Acne - NLite & skin peels

Hello,

I see that there have been many messages posted about Acne. The reason I am posting, is to tell my story and hopefully get some feedback on the NLite laser treatment if anyone has tried it, because I am considering having it.

Ok, where do I start?! I first started getting acne when I was about 13, It started off as just a few spots here and there so I went to the doctors and they subscribed me all the usual things, creams, anti biotics - none of them worked! By the time I was 15 my skin was really bad, they weren't huge red spots but they were all over my face and I became very depressed (especially as I was of that age and got a hard time from people at school because of them!). My parents could see this, and arranged for me to go privately to see a dermatologist (we did this instead of the NHS because I wanted it sorted as soon as possible). She put me onto roacutanne and wow how my life turned around at that point! I didn't really suffer huge side effects from it but I got quite bad ezema which I'd never had before. My skin was fine for about a year and half. They gradually started to come back so I went onto Dianette. I believe that this pill helped me beyond belief to keep the acne under control (I was never completely free of spots but my skin was less greasy, the spots were less painful etc). Anyway! After being on Dianette for 2 years and a half the G.P told me he could no longer pescribe me Dianette because of long term effects. This really distressed me because I knew that Dianette had been my saviour. I am 20 and on cilest and an antibiotic called Tetralsal. I have been on these for about 3 months. I am scared my acne will return worse than ever now I have come off Dianette! I can see that my skin and hair is now greaiser. I am willing to give the antibiotics and this pill a go but I don't want to be on the pill forever. I went to see the Dermatologist threw the NHS in July because I was paranoid about my skin coming off Dianetter, he said I would have to wait and see and that he could not really do anything for me until I had and outbreak. This upset me. I want to go back and see him but this will take months and he seemed against putting me back on Roacctane. I don't expect my parents to pay for me to go privately again as they have done that once before and I am forever grateful to them for that. My mum has suffered from acne all her life and I think she feels guilty. Out of my brother and sister, I seem to be the only one who she has passed it down too.

I am now considering NLite laser treatment or maybe skin peels. I was wondering if anybody had tried these methods and whether they are effective. I also seem to be scarring from the spots that come and go.

I am sorry if this post is somewhat negative. I just need help! People don't seem to take me seriously, they think I am just being vain. I'm not, I have been plagued with acne for so many years now and am affraid it will never go.

Anna

I am 29 and have acne since I was 16 and was diagonised with mild PCOS at 23. Have you been tested for PCOS? As it's the leading cause of acne in adult females. Like you I have been on many treatments, including roaccutane, antibiotics and Diannete - which I have been on and off for 8 years. All the doctors I have seen are happy to precribe Dianette to me as it's very good at treating PCOS acne. I have also had the NLite Lazer treatments at the Private Clinic in London this year. After all of the treatments and prescriptions I have taken my acne always come back after I stop, because it's hormonal as there's no quick fix product for PCOS unfortuntately. From all of the above I would say that Dianette defintitely works the best for me, and I wouldn't be comfortable taking long term antibiotics and Roaccutane again. As for the NLite Laser my skin didn't get any clearer afterwards but it did fade some of the older acne scars that I had. I would advise against the N Lite Laser though if you have PCOS as it doesn't work as well as what they say it does and is very expensive. I am currently having peels at The Private Clinic to try to minimise scarring, although it's still early days. I am interested in alternative route and would be interested in hearing from anyone who has had success in diet and exercise changes to reduce acne related to PCOS. So please reply

From Wokingham, Berkshire,

Originally posted by melissa76 on 24 Nov 2005 8:43 PM
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HI Mellisa, I am 25 and have also had acne since 16. I've also been on dianette, but my doctor stopped prescribing it to me because of a high risk of breast cancer from using it for longer than two years. I then carried on with a pill called cileste, which prevented my acne, but not as well as dianette used to. I am now no longer on the pill, as I am trying for a baby. I too have tried a number of different diets and am having a treatment called microdermabrasion, this works well for scar but unfortunately doesn't prevent the acne from coming back. I was however planning on looking into N-lite and this is how I came across your article. I started searching on the interenet about PCOS and came across tablets that are normally treated for peple with diabeties, but can however be used by individuals who suffer from PCOS acne. These tablets are called Metformin (Glucophage) and you can buy them from a website called drugstore.com. They seem like they have other good benfits such as controlling your weight, regular periods and a reduction in testosterone and glucose levels, which both contribute to acne. I think I might give these tablets a go as my periods are all over the place. ( I think I too have pcos acne. ) I hope this article helps, I know how it feels to have suffered from acne for so long. One more question how did you get tested for PCOS acne? I too would like to get tested for that, cheers Shandy

From London,

Hi I'm 21, and i only started getting acne acne 3 months ago which has been progressively getting worse, now its turned to severe acne, and nothing seemed to help, apart from the antiseptic cream Savlon on my existing spots, i think it's preventing new spots from coming up too, but i don't want to speak too soon, but its a great product for sensitive skin. i am currently having n-lite done, no difference yet, but will let you know, kind of hoping that would make a significant improvement considering how expensive it is! however I'm more concerned about the cause of this sudden outbreak I've had, can you tell me more about PCOS, and do you necessarily have to have all the symptoms associated with it, because i have none really? & also how do you get tested for it? because i refuse to believe that stress would cause such severe acne all of a sudden, as my doctor likes to think...

