2 replies to this topic

[buffalowings]

Hey, everyone. These boards have been really helpful to me in the past when I first started to treat my acne, and hopefully, theyll continue to be insightful and encouraging as a I go through my first (and hopefully last) couse of Accutane.

So, lets go over some previous treatments:
Retin-A: I never saw significant improvement in my acne, and my skin became very oily. It did however eliminate blackheads.
Anti-Candida Regemin: I saw some steady imporvement, but it took too much effort IMO.
Anti-Biotics: I had the best resilts with this. I was on Dynacin (Minocycline) for about 6 months, and I never broke out while I was on it. However, it is not a permanent treatement because I became immune to the antibiotic, and I began breaking out again.
Liver Flushing: I'm not sure if it was because of a synergistic effect or if it was just because of other things I was doing, but I did see improvement after the second liver flush. Still, I can see how these can be beneficial for the overall health of the body.
OTC Products - i.e. BP, SA, TTO, QHMJM, etc.: I would call all of them effective treatments, but none of them have had the ability to control or prevent breakouts.
Synthetic Brush Exfoliation: This worked great at first, but about a month ago, I began to break out again.

Now for a short biography:
Hey, I'm an 18-year-old male college student in New York. I've had acne for maybe six or seven years, and I've tried quite a few treatments without significant or lasting effects (see above). I've gone to three dermatologists, and the third was the only one to even mention Accutane. I was reluctant to try Accutane because there are so many side effects. However, it seemed necessary to get my acne under control as soon as possible because my skin was beginning to leave scars. Most of the scars look like enlarged pores, but some are quite noticeable, IMO.

Introducing... Accutane!:
I was still apprehensive about Accutane, so I decided to start my couse on a low dose and then graduate to a higher dose if it was necessary. So, I've been on 40mg for a month, and I'm still breaking out. I attributed this breakout to the initial breakout you get whenever you stop one treatment and start another, but my dermatologist reccommended that I increase the dosage I was taking. So, now I have a prescription for another 20mg of Accutane.

And this is what I've noticed over the last month:
-- My face is dry, my lips are dry, my throat is dry! I play a wind instrument, and when I'm practicing, I'll have to stop throughout my playing because my throat is so dry. To combat that, as well as the dryness all over, I've started to drink more water. I've also started using Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, and Aquaphor Lip Balm -- both of which are excellent!!
-- It's really annoying having to use a screwdriver/pen/knife/etc. to penetrate through the paper layer and foil layer to get to my capsules.
-- The K.I.S.S. rule definitely applies. For all those who aren't familiar with this rule, K.I.S.S. stands for 'Keep It Simple, Stupid.' I've found that washing my face with a gentle, non-medicated cleanser (Purpose Soap) for no more than half a minute is really helping. And, I've also stopped using Synthetic Brush Exfoliation.

++ However, one thing that I can't figure out is how to deal with the ordeal that shaving has become. The type of breakouts that I get now are different, and do NOT like to be touched by a razor blade. (They're those weird, stubborn, un-poppable things.) Also, my skin takes an extra day or two to get 'back to normal' (does that make sense?). I always end up with little bumps (they look like what would happen if acne and razor bumps had babies). I'm using Neutrogena's Post Shave Moisturizor with some success, but it could still be a little better. Any guys out there have any experience with Accutane + Shaving?

Thanks for taking the time to read/reply!!

[Zippo]

lol I know those blister packs can be a bitch to open sometimes.

Just wanted to wish you good luck with your accutane adventure.

[buffalowings]

hey, so there was some misinformation in the last post. i was on 20 mg for the first month, and now im on 40 mg (2 capsules a day). But, I guess my skin is getting bored with Accutane, because I'm still breaking out a bit, but my skin is not dry at all. The break outs are much less harsh tho. Theyre no longer those big red lumps under the skin, but superficial small white heads.
i think ive also solved my shaving problem. my dermotologist prescribed me clindagel (1% clindamycin solution) and its working great! it used to take days for my skin back to normal after shaving. now, ill shave at night, put on clindamycin, and wake up to less irritated, not broken out skin. i really like it.
and although my face isnt as dry as before, my lips and the rest of my body is much drier. im using more aquaphor on my lips and cocoa butter on my body.

so i started my course in late october right? and its now early december. so lets call that a month and a half. ok, so my skin is definitely clearer than when i started, but im starting to really notice the effects that come along with being on accutane. the most annoying side effect has got to be that my cuts take forever to heal. i had a little nick on my finger and its still red after a week. but so far, no joint pain and no depression (i mean, non-finals related depression).

thanks for reading. ill update soon.