acne treatment depression
I am thinking of using Accutane for acne treatment, but is it worth it?
I have been suffering with acne since I was 11, and it’s gotten worse. I get big painful pimples on my face, and my back. I am now 18, and nothing has worked for me.
I’ve been told that it has a lot of nasty side effects. Is it worth it?
I had a pharmacist tell me that, since I was recently diagnosed with depression, that this may cause me to become more depressed. Also, would it be safe to take if I am taking other medications, like antidepressants?
How quickly does it work? Is it guaranteed to work? Are the nasty side effects worth it? How much does it cost?
I’ve used almost any home remedy you can think of. None worked. Proactive didn’t work, various perscriptions didn’t work. I feel like I’ve done anything I could.
I am also 18 and I’ve had pimples since I was 12. I’ve tried just about everything (antibiotics, Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide and more) and nothing worked for me.
2 months ago I was prescribed Diane-35 which is a birth control pill that is used to treat severe acne. My doctor told me it was basically the second last thing I could try, with Accutane being my last option. Since I’ve been on Diane-35 I’ve only had 3 pimples which is a huge improvement for me! And since I just started my results will only get better from here on out. I don’t know if you would have the same results I have had, but I recommend you try it and see. Diane-35 has an increased risk of blood clots compared to other birth control pills, but my doctor said that instead of being 2 out of 10,000 like most pills it’s like 4 out of 10,000 which is still really low, less than half a percent.
My doctor thought that Diane-35 had less severe side effects than Accutane, which is why he said I should try it first. I know a few people who have been on Accutane, one did totally fine and no side effects besides chapped lips but the other had a lot of flaky, peely skin, nosebleeds, headaches and sore joints. Both cleared up like 99% of their acne and just get the odd, small pimple when they’re on their period or whatever.
I’m not sure about taking Accutane and antidepressants at the same time, but I have heard of some people who weren’t depressed before Accutane becoming depressed while on it, so I can imagine that if you are already depressed you might be very hesitant to try anything that could make your depression worse.
Accutane isn’t guaranteed to work. Nothing works for everyone, but a large percentage of patients are cured after one course. Some people have a recurrance and have to do a second or even a third course. There is a percentage of people that receive no benefit from taking Accutane, no matter how many treatments they take.
I recommend talking to your doctor about Diane-35 and see if that is an option for you. I can’t guarantee it will help you but I know it has really helped me. I feel so much better about myself and I wish I’d heard about it a long time ago! If it’s not an option for you, or if you try it and it doesn’t work then talk to your doctor about if you should be okay using Accutane and antidepressants together. You have to weigh up whether improving you skin is worth a potential worsening of your depression. If you do go on Accutane, make sure you TELL SOMEONE RIGHT AWAY IF YOU ARE HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS! I can’t stress that enough!
Check out the websites below, they have a lot of information and are easy to understand compared to a lot of the websites I came across.
Sorry this was so long!
Is There Really A Best Acne Treatment?
The answer to that is quite simple and complex at the same time. The best treatment for acne is the one that works for you. Acne problems differ from person to person. That includes the nature of the breakout, where the acne breakout occurs, and how serious the breakout is. Hence, the best acne treatment is the one that works for you.
That may sound simplistic but the fact of the matter is one acne treatment that works for you is not necessarily going to work for someone else. If you have mild breakouts, treatments such as taking the right vitamins for your body, or simply a good clean facial scrubbing may work, whereas people with much more severe breakouts may require a prescription dermatological treatment. Depending on your acne type and how often you suffer from it, you may need to investigate many different treatments that are more effective or powerful, including more off-the-beaten path treatments that someone with only mild acne would not necessarily need. Unfortunately, this can be a depressing quest, not to mention an expensive one.
Severe acne is more difficult to treat because while it is being treated, special care needs to be taken to make sure there is no permanent scarring, which can eliminate certain treatments. Even if a solution is effective, if it causes scarring it’s not worth the risk, and people with certain skin types or sensitive skin will need to avoid some treatments that others might find helpful. There is a fine line between the differences in skin types and only a professional can really ascertain which acne treatment will work best for you, and even though you may have to go through several treatments to find the right one. Active treatment is essential but what works on one person is not necessarily going to work on the next person.
You also have the basic fact that different acne medications can work in different ways for different individuals. While some are quite effective, others may end up doing nothing more than drying out your skin, potentially leaving you even more vulnerable to a breakout. This can happen with many medications actually, and not just acne medications, but it is definitely more noticeable with acne medications as many of them work directly in this fashion. The best thing you can do is to not rely on your best friend to find out what their acne treatment is, but to see a dermatologist who can give you a better insight as to what may work for you.
That way you can find the best acne treatment for you. What you should realize though is that your acne may never be entirely cured. In the long run it may only be managed. The duration and affect of breakouts really does depend on the nature of your skin as well as the physiology of your body in other respects, such as your metabolism. Even while you are waiting to find the best acne treatment for you, you should continue to eat correctly and make sure that you keep your face washed and clean with the proper facial wash. With severe acne, even with the proper treatment will not disappear in days so do not get discouraged. It will happen for you!
How I Transitioned To Raw Food & Reversing Acne, Depression and Receding Gums, Ep5