Long time sufferer of bacne here.
Started when I was in high school. Got those bumps and rashes on my back (more concentrated on my upper back). It was soooo itchy that sometimes all I could do was to scratch and scratch and I couldn't even sleep at night. Thus, I ended up developing a lot of scars and wounds on my back, and what's worse is that my back became sooo dark to the point that it became the darkest surface of my entire integumentary system - even darker than my underarms and groin, and arms (which were super dark due to sun exposure). I also developed acne on my chest, but my back had worse. I lost my self-confidence completely after getting those. Before, I always used to wear backless (I was known in the family for wearing backless clothes cause it's extremely hot here in Manila), but after developing bacne and until now, I can't even wear spaghetti anymore. I've never felt uglier in my entire life and due to this, even suffered from depression because no matter what I do, it doesn't go away.
Spent thousands of bucks on medicines as prescribed by our first ever derma. Sadly, that derma (she has her own clinic somewhere here in QC and was recommended by our relatives) just milked money out of us. No procedures were undergone, just meds alone (which were all provided by her clinic). No tests were even done; she just diagnosed based on her observation. What's worse is that she even misdiagnosed my condition. She said it was chicken skin. I mean, seriously?! She didn't even touch nor palpate my skin!
For years, I had been suffering from chronic depression and thought I was suffering from psoriasis and there's nothing I could ever do about it. Stayed with that incompetent derma for years (because we didn't know other dermas)... until I discovered
Tathion 307 (Oral glutathione from Japan) in another forum when I completely gave up on my back and just focused on making my skin fairer.
After taking Tathion 307 (I started 2-3 years ago after graduating from college - just imagine the years I've been suffering due to bacne), in just 2 weeks, my bacne completely healed and disappeared. Seriously. I couldn't even believe it myself. I continued taking it because I was scared that once I stop, the bacne would come back to haunt me again. Anyway, I did stop last, last December after more than a year of taking it religiously. I tapered it first then completely withdrew from it - mainly because I was curious if I have to be dependent on it for a lifetime, and replaced it with ph338 (which is a cheaper alternative to Tathion 307). Well, I was right. After 2 weeks, my back itched, developed bumps, etc. Resorted to topical anti-acne medications but nothing worked.
Finally seeking professional help and a second opinion, I consulted
Dr. Sixta Foronda (Dr. 6F) as I read in this forum that she's one of the highly raved dermas alongside Dr. Leah Martires. True enough, my previous derma misdiagnosed me. In just one look and running her bare palm on my back, Dr 6F told me it's not psoriasis (could you even imagine my shock at that? I've been dreading all those years that I might have psoriasis) but
truncal acne. She explained to me everything there is to say about acne, specifically, bacne, and did a TCA peel on my chest and back. Eventually, I decided to go back to Tathion 307, and my bacne is gone in a week's time.
For about a year already, I've been undergoing TCA back peels with
Dr. Leah Martires, and my skin has improved albeit little by little. I'm just glad that my bacne is gone for good (I hope), and I'm just focusing right now on making my back fair and flawless like it was before the onset of the bacne. Right now, I'm using Kojie-san Kojic Acid Soap and Kligman's lotion (as prescribed by Dr. Leah) on my back.
