Help For Bad Skin /acne?

[JoneL]

Hi!

I was wondering, is there some good medicen in Thailand that helps to stop acne?

maybe some lotion or something?

[BKK90210]

Try this....It works like a miracle for our family for years! Just dap on the pimple during day or night time, comes in untinted/tinted

Edited October 17, 2006 by BKK90210

[Jamie]

Depends on how long you have had it, and how bad you define bad. If you just started breaking out recently, it could be an allergic reaction to something you were exposed to. If it's bad as in constant break outs, or cystic acne, you probably want something by prescription. Accutane is a last resort medication that is derived from vitamin A and from the people I know of that have taken it, works well and keeps the skin clear for years in some cases. If you are a lady of child bearing age, you need to be on birth control as this medication will cause birth defects in fetuses.

You could also try something called Retin-A which is a topical medication that is also vitamin A derived but less powerful since it's topical. People have used it as a "rejuvinating" cream/gel for fine lines and wrinkles and blotchy skin because it slowly removes layers of surface skin cells. I think I remember someone commenting that this is an over the counter medicine in Thailand, though I don't know of the concentration.

[Ulysses]

Try Madame Heng soap.

[baboon]

Oxytetracycline is very effective, but you do need to take it for a few months.

[JoneL]

Accutane is a last resort medication that is derived from vitamin A and from the people I know of that have taken it, works well and keeps the skin clear for years in some cases.

You could also try something called Retin-A which is a topical medication that is also vitamin A derived but less powerful since it's topical.

Accutane... Do you know is that same as Roaccutane? or are they 2 different medicines?

And that needs doctor's recipe?

Retin-A, I can get that from pharmacy/drug stores?

Do you have any idea how much it is/price?

Try Madame Heng soap.

Is that soap sold in most of the shops?

or more in some specific shop?

Like some sort local Body Shop?

Oxytetracycline is very effective, but you do need to take it for a few months.

Oxytetracycline... is that also recipe medicine?

or can I buy it without recipe? or is is it cream? And do you know how much is price for that?

Edited October 25, 2006 by JoneL

[JoneL]

One more thing, about the recipes...

Where do I get recipe like for Accutane in Thailand?

I think in Bangkok there would be plenty of places...

But how about Hua Hin?

And what are the doctors called (are they just skin doctors?) who can write recipe for skin medicene?

And are they very expencive doctors/appointments?

Sorry for all the questions...

But I am losing my nerves with my bad skin

I am almost 30yo and still have acne, not nice...

Thank you

Edited October 25, 2006 by JoneL

[Sheryl]

Accutane can be prescribed by an dermatologist (skin doctor). There are many clinics around for skin disorders, or try any large hospital. If you are female, be aware that accutane causes birth defects and must not be taken in pregnancy.

Accutane works well but a 3-4 month course of treatment is necessary. While taking it there will be dry skin and lips.

Tetracycline or oxytetracycline can be purchased at aly pharmacy without prescription.

[francois]

hi'

a lack of vitamin A and Zinc ...

try a food complement and be aware that the sun is not so friendly

francois

[JoneL]

Accutane can be prescribed by an dermatologist (skin doctor). There are many clinics around for skin disorders, or try any large hospital. If you are female, be aware that accutane causes birth defects and must not be taken in pregnancy.

Accutane works well but a 3-4 month course of treatment is necessary. While taking it there will be dry skin and lips.

Tetracycline or oxytetracycline can be purchased at aly pharmacy without prescription.

Hello!

And thank you for answering

No, I am male, so I don't need to worry about pregnancy.

3-4 months course? That is quite long... I mean; I am going to stay only 2 weeks in Hua Hin.

Maybe I can get the recipe from Hua Hin's doctor and start the course in Thailand and continue it in my home?

Or how much/what price are the visits/appointments for skin doctor in Thailand?

And any idea what is the price for the medicine (Accutane,Tetracycline or oxytetracycline)

[rb3]

Accutane is very expansive try USD$1+/pill, and depending on what the dermatologist(skin doctor) think you may need to take more than 1/day (the pills are from 10 -25 mg). And minimum treatment is 16 weeks, so can be pricey but very effective (some people actually STOP having acne after 1 session of this, I've had 2 sessions and still having acne)

Antibiotics(Tetracycline or oxytetracycline) are cheaper since the generic are already out - this is also a hormon control drugs, am not sure if you can take pregnancy pills, they said it helps(not sure if it helps guys as much as it does for girls)

My derm prescribed with Clindamycin 1% Lotion, Panoxyl and RetinA and topical cream like someone said on the topic doesnt work as well as Accutane I guess sometimes you just have bad skin.

Anyways good luck and lemme know whatever pans out, every person has a different reaction to the same drugs or sometimes you just live with it .

