28 replies to this topic

[May853]

Hi, Everyone,

I've been dealing with mild to moderate acne since I was a young teenager and now I'm 30. Seriously, skin, wtf. I have had only a couple of times in my life (excepting childhood) where my skin was clear - during my second pregnancy with my son, it was as beautiful as it's ever been, and then for the year I was on the DKR regimen, it wasn't too shabby, with the exception of the dryness caused by BP. Well, suddenly about two months ago, my skin rebelled against further BP usage, and so I had to quit. And I've been dealing with whitehead breakouts off and on since, with the occasional pimple or two thrown in there. Not horrible, but worse than it was, and any acne sucks. Period.

I've been using the PTR Acne gel for about 3-4 weeks now, and I'm still getting the whiteheads, so when I saw my derm this past Friday for a follow-up appt for some non-acne issues I had last year, I mentioned my face has been giving me problems. She started me using the stuff in my signature, which they sell at her office. I brought the bottle of PTR to show her, and she seemed to like it, and added Diacneal to my treatment regime as it's a retinoid and will hopefully help the PTR to work better. I think that's what she said, anyway.

So I started in with the Diacneal and the rest of the stuff last Friday night. So far nothing more than more of the same, and a little peely looking stuff on my chin. I love the sunscreen - it's kindof mattifying and not greasy.

I haven't been to a derm ever for my acne, so I hope this works. I've just tried my luck with Proactiv, DKR and other stuff along the way. Blurg, I'm so sick of stressing about my skin.

After I got off DKR and before I went to the derm, I ordered a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a mask from Lush. The mask and cleanser are of the scrubby stuff, esp. the cleanser, and I know you're supposed to be super careful with your skin while you're on retinoids. I am guessing I shouldn't use the mask at all, not even once a week, right? It's less abrasive than the cleanser, and I gently wash it off, I don't have to scrub it off with a washcloth or anything. I failed to ask this question to my doc.

Does this being careful with your skin as far as the above is concerned, is that the whole time you are on retinoids, or just at the beginning? I really like that cleanser too. OH well, maybe I can use it as a body scrub so as not to waste it...

Thanks for any support or suggestions, etc!

[May853]

Well, as of Friday, I completed 2 weeks using Diacneal and the other stuff in my sig, and I think my IB is beginning in earnest. Things have gotten worse over the last couple of days, plus I'm getting ready to start my period so my hormones are against me also. I really pray that this horrid breakout means that things will eventually get better. It seems like every pore is regurgitating whatever mess is in there. It's depressing and ugly, and I am clinging to the hope that if I stick it out things will get better. Please, please, please, let it get better.

Thanks for listening.

[May853]

Alright, well, now I am a day past three weeks in, and things are no better. IB continues. I had one day where I thought I saw improvement last week, but alas, it was not so and things quickly deteriorated by the next day. I still am having pretty continuous whitehead production around either side of my chin and under my jaw and in the general area of my smile lines. My forehead is broken out mostly near my hairline, I have a couple in between my eyebrows, and now a new development - several of those nasty under the skin suckers on my right cheek. They don't look (yet) like they're going to surface, but they're definitely pink and there. Ugh. I'll be so glad when this IB is over. I've read a lot of reviews of Diacneal online, and it seems like every bad review is from the initial breakout period and people saying "this product causes acne." Too bad they didn't know to expect that. My derm gave me an info sheet, and it said things may get worse before better, but I've learned the most from doing my own research, which is in a large part from this website.

It is hard to not want to hide at home (I can't) during this period, but I am clinging to the hope that things will eventually get better. And I will say that from just a couple of days in on using the Diacneal, I could see brightening of my skin tone, and while it's not clear of acne by any means, my skin tone looks much more even than it has that I can ever recall. That's really the reason that I haven't gone w/o makeup in probably 17 years b/c of the unevenness of my skin tone. Even when I was 99% clear with DKR's regimen, I had such uneven skin tone that going out barefaced never crossed my mind. Kind of sucked. But maybe I'll get the best of both worlds with this stuff. Hope springs eternal!!

[May853]

Okay, I am now at about 4 1/2 weeks and things are barely starting to improve. I was reluctant to say anything until I saw several days of marked improvement, b/c I thought I saw improvement before and it was a fluke for like a day or something. But I started seeing real improvement probably Friday/Saturday, and it's Tuesday now. This isn't to say I still don't have some issues, but mostly it hasn't been anything huge. The IB stuff is still healing and I have plenty of red marks b/c I can't not pick a pimple with a whitehead on it (bad, I know), but I don't shudder every time I see myself in the mirror now. Will continue to report on progress or lack thereof. I have no real issues with dryness or anything. So that's nice. Good luck to everyone!

