Doctors and the pill

[Magic Wonder]

This is kind of embarrassing to post, but can anyone share their experience with doctors or dermatologists and contraceptives?

I take the pill (have it shipped from home every month) to help with my acne, but since January it's been steadily getting worse. Like, to the point where I only want to leave the house for school and I can hardly look my co-workers in the eye because I feel so disgusting. I've been increasingly late to school because I have to spend so long in the morning trying to cover up/deal with skin conditions that are too gross to post publicly. Obviously, this is a huge problem if it's starting to interfere with my job and ability to socialize and strengthen relationships with my co-workers after work!

In the past my dermatologist has switched my pill to ones with different hormone levels to try and find a better fit. However, being over here makes seeing her totally out of the question. When I tried to see a Japanese dermatologist here, he simply brushed me off without even looking at me saying the cause of the acne is: stress related to being a foreigner in Japan (because it's so impossibly difficult for foreigners to adjust in his opinion) and eating too many cheeseburgers, potato chips, and coffee (I don't consume these things at all). Actually, I've found that all of the Japanese doctors I've been to for whatever reason here in Japan have all said, "you're stressed living in Japan." Is this a thing?

So, I guess my questions are:
a.) Would it be better to see a general physician or try a different dermatologist? Am I even going to be taken seriously? (Hints on being taken seriously? Should I tell them I've lived here for 5 years even though I haven't?)
b.) I heard the pill is a lot less common in Japan. Is it at all for the pill to be prescribed for reasons like acne?

My Japanese is really limited which doesn't help matters at all when it comes to communicating with doctors..

[word]

Japanese people can be as vain as any other people; there are loads of dermatologists around. Find one. If you're close to a major city, you can probably find one who's been educated/worked in the US/another Western nation and speaks English relatively fluently.

The pill is less common than it is in the US, but it is certainly available in many varieties and blends. You probably don't need to have it shipped over; MG was able to get the exact same pills that she was taking in the US. Go talk to a doctor. You may have to have an examination of your girl parts before they'll give you a prescription. MG had to have one, but she didn't need another one to have her prescription refilled.

You do actually sound really stressed out. Those doctors may know what they're talking about. Though you may not be eating the things they're griping about, are you eating other things that could be causing problems?

On a purely personal note, if you're like a lot of girls, you could be blowing a mild acne problem way out of proportion and quite possibly making it significantly worse; you might try giving your poor skin a break from the concealers and chemicals and prodding.

[teabot]

the bit about cheeseburgers and coffee seems like utter bull to me... i would frankly be rather annoyed and wouldn't continue to patronize a doctor like that...

background: i'm speaking from the position of someone who had severe acne issues in the past (we're talking being put on medication that required signing a waiver and monthly blood tests, because nothing else was working).

i do think stress is quite possibly playing into your acne issues, but i don't think that necessarily must be the be-all, end-all cause for it. it's fairly probable that your body might still be feeling some adjustment stress even though you may or may not be consciously feeling stressed. certainly try to take some time to relax more and de-stress, but that's more for your whole body/self rather than specifically the acne (though it should help).

have you changed the products that you use to wash your face or moisturize with? that could possibly be another contributing factor.

as for "gaijin-san is stressed because of Japan," yeah i think it is a "thing," under the same umbrella of "wow, your Japanese is so good!" and "omg you can use chopsticks?!?!" :/

i would try giving another dermatologist a shot, but maybe ask around or research for doctors who might have some sort of experience with foreigners and will be less likely to brush it off.


(as a side note, word, while i realize you're trying to be helpful, overgeneralizing about girls "blowing a mild acne problem way out of proportion" seems kind of patronizing/mansplain-y to me. yes, it's a possibility, but someone who's stated that they have seen a dermatologist for their problem and was prescribed medication to control it likely isn't one of those people.)

[word]

(as a side note, word, while i realize you're trying to be helpful, overgeneralizing about girls "blowing a mild acne problem way out of proportion" seems kind of patronizing/mansplain-y to me. yes, it's a possibility, but someone who's stated that they have seen a dermatologist for their problem and was prescribed medication to control it likely isn't one of those people.)

Whale biologist!

mansplain

Yeah, 'cause men never know anything about anything, amiright?

