STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

killa · Dooney & Bourke

My dermatologist bites.

Mandy · Kate Spade

WTF?? no soap or anything? is he recommending no soaps or no soaps with fragrence? i would call and tell him you are going to try his recommendation but would like some kind of medication just in case. that way you are covered if you have a flare up. after some time has gone by if your sking doesn't look better i would make sure tha he knows.

Elle · Hermes

Bleh! I've never been happy with anything a dermatologist has ever done for me. If you're attempting to manage your skin with OTC products, you've 'irritated it'. If you're not using OTC products, they want you to try that first before they prescribe anything.

I hate how many doctors in general treat patients like imbeciles - like they could not possibly have any inkling about what's wrong, what will/won't work, or what they need for their own bodies.

Frankly, I've gotten much better results deciding for myself what's wrong and what will/won't work and tracking down the things I need myself. It took me 14 years of experimenting, but I've finally gotten myself on a combo of things that keeps my skin somewhat manageable. I never got that on prescription stuff.

My two lifesavers have been at-home glycolic acid peels (same concentration as you'd get at a docs office) and aspirin masks. It sounds like your skin troubles are hormonally linked, which means oral antibiotics probably wouldn't do anything for you. Are you pre-emptively treating your skin, just before you'd normally start breaking out every month?

-- Edited by Elle at 16:26, 2006-08-10

Sibeski · Dooney & Bourke

Eek. I'm a little afraid to reply to this! But most M.D.'s are getting wary of presicribing antibiotics so frequently because of resistance problems. Not from humans, but from the bugs, they are getting stronger. There are strains of staph and TB that are resistant to Vancomycin - which is scary.

The derm may have meant to use somthing like Cetaphil, or a non-soap product. However, if you are set on an antibiotic stick to your guns. You may end up changing M.D.'s though. I know one who will not do it unless it is sever adult acne, he doesn't consider "breakouts" a skin condition.

Good luck! BTW- have you tried the BCP route? Is that an option?

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

try and ask for Retin-A. it works wonders for me and it's not an antibiotic. and if you don't want to go to the derm to get it, just ask your general practitioner or even the nurse practitioner. and if all else fails, they sell it otc in mexico good luck!

Grace · Dooney & Bourke

My doc gave me a prescription for a topical gel, clyndamycin (i probably spelled it wrong) I think it's also called cleosin. I works well for me and you put it on when you feel a break out coming on.

jrhampt · Kenneth Cole

I second the recommendation of Retin-A - I've been using it for years now, and I've always gotten it either out of the country or online. As an added bonus, it's good for wrinkles, too. Screw the dermatologist. AS IF you're going to give up putting anything on your face! I mean, what about sunscreen??? They always recommend wearing sunscreen, but I bet that would "irritate" your skin, too.

NCshopper · Hermes

I also highly recommend Retin-A.

If you're currently on BC, you might want to talk to your OB-GYN next time you go in for a check up. My derm recommended I change my BC and it's worked wonders for me. It cleared up the big stuff, the little stuff, and even the breakouts on my chest and back that plagued my existence. I really have been happy with it because a) I'm on the pill anyway and b) because I know some acne can only be treated internally and I find this a much better option than taking oral antibiotics.

treschic · BCBG

Have you checked out acne.org? i didn't believe it at first and tried to tweak my own regimen. It actually works. I had minimal break outs too especially during my period. I'm clear, so I'm all for it.

killa · Dooney & Bourke

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions. I am going to ask for some oral medication. My face isn't too bad right now and I have been trying to cut back on the products I use. It seems to work ok so far.

But my doc has to meet me halfway and give me something else. I am not on BC, so that is why I think I need something oral.

Thanks!