45 replies to this topic

[DanaLynn]

It's Day 4 here on the accutane trail to clear skin.

My Story: I'm 26, in a very stressfull line of work (medical field full time) as well as in school full time (BBA, MBA now onto medical school). It's a very stressfull time in my life. I've never had awful skin, but I've always had patches of acne on my face. Maybe one or two pop up once in a blue moon on my chest or back, but very RARELY. Even the acne on my face is not large, or red only 3 or so red spots. However, I have had severe comodones for years that have not gone away with topical and/or antibiotic treatments. I was on accutane once before for 3 months, did very well with few side affects other than getting very emotional very quickly. I feel like this side affect was from the birth control rather than the accutane. So this time, I have decided to forego the BC and stay abstinent. I'm single, and don't have time to date anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard right?!

Observation #1: Don't eat fresh cherries while your lips are dry. Your lips will stain and it will look like you had an entire bottle of red wine the night before.

Observation #2: I thought I could get one last day of sun in on day 2 since I had just been on the accutane for two days. I didn't burn, but my skin is very dry now. I've been using Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 50 with Helioplex that seems to be working very well. Will not make the mistake of getting in the sun for the duration of treatment.

Observation #3: Dry Eyes. Not a fan. Must remember to get some good eye drops. Anyone have any recommendations?

Observation #4: Chapped Lips. Not really a new issue. Ever since my first stint of accutane back in undergrad I've had what I call permanent chapped lips. The thing is they aren't REALLY chapped, they just FEEL chapped. Well, now they are really chapped so I can justify my excessive use of chapstick. What do you guys think is the best chapstick to use while on accutane? I've always used the Light Blue tube medicated Chapstick brand, but I have to constantly reapply.



Regimen:
Claravis 20mg 1 tab po BID. Total 40mg/day

Facial Lotion: Healthy Defense SPF 50 Daily Moisturizer with Helioplex
Chapstick: Light Blue Chapstick brand Medicated w/ SPF 15

When out in the Sun: VERY LARGE Straw sun hat, SPF 70, Ray Ban Polarized Ray Ban aviators

Edited by DanaLynn, 04 June 2011 - 07:45 PM.

[WhitneyOnAccutane]

Hi! I hope this round of accutane is a complete success for you! I just started about a month ago. I am not really having a problem with chapped lips. But maybe it's because of what I'm using..

I use Vaseline at night. I slather it on then with a wet cloth in the morning, I wipe it off.. all of the stuff that could possibly become a peeling mess comes off.. So with fresh lips, I use aquaphor. It says on for me for about an hour if I'm not eating. I don't really like the greasy feeling or the shine but.. hey it works. and I'm surely not going out with vaseline on my lips.. lol hope that helps.

[DanaLynn]

Thanks! I'm so worried about the dryness because of my career. I'm constantly around patients and I don't want to look like I have skin peeling off my face or super dry lips. The inside of my mouth is starting to get dry too. I'm drinking a lot more water, which can't hurt anyway.

How long have you been on accutane?

[DanaLynn]

Today has been a good day. I'm almost done with week number 1! So far, I've gotten a couple new red spots around my chin/ jaw line, but they have just about gone as quickly as they came.

Nothing really new to report aside from my eyes and the inside of my lips are getting super dry. The skin on my face is peeling, but I think that is a product of getting out in the sun on Day 2...Don't do that if you are thinking about it. Even after day 2 there was enough medication in my system to cause me to burn slightly --- and I have always been naturally tan. I haven't burned from the sun in years.

Tonight I'm heading up to target to grab some necessities. I need more chapstick, and I'm going to pick up some of this Aquaphor everyone is raving about and also some vaseline for at night. Hopefully I can get away with applying the greasy stuff at night that way during the day I can just use regular chapstick. I'm in the medical field and I don't want to look greasy in front of my patients!

[c'est la vigne]

Threads merged. To update your log, please make sure to use the "Add Reply" button to add a new post to this thread, not the "New Post" button, which starts a new, totally unrelated thread. ; )

[WhitneyOnAccutane]

Thanks! I'm so worried about the dryness because of my career. I'm constantly around patients and I don't want to look like I have skin peeling off my face or super dry lips. The inside of my mouth is starting to get dry too. I'm drinking a lot more water, which can't hurt anyway.

How long have you been on accutane?

I here you! I am starting my 3rd semester of clinicals in speech therapy. I have sessions with little kids who can be the harshest because they don't know any better.. I can't wait for the day when my little 8 year old client asks me why my skin looks the way it does.. what a wonderful day that will be! lol hope that doesn't happen. I also don't want my client's parents to think they're sending their child into a room with someone who has some type of skin condition! haha

I'm only on 20mgs a day. I've been on accutane for nearly a month now. Getting my next prescription (hopefully) on Monday!

[Crystal841]

Hey girly!
Good luck on ur course

So.... uv been on tane before. What do u recall about that course? And how bad has ur acne come back?

[DanaLynn]

Hey girly!
Good luck on ur course

So.... uv been on tane before. What do u recall about that course? And how bad has ur acne come back?

