Ok so I went for the first time a few days ago to see a derm, she prescribed me Benzaclin gel 50gm and Tazorac 0.05% I haven't used the Tazorac yet I'm kinda nervice lol she said my face is suppost to peel. not sure how bad I've been kinda looking through some things here but haven't found much.

Has anyone else ever been on this duo? how did it work for you, is there an IB with tazorac? I think the Benzaclin is actually working pretty well, I haven't had many new breakouts in the past couple days of use and my face seems a tiny bit clearer (atleast from the day I got the stuff)

She told me that every third night I should use the Tazorac until I get use to it then slowly bump up to every night, and then I guess to the 0.1% cream

If anyone has any recommendations on if I can/what I should use as a cleanser and a sunscreen to use that would be awesome, because it kinda seems like she is trying to push her products on me for everything, I already paid $116 for these 2 damn things! I can't believe I did really, I just hope it works so bad.

If anyone has any info/experience on this stuff that'd be awesome if you could let me know!

This post has been edited by Indoubtibly: Nov 8 2009, 10:36 PM

I was prescribed with the Tazorac 0.1% cream in early February. It worked really well.

There is an initial breakout with Tazorac. I was told to use it every other night but I ignored it and did it every night. I experienced flaking and redness mostly. As a cleanser, I first use Dove soap which was given by my dermatologist then I used Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. As sunscreen, either Aveeno SPF 30 worked fine.

Hope it works well.

Dove soap really dry's my face up, I heard that the SFS in it is also bad for your face, but I guess if your derm said to use it it can't be that bad. My face personally doens't seem to like the soap, I used it yesterday and today and to be quite honest I thought my face was getting clearer, but I think the right side is the worst it has ever been My face turned really red when I first started using the acne.org regimen I think it was because of the moisturizer, the jojoba oil mixed in aswell was a bad idea for me, my skin hates it, I'm using a cetaphil moisturizer now. I may have to give the cleanser a try.

I am going to apply Tazorac for the first time as soon as I'm done posting this, I may take a picture just to see where I start off, if this stuff doesn't work for me, as much as I don't want to I may go and take accutane, I am almost willing to do anything for clear skin now, but I want to grow a bit taller! lol I heard that it can stunt growth so I may wait and see lol off I go though I'll update in a day or two I guess

Oh wow, not impressed with how it feels when you apply it thats for sure, my face feels like I just rubbed grease on it or something, this sucks, I hope it helps with my face being so damn oily to begin with. I'm sick of having to apply things to my face to make it clear (hope it go's clear) when all my friends have like perfect skin!!!!

ok so a day (or two lol) after first app and my face is getting little bumps everywhere, it's hard not to pick but I read somewhere that if you do it can take a long time to heal and also cause breakouts to spread like wild fire, anyone have any suggestions to moisturizer or cleanser with use of this stuff?

ok so a day (or two lol) after first app and my face is getting little bumps everywhere, it's hard not to pick but I read somewhere that if you do it can take a long time to heal and also cause breakouts to spread like wild fire, anyone have any suggestions to moisturizer or cleanser with use of this stuff?

Picking can cause breakouts to spread in a couple of different ways... you can cause rupturing under the skin, where oil and/or infection can spread, potentially causing a cyst, nodule, or inflamed pimple. You will also irritate your skin when you pick, which can cause pimples to start nearby.

Tazorac and other retinoids will not create your breakouts really, but they can cause an initial breakout because of the way they work... there is a lot going on with your skin once you use a retinoid... the top layers of your skin will exfoliate, and the lower layers will thicken, since retinoids stimulate collagen production... this is why they can reduce scarring and wrinkles. They also greatly increase your cell turnover (5-6 days instead of ~30 days). The rapid exfoliation of your pores, and other actions of the retinoid, will bring all the gunk relatively quickly to the surface... sometimes this can result in pustules or inflamed pimples due to irritation, which is why most people that start retinoids are also prescribed antibiotics.

So, retinoids do not create the breakouts you get, they just speed up the process that would have happened eventually anyway (think of it as getting 10+ months worth of acne in less than three months). After the "initial breakout" period, your breakouts will be greatly reduced, since the increased cell turnover and exfolation caused by the retinoid will mostly prevent clogged pores and comedones from forming.

You should use a gentle cleanser when using a retinoid... if you can purchase products online, Paula's Choice makes some good moisturizers/ sunscreens/ cleansers. Otherwise, I'd suggest browsing the retinoid logs for some other suggestions. (I use products that I get from my doctor's office.)

Don't give up, and good luck!

