17 replies to this topic

[veejune]

Hello all,
I've been snooping around here for quite a while, actually. But only now have I decided to post. Here's a little history:
I'm fifteen, yes fifteen, maybe younger than most on here? Not sure the age range here.
Had moderate acne since the third grade-grade seven. Yes I hit puberty early. Oh well!
Grade 7-11, deep, annoying, unbearable acne.
Tried everything from Retin-A to natural remedies to antibiotics and birth control.
Can't say I gained anything from that other than less money and icepick scars and early poc marks.
GREAT.
So, after pre-booking my dermatologist 6 months in advance I finally started accutane. Five people in my family have already gone through treatment, and I'm not excited. Well I'm excited for the after-effects.
I'm very self-conscious and, like many girls my age with acne, wear foundation to feel OK. Which I really don't like doing. So I've started the mission. Though I'm a little scared to see what happens as I DO have a boyfriend, and if I have the IB in the next little bit, I'm going to be very... stressed.

So, here goes.

WEEK ONE (NOV 29-NOV 6)

Start pills at 40 mg a day, derm said it would "not flare up your skin", but I doubt that for some reason. I'm not in a good mood this week for some reason and not very optimistic because I'm just getting into it. I already have tons of new deep and surface spots which I'm not appreciating, along with scabbing. After about three days of being on this stuff I started to feel the effects, my joints KILL. SO badly. HOLY. No amount of lip gloss or water keeps me hydrated and my eyelids or flaking? Weird. Starting to doubt my time lasting on this, but I'm going to try and not touch my face. I started to get alot of whiteheads, like... 10 each day. Which is unusual, as I don't usually get whiteheads, just deep angry annoyances. Anyways, SO I've been crying alot. Which I still don't know if it's good for me or bad. But I have been emotional, even on only 40 mg. Hmm. Now it's the 4th of December and my skin is getting flaky and oily at the same time. I've never really had really dry or really oily skin, though, just normal, with problems. I'm starting to see all the little bumps (like 60) on my cheeks that are normally invisible unless you put pressure on the skin, come into a more like... elevated state, I'm NOT excited for this at ALL. If these are all going ot break out then wow, I'm screwed. Good luck, me. Oh boy.

[Kermit]

I will be completly honest with you.. you MAY get a flare up..

All you need to look at and think about though is the end of the road.. when you've taken your final pill and what improvements there are. Thats whats most important.

its going to be tough for a few months but it will be worth it in the end !

[flowerburn]

All you need to look at and think about though is the end of the road.. when you've taken your final pill and what improvements there are. Thats whats most important.

I agree with Kermit, you just have to look forward to a time when you don't have to worry about your acne.
Also, your derm telling you you won't have a flare up.. that's not right.. people react differently, you may or may not have an initial breakout. You just have to look forward to being clear skinned and confident.

Best wishes!

[HyperSniper]

Hope it works well for you!

[veejune]

I must say, today I feel alot like I'm just extremely tired, (eyes hurt) (yawning) etc... EXCEPT I forgot a water bottle AND lip chap today at school. And couldn't get ahold of anything good to replace it with. And yes I will be looking up and will be optimistic and NOT touch my skin. I think one of my biggest problems is that I touch my skin and pick (stressed out), if I didn't I'm sure I could cover everything with makeup and the first little hwile will be easier. I have a few simple whiteheads popping up at random spots, but I honestly don't mind those, I mena... they're not that bad compared to some things. I have a LARGE cystic on the very corner of my jawline that popped up about... a couple days ago that's still there, I'm being good and not touching it. Proud of myself. and I have two infected scabbies (blah) on my left cheek that I'm not touching either! Yayy, hopefull by tommorow or the next day they'll be improved. My breath seems to be getting worse? odd.

[veejune]

WEEK TWO

Here I go, just popped the 8th pill. So far I haven't really noticed anything BUT the dryness, chapped lips and headaches. So all side effects so far and no gain YET. We'll see. I'll keep drinking water in the mean time.

