144 replies to this topic

[didi78]

Week 13:

Still suffering through the one cyst I got last week. It really depresses me because i feel like I'm back at square one, after suffering through a bad cystic-initial breakout that left numerous scars. I'm back where I used to be, but worse because of the scars.

I'm going to give it another month before I try something else.

[merf]

Week 13:

Still suffering through the one cyst I got last week. It really depresses me because i feel like I'm back at square one, after suffering through a bad cystic-initial breakout that left numerous scars. I'm back where I used to be, but worse because of the scars.

I'm going to give it another month before I try something else.

You used to get a lot of cysts, right? And now you hardly ever get any, but you do have one? If you hardly ever get any, it sounds like the drugs are working and that your pores are a lot healthier and smaller. Did you used to get a lot of cysts on your chin? If so, maybe it is just taking longer to stop getting them there since the pores were probably very stretched out and damaged.

[didi78]

Hi Merf! Great hearing from you again. To answer your question..yes and no. Before I started my regimen, I used to get about 1 large cyst a month, on my ovulation week. After I started my regimen, I got about 5 cysts during the 4th week (initial breakout), and since then i haven't had any cysts until last week. So that's why I feel like I'm back to square one. Because this is where I was before i started.

The one that I have now is pretty typical to most of my cysts, so it's pretty big, purple, and is not even close to going away and I've had it for over a week now.

I only hope my pores are smaller now, but after getting this cyst, it seems that they are still capable of getting stretched out.

[didi78]

Almost Week 14:

Well, it's been a stormy week. The large cyst I got last week is still quite large, it may have shrunk by 25%, but still mostly there, and it's pretty dark purple. I also have a cluster of inflammed pimples, larger than usual, on my chin, that have become whiteheads. Some of them have fallen off but left hyperpigmentation. IS THIS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AFTER MORE THAN 3 MONTHS OF DIFFERIN?!

[didi78]

Week 15:

My cyst is still there, but after ripening for 2 weeks, it sorta burst open the other day when I was washing my face and oozed out yellow pus and dark blood. I very very very gently pushed it with a q-tip and let it drain out. Now, there's a big piece of dead skin on the surface, which may fall off soon. I hope there's healthy, unscarred skin under that, but who am I kidding. I think I'm sounding bitter.

I am still getting a few pimples here and there, which is making me feel less and less hopeful. I have a pretty large inflammed pimple on my left cheek right now, which is rather unusual. I just hope to have unblemished skin by my wedding, which is in September. Going to give differin another two weeks, and will see if my skin gets better. I'm scared that i'll get another cyst in two weeks though.

[didi78]

So I'm trying something new. I'm using differin at night without moisturizer. I suspect that I am inadvertently diluting the differin so that it's not as potent. I've been doing this for two nights now, and so far, no side effects (not even a little peeling), so I think my skin will probably be able to tolerate this pretty well given I have used differin for over 3 months now. I have noticed that the little pimples I get dry out a lot faster. I had one on the tip of my nose that would normally stay for 2-3 days, but it almost went away overnight with the undiluted differin application. Hope?

After the cyst on my chin oozed, it is now flat but it is bright red and crusty. It looks like an open wound now. Not sure what happened to it. So I'm going to put neurosporin and desitin on it for a few nights.

[didi78]

Almost Week 16

So almost 4 months on differin and still not sure what to think. So I've been using it at night WITHOUT moisturizer for the past week or so now, with no peeling or other side effects, and I think it's just what my skin needed. I think my skin needed it to be stronger. My skin looks clearer overall (in terms of pore size and smoothness), but I still have that healing cyst on my chin, and that weird large bump (I guess it's a cyst) on my cheek that's not going away. And some smaller red bumps on my chin. This week is also ovulation week, so I'll be taking some Aleve. Hopefully that's prevent another cyst. I just hope that the "stronger" differin will help.

I don't think I can stop now. Even though I told myself a month ago that I'll give it another month. I can totally see this going on and on and on.

[didi78]

Past Week 16:

Another cyst on ovulation day. The previous cyst left an indented scar. And the one on my cheek is still there. I am so sad. Zinc and Aleve aren't working anymore.

[merf]

Past Week 16:

Another cyst on ovulation day. The previous cyst left an indented scar. And the one on my cheek is still there. I am so sad. Zinc and Aleve aren't working anymore.

Okay. Update me. What's your regimen now? Are you on Doryx? I know you are on Differin. What about BP? What do you use to cleanse and all that, blah blah... Fill in the blanks. My regimen is working, and I think our situations are very similar. So, how are we different?

[Irin99]

Hey didi, I'm on roughly week 17 of retin a micro and am getting VERY discouraged. After this long, shouldn't this crap be working by now?

[didi78]

Hey didi, I'm on roughly week 17 of retin a micro and am getting VERY discouraged. After this long, shouldn't this crap be working by now?

EXACTLY right?! You think about 4 or 5 months these things should be working!

But I have better news today than the last time I posted. I added MAMA lotion to my regimen (Malic and Mandelic Acid) and it has helped! I've been alternating every other night with differin, and though I had a slight purging effect, most of the pimples I got came up as little black heads that picked up very easily (and left no hyperpigmentation). In a week's time, it was significantly lightened my previous old hyperpigmentation, and even my fiance noticed that it has significantly lightened this old red scar on the side of my nose (that is usually very noticeable) that I've had for 2 years. I thought it was all in my mind because i noticed that I don't need as much concealer as I usually need to cover up that scar, but even he noticed! He said, "Whoa, it looks a lot less red."

