Dermatologists suck
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Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:10 pm

After much distress with my skin..I finally broke down and went to see a dermatologist(one of the best in this state). I hadn't seen one since my teen years. I have been in twice, and she keeps attempting to pump me full of antibiotics. The issue with my skin isn't even Acne. It appears to be more of a rash, and it even itches. When I go in for my appointment, she doesn't even look at my skin..she just sits there and writes me prescriptions. I remember having issues with this when I was younger..and I had hoped I would have a better experience as an adult. Since my skin is looking worse than ever..I felt the need to vent this. I am sure there are others out there who can relate to my experience of having pill happy doctors.

free skin care · Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:40 pm

There are a lot of AWFUL dermatologists out there, but don't let that dissuade you from trying again--- when you find "the one," you will really appreciate how good he/she is. My dermatologist in Cleveland was an absolute dream come true. She was very kind and patient, always listened to me very carefully, and then suggested a few options to see what I was comfortable with. When my husband first told me we were moving, one of the first things I thought of was that I couldn't possibly leave my dermatologist, LOL! It wasn't easy to find her, though. Before I saw her I went to a "top rated" dermatologist because I had a horrible cystic blemish and I had an event coming up, so I wanted to get a cortisone injection. After keeping me waiting for two hours, she had the nerve to tell me "just put concealer on it. That's what I do!" Mad

Now I'm in Boston and starting over again. The first dermatologist I tried was an absolute nightmare. First of all, he wore these scrubs with a really low v-neck, and he had an OBSCENE amount of chest hair---- so much that the chest hair touched me while he looked at my skin, ick!!! On top of that, I went in to get some eczema on my hand treated. He took one look at it and said there was nothing there and that I was crazy. When I politely asked him to look again, he did and said "Oh, I guess that IS eczema..." At the end of the visit he told me to book anothr appt to come back in and let him do a full-body mole check. Needless to say, that is NOT going to happen. The search continues.... I know it can be demoralizing, but hang in there because I'm right there with you!

free skin care · Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:12 pm

L
did the derma tell you what she thought the rash could be? Some rashes do need antibiotics, is the reason I ask. Dermatology, as with all medicine, can be trial and error, so sometimes the first line of treatment is not 100% effective.

Healthcare ain't what it used to be and everyone is struggling to keep up with less time allotted per patient, so make your needs known - the squeaky wheel, etc etc.
And of course as Liz says, if you don't feel you're getting anywhere with this Dr, tell her so (in a tactful way) and move on.

free skin care · Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:45 pm

LJ, I'm not a doctor but based what I've learned most skin reactions are either from what you put on your skin or what you put in your body. It could be a chemical/preservative in whatever you are using to clean your skin, or some product or make up ingredient. Have you been doing peels, using harsh abrasives, benzoyl peroxide, anything like that? Sounds like your skin is protesting, and you just need to be a detective and find out why.

You might want to check out anti-itching, skin calming ready-made preparations over atwww.gardenofwisdom.com. The GoW forum's great, and you can get a lot of wise advise from many experience gurus there. Just don't start putting cortisone on...it can be a short term solution but in the long run, is damaging and thins your skin.

Sometimes a mild apple-cider-vinegar and water toner (maybe 8-10% ACV) can help calm rashes and itches. Use it after a mild cleanser on clean skin. I use an ACV toner every time I cleanse, and it's really helped my skin with pH balance.

free skin care · Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:50 pm

Hi LJ604
I agree with you 110%! No matter what people tell you. Finding a dermatologist that will listen to you, listen to what you used and understand your skin issues, is probably more than dime a dozen. I do have a new derm, that is better than my old ones (I have had four in less than a year). At least my new one lets me do my own research, and then prescribed what I ask and when I tell him the things other people have given me, he usually says "oh no, that will cause so and so) and he has been right. But, I have skin issues that sound similar to yours, rash like bumps that itch. I am still being told that it is a form of acne or Rosesca, because both can itch. I was not aware that acne could itch. But needless to say, I have better luck here, then going back and telling him what to prescribe.

