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[sassy561]

Hello all!

Skin History: Acne since puberty. Mild with the occasional isolated cyst that would hang around forever. Near the end of high school, I discovered Proactiv, and it really kept things under control for many years. About a year and a half ago, I went to see the dermatologist about improving the overall texture and color of my skin. She told me to ditch the ProActiv and put me on two topicals (Finacea in the am, RAM in the pm)

Well HOLY CRAP, my face started purging like crazy. Sadly, it hasn't been the same since. I tried to go back to using ProActiv again, but I didn't get results this time.

In December of LAST year, I asked for Accutane and got it. I took it for 2 weeks and chickened out. My skin wasn't looking all that bad by the time I started taking it. Thought perhaps my bad breakout was just a fluke.

Well the acne kept creeping up, and I decided to try the antibiotic route. I have been on Doxycycline for the past year and have had a clear month here and there, but nothing consistent. In Sept, my derm wanted me to try to incorporate a retinoid, Differin. Purging, purging, and more purging. I was 10 wks in an no sign of improvement. Needless to say my skin looks like crap and Accutane, here I come!.

I took my first pregancy test and will not be able to get my scrip until the end of December. So guess what?

~I AM CHEATING~
I still have sixteen 40mg pills leftover from the pack I never finished when I quit last year.

Sooooo I decided to take one 40mg pill every *other* day, which will get me to my official start date. Before I get a lecture, I know for a fact that I'm not pregnant (that would be the immaculate conception)

There is nothing worse than finally committing to a 5 month course of Accutane, and then being told you have to wait 30 days to start.

I'm actually interested to see if my method will help me ease into the side effects at all, or perhaps the IB.

I will not update too much this month, unless there is something worth mentioning. (I'm not expecting much)

By the way , I have taken 3 pills so far!

My official start date will be 12/29, I believe - 1st month @ 40mg, remaining months @ 60mg

[sassy561]

MONTH 1 - WEEK 1 (40 mg every other day)

Well I was excited because my pre-accutane breakout was starting to dry up, but I woke up this morning with a new cyst brewing, right in my laugh line.

Probably not related to an Initial Breakout just yet. The way things have been going with my skin the past few months, it might be hard to tell what a flare-up IS.

In any event, any new cyst that I get is pretty devastating to me - my cysts never come to a head, they linger forever, and I usually opt for injection.

I am doing warm compresses now. I'm interested to see if Accutane will speed up it's life cycle. If no improvement, I'll get in injected on Monday.

Side effects: Nope, still oily, lips are a bit dry.

My lips are always pretty dry, actually! While the rest of my body is pretty damn oily! I don't live in a cold/dry climate either. Anyone else like that? Oily skin/hair but dry lips, naturally?