ask: I have a strange type of acne that seems almost incurable. HELP PLEASE!

Thank you for your question and I am sorry that you are dealing with acne plus the color pigmentation issue. Here are a few things I found that may be beneficial to you. I found this information on clearskin.com.

Laser resurfacing - Normal laser skin resurfacing works by evaporating the first few layers of damaged skin to leave behind a fresh, evenly toned skin. Hydroquinone or mild chemical peels are often recommended before laser resurfacing for best results.
Intense Pulsed Light - IPL is a type of laser that leaves no scars, can sometimes heal freckles or other mild sun spots without using peels or hydroquinone creams beforehand.
Hydroquinone Creams - They bleach the skin by slowing down the production of melanin. Dark spots fade in a few weeks. They are usually used for hyper pigmentations which are not caused by hormonal changes.
Hydroxy Acid Peels - They increase cell renewal rate and correct hyperpigmentation marks. Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) are water soluble acids and can help remove hyperpigmentation, while Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs) are lipid soluble acids and increase the rate of exfoliation but are not particularly known to remove hyperpigmentation.
Physician Formulas - These are more expensive skin pigmentation treatments but are very effective (Kinerase, Retin A, Renova, Avita etc).
Treating the acne first is common practice so don't be discouraged. The reason your physician is trying to treat the acne first is to resolve the continuing issue. If you continually have the acne, the scarring will continue.
Seeking treatments for acne with your dermatologist is necessary. They try to find the right product for you. Everyone's skin is different and depending on your genetic makeup, there may be other underlying issues as to why your are experiencing the acne. Stress is a big one, hormones, depression and so forth.

Here are a few sites that you can read on other users who have had issues with acne.
www.empowher.com/community/ask/adult-acne-cause-and-solution-needed

www.empowher.com/condition/search/7-day-acne-detox

Specific to skin pigmentation issues, there is an increase in discoloration when you have low blood pressure also or if you suffer from anemia which is common for women of color.

Have you sought assistance from a family physician as well besides the dermatologist?

miscortes,
thanks so much for your comment! i really appreicate your help...

but as far as the doctors, I have been to every dermatologist in town and my own regular doctor. I think genetics, like you said has alot to do with it..my dad still suffers with it somewhat. As far as hormones are concerned, I tried several different birth controls to try see if maybe my hormones were just out of wack.

Another problem I forgot to mention, is that once the acne is clear...I don't want to have to continue to use the creams that make my skin peel so badly..isn't there a way to keep the zits off without using harsh creams that dry it out and make it red?

The IPL is something that I have never heard of..but I'm most def. going to look into that one!!! I like the idea of not having to have a peel or have my face red for a few days to get rid of the hyperpigmentation. None of the dermatologists have mentioned this option...so thankyou so much for informing me about it.

My skin is in the process of a major peel right now from a cream I am using..but as soon as it's acne-free and ready to go, I'm going to try something new for the scars.

you really should take accutane, ask your dermatologist about it

hi my name is Erika and i also have bad acne. i recently found a home remedy thats working for me. " Toothpaste" i know it sounds funny but it works almost over night. when you see a pimple coming up dont pop it put a dot of toothpast "a kind with baking soda not the gel kind" on it and leave it on over night. the pimple will be half the size in the morning.

Anon- Thanks for your comment. This is an old remedy that has been around forever, and many say that it does work. It is recommended though that people who do this apply the tootpaste, wait for it to dry, and then remove it after about 10 minutes. The ingredients in some types of toothpaste can cause burns to the skin if it is left on overnight.

For anyone who reads this:
Whatever your skin condition is if it doesnt cure itself, please...please go and see a dermatologist and a skin-therapist, both of them. I never had a problem with my skin until I was 21 years old. I still don't know why it happened (my "acne invasion"). But my boyfriend at the time, with the best intentions tried to help me by sqeezing them out wotch left me ith big scars. Please don't do this to yourself. Get professional help. Even if it doesn't help you instantly, they will kno not to scar you!
XB

egg whites + lemons = face mask + skin(spots/acne) = your cure (: try it out

I had the same problem. I found two things to help me. One is PanOxyl. It works with the cyst you are describing. It is a type of acne but harder to deal with. Then get yourself on a regimen of BIOTIN. I take 1000 mg a day. It is cheap and can be found at any store like Wally world or CVS, etc. The PanOxyl will help the bumps and the Biotin will work on the scars gradually, for me it was six months. I have maybe one or two small-tiny scars compare to this time last year when I had one side of my face covered in scars. Please try it.