19 replies to this topic

[Jack O'Neil]

Greetings. I was hesitant to share my story here but after reading some other ones I've been inspired. So I guess I'll start from the beginning.. I've had acne since gee well grade 10? Severe to mild as of right now. I've been on basically everything my derm could prescribe (okay maybe not everything) ranging from retinoids to accutane (though unfortunately I never completed my full course). Needless to say acne has been a problem in my life. As of two weeks ago I was put on doxycycline, differin 1% and clindamycin phosphate 1% w/ spf 15, along with phisohex face wash (most of which I'd used before sans doxy). Also I've been using neutrogena oil free moisturizer. The first few days were good, steady improvement. I went from a papule covered forehead to an almost clear one. Now I've been getting the occasional tiny white head that I usually scratch away (I know I shouldn't but my willpower is weak heh) and they disappear in a few days. As of recently though my forehead has been giving me trouble. Small red spots return accompanied by a few white heads. Also since I've started doxy I've found my forehead getting small itchy red patches more frequently, especially in the morning. So today I decided to stop using phisohex, clindamycin and neutrogena moisturizer in exchange for spectrojel cleanser and moisturizer. I'm hoping it stop my forehead from being so irritable. Also I'm crossing my fingers it's not the doxycycline that's making my forehead like this but I know it may be a possibility so I'm faced with a tough choice if my current routine does not work out, quit doxy or keep going until I see good results once again (which from what I've read is around the two, three month mark). Oh I thought I'd mention I've puked a few times from doxy.. I find it happens when I don't eat yogurt and right after I swallow a multi vitamin (not always), who would have thought?

Hope you enjoyed my wall of text.. more to come soon
ps sorry for the bad grammar, I'm too lazy to edit! :]

edit: I thought it would be important to mention that I am 20 years old

Edited by Jack O'Neil, 25 November 2010 - 12:44 PM.

[Jack O'Neil]

Also I thought I'd mention I haven't been working out lately (although at 6' 155lbs I think my body will forgive me) but I've been eating healthy (last week I went on a bit of a binge and started drinking coffee again, I really can't tell if it affects my complexion at all.. wish I knew for sure!)

[Jack O'Neil]

Returning a little shy of a week I come to inform the internet of my progress. So far I've seen almost zero improvement around my face but my forehead has gotten quite a bit better (still a little bumpy and one troublesome papule. I've been sticking to the spectro cleanser and moisturizer and differin at night. My face has been a little red but it's been like that for a long time. The red spots on my nose disappeared literally overnight to the power of some left over retin-a .04%. I've got a movember beard going on so I've got some kind of acne going on under that always appears when I grow my beard longer than a week (I usually shampoo and wash that shit too) but it usually goes away a day after I shave so I'm not too worried. I'm pretty pleased with my complexion overall though. I'm slowly coming to a realization that my face will never be perfect (unfortunately!) and it's really not good to obsess over it. Although I'd be lying if I say the first thing I checked in the morning was my complexion. Also a little personal info, I've got a second date today with a girl I would have considered way out of my league a month ago. If I could attribute it to anything I would say it would be the confidence more than the minor improvements to my complexion. Back to the matter at hand I'm still taking doxy 100mg once a day along with some probiotic supplements (I've yet to feel too awful in the morning since starting these). I'm hopeful that the following weeks I will see continuing improvement. Anyways I hope my continuing story (however illegible it is) helps someone in some way and will have made this log worth it. Thanks for reading.

Edit: I just checked I started doxy on oct 27th so that would put me near the start end of my 3rd week.

Edited by Jack O'Neil, 25 November 2010 - 01:00 PM.

[djh123]

well how'd that date go? are you gonna see her again?

they say accutane is a last resort...............so you use to be on it and it didn't work and now you're on something else? why'd you stop accutane?

[Jack O'Neil]

well how'd that date go? are you gonna see her again?

they say accutane is a last resort...............so you use to be on it and it didn't work and now you're on something else? why'd you stop accutane?

It went good, and I think I will be seeing her again later this week

Accutane is a last resort. Back in grade ten-ish I had severe acne so that really was my only option. I stopped two months in due to having a pill get stuck in my throat and being unable to swallow pills for a long while (it was more of a mental thing, weird I know) so I couldn't continue. Thankfully my acne wasn't severe anymore and the accutane had helped quite a bit (although if I had stayed on my full course it may have cleared my skin entirely and kept it that way.. I'll never know though ). Accutane was a good choice for my back then and thankfully I didn't damage my body too much. At this point in my life I'd have no use for it.

