Hi! I am a 17 year old male. For as long as I can remember, I have had acne problems, what teen doesn't? But, more recently, within the past few weeks, the condition has worsened drastically. I have tried using products such as ProActiv and other store-bought medications. I have even tried using home-remedies. Nothing seems to work. I not only have acne, but also cysts. This scares me as cysts can leave facial scarring. I have read up and tried on my own to figure out what it causing the acne to worsen all of a sudden. I have cut sodas and sweets out of my diet and I am eating more vegetables, etc. But, the condition worsens. I can really uses some help. I have run out of ideas.

Answer: It sounds like you have a pretty bad case of acne. I would recommend seeing a dermatologist and starting isotretinoin (Accutane). Accutane is a very effective, well-tolerated medication that can essentially cure acne forever. In your case, it sounds like you would be an ideal candidate for therapy. There are other things that could be tried, such as topical creams + oral antibiotics, but your case sounds more severe than can be "fixed" with these sorts of therapies.

We would be happy to see you at UNC dermatology, call 919-966-2485 for an appointment if you would like!