Maybe you should give Finacea (RX) a try. I started using this about 2 weeks ago and it has done wonders for my skin. My skin being much like yours, and now my skin is about 90% better.

* Another note about derms, I have a friend who is a derm in another city, and she told me that while going through school, they had a motto "don't kill 'em, don't cure 'em.

free skin care · Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:05 pm

I'm sorry you are having a hard time. It is hard to find a good derm. I went thru several before finding a good one. But I have to start over and find another derm now that we moved. I dread it, I feel like I'll be lucky to get a one on the 1st try.

free skin care · Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:07 pm

LJ604 wrote:

After much distress with my skin..I finally broke down and went to see a dermatologist(one of the best in this state). I hadn't seen one since my teen years. I have been in twice, and she keeps attempting to pump me full of antibiotics. The issue with my skin isn't even Acne. It appears to be more of a rash, and it even itches. When I go in for my appointment, she doesn't even look at my skin..she just sits there and writes me prescriptions. I remember having issues with this when I was younger..and I had hoped I would have a better experience as an adult. Since my skin is looking worse than ever..I felt the need to vent this. I am sure there are others out there who can relate to my experience of having pill happy doctors.

Yep....and I now have a systemic yeast infection as a result of being on antibiotics forever to prevent acne. I have had it for at least 15 years, and have concluded that it will NEVER go away...you can only try to manage it, sigh.

But the dermatologist I went to when I was younger is dead now...they said his wife shot him when she discovered he was having an affair with a man. Shock

My guess is that she developed a systemic yeast infection from years of him giving her antiobiotics, and she killed him out of rage. Very Happy

Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:24 pm

fawnie wrote:

L
did the derma tell you what she thought the rash could be? Some rashes do need antibiotics, is the reason I ask. Dermatology, as with all medicine, can be trial and error, so sometimes the first line of treatment is not 100% effective.

Healthcare ain't what it used to be and everyone is struggling to keep up with less time allotted per patient, so make your needs known - the squeaky wheel, etc etc.
And of course as Liz says, if you don't feel you're getting anywhere with this Dr, tell her so (in a tactful way) and move on.

She didn't really tell me what she thought any of my issues were. She just wrote me presciptions (both times I have seen her), and muttered she will see me back in 3 months. The topical stuff she gave me does not work..it is the kind of crap they used to prescibe to me as a kid..and it NEVER worked. She gave me some kind of topical steriod cream the first time I saw her..that did nothing..the second time I got that crappy roll on stick thing..that didn't work.
I might have to try another derm.

Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:28 pm

bergquis wrote:

Hi LJ604
I agree with you 110%! No matter what people tell you. Finding a dermatologist that will listen to you, listen to what you used and understand your skin issues, is probably more than dime a dozen. I do have a new derm, that is better than my old ones (I have had four in less than a year). At least my new one lets me do my own research, and then prescribed what I ask and when I tell him the things other people have given me, he usually says "oh no, that will cause so and so) and he has been right. But, I have skin issues that sound similar to yours, rash like bumps that itch. I am still being told that it is a form of acne or Rosesca, because both can itch. I was not aware that acne could itch. But needless to say, I have better luck here, then going back and telling him what to prescribe.

Maybe you should give Finacea (RX) a try. I started using this about 2 weeks ago and it has done wonders for my skin. My skin being much like yours, and now my skin is about 90% better.

* Another note about derms, I have a friend who is a derm in another city, and she told me that while going through school, they had a motto "don't kill 'em, don't cure 'em.

Thank you for the topical suggestion! I will have to find a new derm, and mention trying that prescription.
The only thing that has helped my skin so far..is the herbs my chinese doctor has given me. The herbs along with dietary changes..have really helped. Unfortunatley I am not able to purchase the herbs every week, as they are $$$$. I was hoping to find a solution that my medical would cover..until I can afford to shell out the cash to my Chinese doctor.
If it was just the acne I would be able to deal with it..without medical assistance. It's the conflict between breaking out, itching, small bumps, clogged pores..yet skin reacting to everything. ARGH!

Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:49 am

Bergquois, my skin sounds just like yours. I am tired of itchy rash like bumps, acne or rosacea whatever it is, I've never had this before. A few weeks ago I had an allergic reaction to something I am not sure what, but I ended up with a fever and a huge rash on one side of my face that looked and felt like poison ivy. it wasn't, but that's what it reminded me of. My face burned so bad so I said enough...I called the dr and went in. He prescribed me Metrocream and told me to take an antihistamine..at the time I still had the fever and was beet red and he said he'd refer me to a derm b/c he said I most likely have mild rosacea. THANK GOD!!!! I've been shelling out so much money trying to fix things myself. When I tell ppl my acne 'itches'...they don't get it..it's like itchy bites and I want it gone. Metrocream is helping a bit with the itches, but not so much with the little bumps. So far been 2 weeks and I'll continue and then see the derm and ask her about some other things, possibly Finacea. I've been following your updates and am interested in your process with the rx...Please continue to keep up the updates!!
I am 33, fair (dutch background), extremely sensitive, breakout prone, dry, itchy bump skin, mild rosacea...
Most days I look fine (with mmu), but then through out the day I will start getting new bumps that itch like mad.

bergquis wrote:

Hi LJ604
I agree with you 110%! No matter what people tell you. Finding a dermatologist that will listen to you, listen to what you used and understand your skin issues, is probably more than dime a dozen. I do have a new derm, that is better than my old ones (I have had four in less than a year). At least my new one lets me do my own research, and then prescribed what I ask and when I tell him the things other people have given me, he usually says "oh no, that will cause so and so) and he has been right. But, I have skin issues that sound similar to yours, rash like bumps that itch. I am still being told that it is a form of acne or Rosesca, because both can itch. I was not aware that acne could itch. But needless to say, I have better luck here, then going back and telling him what to prescribe.

Maybe you should give Finacea (RX) a try. I started using this about 2 weeks ago and it has done wonders for my skin. My skin being much like yours, and now my skin is about 90% better.

* Another note about derms, I have a friend who is a derm in another city, and she told me that while going through school, they had a motto "don't kill 'em, don't cure 'em.

free skin care · Sat Aug 30, 2008 9:09 am

I went to a derm after I had my last child, b/c my skin was a mess, breakouts everywhere, and all he did was put me on antibiotics, which I took for like 5 months, and they did NOTHING!!!!. He also gave me differin, which I did not feel helped at all either, in fact I thought it actually clogged my pores. I am now using Renova for the last 8 months (my skin is dry, so I opted for the more emollient base) and finally after so many years, my skin is clear. No more waking up every day with a new pimple. I am so happy! another huge thing I think is to NOT touch your face at all, and try to eat right, healthy veggies/fruits, and lots of water. Doing your own research really helps as well - you know your own skin better than most derms who don't even take the time to look at your face, and ask questions.

free skin care · Sat Aug 30, 2008 5:52 pm

It is really a chore finding a good dermatologist. I suspect that it might be partly because many of them are most expert in treating skin *diseases* rather than skin *conditions*.

Up until six months ago, I had the best dermatologist--I was referred to her when a combination of aggressive chemotherapy and radiation made a mess of my skin. She was terrific! Great recommendations (Retin A and Vitamin C to start) and when the Retin A didn't work out--my skin was red, peeling, and cracking and didn't seem to get better after a couple of months) she suggested an OTC retinaldehyde product. She knew about stability issues with Vitamin C serums and was open-minded about the kind of skincare products that we are all trying out here on the forum. But she admitted that most of what she knew about anti-aging skincare was stuff she didn't learn in medical school, but that she tried to keep on top of because she wanted to make informed recommendations to her patients.

Too bad she retired a few months ago--now if I need a derm, I'll be back to square one auditioning a new one. Bummer...But hang in there, because not all of them suck. Laughing

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