A quick update on my progress with doxy, I missed my doses last thurs and last night but my skin is still doing fine. Altought I just shaved off my movember beard and had some acne on my jaw/lower cheeks but it seems to be clearing quickly.

I'll probably return for an update on friday or something. Au revoir mes amis.

Edit: God damn forehead papules have returned! These have to be the most persistent form of acne known to man, or perhaps just me. heh

Edited by Jack O'Neil, 30 November 2010 - 10:59 AM.

[Jack O'Neil]

Returning for another update. My face once again remains quite clear other than some red blemish's. My forehead on the otherhand is not. The midde right side is covered in what I think are papules and possibly a large white head. I decided to attempt to remedy the situation with clindamycin and phisohex today but unfortunately the periodical large red areas have returned. I hope I'm not making it worse heh. I tend to try new things in moments of frustration but acne is one of those things that you won't know it's working till weeks later (and even then you're only guessing). Tomorrow I plan to just use phisohex and not the clindamycin. Other than that all is quiet on the western front. Until next time.

Edited by Jack O'Neil, 03 December 2010 - 01:20 AM.

[Jack O'Neil]

Back once again. Due to the lack of responses here I'm going to keep this update short. My complexion is very clear right now (even my forehead.. by it's own standards). I would even say overall it's the clearest it's ever been since I was a kid. I'm currently sick and I don't think the doxy is helping that (possibly). My current regimen is still the same.. spectro jel cleanser/moisturizer morning and night.. differin 0.1 at night and exfoliation once a week. Overall I'm quite happy with the results of doxy and I hope I'll stay that way.

[desperatelyseekingclearing]

I have been following your post. I am also taking doxycycline and I am going into my 3rd week. My skin has been okay, but just recently I had another breakout on my temples and a have a whitehead on my cheek. I'm thought the doxy was doing wonders because I was really clear for about a week. So now I am discouraged again, but I'm going to keep taking them and see how my next week goes. On the plus side, my acne does clear up a lot quicker than it use to so that gives me a little hope.

[Jack O'Neil]

I have been following your post. I am also taking doxycycline and I am going into my 3rd week. My skin has been okay, but just recently I had another breakout on my temples and a have a whitehead on my cheek. I'm thought the doxy was doing wonders because I was really clear for about a week. So now I am discouraged again, but I'm going to keep taking them and see how my next week goes. On the plus side, my acne does clear up a lot quicker than it use to so that gives me a little hope.

Hey thank you for the response! I just checked out your log. As you may have read I had initial clearing the first week then a bad breakout on my second week. I still get quite a bit of papules on my forehead. I think your complexion will only improve in the following weeks. My fingers are crossed!

It's late so I'll update my progress on my complexion tomorrow or monday..

[legato]

I have been following your post. I am also taking doxycycline and I am going into my 3rd week. My skin has been okay, but just recently I had another breakout on my temples and a have a whitehead on my cheek. I'm thought the doxy was doing wonders because I was really clear for about a week. So now I am discouraged again, but I'm going to keep taking them and see how my next week goes. On the plus side, my acne does clear up a lot quicker than it use to so that gives me a little hope.

Hey thank you for the response! I just checked out your log. As you may have read I had initial clearing the first week then a bad breakout on my second week. I still get quite a bit of papules on my forehead. I think your complexion will only improve in the following weeks. My fingers are crossed!

It's late so I'll update my progress on my complexion tomorrow or monday..

weird, i'm on doxy 100mg as well as differin 0.1 gel and i had this exact same thing: the first week / 1.5 week no new acne formed. i'm going into my 3d week now and i got a new breakout.
i too have noticed that the lifespan of new acne may be a little shorter, but maybe thats just wishful thinking. keep updating your log!

[Jack O'Neil]

weird, i'm on doxy 100mg as well as differin 0.1 gel and i had this exact same thing: the first week / 1.5 week no new acne formed. i'm going into my 3d week now and i got a new breakout.
i too have noticed that the lifespan of new acne may be a little shorter, but maybe thats just wishful thinking. keep updating your log!

Hey thanks for stopping by! I too have noticed acne clearing a lot quicker.

Anyways here's my monday update as promised:
My forehead was pretty clear last week but unfortunately has taken a turn for the worse. It's covered in little red spots and a few white heads. Although they seem to disappear quickly new ones seem to form just as fast. As I'm experiencing so far it's a bit of a rollercoaster. I'm not sure why my forehead is such a problem area as the rest of my face is literally acne free right now (which I am quite thankful for). My diet has been lackluster as of late but I know it can't be the only thing causing my troubles. I'm still drinking lots of water, making sure my pillow covers are clean, keeping my hair off my forehead and keeping up with my routine every day.