[veejune]

WEEK THREE

Well I'm four days into week three, and I believe I had my IB between now and last week. I do have visible bumps on my cheeks , but I know they're just clogged pores and will either turn into a zit or just go away. I have a persistent amount of random breakouts on my face. I hope in two weeks my skin will start to go steady and clearer so that I can enjoy christmas.

[veejune]

attatched are two pictures of my skin at about one month. during IB

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[BJ'sGuRL]

Heya! im on 40mg aswel, good luck to you

[veejune]

I learnt the hard way that... well. I can't pick at my skin like I used to, the top layer of my skin seems... raw and gone. :S

[veejune]

my dosage has gotten highered to 40 mg on odd days 80 mg on even.
I also doubled my vitamin e

[tigerlily86]

My dosage is 80mg every day but I'm going to go between 40 and 80 like you for a bit so my skin can adjust...our acne also looks similar, and I'm sorry you had to start going through all this at such a young age, I feel ya there but best of luck on the tane journey!

[veejune]

My dosage is 80mg every day but I'm going to go between 40 and 80 like you for a bit so my skin can adjust...our acne also looks similar, and I'm sorry you had to start going through all this at such a young age, I feel ya there but best of luck on the tane journey!

thank you thank you!!
good luck

[veejune]

Ok, so tommorow I tkae the double dosage, we'll see how that goes.
my skin has been improving ever since I have just been taking showers, slathing a load of cream on, and by that I mean like.. so much that you can still see the white on my chin/nose. Eventhough I apply cream like 3 times a day I'm starting to peel around my nose and ears. washing my hair is no longer a need at all it's so dry, especially since I dye it. I apply polysporin and vaselin and cream onthe spots where I have picked at that are now scabs, this seems to be working to keep the area moisturized and the scab to loosen up and heal faster. I'm staying at home for another 2 days/ not going out/ not wearing any makeup etc...just reading a book and getting my skin and cold better so that I can start to enjoy my break from school

[veejune]

MY FACE HURTS SOOOO MUCH, I don't know what day it is but I'm about a month and ten days in...
my skin was great a couple days ago, but now it's flaring up and I'm picking at it. it's mostly appearing on my cheeks and jawline, which I rarely have pimples on. My back's killing me, my lips are fun to pick at and I'm bieng really angry at most people. red red red everywhere. I' just going to try and leave it be for another day and then I have school to get back to, too bad my skin sucks and now I have to start school up again, NOT really what I'm looking forward to. Guh. I want this to get better!! it's now taking its toll on me emotionally a lot more

[veejune]

So, So, I am starting month three soon, actually in about 2 days. Pretty happy I've got this far, although my skin's a mess, probably the worst it's ever been. I've definitly had an IB. probably two. my derm was very supporting though, talked to me for about 10 minutes on how I just have to hold on and remember that it'll all be great once summer comes around! It's really nothng I can't hide with coverup, I'm pretty used to putting it on the right way and I know my skin quite well, though the redness and dryness is a bit of a problem. I am SOOO excited for summer! Just to wear less makeup and go SWIMMING. oh boy. She gave me a topical anti-inflammitory cream to go with it, clindasol I think it is called. I've used it for about a week now and don't know if it's helping. I have about 6 deep cysts on my jawline, some as wide as a penny scarily enough. I've learnt now for myself that once you pick at your skin, it IS red there for quite some time. My hair is substantially dryer and I went almost a week without washing it and it still looked and felt like a new wash. wacky. I'm so used to having to wash and straighten my hair every day. the majority of my problems are on the bottom half of my face, I've only gotten one zit on my forehead over the past 5 months, whicfh is actually pretty typical. Now I suppose from wearing blush and such my cheeks are my biggest problem area. all the bumps from month onne are exploding now. it's nuts. but I'm on my way.

[veejune]

oh yeah, those pictures up there... I actually wish that's what my skin looks like now. it's about 5 times worse, I'll update it soon.

[veejune]

this is a comparison....
the left is my skin at the beginning and the right is my skin after 3 months. just starting month 4 at 80 mg.
not much difference. sorry abotu the different lighting.

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