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Video

Am I Normal: Acne

Dr Dawn Harper looks at the ‘curse’ of being a teenager – acne. Dr Dawn’s guide examines the causes as well as the treatments available, whilst putting to rest some of the common myths surrounding spots and getting the opinions of teenagers around the country, as well as the cast of Hollyoaks.

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With thanks to:
Hollyoaks
University of Birmingham Hockey Club
Llanelli Youth Theatre
Tetbury Hospital

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I am 25 and have only had spots in adult life. I dont suffer from many yellow heads the main problem i have are large red lumps on my face which are sore and they mainly come up around my chin. I went to the doctor who prescribed the Duac cream and Diannett pill, after 12 months the yellow heads had completly disappeared but the large red lumps remained. I returned to the Doctors and was prescribed Differin Gel and Yasmin pill but i had an awful allergic reaction to the Differin Gel and so stopped using it. The lumps have remained and are very upsetting. I have no spots anywhere else on my body and find it very embarrasing and hate going to work when i look like this.

im 14 nearly 15 and ive had spots sice i was 11 and i am the only one out of my siblings to have spots. They are red and are sore. Is that normal?

i have had spots for years and i have tried so many treatments from the gp, stores, homeopaths but none of them worked. Then i went to a dermatologist and she really helped me. At first the treatments werent working but we talked about it and i tried a stronger pill roaccutane. It is amazing and the results are great. There were side affects during the treatment like dryness but i dont regret any of that now i have spot free skin. It was worth it.

hey im 15 and ive had acne for years but in the past month there have been alot more spots on my back and neck is this right to happen

I'm 27, I have suffered with spots on my arms and the backs of my thighs for over 10 years. They would itch like crazy and my unblemished skin would its – it wasn't until I nearly took a patch off that my parents insisted I go see a doctor. After 6 annoying months of dermatologists I was told I had Urticaria and prescribed masses of antihistamines. I've taken them for almost a year now and while my skin doesn't itch anymore, I still get the spot.

hi im 13 and im not sure if ive got acne or not but i have like spots and blackheads on my back and its making me really un-confident. how do i get rid of them?
help please :(

i am 16 i have had acne since i was eleven it feels like a century. they wont just go away i have been on medication for one year now and it still wont go away.i feel they are ruining my life, i afraid to approch women as i feel they will stare at my skin its so fustrating. is their any bad habits that i should stop that may cause them. please help

i am 45 years old mother of 3 i have suffered for years with white heads on my arms and for the last 10 years with the same problem on my bottom . i will not go to doctors as i feel awful about them, but the problem is getting worse, just want to know what it is i have wrong and how do i get rid of it, its destroying my sex life as i will not let my husband see me naked any more. please help

hi im 16 and have suffered with spots for 3 years its on my face, arms, chest and back and my skin is really greasy ad i had alot on blackheads on my nose . i have tried everything tablets, creams loads of stuff but it never worked. i went to my dermotologist and she put me on roacutane its been my second month on them now and ive gotta say they have worked great i have barely got any spots on my chest or back anymore and i only have a few on my arms and face now its really good because its dried up my skin and my skin aint greasy anymore on my face. the only thing is about the tablets is you have to cream alot with doublebase cream and you get really bad side effects like really dry lips, bloody nose etc and you have to have a blood test every two weeks. the tablets are really strong and it is working for me so people who suffer with acne or spots try roacutane

wiv spots n skin problems … i use savalon – the normal stuff u use on a scap or graze… makess ur skin soft n keeps spots away … other than that i just rinse my face with water n use normal shower gel … also savalon is gd at gtin rid of bags under ur eyes hope this helps x




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