Acne: Isotretinoin (Accutane, Sotret, Claravis, Amnesteem) & Natural Alternatives?

[FastTadpole]

For the most part synthetic drugs are brutally unpredictable and many are dangerous but I looked into this one personally since a doctor recommended it for my son's acne. It was FDA approved in 1982 so I figured it may be worth considering. As usual the clinical trials were a whitewash so I looked into testimonials, and ended up with more than enough to convince me that this was not going into my son's body. It was reportedly originally developed as a chemo drug but pharma noticed it cleared up zits - so that's when the marketing team stepped in, and the rest is history.

Here are some of the testimonials:
http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.as...e=accutane

So we are left with a normal healthy 13 year old boy with severe acne, we're trying the following out as recommended by a naturalist

Silver Shield
http://www.squidoo.com/Natural-Antibiotics

From the label:

Quote:Recommended Usage
Silver is a potent natural antibiotic. Take Silver Shield to help fight off any bacterial infection.
Ingredients
Medicinal Ingredients: Each teaspoon (5 mL) provides 90 mcg of pure silver in colloidal form.
Non-medicinal ingredients: deionized water

Any idea if these work ok? They are mostly water so I am leaning towards them being part of the snake oil pepper water market. There is colloidal silver (24 ppm) in the Silver Shield remedy which supposedly heals infection but is acne an infection? Is 90 mcg of colloidal silver applied topically going to produce any results is my big question of the day.

Then there is this but it seems unrelated and gave me the impression of an upsell by the naturopath (dealer).

Liquid Chlorophyll
http://www.greatestherbsonearth.com/nsp/...liquid.htm

[mastermg]

I am actually really thinking about accutane, but the current medication is working ok. A lot of my friends took it though and it works great no doubt. The first 1/2 months you don't notice much. 3/4 months after, your face and skin is very dry and chapped all the time. 5 months later, it should be done and your face/body grows skin like new. It should be fine for males, it's just an overdose of vitamin A basically. For women, they are not allowed to go through labor or breastfeed. Ask for the ipledge packet and it gives you the specifics. I didn't go through with the accutane because my health insurance plan sucks and I would end up paying several hundred dollars for some pills out of the pocket.

If your son's acne is not severe, Differin gel works great along with clindamycin phosphate solution, regular acne face wash, and antibacterial pills (doxycycline). That is what I am currently using. It works good but also dries the face to help generate new skin.

[shuffle]

I was one of the first to use this in the UK years ago.. I recall mine being called ro-accutane. I had to go to a consultant doctor at a hospital to get it - the usual UK Dr's were not allowed to prescribe it.

For me it took a while but worked well. There were a few side effects but compared to years of teenage zits it was not an issue. I wish I'd taken it years before.

NB: Try a low oral and topical regime of MMS [sodium chlorite] and see what that does. I swear by that stuff. UK people can order it from me if they want, don't have much left though.

[mastermg]

I found out Aloe Vera is supposed to work great on acne and smoothens out acne scars too. I'm trying it out with the aloe plants I have outside and might try the bottled 99% aloe soon.

[h3rm35]

OK...

here's the deal with acne:
It typically arises in pre-adolescents and adolescents because the hormones going crazy in their body mess with the amount of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) that are distributed to their skin. This, combined with typical a teenage diet, (that typically ends up loaded with all kinds of other fats,) and the growth of new, tiny hair follicles leads to their growth being hampered and the often turn backwards or sideways, causing minor irritations which lead to infection due to the fact that bacteria are trapped under a layer of the wrong kind of fat.

This tends to be the same situation in adults, too, and has mostly to due with improper metabolism of fats.

The key to curing acne is (first and foremost) providing the proper amount of EFA's. This, on its own, will provide results typically within the first thirty days, and if the course of treatment continues to be followed, will aid in the prevention of breakouts all the way through the teen years, and beyond. To validate this, you will also find young people with severe acne also suffer reduced ability to pay attention. This is because one of the most important brain function nutrients, DHA (also an EFA), is either not present in the diet, or is not being metabolized properly.

