Anyone that's come OFF antibiotics for acne?

*Shellie_Star* · 10-24-2005, 01:49 PM

I'm just after any stories or experiences of Cysters that have taken antibiotics for acne, pref for a fairly substantial amount of time and then come off them totally.

Do you think taking them longterm, helped the acne after you stopped taking them? Or did your acne go back to how it was before slowly? Or straight away?

I have been off them approx 3 weeks now and my spots don't seem particularly worse. Just random breakouts on my chin still but I got those occasionally anyway esp around time of AF. I was scared witless about stopping them, I can not tell you how much!! I am still scared I am gonna get bad breakouts any day now once the antibiotics is all out of my system? Not sure how it works....so it's VERY possible I think

I have added Flaxseed to my diet so not sure if that has helped but in general I just wondered peoples experiences of this, or if they've read anything about it.

Thanks.

x

mandypurdue · 10-24-2005, 07:03 PM

I was on them for 2-3 years and came off of them to get pg. Unfortunately as soon as I stopped them my skin was right back to where it was before. Maybe you will have better luck. I went back on the same one after having my son and it didn't work for me anymore. I guess I was resistent since I had been on it for so long before. Maybe your met. is keeping your skin clear?

I miss that beautiful clear skin I used to have!!!!

zelda · 10-25-2005, 03:23 PM

î took them for about 15 years. they just stopped working for me - when that happened, my skin was terrible.

ChelNY · 10-26-2005, 03:02 PM

i was on antibiotics in HS for acne. i think it was tetracycline. i stopped taking them of my own decision after reading some research about the downside of taking antibiotics everyday. namely, your body gets accustomed to the antibiotics and then when you need them because you're sick with a bug (i'm prone to bronchitis) they won't help you. so i stopped. my skin got worse for a while as i came off the drugs, but then cleared up to the point i'm at now. i still get breakouts, typically at that time of the month, but it's not as bad as what i had in HS.

i've found different things that help, but nothing that is 100%. i'm still wishing for beautiful skin. i use neutrogena facial soap that is designed for acne-prone sking. i forget the exact name. i use topical treatmetns like tea tree oil or persagel. using a moisturizer daily has helped, believe it or not. i thought with oily skin that i didn't need it, but in fact, you do need it.

*Shellie_Star* · 10-26-2005, 05:20 PM

Thank you for your replies. You have all been so helpful to my situation

I was also on Tetracycline!

I also think I spoke (typed!) too soon as these last couple of days I have broken out in more spots. Not just on the lower face area either, on my eyebrows, chest, neck, cheeks, argh!!! they are not hurty type ones like the ones I'm getting on my chin though *touch wood* those cysty ones are such buggers!!!!!! lol

Thanks for the tips on what else to use. Funnily enough, I just tried Tea Tree oil for the 1st time this morning! It stings so hopefully it's working

My skin is quite dry and sensitive anyway so I always have to use moisturiser. Might look into the Neutrogine products!

I am scared my face is gonna get so worse, I hope I don't give in and go back to them

Thanks again everyone

mrsteddy · 10-27-2005, 09:26 AM

I was on antibiotics for my skin for at least 6 months, but I didn't notice any difference at all, and no change when I came off them. My new skin secret is vitex, but I know it doesn't work for everyone.

Ophelia1920 · 10-31-2005, 06:21 PM

Yes, I've been on them a few times now. Tetracycline when I was a teen, don't think that did much good. Then more recently, amoxicillin. I just quit taking the amox because I think I'm PG

I went to the store and got Sea Breeze astringent, because that seemed to help me when I was younger. I get the cysts on my back too so I will have to have DH help with that. It's hard for me to do something topical, but there's no way I'm going to take antiobiotics while PG, I'll just suffer if I have to!

I have never had a reaction or side effects from the antibiotics. The zits/cysts come back when I quit taking them. Usually within a month or two.

mandypurdue · 10-31-2005, 11:09 PM

Well if you are pg you won't have to worry, ALL my symptoms disappear when I am pg!!! And my ob said that is usually the case so enjoy your next 9 mos!

Ophelia1920 · 11-01-2005, 12:43 PM

Really?? It usually goes away during pregnancy? Wow that would be nice! I hope it does that for me. I was worried about being uncomfortable from the PG and then having to deal with painful and scarring cystic acne at the same time. I'll keep using the Sea Breeze for a while just in case.

thanks!

*tinks* · 11-01-2005, 02:31 PM

I found cidal(antibacterial) soap about £1.09 from Boots pharmacy and also seaweed masks really helped - go to www.aalgo.com
I used almost every possible antibiotic and cream and none of them worked! at 16 i finally went on roaccutane which i suffered really bad side effects on (i wudn't recommend it to any1!) and altho my skin was clear when i had finished as i hadnt treated the underlying hormonal problem (i only found out i had pcos 2yrs after using the roaccutane) it came back (not as bad but still bad enough) the cidal soap followed by rose floral water (toner) from neil's yard remedies for sensitive skin and a Simple moisturiser, and the seaweed masks have helped sooooooooo much! also dermalogica do a medicated clearing gel - it's quite expensive but good - it has 2% salicylic acid and i use it at night. i also tried the special clearing booster by dermalogica but that was too strong and caused my skin to peel - but i'd def recommend the medicated clearing gel.
hope to help
Claire xx

JanelleMarie · 11-01-2005, 02:41 PM

I personally wasn't on antibiotics for acne but my roommate was for over 5 years. She stopped taking them last year because she read it was bad to be on them for so long, so she started using Pro-Activ and she hasn't had any breakouts in the past year.

mandypurdue · 11-01-2005, 10:38 PM

Yeah, my ob said the only time that pcos "goes away" is during pregnancy and after menopause. My skin was great up until my daughter was 3 months old.

Syra · 11-03-2005, 05:55 PM

hey i took a topical one..made my skin really dry..but spots came back..the only thing that helped was cutting out sugar adn all the things that were causing problems..allergies - wheat, yeast, dairy etc. I'm also using natural products and evening primrose oil, agnus castus.

11-13-2005, 01:01 AM

I hate it when I get red ones that look so visable... I read somewhere about Vit E helping, so I bought a small Vit E cream from Superdrug. I can say it is working, it's really reduced the redness and the spot seems to have healed quicker....

Fingers crossed this continues to work....

ABumpyGal · 11-22-2005, 03:09 AM

I've been on many of the various tetracyclines off and on since I was 14. First for just facial acne, then for acne and HS. Truthfully, my results were never worth the side effects for me. My last dance with Minocin landed me in the ER because it had destroyed my stomach/gut flora so thoroughly I couldn't keep anything down for days. Took me about a year of LOTS of yoghurt and acidophilus capsules to recover from that one!

In my experience the acne does flare up a bit right after you go off of them, say for 2-3 months, but then it stabilizes back to about where you were pre-antibiotics.

If antibiotics work for your acne there's always topical ones to try (if you haven't already), or retinoids (retin A, Differin, Tazorac), just oodles of things. I'm not sure what you have tried, however. Any of these options would be easier on your body than long term antibiotics though.

Hope you find something that works for you! Acne is the pits