Also, with MAMA lotion, the cysts I got have dried up and peeled off (on their own without need for manipulation) much quicker than usual, and though there is hyperpigmentation, I think the lotion is helping with that also.

I also started taking 100 mg of DIM (Nature's Way DIM-Plus) everyday for a week now....don't know if that's helping yet. I'll see if i get any new cysts during my ovulation week, which is in 2 weeks.

I'll continue to update and may post pictures later on. So far MAMA is awesome for hyperpigmentation, but i don't want to speak too soon.


Oh, I think it's almost Week 19 for me! Almost 5 months on Differin.

[didi78]

Almost Week 20:

Mama Lotion is working WONDERS for my hyperpigmentation. I took some pictures before adding Mama to my regimen, and what a difference in less than 2 weeks! I still have hyperpigmentation scars from my newer cysts, but my old scars have lightened significantly. I'll post pictures in another week or two.

I am still alternating Mama with Differin. I am also taking 100 mg of DIM daily.

My ovulation week is next week...we'll see if I get any cysts.

[Irin99]

Almost Week 20:

Mama Lotion is working WONDERS for my hyperpigmentation. I took some pictures before adding Mama to my regimen, and what a difference in less than 2 weeks! I still have hyperpigmentation scars from my newer cysts, but my old scars have lightened significantly. I'll post pictures in another week or two.

I am still alternating Mama with Differin. I am also taking 100 mg of DIM daily.

My ovulation week is next week...we'll see if I get any cysts.

Hey didi, seems like things are going pretty good. So you like the mama lotion? It sounds like you are alternating nights between mama and differin. Makes me a little nervous but keep me updated and maybe i'll look into it!

[didi78]

[/quote]

Hey didi, seems like things are going pretty good. So you like the mama lotion? It sounds like you are alternating nights between mama and differin. Makes me a little nervous but keep me updated and maybe i'll look into it!
[/quote]

Hi Irin! I was pretty nervous before starting MAMA as well, but I took the leap because I was getting really depressed and discouraged by my scars and lack of improvement in Differin. And I'm glad I did!

Just to let you know, this is my current regimen.
AM
1. Wash with Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Throughly Clean Face Wash.
2. Put 100% tea tree oil on with a q-tip.
3. I may or may not spot treat with MAMA on my hyperpigmentation scars or active pimples, depending on how my skin condition is (whether or not there is peeling, etc.).
4. Moisturize with Complex-10.
5. Sunblock (Shiseido SPF 50++)

PM
1. Take 100 mg of DIM after dinner.
2. Wash with Desert Essence
3. EITHER Differin OR MAMA lotion all over (do not moisturize).

So far, my scars have lightened significantly and the number of active small pimples have also gone done. The ultimate test is my ovulation week, which is next week.

[didi78]

Week 21:
My skin is starting to look nice, and I attribute it to the MAMA lotion. My scars have definitely lightened. I just have 4 darker ones from cysts that are more stubborn. Otherwise, all of my smaller ones are very light now and I can almost go without makeup on those. But i have to put on makeup to cover up the darker ones. I am definitely using much less makeup than before, and feel comfortable walking around without it!

This is my ovulation week though...I'll be ovulating tomorrow (I keep track on mymonthlycycles.com) and I have been taking Aleve since 2 days ago. I REALLY HOPE I don't get cysts! At least I'll know if DIM is working for me or not.

[didi78]

Week 22:

NO CYSTS!!!!!!!!!

Made it through ovulation week! Don't know if it's the mama lotion or the DIM, but whatever it is, I didn't get any cysts last week! YAY!!!

[didi78]

It's time to post of pictures.

The first picture was taken on May 19th, 2008, on the day I started using MAMA Lotion. I used it every other night, alternating with Differin, and sometimes spot treated during the day on the days after I used Differin the night before.



The second picture we taken today, June 16th, 2008, almost 1 full month after starting MAMA. My cysts are gone, most of my hyperpigmentation (caused by cysts and smaller pimples) have lightened significantly, and my chin is now much more even toned. I use much less makeup now! I LOVE MAMA for hyperpigmentation!

[Irin99]

It's time to post of pictures.

The first picture was taken on May 19th, 2008, on the day I started using MAMA Lotion. I used it every other night, alternating with Differin, and sometimes spot treated during the day on the days after I used Differin the night before.

The second picture we taken today, June 16th, 2008, almost 1 full month after starting MAMA. My cysts are gone, most of my hyperpigmentation (caused by cysts and smaller pimples) have lightened significantly, and my chin is now much more even toned. I use much less makeup now! I LOVE MAMA for hyperpigmentation!

Thanks for posting didi. I actually bought some MAMA lotion on Friday and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I'll keep my log updated on my progress but I'll follow your strategy and apply every other night alternating with RAM.

[ben100604]

Good to hear you're having some progress.

[didi78]

Hi Irin! Glad to hear you got some MAMA. I don't think my retinoid started really working for me until I introduced MAMA into my regimen. So I really hope it works for you too! We've been both using retinoids for way too long without seeing results.

Hi Ben! Thank you for posting in my log! It's been a long time since we last had contact, and I'm finally seeing results! Yay!

I woke up to clearer skin (again). I'll post new pictures in another week to see if things continue to improve.