In order to properly supplement in severe cases of acne, I recommend Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega (found in just about any health food store.) It's a pharmaceutical grade fish oil product, and is the purest, most potent on the market.
You're looking for a close to 1:1 ratio (if it's off by up to 33% of this ratio, you're still OK - it just can't be heavily weighted to either one) of EPA to DHA in a combined dosage of 1000mg's per day. Don't be fooled by products that say 1000mg's on the front, as typically that'll be the total weight of the oil, rather than the EPA/DHA weight. They'll be cheaper, but nowhere near as effective.
If you decide to go with the liquid (recommended) you take one tsp per day. The softgels will require you to take four per day. it's also a good idea to take this with a lipase capsule (go with the Enzymedica brand) or a general digestive enzyme complex with a good amount of lipase in it. This will make sure that the EFA's are properly digested and metabolized.

In order to treat breakouts, the concept behind what your naturalist recommended is a good one, but the strength of that particular product is far too weak. It's not particularly surprising that certain naturopaths may recommend it, as Nature's Sunshine is basically a pyramid scheme, and if you chose to buy this product from them, they'd end up with more than their usual fee coming from your pocket. It's 24ppm, when it should be more like 100-400ppm. Source Naturals and Nutricology are both good brand choices for colloidal silver products, but only SN provides it in a spray bottle. That will usually clear up even severe breakouts in a couple of days, although if you're dealing with particularly oily skin, you may want to apply a 1:1 witch hazel/water application and wipe it off before using the silver.

When applying the silver, it's best to do it about 30 minutes before bed. Mist the entire affected area, not just the acne itself, as the bacteria is lying in wait in as yet unchanged skin. Allow the entire area to air-dry. Do not wipe off the silver.

If one has taken any courses of antibiotics within the last year, it would also be a good idea to supplement the good bacteria in the intestinal tract with a probiotic. Nature's way makes some good ones with potency gauranteed through the expiration date, and are less expensive than most other comparable brands.

I've been working in the alternative medicine field, on and off, for over a decade, and have seen these methods work on countless teenagers, while having the added benefit of increasing attention span, reducing stress, and joint development/health.

Stay away from pharma for acne - it causes more problems than it solves.

(these statements are not supported by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease... EVEN THOUGH THEY DO)

for other alternative therapies for acne and other things, I strongly suggest you pick this book up from the tracker: The prescription for nutritional healing

[mastermg]

I might try it out, thank you for the new info!

[FastTadpole]

Thanks a bunch for another well thought out post h3rm35.

This article was recently published on the Health Ranger (NaturalNews) site:

Quote:What is Acne and How to Treat It Naturally
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
by: Amie Sugat, citizen journalist

Acne usually appears in puberty and goes away as one enters adulthood. However, many suffer acne into adulthood or do not experience acne until adulthood. Multiple factors are involved in acne. And there are just as many methods of treating it. While some treatments work for some, they may not work for others. It's important to check with a doctor before taking anything for acne or treating it at home.

Acne Factors

Acne is generally caused by increased activity in sebum (oil) production as a result of increased hormone production experienced as a result of puberty. Sometimes acne is a result of this oil becoming trapped due to the oil being relatively thicker, smaller pore size, or excess dead skin cells. Research, by Professor Zhao Zhongzhou, sites that acne is also caused by a microscopic mite which lives on the faces of the majority of humans on the planet.

Herbal Remedies

These do exist. The first, of course, is keeping a clean face. This means hands off. Overzealous washing can also trigger increased oil production. Washing twice per day and keeping the hands and other objects off the face can help prevent bacterial infections, which will make acne worse.

Tea tree oil kills the bacteria and demodex mites associated with acne lesions. In one study, a 5 percent tee tree oil preparation worked as well as a 5 percent benzoyl peroxide solution and had fewer side effects.

Lavender essential oil is thought to contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is an astringent. To use it, try an essential oil lavender cleanser made for the face, and dot on essential oil with a clean cotton swab to lesions and break outs.

Burdock is taken internally for acne. This plant is rich in minerals and even used as food in some cultures. The roots, leaves, and seeds are used in a tea. The tea is used as a facial wash.

Dandelion, like burdock, may help the body rid itself of excess bacteria. It also stimulates the liver and digestion, thus flushing toxins and excess hormones such as androgens which trigger break outs. Full of minerals and vitamins, dandelion leaves are eaten fresh, cooked, or dried and made into tea.

Calendula works for many types of skin unless the person is allergic to daisies. It fights inflammation and provides antibacterial properties that relieve acne symptoms.

Oregon grape root may help acne in two ways. First, it promotes digestion and liver function, flushing out hormones, toxins and bacteria. Second, it is a powerful antibacterial.

Chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties. It is made into a tea and then used as an astringent. It contains azulene, an anti-inflammatory essential oil with a blue color.