[Magic Wonder]

Yeah, the interesting thing is this doctor has lived/studied/worked in the US so I was expecting a little better but he hardly even looked at me. He told me he could only give me an anti-biotic cream (which is also a whitening cream, lol) or vitamins (which I already take) because all his normal treatments are only for Japanese people. He was also 18 minutes overdue for lunch at that point though so hmm . I would like to laugh at the junkfood thing if it weren't for the fact that I run into that stereotype so much. The only thing about my diet that has changed since coming to Japan is no meat or fruit because of laziness/cost. As for stress, well, if having a paying job that's incredibly easy, living where I've always wanted to live, and escaping a crappy home life is stressful then I don't know what isn't! I can buy into the idea of adjustment stress, but would it be showing up so severely this late after moving?

I had gone through a bunch of prescriptions back home and various types of treatments before finding a pill that reduced the severity but it's still only somewhat effective. If you're speaking about accutane, yes, that was a suggestion for me but with the timing of JET it just didn't work out. I'm not as severe as the most severe cases, but it's hard to go to work when you can't stop your face from literally bleeding or oozing in multiple places and have flakes flapping up all day that look and wave about like the stuff you put on top of okonomiyaki.

It's good to know about the range of bc that's available here. Thanks for that info. I'll have a look and see if I can't get mine here because it'd be much more convenient.

[Musashi]

You can definitely get contraceptives (the pill) if you get a prescription. I'm not 100% sure.. But if you fill the prescription using the JET drug plan, your school/B.O.E might get a detailed statement of what was purchased. (so be aware of that in case you don't want them knowing).

I know from experience with my *mild* acne that drinking the recommended amounts of water, getting good (early) sleep, and running, swimming, etc... Seemed to naturally help minimize my acne. Exercise, proper sleep, staying hydrated is known to relieve stress and boost your immune system.

[Namisuke]

I really love this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAv8-6hkYko He is to the point and doesn't give any BS about products.

I know it is different for everyone, but whenever I get a small breakout it is usually due to stress or odd hormonal changes. I just make sure to take some chill time, don't drink too much alcohol (can cause stress or less care with skin), drink a lot of water, and refrain from touching my skin. I had a friend with severe acne and used all kinds of things on it. The thing that worked the most was to stop touching it. He gave up on all products and just washed it gently every day. It cleared up like crazy!

I agree with others that you sound stressed. Stressing about your acne will make things a lot worse. It might be tough, but just try to ignore the acne and go out and enjoy your life. You can easily go hiking on your own without anyone seeing you where you can de-stress and work on your health.

Without knowing exactly what you are doing already, it is tough to give advice. Good luck!

[CelinePC]

b.) I heard the pill is a lot less common in Japan. Is it at all for the pill to be prescribed for reasons like acne?

According to the Japan Family Planning Association, the contraceptive pills available in Japan are low-dose, their amount of hormones is kept to the minimal level.
In their Q&A, to the question about the beneficial effects of the pill, they only list the improvement or prevention of gynecological problems. It doesn't mean that the pill won't have an effect on your skin, but it doesn't seem to be one of the priorities.
Also, the number of pills available in Japan is very limited.
Here is a list of some of the pills you can find here, from the Oral Contraceptive Center:
(21 active or 28 active)

Ange 21/Ange 28
Marvelon 21/Marvelon 28
Synphase 21/28
Triquilar 21/28
Ortho 21
Ortho 777

They all are Western pills and you can search these brands in English and find relevant information.
I have been told by my gynecologist in Japan that the pill Yasmin is also available, but only to treat endometriosis...

Pill costs around ¥3,000 a month and is prescribed by a gynecologist. It is not covered by health insurance, and there will be extra expenses for initial health tests and regular checkups.
I hope this helps.
But if you could find an English-speaking gynecologist who has studied/worked abroad, he would be the best suited to answer your questions

[Cytrix]

Stress does not have to do with with your working environment. All sorts of things can play into it, and especially anxiety.

Bad diet (not just eating bad food, but not eating enough etc.) and touching your face/covering up with makeup can do terrible things to your skin. The more chemicals you put on the worse it will get. If you're caking on makeup everyday to hide this acne (which will not be as bad as you think it is) you are not giving your skin a single chance to breathe, and instead are providing a delicious breeding ground for all the bacteria that is causing your acne. Over-cleansing as well can result in huge breakouts.

