I've tried just about everything out there.
The only thing that actually seems to help is brewer's yeast.
I'm heading out to grab some more tomorrow.
And honestly? I'm probably going to buy it by the pound.
Someone please talk me out of it before I go overboard.