From Wilmington, NC,

I am 29 years old & have had very mild acne most of my life but for the past 5 years it has been mild to severe. I have had blue light & red light treatments & have been on several different antibiotics, most the topical creams (prescriptions & non) & many different peels including the NLITE. Most helped some for a little while but the NLITE did nothing for me. I had it about 3 months ago & it cost me $1,200. Not only did it not help with my acne it actually made my skin much much worse, something I was never even told that could happen. I was told that optimal results are achieved 3 months after the treatment & now my skin has progressively got worse. Immediately after my treatment I had 7 more cystic acne form on my face, my skin is rougher & pores seem more saggy. It also seemed to deepen the look of older & more suppressed scars. I am now on Evolution X vitamins that stop oil (just started & seems my oil is not as bad) & will probably be trying the Obagi Blue Peel soon. I also found and awesome website regarding skin biology, focusing on acne & acne scars & will be trying some of their products as well (http://www.scar-reduction.com/). In my many years of trying many different products, I honestly think that NLITE was the most expensive & the least effective with negative results. I hope this helps.

From London,

Hi i've had N-LITE, which is expensive (£200 per session and they usually reccomend you go for 3!) however it was worth it as it worked for me, i think it would be good for you as you sound like you're a long term sufferer of acne. it doesnt work straight away though, my skin got worse after the second session because it causes an inflamatory responce in the skin, basically it brings all your spots to the surface before it clears your skin, it also boosts collagen to help smooth out marks. i only saw results after the third and final session. i think its currently the best thing around for acne as chemical peels and other facials are mainly for scars and are too harsh your active acne, but do your research to find what is best for you. though N-LITE is a very good treatment for clearing and preventing acne, it is NO MIRACLE. hope this helps, sabina

From Portsmouth,

hello there!



I have been reading your success of Nlite, I'm quite excited to hear that it could work for me. I have quite pitted skin, from acne, particularly on one-side of my face on one of my cheeks. I am 25 now, and have felt particularly self-conscientious about it for some time now. I find that harsh lighting in toilets and often changing rooms, leaves me feeling anxious and very self aware. I really want to do something about it, it seems to be ruining my life. Fortunately, I no longer suffer from acne but do have the scar's to prove it (not nice). I occassionally get spotty and have quite greasy skin around run down/hormoney days.



Can anyone reccommend a good clinic and has anyone heard whether it can be done on NHS?

From Wilmington, NC,

Anna what ever you do, DO NOT go for the NLITE, it ruined my skin. I've had a acne for a long time but used to have good tone, however since the NLITE my skin is saggy, larger pores than ever & all my scars have become more depressed. Go to ACNE.ORG , an AWESOME acne site that has much more information than this, go to MESSAGE BOARDS, CLICK ON LASTER TREATMENTS & AT THE BOTTOM TYPE NLITE and read all the stories on there. Many are like mine, not to mention there are extremely expensive so docs are pushing them, that is what happened to me.

Quote: null

From Portsmouth,

Hello who's anna?( IS THAT ME YOU MEAN'T) never-mind!!

I'm sorry to hear of your trouble with NLITE, u've totally put me off. WHY ARE THESE TREATMENTS ALLOWED ON THE MARKET IN THE FIRST PLACE? I was seroiusly thinking about having a chemical peel a TCA medium one and I've started to think otherwise about it now. The risks involved may well only affect a small proportion, but what if it' s YOU?!

i FEEL INCLINED to by-pass all these treatments and the risks. I do also think that the 'psychological'
impact is under HUGELY estimated of ACNE and how it makes you feel inside. We are ALL vulnerable in a society that places enormous IMPORTANCE to be flawless. AND acne sufferers SUFFER AS A result.

Do you wear make-up?

From Wilmington, NC,

Hey, sorry about the Anna thing, it was in response to the first message, which was like 2 years ago...do never mind that one.

Anyways, I do wear makeup & like I said on my last post, I have read the posts of a lot of people on Acne.org & most have the same results as mine. My skin looks terrible that I will have to have surgery to rectify the damage. You know its bad when the aecetician fees so bad that she offers you free treatments.

I'm starting Accutane on April 20th so I cannot do anything about my skin until 6 month after my treatment stops, but I'm telling you, please go to Acne.org & read the posts on NLITE and all kinds of other treatments.

Good luck!