I used to have terrible acne when I was younger, but thankfully it has largely vanished thanks to the use of largely preservative-free products and consumption of green tea/water. When I was stressed/depressed/having anxiety attacks my skin was atrocious.

[sillysocks]

(as a side note, word, while i realize you're trying to be helpful, overgeneralizing about girls "blowing a mild acne problem way out of proportion" seems kind of patronizing/mansplain-y to me. yes, it's a possibility, but someone who's stated that they have seen a dermatologist for their problem and was prescribed medication to control it likely isn't one of those people.)

Whale biologist!

mansplain

Yeah, 'cause men never know anything about anything, amiright?

Obviously this is a serious topic and hopefully this person can get help for said acne, but dude you totally mansplained! Maybe you don't like it when us ladies get annoyed for being stereotyped but that was wicked condescending.

[Cytrix]

Hey I'm a female here and I agree with Word. We females can blow the level of our acne completely out of proportion.

[teabot]

Hey I'm a female here and I agree with Word. We females can blow the level of our acne completely out of proportion.

just because it's possible doesn't mean that should automatically be assumed, though. acne as a Real Problem™ does exist, and assuming someone asking for help is just blowing things out of proportion is... not the most respectful way of responding to a pretty personal issue.

[Jen_KyotoPA]

I'm afraid I can't speak much to the specifics but I would definitely, definitely recommend you keep trying different doctors. Perhaps this is true everywhere, but the quality of doctors here and their willingness to listen seems to vary wildly from person to person. If you try asking your PA if they know of any good dermatologists or women's clinics they may well, or try asking sempai JETs. I know here JETs seem to do a lot better with hospitals connected to big, international universities when it comes to finding good doctors, too. Getting a list of the medications you've been prescribed in the past or something else from your doctor might help too. And if you're concerned about the language barrier you might want to try getting a CIR or someone to interpret for you -- I know it can be very easy for doctors to brush you off if you aren't assertive, and it's hard to be assertive and clear if you have trouble with the language involved.

[Cytrix]

Hey I'm a female here and I agree with Word. We females can blow the level of our acne completely out of proportion.

just because it's possible doesn't mean that should automatically be assumed, though. acne as a Real Problem™ does exist, and assuming someone asking for help is just blowing things out of proportion is... not the most respectful way of responding to a pretty personal issue.

We're saying can, not will. I'm more than aware of how much of a problem acne can be for people, but at the same time I've seen people whine and complain about a tiny blackhead.

To the OP, take in all the advice people have said. How often do you change your makeup? How do you apply it? Especially if you are dealing with acne you should be changing your makeup at least once a month, and cleaning any brushes etc. that you use at least once a week, if not every time you use them. Something as simple as that can keep bringing the bacteria back and making it so your acne never clears. You may also have weak spots in your skin where acne will regularly develop. I had a weak spot on my chin that would always be irritated and never heal. When I stopped trying to cover it up and started using natural-products it finally began to heal and now I don't have any problems with it.

[Elfe_noire]

I am taking the pill for acne and hormonal problems as well (balance etc) but I never had any worsening condition since I arrived.
Back home I had to do blood tests every 3 months or so to check if the pill was still adequate and working etc. If it is your case as well, maybe the pill you are taking is not adapted to you anymore. So maybe contact your dermatologist / gynecologist back home and ask her what kind of test you need to do, do it here and tell her the results so she can get you a new prescription. That might be bothersome but the best way to adjust your pill back to your new condition again.

I am also having my pill sent to me from home, because I've heard soooo many bad reviews about the Japanese pill (not developed, a lot of bad reactions etc...) that I would prefer to stick with pills made for westerners. Just like Japanese medicine doesn't work well on us, I think it's the same with the pill. Also they do not seem to have pill made for acne and hormonal balance control so....

Other people advice is good as well :
- Drink enough water, especially with summer !
- Sweat can be really bad for acne, so wash your face morning and night.
- Avoid makeup until it gets better. If you moisterize your skin and get enough sleep you can actually look good without it ^^
- Get enough sleep. It helps with skin problems and also stress problems !
- Avoid fat food but as you don't eat it...
- Drink green tea. It helps drain your body from fat.

Hope your skin gets better soon !!