Roses were used in Victorian times and are still used in most of Europe today. The petals not only smell nice, but they also provide antibacterial properties. Use rose water made with pure essential oils, or put the essential oils in a spray bottle of water.

Grapefruit seed extract is a strong antimicrobial agent. It is useful for fighting bacteria externally and internally. It is safe when used as a toner if diluted in other products.

Aloe vera is used to soothe the skin, heal wounds, and as an anti-inflammatory for at least a century. The pure gel or juice is used as a toner after washing the face.

Anti-Acne Life

Acne is also conquered through dietary changes, lifestyle change, and proper treatment. In addition to topical and internal treatments listed above, eating a diet which promotes balanced hormones may also help fight acne.

Resources:

Acne.org: What is Acne:
http://www.acne.org/whatisacne.html

American Academy of Dermatology: Acne
http://www.aad.org/public/publications/p..._acne.html

Medicine.net: Acne:
http://www.medicinenet.com/acne/article.htm

Demodex Solutions: Mites
http://www.demodexsolutions.com/default....~mainFrame

2009 Rodale Books: Herbs For Health: The Herbal Drugstore: Linda B. White M.D. Acne pg 67- 72

http://digg.com/health/What_is_Acne_and_..._Naturally
http://www.naturalnews.com/028227_acne_treatments.html

[mastermg]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead but Hermes, you're a genius lol. I went through with the Omega 3 fish oil for like a month now, my skin is clearer than ever. I was slowly getting it on my back too before I tried it, now I'm smooth 8)
I used Shaklee brand first, a great product. I finished it and bought 3 months worth of Nordic Naturals ultimate omega. Other than that, I've been using Aloe Vera and a topical solution to kill bacteria.

[deen]

I was given Minocyclin for my Acne i was taking the drug for about 5 years and suffered Hair thinning and Hair loss and also my Tooth Enamel started to weakened losing 2 teeth. At first i put this down to age and maybe my diet but after doing research into side affects of Minocyclin i found that other people had been suffering the same side affects as me and stopped using them instantly. I then spoke to my GP who reffered me to Dermatologist Dept at hospital who then gave me the Ro-accutane (UK name i think) and found the side affects of this drug from other people totally put me off and i never took one dose. Now taking herbal medications and healthy diet my skin has never been better and my hair is repairing itself also. I would never recommend Accutane to anyone although i have seen the results and it does work but for what it does to you other that clearing your acne is just crazy!

[h3rm35]

cool deal mastermg - I'm not sure what topical solution you're using, but you'll probably get less irritation and dryness with similar or better effects from topical usage of a decent silver product - just a thought to make your life easier.

by the way, I've now found a better fish oil product at a competitive price in Solanova.

PM me if anyone wants a better price than they can get on the website solanova.com -
I've got someone on the inside who'll hook up a good deal.

[Fety]

the cure for a lot of bodily/skin problems, and even CANCER: Parasite treatment, intestinal cleanses and several liver flushes, get your filter working! Also, if you have mercury amalgam fillings, get those taken out by a holistic dentist ASAP!!!

Look up Dr. Kenneth Sutter
http://www.docsutter.com

[FastTadpole]

Mercury fillings are more dangerous now than ever with the increased, unprecedented and ever expanding level of spectral radiation from wireless, satellite and various other sources. These unseen forces act to dissolve mercury fillings and who knows what else. So much so in fact that in the US military radar operators are required to replace their fillings every 6 months as they come loose.

[FastTadpole]

I was checking out an old Reader's Digest and thought of this old thread. They were recommending Aspirin for treating acne inflammation .. uhm no thanks - but they did have a few decent suggestions for symptom relief and treatment for our puss filled friends:

* Rubbing ice on your zits to reduce swelling
* A drop of 5% tea-tree oil instead of 5% benzoyl peroxide
* Two cups of chasteberry tea a day to regulate hormones for those of us who menstruate and break out in tandem
* Dab either vinegar or lemon juice on pimples, the acid flushes out pores
* Zinc supplements produce visible improvement in about a third of people who take them but check with a doctor or three since you need to take a generous amount.

[icosaface]

Thanks for the low down on the causes and cures for acne and other skin problems. Very interesting. I am looking forward to reading , "Prescription For Nutritional Healing", the book that He3rm35 recommended; downloading it now.

[yeti]

A friend of mine took Accutane for about 2 weeks, but it caused massive hair loss for him. His hair was falling out in clumps!