The red/itchyness I get on my forehead still puzzles me. Right now I don't think anything in my routine is causing it to become annoyed. In the past with my original routine from my derm spots would go red on their own. Thankfully with my adjustments right now it usually stays clear (as previously mentioned) on its own. Unfortunately it still gets red and itchy (perhaps best described as a minor rash that's more unsightly than uncomfortable) whenever I get hot doing any sort of physical activity. It's rather embarrassing and usually takes anywhere from 20-40mins to go away. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Perhaps on the same or even another part of their face? I'd really like to hear if so. I'm almost positive it's the doxy doing this but I don't want to stop doxy unless I know for sure due how well the rest of my face is doing.

Anyways thanks for reading I'll be back next week.

[legato]

i dont have an answer to your rash-problem, but .. offtopic.. concerning keeping a log.. i think it could be very helpful for noticing improvements. on the other hand it kinda focusses on the acne quite a bit. i found that 'avoiding' the close mirror-inspection of my acne generally makes me feel better and better able to ignore it. therefore creating a less stressful situation.
i would think keeping a log confronts you with the problem almost constantly, which can be difficult on an emotional level. any thoughts on that?

[Jack O'Neil]

i dont have an answer to your rash-problem, but .. offtopic.. concerning keeping a log.. i think it could be very helpful for noticing improvements. on the other hand it kinda focusses on the acne quite a bit. i found that 'avoiding' the close mirror-inspection of my acne generally makes me feel better and better able to ignore it. therefore creating a less stressful situation.
i would think keeping a log confronts you with the problem almost constantly, which can be difficult on an emotional level. any thoughts on that?

Keeping a log is a nice way to talk about my problem anonymously. Also it's helped me keep track of my rountine and progress. I also enjoy reading others input. I definitely know what you mean about the close up mirror inspection! I find it hard to resist the self indulging torture. Especially when you're around a lot of mirrors it's hard to get it off your mind. When I find myself constantly thinking about how bad my complexion is it really inhibits me from wanting to be social/productive. I find this log beneficial in a way, it makes me confront my problems superficially and emotionally and be more aware of them.

[legato]

thats a nice answer. i was asking, because i used to keep a diary that was mostly acne-inspired if you know what i mean. i slacked on it for a few years, which is probably a sign that my acne was under control and/or didn't affect me much. but i can't deny i've also been thinking that not-writing/focussing on it so much actually contributed to me clearing up. it's kind of a chicken/egg thing.

but i'm aware making cross-relations and sporting cause-and-effect-theories is inherent to dealing with acne, and this whole forum community is partially based on it. (but i can definitely see how the community is helpful though!)

then again, slacking on posting here, or forgetting to update a log, is almost always a good sign i guess. : )

Edited by legato, 22 December 2010 - 06:38 AM.

[Jack O'Neil]

thats a nice answer. i was asking, because i used to keep a diary that was mostly acne-inspired if you know what i mean. i slacked on it for a few years, which is probably a sign that my acne was under control and/or didn't affect me much. but i can't deny i've also been thinking that not-writing/focussing on it so much actually contributed to me clearing up. it's kind of a chicken/egg thing.

but i'm aware making cross-relations and sporting cause-and-effect-theories is inherent to dealing with acne, and this whole forum community is partially based on it. (but i can definitely see how the community is helpful though!)

then again, slacking on posting here, or forgetting to update a log, is almost always a good sign i guess. : )

I think the worst thing for me (and the most depressing) is feeling helpless when it comes to my complexion. I find the cause and effect theories help but in the big scheme of things I really feel like nothing I do will ever clear me up fully.

Anyways now for my update:
Heading into my second month of doxy I've noticed a stead decline in my complexion. For the past two weeks my forehead has been absolutely awful and I've been getting acne around my face where there was previously none. My routine is the same and it really makes me wonder if the doxy is worth it.. I really can't stand to see my complexion get worse when it was so good just a few weeks ago. I have absolutely no idea what causes me to break out. I'm thinking I might be allergic to something. I'm really tired of guessing at this point so I'm going to continue with doxy until the 3 month point and ween myself off it whether my complexion clears up or not. Overall I'm pretty frustrated but I try not to let it affect my daily life. Although my complexion has cleared a little in the past few days I don't think it'll be returning to what it was like a few weeks ago for a while. I was considering washing my face with only jojoba oil, it seems like an interesting approach. Until next time.