[May853]

It's been awhile since I updated, and I don't know that anyone cares, but this is also for me, so here goes. It's now been 9 1/2 weeks since starting the Diacneal, and things have been doing this thing where they seem to get better, and then digress a little, then get better, and so on and so forth. I haven't been in the pits of despair and wanting to stick my head in a hole like I was about a month in. Because of my lack of self-control when it comes to not picking whiteheads, I also have a few red marks left, which make things look worse than they are, esp when I don't have makeup on. I'm trying to refrain but sometimes do not succeed.

So I saw my derm last Tuesday, and I figured she'd tell me to keep on trucking, but instead she says, "Hmmm...I think we can do better." So I'm kind of bracing myself b/c I really don't want to be on antibiotics at all, much less during the summer, but she tells me she can tell my acne is mostly hormonal, so she recommends this Spironolactone which sometimes helps with that sort of thing. She herself takes it for her acne. It's nice to have empathy from your derm. So she puts me on 25 mg daily for the first week to see about side effects, and then up it to 50 per day. She'll be checking my potassium levels here and there, b/c you have to do that apparently when you're on Spiro. And she gave me some samples of Aczone to spot treat with and a rx for it if I like it enough to fill it. I'm still trying to decide.

I think in the last day or so, my skin has gotten a tad worse. It's been oilier too, which is weird, b/c the spiro is supposed to help with that, but it's been hella humid and hot here so maybe that's it. There are probably 3-4 of those under the skin ones around my chin area that may or may not come to a head. The aczone is weird - sometimes it seems to work and then sometimes not. It definitely only ever works on inflamed acne, not blackheads and stuff. I also have several blocked pore type things - they're these little bumps on my skin that aren't red or anything. I guess that's what they are. I dunno.

She also told me to let her know when I am running out of stuff. I think she wants to change out the Diacneal for something stronger or a different retinoid. We'll see. I'm supposed to see her in about 3 more weeks for evaluation. Lord, I hope things improve more dramatically now. I am tired of obsessing about this.

[May853]

Diacneal - 9 1/2 weeks

Spironolactone, 50 mg - 2 weeks

Cool, well I counted wrong in my last post apparently, and I thought I was closer to the 12 week mark with the retinaldehyde, but after counting the weeks, I feel better about not being where I wanted to be. But, my skin has definitely gotten worse since being on the spiro. I wonder if that is typical...

My left side is a bit broken out. A few inflamed zits on my forehead (thank goodness for bangs), and then a couple on my cheek. Most stuff on my right side is healing and mainly there are just red-marks and a few clogged pores, but nothing significant over there (today so far anyway ). It does seem to switch sides. One side will get bad and then the other. Whatever.

Noticed some new dryness today. I haven't had any significant dryness since beginning this regimen, which surprised me, but today I did. Wonder if that is indicating the spiro is getting ready to do its thing or something.

At this time I'm not overly impressed with Aczone. I don't think it does much for me. But I'll use it until I run out of samples. Are you supposed to give a spot-treatment a significant amount of time to work too? Doesn't seem like you'd have to.

I have ordered some samples from Everyday Minerals to give them a try. I have worn Bare Minerals for years and I know there is something in there that causes some people to break out. I have never attributed breakouts to BM before, but maybe now that I'm on a retin product, my skin is more sensitive. Grasping at straws, I know, but I figure I can't really lose with the EM products. Plus they are cheaper.

Well, hope skin improvements are in my future!!

Edited by May853, 07 June 2011 - 07:41 AM.

[May853]

Diacneal - 11 1/2 weeks

Spiro, 50 mg daily - 4 weeks

Well, last week was a good week. Seemed like everything was healing and new zits were not popping up at the same rate as things were going away. Thought things were finally turning around. Even the red marks seemed to be fading pretty well.

Went out of town, and decided to use Bare Minerals all weekend instead of the EM samples. I don't know if that has anything to do with anything, but on Sunday, I had a new crop of whiteheads pop up. I, of course, can't leave those alone as they are UGLY and now I have a new batch of red healing things b/c some of them got worse after I fooled with them. ARRRRGH!! This is predominantly on the left side of my face. Boo. I don't know what's wrong with me, b/c when I make a conscious effort not to pick, things get soooooo much better sooooo much quicker. Why why why can't I always keep my resolve???

Also, I have switched the way that I use Aczone - instead of using it over the PTR and the Diacneal, I use it under it. That seems to have made a difference in its effectiveness.

Hmmm...what else? I see my derm on Friday, and so I am expecting her to change something. Maybe the dose of the spiro. She seems to want to let me run out of the topicals before changing them, which is good b/c they were expensive. Alright, well, that's it for now.

Edited by May853, 21 June 2011 - 07:58 AM.