[JoneL]

Accutane is very expansive try USD$1+/pill, and depending on what the dermatologist(skin doctor) think you may need to take more than 1/day (the pills are from 10 -25 mg). And minimum treatment is 16 weeks, so can be pricey but very effective (some people actually STOP having acne after 1 session of this, I've had 2 sessions and still having acne)

Antibiotics(Tetracycline or oxytetracycline) are cheaper since the generic are already out - this is also a hormon control drugs, am not sure if you can take pregnancy pills, they said it helps(not sure if it helps guys as much as it does for girls)

My derm prescribed with Clindamycin 1% Lotion, Panoxyl and RetinA and topical cream like someone said on the topic doesnt work as well as Accutane I guess sometimes you just have bad skin.

Anyways good luck and lemme know whatever pans out, every person has a different reaction to the same drugs or sometimes you just live with it .

I thought that acne medicine would be cheaper in Thailand?

But maybe the dermatologist are cheaper? Any ideas how much they take for a visit?

Oxytetracycline and Tetracyline, they are pills? Not creams?

And I can buy them form pharmacy without recipe?

[John K]

Going from memory tetracycline and sun don’t go well together. I am not sure of the reason but I do recall that warning. You may just want to google and see what they do.

[JoneL]

Going from memory tetracycline and sun don’t go well together. I am not sure of the reason but I do recall that warning. You may just want to google and see what they do.

I think so too... So I am planning to use them with lots of suncream and not much spending time under sun

[TeflTommy]

But I am losing my nerves with my bad skin

I am almost 30yo and still have acne, not nice...

Thank you

I had acne from 13 and still had it at 35 when I came to Thailand. A friend took me to a skin Dr opposite MBK, they have several branches around BKK, and I started taking the prescribed drugs and using the face lotions that they gave me. After 2 weeks my skin cleared up and I have had clear skin for years now. So I know how depressing it can be looking in the mirror every moring to see if there had been any overnight outbreaks.

I used some form of ani biotic and Roaccutane. The anti-biotics for 2 weeks and the Roaccutane for 3 months. I'm still using the face wash and lotion 5 years later and wont use anything else on my face as it works for me. A few things about acne is that I found staying out of the sun, no alcohol, spicy or fried food really helped reduce outbreaks. The Roaccutane was around 65 baht a pill, maybe more now and you take it every other day. It does have side affects, like mood swings and some depression and it doesn't do alot for your insides, im sure, but was it worth taking? You bet. I tried all the other pills, over the years, but nothing worked. I'm pretty sure it will work for you and they will probably give you 3 months supply, if you say you are going back home.

Good luck

Edited October 29, 2006 by TeflTommy

[JoneL]

I had acne from 13 and still had it at 35 when I came to Thailand. A friend took me to a skin Dr opposite MBK, they have several branches around BKK, and I started taking the prescribed drugs and using the face lotions that they gave me. After 2 weeks my skin cleared up and I have had clear skin for years now. So I know how depressing it can be looking in the mirror every moring to see if there had been any overnight outbreaks.

I used some form of ani biotic and Roaccutane. The anti-biotics for 2 weeks and the Roaccutane for 3 months. I'm still using the face wash and lotion 5 years later and wont use anything else on my face as it works for me. A few things about acne is that I found staying out of the sun, no alcohol, spicy or fried food really helped reduce outbreaks. The Roaccutane was around 65 baht a pill, maybe more now and you take it every other day. It does have side affects, like mood swings and some depression and it doesn't do alot for your insides, im sure, but was it worth taking? You bet. I tried all the other pills, over the years, but nothing worked. I'm pretty sure it will work for you and they will probably give you 3 months supply, if you say you are going back home.

Good luck

Thank you for your answer and understanding

yeah, it is very uppsetting to getting closer 30 and still having acne

Hmm...65thb/pill? In my home country price for 100 pills (10mg) Roaccutane is about 2900thb (so one pill would be only 29thb). So it seems that Roaccutane is more expancive in Thailand? Can it be? Or was it stronger pill than 10mg?

Edited October 29, 2006 by JoneL

[stevo]

try Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar. It will make your face a little red at first, but fear not, it's normal. It goes away in 20 minutes, leaving your skin clean as a wistle. Many have said it works great.

Beware of accutane's side-effects..

[JoneL]

try Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar. It will make your face a little red at first, but fear not, it's normal. It goes away in 20 minutes, leaving your skin clean as a wistle. Many have said it works great.

Beware of accutane's side-effects..

Vinegar? Really?

Sounds very starnge

But I bet that is also very cheap?

And I can find it from most of the shops from Thailand?

[Jamie]

If you really have a bad acne problem, the only real thing that is going to help you is something you take internally. Topical medications and cleansers will do nothing to help the underlying problem. Cleaning your face too much is not a good thing either. It causes irritation and can induce breakouts.

[JoneL]

If you really have a bad acne problem, the only real thing that is going to help you is something you take internally. Topical medications and cleansers will do nothing to help the underlying problem. Cleaning your face too much is not a good thing either. It causes irritation and can induce breakouts.

Jamie, I think you are right...