This post has been edited by theComfyCat: Sep 7 2009, 10:44 PM

Thank you very much comfycat, I'm gald that there are people like you on these boards to explain and give new hope to these medications, if you wouldn't mind, where would you suggest I purchase these paula products from? have a link? and I'm guessing they wouldn't be in a pharmacy?

This post has been edited by Indoubtibly: Sep 8 2009, 09:51 AM

Last night was the second night of Taz and this time it wasn't so greasy, I didn't know last time that you were only suppost to use a pea sized amount, this time it went on alright was a little bit greasy in the morning but not bad, I moisturized right before I went to bed (about 20 minutes after the Taz App) was kinda dry in some spots but not much, I noticed this morning though after I put on the Benzaclin that I had to keep moisturizing my face kept sucking it up, is this normal with this stuff? I was using Lubriderm this time I like it way better the n Cetaphil

DAY 10

Well it's day 10 of my new regimen and my skin is doing alright, I have been ussing Benzaclin in the am and now skipping every other night and if it's not a Taz night it's a Benz night lol have done the everyt 3 days with Taz 3 times now so I think I'm gonna step it up to every other night now and see how that go's.

My skin has been peeling quite a bit lately, I tried OXY skin exfoliant one night and wow, my skin was balled up all over my face took me awhile to get it all cleared up lol wouldn't suggest it unless your not doing anyhting for the night and maybe once a week if that.

My face is still semi red, I'm sick of this oily issue it's getting a tiny bit worse but maybe it's just everything purging my skin.

not getting so many big breakouts like I use to, so far, my skinreacted the first time I applied the Taz I think and I don't know if I got a instan IB for the past little while already or if it's still to come, kinda worried about that but I guess we'll see what happens, still looking for a good cleanser, I'm using dove soap right now and wouldn't mind something that might not be so harsh to my skin unless this is a good one to use then I'll kepp on keeping on. Will update later and let you guys know how it's going! maybe I'll even snap a photo lol

I posted this in another thread but thought I would throw it up in my actual thread

DAY 14

I'm almost thinking of stopping, I mean has anyone else had there face go from eally oily then with taz (not even everyday yet) Really F****ing oily I mean it's ridiculous my friend asked why I was swaeting bullets and then I told him it was because I was sweating earlier and my face is really oily, ITS DRIVING ME NUTS and then today after I am done having a shower I washed my face with dove soap (in the shower) I come out look at my face and it's peeling like CRAZY I mean probably took me 25- 30 minutes to just TRY and get rid of most of the flakyness, I have jojoba oil but last time I tried that (5 months) My face hated it it was clogging my pores I think, I'm not sure if this stuff is going to do well on me, I mean I seem to have decreased break outs so far but I don't know, almost thinking that natural is the only way to go, a friend told me that last night also, asked why I was taking and using so many things, although he is like 21 and probably coming closer to growing out of it, I'm going nuts with this I can't even go outside into stores I feel like everyone is staring at me!!!!!!

Has any of what I am describing ever happened to others?

This post has been edited by Indoubtibly: Sep 17 2009, 05:51 PM

Well I believe this is Day 18 well 19th I guess sooo...

DAY 19!

Well no really good news, got a few bad breakouts, one right intbetween my damn eyes, so frustrating, I haven't gone out really in the past day, got a nasty on right by my nose to and a couple small spots around my lips, quite frustrating indeed, I'm suppost ot have an interview some time this week also for a new job so I'm hoping that my face clears up a small bit this week before I get any call

Other than that I'm starting to use Taz every second day now, my skin seems to have stopped peeling for now (I guess this is a possible sign of know it's working) but I'm sure it will come again, still pretty oily, lps are very dry for osme odd reason, But all in all still waiting for a clearer day!

To help with the oiliness, you may want to talk to your doctor about the gel form of Taz. It's not oily when it goes on, and it's slightly more drying than the cream, so you might be less oily during the day. It's worked for me.

This may not be a good idea for you just yet, but because I've been using Tazorac for over a year, I'm able to use a washcloth very lightly every morning to remove peeling skin. I just put my cleanser on it and wash with it. I use a new, clean washcloth each day to keep it hygienic. The peeling was a lot worse without this step. (I probably still peel just because I use BHA additionally to Tazorac. You may not still be peeling in a year.)

Ok so

DAY 21

Face is still super oily it's absolutely sick, redness has gotten more severe, buring some with application of moisturizer, think I'm going to back off every second night for a few days, or just not use Benzaclin the morning after or during possibly.

