Acne with Ulcerative colitis

I have had UC for 5 years. During that time, I have had to deal with acne flare-ups. At this point in my life it is embarrassing to have acne on my face. It makes me look like a teenager. I went to a dermatologist. He prescribed a topical acne treatment Ziana. I went to the Ziana website and found that it said that people with UC should not use this. I don't know what to do. Should I use it anyway since my doctor prescribed it (with full knowledge that I had UC)? Does anyone have any tips for treating acne?

i personally would not use it if it says not for people w/UC. i think quincy's idea of differin is great. i have used it in the past, and it worked well for me. good luck!

I have colitis due to antibiotics. And dermatologists will still try to push the antibiotics on me. Please note, even topical antibiotics are absorbed into the skin and can be very harmful to fecal flora. Even the ones that aren't supposed to be harmful to the colon will set off a flare. Now that I have IBD, I will no longer take antibiotics for acne.

My acne has been very severe since I was in junior high. I'm now 48, and I still have a lot of acne. I use Retin-A. Not only does it help clear the skin, it also helps reduce scarring. I'm lucky in that I don't scar too easily. But I have had skin inflammations so bad that they are three inches in diameter (which I do have one scar from). No kidding! Every doctor/dermatologist I saw said they never saw anything like it before. And every single one of them prescribed antibiotics, both topical and oral.

Also. Make sure that everything that touches your skin is clean and dry. Wash all pillow cases, towels, etc. frequently in very hot water. It's very simple advise that I wish someone told me about many years ago. The bacteria won't go away if you don't make sure everything is as clean as possible.

I'm genetically prone to getting acne. My mom and sister would have acne if not for the pill. Unfortunately, I can't take the pill. Both of them got blood clots from the pill. My sister ended up in the hospital due to a blood clot in her lungs. And I found out I too get blood clots easily. I get a ton of them when I'm flaring.

Me too. I used to get horrible boils that had to be drained. Yes. Boils can be very painful, depending on how large they are and where they are located.

The worst skin infection I had lasted for some five plus years. Antibiotics did not kill the infection. They only kept it from getting worse. The skin infection finally went away on its own when I eliminated bread and cheese from my diet.

I've tried honey, tea tree oil, toothpaste, aloe vera, lemon juice, and a whole bunch of other home remedies for acne. None of them worked. I'm really, really prone to getting skin infections.

Post Edited (subdued) : 9/20/2010 12:59:37 AM (GMT-6)

Rogkor1983 - I have suffered acne since I was 12 years old (I'm 30 now) and have been on and off of antibiotics for it - which most likely contributed to my UC. Anyway, I was given clindamycin (an ingredient in Ziana) and almost immediately suffered diarrhea (before I knew I had UC). It was unfortunate because it worked wonders. However, I urged my dermatologist to give me something else (she didn't think the diarrhea was that big of a deal - easy to say when it's not YOU). I have found that Differin cream (now available generically as adapalene cream) and Klaron lotion (sulfacetamide sodium lotion - another antibiotic but I have no issues with it) keep my skin very clear. Differin is a retinoid product like the tretinoin ingredient in the Ziana. The cream form is best for people with more sensitive skin types. These have given me my life back - I used to get TONS of white pustules ALL over my face which prevented me from wanting to go out in public. I also use Cetaphil Gentle Skin cleanser in the morning and Purpose wash at night. These have been life savers! Of course, everyone is different so what may work for one person doesn't always work for others. I have also found that limiting dairy products and drinking green and white teas daily have helped keep the inflammation down in my face as well (I also have rosacea). Oddly enough, when I have my UC under control, my skin is calm - I'm pretty sure there's a link between the two.