Acne Medication

[odydnas]

When my dry eyes started, my face also started breaking out...so thick glasses plus acne = not a pretty sight. Probably a hormonal issue since both mgd and acne can be hormonal issues? Thoughts?

Anyway, I was prescribed to use Clindamycin/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel every morning. Having dry eyes has made me very conscious about any medication that can possible exacerbate my condition. So i was wondering, does anyone know if this may the gel may exacerbate dry eyes?

Thanks!

[Margje]

I have the same problem. But my Acne started two years before my dry eyes symptoms....
I was wondering the same thing (a connection) so I stopped using the benzoylperoxide but the only thing it did for me was worsening my acne so I started again....

Now I am trying a antiinflammatory diet to see if it has any effect on my acne and maybe also on my eyes....
Only started six days ago and can't really say I have seen any improvement so far....on the eyes or the skin...do feel more energised so that's a plus....

I also have a strong feeling that my symptoms are hormonal...
I have less problems with my eyes when I have my period....so.....

Wondering if somebody else has a clue.....

[NYer]

Acne, Dry Eyes, the Pill

How interesting that you posted this - I was planning on posting about this same thing myself today (((hearing Twilight Zone music!!))))

I went off the pill about 4 months ago and, apparently, my hormones are going wild coming back into play. I'm 49 and my face looks like a teenager's - broken out in zits. Absolutely, yes, this is due to hormones.

My dermatologist gave me "Duac", which is a Clindamycin/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel (like you're using). It does help my skin...but, my eyes react to it badly. The odd thing is, I've tried (as I did last night) using it only on my chin, but it doesn't matter - my eyes get sore and dry(er). I don't know if it's from the fumes of the product getting to my eyes directly from my chin (and it doesn't have that strong of a smell) or from inhaling it and then it somehow affects my eyes. But there is no question that it bothers and affects my eyes too much for me to use it.

By the way, I went off the pill because I thought there might be a correlation to my dry eyes. Clearly, there was not. There is no difference in my eyes. So that hormone link wasn't an issue. The most recent pill I was on was Yasmin. If you are looking for a pill that will help control acne, that's the one to take. However, it does contain a second hormone in it (the one that controls the acne) which has a diuretic effect. And keep in mind that we dry eye folk can have problems with diuretics in that they suck the moisture out of us wherever they find it - and that can include your eyes. I thought that might be an issue for me, too, but ultimately, my eyes are the same as they were when I was on Yasmin (I just pee less now!!).

[skygoddess]

Do you have Rosacea?
There is a thread on Blepharitis and MGD that discusses the hormone connection.
Androgen deficiency, I understand is a contributing factor.

My Opthamologist did not pick up on my Rosacea connection ,
but the dermatologist has helped me tremendously with my eyes.

[odydnas]

Wow, thanks for the responses! Neither my optometrist, Dr. L, or my dermatologist said that I have rosacea. I have to say, I do not like my derm very much, she tried to push Accutane on me even though I told her I was struggling with dry eyes! She kept saying that dry eyes was just a minor side effect. Oh boy.

NYer, I just put some of the gel on this morning, and boy does my skin burn! So far, I don't think that my eyes feel worse than usual. The insides of my eyelids feel irritated though, but that happens, so I don't think it's the clindamycin/benzoyl peroxide gel. More twilight zone music here, because the last pill I was on was Yasmin too! It wasn't supposed to be for my acne because my skin was clear the time I started using Yasmin, but 2 weeks later, I could no longer wear my contacts and I started breaking out. I don't know if there is a connection with Yasmin and my dry eyes, since I was only on it for 2 weeks and have stopped for 8 months and dry eyes and acne hasn't gone away.

And like you, Marjge, my eyes are a lot better during my period, but it is hell two weeks before hand. I am with you on the anti-inflammatory diet! I feel healthier, but it hasn't helped w/ acne or eyes so far...

I think I'll post this acne medication question to Dr. L, since it seems like the answer can affect more than just me.

[skygoddess]

My dermatologist did a patch test, called T.R.U.E .Test, on me.

Besides a few of minor reactions, fragrance and such, no surprises there.
I also had a severe reaction to Ethylendiamine Dihydrocholorie,
( it has a bunch of other names too) It is used as a common preservative in prescription skin medications.
I was not expecting that.
I was thinking topical cortisone creams would help, when all the while it was a major culprit.

Don't know if contact allergies could be a contributing factor, but you might want to rule them out anyway.

[Mcgoldilocks]

Interesting. The antibiotics I've been prescribed to help control my recurrent corneal erosions are the same ones teenagers are given when they have especially bad acne. My doctor told me nobody knows why they help but he said they definitely do. (Doxycycline). Hmmmm.

[skygoddess]

I am on doxy for Rosacea, Oracea is the brand name. It has helped me, (I think) My eyes were pretty good for a while
I ran out for a week and my eyes acted up again something awful.
I hope that now that I am back on it they will improve soon.

The preservative I am allergic to is in cream medications. Since you said you were using acne cream, it might be a consideration.

[Stanza]

interesting about that, I used acne meds for years at some point, who knows if that hasn't helped me long term. Now i use a cleanser that also has some anti-spot forumla, will go check what is in it!!