Hmm... I still don't know if the roaccutane/accutane is cheaper in Thailand?

[Ijustwannateach]

If you have only developed acne (or other skin problems) after moving here (to Bangkok), it can also be related to new allergies. Consulting an allergist about your skin would not be a bad idea.

[John K]

If you have only developed acne (or other skin problems) after moving here (to Bangkok), it can also be related to new allergies. Consulting an allergist about your skin would not be a bad idea.

Good point on location. I know someone who developed skin problems just from where they lived. It was discovered when she went home for 2 weeks to visit her mother and it cleared up by itself in a few days. As soon as she returned to where she was living the problem came back. Apparently it was a reaction to airborne man made pollutants.

[jamesiha]

I used to go out with a girl back in Thailand. There was this acne problem which always would block my self confidence. While I talked with the thai gf, she would bring me one day to se a doctor she knew.

the doctor prescibed accutane and differin.

At first i wasn't sure because i had tried many treatments without success but the doctor told me that acne works off with specific combination depending on the person.

He also suggested me that i go to the seaside and that the salted water would bring my skin anew.

Indeed, i did all of it for 4 month and it worked well for me ... really really well...

Hope you get to try your combinations your perfect combination you too.

but the best part is the seaside.. that's a comfort treatment..

Edited October 31, 2006 by jamesiha

[JoneL]

I used to go out with a girl back in Thailand. There was this acne problem which always would block my self confidence. While I talked with the thai gf, she would bring me one day to se a doctor she knew.

the doctor prescibed accutane and differin.

At first i wasn't sure because i had tried many treatments without success but the doctor told me that acne works off with specific combination depending on the person.

He also suggested me that i go to the seaside and that the salted water would bring my skin anew.

Indeed, i did all of it for 4 month and it worked well for me ... really really well...

Hope you get to try your combinations your perfect combination you too.

but the best part is the seaside.. that's a comfort treatment..

Lucky you

I hope I will also get the right treatment...

Seaside treatment sounds very good

Is accutane same as roaccutane?

Is till don't know...

[Jamie]

It is the same. Roaccutane is just a longer name for it. Accutane is produced by Roche. Hence Roaccutane.

[Tolley]

I wouldn't take any prescription medications for this conditions as they all have side effects.

I would go with creams applied topically and i would use herbs and vitamins and also look at diet.

Fish oil, Multi Bs etc

Fresh carrot juice everyday, no oily foods, no sugary drinks etc.

Do a google search for alternative medicine and acne.

It will take longer but it is worth the extra effort.

If the problem is hormonal these options may not work too well but on the plus side you will feel very healthy.

[Sheryl]

Easily said, Tolley, but not a feasible approach for people with severe or refractory acne. Fact is there is no current treatment asd effective as accutane. yes, it has side effects; this is why you can't get it over the counter but must be under a doctor's care. A reputabl;e doctor will insists on some blood tests befire and during treatment to ensure against serious problems as a result of use. Most people tolerate the drug well and suffer only mild and nonserious side effects (dry mouth and lips very common). It should not be used by anyone who is or may become pregnant, nor by anyone with liver or kidney problems -- hence the need for blood work. However most people with acne are relatively young and healthy.

Rde JoneL's inquiry -- the drug itself will probably cost about what it would back home (the 69 baht per tab probably referred to a 20mg tablet) but the doctor visits and blood work will be a lot cheaper here. Any local dermatologist will be familiar with its use. If after it clears there is any scarring, IPL treatments are very effective but need to clear the acne first.

If you have had this problem for some time and milder measures haven't worked I sould suggest you gio ahead and take a course iof accutane (under Dr supervision, of course). It is expensive but cheaper in the long run than messing about with one treatment after another than doesn't work, and cheaper than incurring deep acne scares that will need to be lasered later...

[mark__baum]

So...

Its really any dermatologists I can go to, or do some of you guys have an address or name which has a good reputation? I mean, there are probably hundreds of dermatologists in Bangkok, and costs and qualitity will vary...

cheers Aaron

[Sheryl]

So...

Its really any dermatologists I can go to, or do some of you guys have an address or name which has a good reputation? I mean, there are probably hundreds of dermatologists in Bangkok, and costs and qualitity will vary...

cheers Aaron

I took my niece to a dermatologist at Phayathai 2 Hospital, afraid don't have his name but male and English speaking.

Or any dermatologist at one of these international hospitals: Samitivej, Bumrungrad, Bangkok Nursing Home, Bangkok General, St. Louis.

St Louis and Phayathai 2 are less expensive than the other hospitals mentioned and for a simple problem like this should be just as good.

Edited November 8, 2006 by Sheryl

[MrSnrang]

Honestly, I took accutane for about four months and in that time I didn't notice any change apart from severe mouth dryness.

Before you shell out all of that money on treatment try this: A pill of claritin for a few days and after that take doxycycline every day. Stay out of the sun for extended periods and wear loose clothing.