(no subject)

It isn't every day I hear about a new acne treatment, let alone one so... radically different, or one that has such a high chance of working. I am speaking, gentle reader, of Nicomide.

Recently, I went to the dermatologist and got hit with devastating news. First I found out that many insurances stop covering acne meds once you hit 26, so not only do I have a chronic condition that makes me nigh uninsurable (thank you, Obamacare, for trying to help!), but no one covers it anyway. She wants me back on Accutane (won't do it thanks to ongoing complications from the last time I went on it-- back when I was a teenager). Then what about antibiotics? No. How are you doing on Retin-A? What about the blue light treatment? Oh, of course I can give you another script for Plexion SCT if it helps! But you really need an internal response... are you still skittish about spironolactone? Well there's this new benzaclin stuff, it's a foam, try that.

Then she wrote me a prescription for nicotinamide.

Wait, what's that?

It is, apparently, a B vitamin that helps inflammatory skin disorders. It's completely unlike any acne treatment I've ever looked at or even heard of. There's a lot of science involved I won't bore you with, but basically... it's completely new to me. I know more about acne treatments than many dermatologists, and there's something new!? I can't figure out how old it is, but most studies date back to 2008 or so for Nicomide (the acne medication, nicotinamide is the generic). I'm kind of shocked no one's told me about it before, since I'm my derm's favorite guinea pig for sensitive skin + persistent adult acne, given that I have a decent medical background and I can usually pinpoint what's going on.

More to the point: the reviews are extremely positive. It even works well for people with severe acne. And look at the cons: that's right. NONE! Well, none except for pill size and cost, but it's one of the cheapest acne medications I've ever gotten my hands on in generic form.

It doesn't work by drying the skin, making the cells turn over faster, it's not an antibiotic, it doesn't zap bacteria, it doesn't reduce oil production.... And it doesn't have any of the side-effects associated with those treatment methods. I've been on it for about two weeks now and my skin looks pretty clear; it's likely just be a lull between flare-ups at the moment, but it's a promising sign since I'm at the time of the month where my skin is typically at its worst. I don't have my hopes up too high since nothing else ever works, but I have my fingers crossed anyway.

So I thought I'd share, because I know other people on my flist fight with acne, too, and it's something to bring up with your doctor. Currently Nicomide itself is discontinued, but the generic is still out there.