[legato]

I think the worst thing for me (and the most depressing) is feeling helpless when it comes to my complexion. I find the cause and effect theories help but in the big scheme of things I really feel like nothing I do will ever clear me up fully.

hi!
with you there. i always feel better being on medication. it gives me a spark of hope that something is done about it. feeling helpless is the worst.

cause and effect theories can help but if overdone it's a ticket to stress too. it's hard to accept, and counter intuitive, that some things are just really random.

Anyways now for my update:
Heading into my second month of doxy I've noticed a stead decline in my complexion. For the past two weeks my forehead has been absolutely awful and I've been getting acne around my face where there was previously none. My routine is the same and it really makes me wonder if the doxy is worth it.. I really can't stand to see my complexion get worse when it was so good just a few weeks ago. I have absolutely no idea what causes me to break out. I'm thinking I might be allergic to something. I'm really tired of guessing at this point so I'm going to continue with doxy until the 3 month point and ween myself off it whether my complexion clears up or not. Overall I'm pretty frustrated but I try not to let it affect my daily life. Although my complexion has cleared a little in the past few days I don't think it'll be returning to what it was like a few weeks ago for a while. I was considering washing my face with only jojoba oil, it seems like an interesting approach. Until next time.

i'm sorry to hear your progress has declined. maybe though it's just a little dip, before things get better again? i have had so many of these phases while on acne meds. ive never had a steady progress. it's always a wonky affair.
how long did they say to keep on taking the antibiotics? i think if youre on 1 month now you should definitely keep on going for a while.

i'm on a month of doxy too now + in my 7th week of differin gel. i don't wanna jinx things but ive noticed a bit of improvement, especially in the recovery department.

it's good that it won't affect your daily life. good luck!

[fkrepubligion]

I had very mild(1-2 spots a month) acne that flared up when returning back from the UK after living in Derby for a year back in 2009, my skin stayed clear while I was in the UK too. I returned back to Florida and back into life here and my complexion became a problem, worse than when I was a teen with mild acne. It cleared up to a point where people wouldn't ask what had happened, but my GP and Dermatologist had treated me prior without any success during my teens for mild acne(retin-a, tazorac, mino, bp, tons of retin-a based topicals...these actually made my acne much worse even 6+ months into my treatment). I am now 28 and decided I would just listen to the doctor and take the pill(doxy) because it was becoming a problem with my personal life and work, but refused to apply the topical medication again after having chunks of skin come off and require laser scar treatment during my teens for mild acne...I mean I had a hole on the tip of my nose from retin-a micro from all the layers of skin coming off. I have very sensitive skin and no matter how long I use any topical, I stay lobster red and my acne goes from nothing to constant problems. NOW, onto Doxy...I started taking it just over a year ago and had no change for the first few weeks and then an acne flare-up and redness like I have never seen before all along the sides of my face, from the temple to the mouth. This calmed down after about two weeks and eventually the left over red marks also went away. I now have about the same skin I had before going to the UK...BUT when I try to wean myself off by only taking one 100mg pill at night instead of morning and night I get lumps that are the size of a nickle. I am now in one place again and able to start accutane for the required blood tests, but am still hesitant about the drug, but it is the path my derm wants me to go down since I have no current acne or scarring. I have found no help in this forum to treat the actual problem except added confusion and little topics on a regimen or ways to actually wean off of doxy other than throw some bp on the skin and take probiotics and/or follow some insane diet that has little to no effect on the actual problems created by the doxy destroying the good flora in my gut. LONG STORY SHORT, I HAD THE WORST ACNE after a few weeks on Doxy and then a perfect clear up.) I am now afraid to go off this pill in the chance that it will push my acne from nothing to moderate...

[Timehealsall]

why do people that have mild acne (1-2 spots a month? lmfao) worry so much.


you dont need accutane if you do not get scarring from your acne. Just follow a regimen.

[CoolGuy68]

Doxycycline is horrible, and under any circumstances WILL NOT help!

[legato]

Doxycycline is horrible, and under any circumstances WILL NOT help!

Why? I think it's different for everyone else.

There is no cure for acne that works for everyone. Having done some research on doxycycline on this board I found about just as many successful stories as unsuccessful stories.
Taking into account that a portion of people who had success with a treatment will likely not post again on this board, I'd say that the odds for doxycycline are favorable.

I've been on it for 5.5 weeks now and it's been a bit of a rollercoaster. I have good weeks and bad weeks. I'm definitely going to give it at least 2 months more before discarding it. That is, if my doctor allows me to.