[May853]

Okay, so I saw my derm today, and it's kind of funny b/c as upset as I was at the beginning of the week, stuff had healed so much by today that she thought I looked really good. Even tonight, I can see a difference from earlier today! That's how it was last week, it went from "meh" to "this isn't soooo bad" in such a short period! I don't know what to give credit to, tho...

She kept my dose of Spiro the same, but I told her that I was ovulating this week when I got that breakout, and that historically that is a time of breakouts for me. So she told me to pop two a day around the time of ovulation then go back to one. I might do the same for the week before my period, if I feel I need to. She ordered my metabolic panel to check my potassium and stuff, so that's good. I just have to go get that done.

Also, I asked her about trying a stronger retinoid since I do still get a lot of nasty blackheads and blocked pores that won't stop forming. I don't know if that is pie in the sky, but they irk the crap out of me. They are esp noticeable around my nose, and in the area of my chin. So anyway, she gave me some samples and an rx of Atralin 0.05%. I asked her about alternating it with the Diacneal and she said that might help avoid or minimize an IB and irritation from the switch, as the tretinoin is stronger than whatever is in Diacneal. So I plan on using it once a week at first, and gradually increasing and hopefully I can do that while I simultaneously run out of Diacneal. Ugh, I hope this next IB is not too bad - in theory a lot of the plugs should be gone, but then after reading people's experiences with switching up retinoids, I'm expecting some kind of IB. But hopefully the gradual switch will help.

She wants to see and evaluate the status in 2 months. Okay, so that is where I am. Good luck everyone!

[May853]

Retinoid - 15 weeks

Spiro - 8 weeks


Well, I am still having my worst breakouts around the time of ovulation. I bumped myself up to 100mg of spiro when I felt the first of the hormonal breakouts coming on midweek last week and I'm still at that dosage. I have mittelschmertz today big time, and so I guessed right - that ovulation was nigh. I wonder about changing up my dose. It seems like it wouldn't work quickly enough since this is a long-term treatment that takes awhile to work anyway, even when it does work. I might ask her if I can just take 100 mg for a while and see how that works. Everything came back fine with my metabolic panel. I guess I'll follow her instructions so I can tell her I did when I see her next.

I am now up to every other night alternating Atralin and Diacneal. I haven't noticed anything bad yet - IB wise, but it seems like my skin is softer overall. And although I am having some breakout issues right now, I think that my skin has not been this soft in a long time.

On another note, I went to get my rxs filled for Atralin and Aczone, as I'm down to probably a weeks worth of treatments left in my samples. I have coupons for both, and the Atralin ends up at $50 but the Aczone is still $165 after the "Pay no more than $25" coupon. That's such a crock. It's not worth that. But I'll pay for the Atralin b/c $50 isn't that bad.

I guess overall at this point I'm still not consistently happy with where I am. I have a good week where I get all excited, and then a breakout, which is clearly hormonal. The week after my period is good, then ovulation week is bad. Next week is good, then we're to the days before my period and things slide down again, although not as bad as before ovulation. So that is where I am.

[Reeja]

tretinoin is SO much more powerful than retinaldehyde (which is what is in Diacneal). I've used both and I was very pleased I made the switch.

Really good results from tretinoin take a long time, so don't give up! I'm at about 9 months and I'm still seeing my skin texture improve. Some studies have shown that new improvement can be observed for up to 2 years!

if you can't tell, I really love my tretinoin lol

[May853]

tretinoin is SO much more powerful than retinaldehyde (which is what is in Diacneal). I've used both and I was very pleased I made the switch.

Really good results from tretinoin take a long time, so don't give up! I'm at about 9 months and I'm still seeing my skin texture improve. Some studies have shown that new improvement can be observed for up to 2 years!

if you can't tell, I really love my tretinoin lol

I'm so glad to hear this!! I haven't heard from anyone this whole time, so this is good news to me, especially since you can compare the Diacneal to tretinoin. I feel like I'm on the cusp of real improvements, so hearing this gives me more hope that Atralin will be what gets me over that hump. Thank you so much!!

Which version of tretinoin are you on?

[Reeja]

I use something called Stievamycin, a combination of tretinoin 0.05% and erythromycin that's sold in Canada.

I went from hating seeing my skin in the mirror to actually looking forward to seeing what new improvement my skin shows (corny, I know lol but it's actually really fascinating how potent this stuff is!).

Good luck and keep on updating!

[Timehealsall]

if you have that much improvement, your skin was probably not bad at all to begin with

[Reeja]

if you have that much improvement, your skin was probably not bad at all to begin with

That doesn't make much sense, Time. Wouldn't someone with really bad skin have the most room for improvement? I think it was comparable to yours, actually. I can post pictures, but I don't have decent before pics that show the true condition my skin was in.

[May853]

So I am going to just try Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. See if I like it. I want to use fewer medicated products on my face. Plus that cleanser is expensive and I don't want to replace it when I run out.