Question:

Now my Question that I would really liked answered is, with Tazorac even if I say waited 3 months (which for the most part I would like to) will my skin be oily always? Cause I'm not sure which I hate more, oily skin looks absolutely disgusting and is hard to get rid of, and also doesn't seem to help in anyway. I'm getting more questions like, you look like your hot, why are you sweating so much, your face is really shiney, are you on drugs, it's kind of ridiculous, I think I may have been better off before.

But I would realy appreciate it if that coudl be answered, also will I have to continue the use of Tazorac even after say 3 - 6 months, I know I'll have to continue for a bit, but I want to know when I can start to see side effects and what not subside, the oily skin is something I must get rid of and red skin, also I hate waiting to apply everything to my face, I'm always getting told I'm worse then a woman getting ready lol (no offence) but I mean for the most part I would be good to go in like 20 - 25 minutes including having a shower if it wasn't for this shit I have to put on my face.

This post has been edited by Indoubtibly: Sep 24 2009, 03:06 AM

If anyone can help answer some questions that would be great thanks

This post has been edited by Indoubtibly: Sep 24 2009, 03:05 AM

If Taz is making you oilier, you might always be oilier. That's been the case for me. Switching to the gel helped when I actually had Taz on my face, but my face stayed oilier in general. Have you tried oil-absorbing papers or sheets?

I use the gel Taz too, I have noticed that my face is a little bit oilier than usual, but not all the time. I usually tend to have oilier skin.

How much of the taz are you using? Just a pea-size? For your skin to be so red and to peel so quickly into it when not applying every night is odd.

One thing that helps with peeling and keeping oils at bay is AHA - like the one Dan sells or Alpha Hydrox. It has moisturizing properties, helps with the peels, but balances the skin out I think. It may be your skin is getting overworked causing more oil. But like Addie said, it just might be your skin. If you had really dry skin, it would make you crazy too!

SPF's help too - with the matte finish they provide, they help with oil.

p.s. drink more water if you don't....I think that helps me more than I realize, when I focus on drinking alot of water on a daily basis!

Good luck!

This post has been edited by dwhaa: Sep 24 2009, 05:23 PM

Thanks, yeah I just use a pea size, I'm thinking it is possible it could have been from the sun my face was so red, but I wasn't out too much.

To be honest I can't even remember if my skin was oily or not before I'm pretty sure it wasn't this bad thats for sure I knew it was a tiny bit oily but ...... yeah.. I also have actual stopped drinking lots of water I don't know why lol but I think I might have to agree, I think it helped me out.

Are you moisturizing at all? You might want to try jojoba oil to help with oiliness (either alone or added to your current moisturizer). As others have said, switching to the gel formula of taz should also help, as should drinking water.

AHA's are a good addition to a retinoid regimen as well, but to avoid extra redness, you should probably only use it about every third day.

Paula's choice products are available from her website (http://www.paulaschoice.com/).

Also, your skin will be much more sensitive to the sun while you use tazorac, so it's important that you use a sunscreen, even if you aren't out for very long. Sunlight will also darken red marks, making them take longer to fade.

Good luck, try not to lose hope!

Thanks comfycat, I am moisturizing but not with Taz, my skin go's like instantly oil with that stuff and not dry at all. I do have Jojoba oil but last time I used it... like Months and months ago, my face didn't seem to like it, I think it made me break out more, seemed like it was plugging my pores up, and to be quite honest it made my skin feel very oily aswell.

I use to drink water like no tomorrow than for osme reason I stopped, but I will start that again definitely.

I've heard that using aha with Taz (retinoids) is bad because of how sensitive your skin becomes from the Taz, or is this to just because of redness and what not?

DAY 25:

Well in about 5 minutes it will be day 26 lol but I'm posting now, missed a day of Taz so I went 3 days and applied, tomorrow will wait a day and then next will go back to every second day til the weekend then I will go to everyday, my skin feels a bit more uneven then it really ever has been, lots of bumps, I'm guessing thats the Taz pushing everything out, I'm hoping my skin doesn't get to much worse, I mean I have been on this for almost a month so I think I should have gone through any IB by now, which seemed to be as soon as I was using it. I don't moisutrize with Taz it doesn't feel at all like I need to.

Thinking of trying the Jojoba oil again but I'm afraid it's gonna break me out, any suggestions on this? Last time (first time) I used it with BP and I do believe that my skin started getting worse, there's no IB for jojoba oil is there? My skin is super oily and I can't take it, you look at me after 20 minutes of applying anything and I have an intense shine going on, I 'm sure everyone wonders whats up with me.

Anyways I'll let you guys know how things go through out the week, Just got a new job and first day was today haven't had a "official" job for over a year now, now we'll see how this go's!