I have nothing to report really. Skin is kind of hanging out at about 85-90% clear, I'd say (today...). I haven't seen anything horrible or excellent the last couple of weeks. Still getting new spots as old ones go away. I am currently using the Atralin for two nights in a row and then the Diacneal for one. I'll probably stay with that until I run out of Diacneal. It's too complicated otherwise.

[ohsailor]

Hi

Hows things going?

Is the Atralin going better than the diacneal?

What is the % in atralin?

Hope everything is okay !

[May853]

Hi

Hows things going?

Is the Atralin going better than the diacneal?

What is the % in atralin?

Hope everything is okay !

It's still early in the game, but I don't NOT like it. I guess I've been transitioning for about a month now but really using it regularly for a little over two weeks I think. Atralin is 0.05% tretinoin. It's supposed to not be as irritating as Retin-A - something about the base being different. So far, so good. No IB (yet) from the switch. Maybe I did it slow enough to prevent another one? Or maybe the spiro is helping. I want to up my spiro dose to 100 mg daily. I see my derm in a month so I'll ask her about it b/c my hormonal breakouts are still busting through around ovulation and then also a little before my period.

I'm okay with the Cetaphil. I'm using that in the evening to wash my face and get my makeup off. It smells weird, but I can deal with it.

Today I have several spots that are healing but nothing really coming to the surface (at this exact moment in time). So we'll see. I should be starting my period here in the next few days so I'm anticipating a few will surface soon. It seems like the open plug things that are around my nose and on my chin are looking like they want to come out like they did at one point when I started Diacneal. Maybe the stronger topical will help them actually come out and stay out.
I don't have as many blocked pores as I had had in weeks past, so I am noticing a difference there. I am attributing that to the Atralin.

Thanks for the comments! Hope you are well also.

[May853]

Okay, so it's been awhile since I updated. I have now been using Atralin almost 100%. About once a week I will use Diacneal just to use it up so I don't feel wasteful. I've been on retinoids since early April so that is a full 6 months. I have been on Spiro since the end of May, so almost 5 months.

Here's the good: I'll have weeks where I swear everything is working great. For instance, during this last hormonal cycle, I did not break out to a significant degree around ovulation or my period. However, the monday after I started my period up until now, I have had significant breakouts, of the sort that were like my IB with Diacneal - all these little whiteheads that just pop up in clusters. Grrrr...so still it's two steps forward, one step backward. Typically my worst breakouts are on my left side. Can't figure out any reason for that. But it continues to be so.

Here's the bad: I think I have to get off spiro. I had MAJOR breast tenderness prior to my last period, and noticed a lump that is tender. It hasn't gone away like swollen lymph nodes have in the past. So I took myself off the spiro on Sunday, and talked to my doctor Monday. I am now seeing the doctor, not the PA who left that practice. I think I like him. Anyway, he said to get off it for a week and see if things improve. But if the lump doesn't go away, I need to see my GYN. I already knew that's what he'd say. Also, since August, which was around the 3 1/2 month mark, my hair started shedding in a major way, and it hasn't let up. Spiro can apparently do this. So when I mentioned to him yesterday that the shedding hadn't slowed, he said, "Maybe this isn't the med for you." But he said there are plenty of other options. I'm actually okay with it, b/c I didn't notice any kind of reduction in oil production on my face, and I wasn't convinced that it was doing much. If it's going to give me issues with my boobs, then it has to go. I already have issues with estrogen sensitivity so it might not have been a good idea for me to begin with if it causes hormonal swings in favor of estrogen. That's my assumption, since it helps reduce androgens.

My face, as of this day and this hour, appears to be trying to clear up. I just have some pigmented spots and the slightest little whitehead here and there from this latest breakout. Okay, well I hope everyone is doing well and continuing to see improvement.

[May853]

So I've been off spiro for a little while - it will be two weeks on Sunday. And I have a wonderful jawline breakout on my left side. Awesome. That is the quintessential location for hormonal breakouts, right? Ugh, hopefully these other options my doc speaks of will pan out and things won't degenerate to an awful degree before then. For whatever reason, my left side is the side that stays much more broken out. I am about to get a drastic hair cut, I wonder if my hair is up against it more when I sleep or something. Or if I sleep on that side of my face. Who the heck knows?

Hope everyone is having a nice day.

[May853]

Starting last night, I am adding Dermify. Actually, I'm nixing a lot of the other stuff, except the Atralin. The dermify instructions say to use it in place of all other cleansers, but I still might use the Cetaphil to take off my makeup, b/c I'm not sure if the Dermify would get all that off. I'm almost out of the LHA gel, so I might use that for the same purpose once I run out of the cetaphil. I need to update my sig. Anyway, hope this works.