My first course was only 3 months. Honestly, at that point I probably didn't need to be on accutane, but my mom was on it as a teenager and my brother (who's skin was way worse than mine) was on it too and they both had good results. I didn't have any cysts or even really any large red pimples, just a lot of small raised skin colored comedones. They are pesky little boogers! They went away quickly on my first course of accutane and because of the risk factors associated with the medication, my dermatologist thought it would be best for me to discontinue the medication since my skin was clear. The clear skin lasted ~7years.

My side effects the first time around were just dry lips and extreme emotions. I had just started undergrad and didn't notice any change in grades or sleep habits. I cried A LOT over stupid things. I honestly think it was more the birth control that I was taking and not the accutane causing the extreme emotions. So I'm not taking birth control this go around. We'll see if it makes a difference.

Fast forward 7 years, and stress among other things has brought on patches of actual acne along with the comedones... My face is completely covered in these little bitty flesh colored bumps and it's so annoying! For the most part the red pimples are around my jawline and cheek bones near my hair line otherwise it's just the little bumps. This time I'm going to do a full course of accutane. 6-8 months. I'm optimistic that this go-around will be my last!

[Crystal841]

I have quite a few closed comedones as well. In ur exp, did the majority of these leave w/o becoming anything worse? I find that some of mine have turned into lrg zits, while other have shrank, and yet others have surfaced and been removed w/o a problem. What I stress about is which ones are gonna go big, lol. I suppose dose matters as well. I go to 40mg on Wed from 1 mon on 20mg. Hopefully these don't blow up on me!
Anyways, just wondering what ur exp w/ tane and closed comedones is?
Thx, lady!

[DanaLynn]

They went away quickly last session of 'tane. They are already starting to slowly disappear this session and I'm only on day 7. My skin is dry, but it seems more radiant. I think because all the old nasty skin is pealing away leaving fresh new skin. I still have a lot of bumps but they are less prominent. They seem to be going away without turning into anything else. I have very few red bumps at all, but there are still a lot of red splotches that still require make up. I HATE wearing make-up so I can't wait to be completely clear!

Do you have a lot of comedones or do you have mostly red spots?

[Crystal841]

I had mostly closed comedones, but I think the various treatments my derm gave me irritated the hell out of them and they started blowing up instead of just drying up. (I blame Differin) I am still getting a red one here and there, but NOTHING like it was, lol. But I have noticed the ones that go were always a closed comedone before, and it's like the core or whatever doesn't come to poppable head very easily. The ones I've got are deep and thick inside, but they are slowly lessening in count. So now of course I'm constantly checking on my clogged pores to see if they're growing, lol.
Even the deep zits I get are different since tane. It's like I can see the pore that's backed up and infected, but no head, very strange. If i take a needle to the pore and squeeze w/ qtips the core usually pops out, but theres always a mark that likes to hang around FOORRRREEEEVVVVVVEEEERRRRR. The other thing I've noticed, if I leave the zit to "cook" instead of popping it, the mark is waaayyyy worse. I think it's like the infection is destroying healthy tissue the longer it sits there. Idk, tho, just my observation.
The smaller closed comedones seem to be drying up tho, so hopefully ALL my pores will be clear soon Here's to wishful thinking!
I get bumped to 40mg daily Wed, and I'm really nervous about another big breakout, but whoo knows? and really what can I do about it at this point, lol!

[DanaLynn]

Day 8

I've officially been on the 'tane for over a week. Not much new. Today seemed to be a little worse than the last few days. I went to get my hair colored and trimmed yesterday & it still looked so good from the salon when I got up this morning, that I decided not to get a shower and ruin it. I washed my face last night with the Clean & Clear wash & didn't want to dry my skin out too much by washing with it this morning & I think that was a mistake. By the end of the work day I had a few new small blemishes.

I'm really digging the Neosporin overnight renewal therapy. I wake up in the morning and my lips are still so moist. I just wipe it off with a warm wet towel and they are ready for the day. Then I apply aquaphor and/or the Neosporin daily lip balm throughout the day. Seems to be working.

Eyes are still really dry. The eye drops I've been using help for, like, 5 minutes and then they feel dry again. TIPS?

Joints have been getting a little sore when I work out and run. Especially in my back. I got some Celebrex samples from work and started taking it today. Hopefully that will help.

I absolutely HATE the feeling of lotion on my hands and I had to put some on today. My nail beds are drying out...sucks. Anyone have any good hand lotion that isn't disgustingly greasy? I seriously could only stand to have the lotion on my hands for a few minutes before I had to go rinse them off. AWFUL feeling.

I haven't been sleeping well, but I wasn't sleeping well before the 'tane. I usually take a 25mg benadryl before bed if I don't have to be up studying or something. Summer session started today & it looks like I'm taking some pretty demanding classes. It'll be interesting to see if my face flares up when school starts getting intense. I think school stress is what egged this whole mess on anyway.

On to day 9 tomorrow...

"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" - Unknown

[RedViolyn]

Hi Dana,

I'm in my 20s as well on my second course. Let's hope this works.

For my eyes I just use basic redness relief drops (off-brand). I think they key is to use them about 4 times a day consistently, then they will start to help.

For lips, lip medex in the blue tin is the best stuff in the world I'm convinced. You still have to re-apply a lot, but I think it's great stuff.

Good luck

[PoppyK]

"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" - Unknown

I love it, so true, explains all of our situations so well! Looks like we started around the same time, I'm 4 days behind you. Wishing you a great course.

[DanaLynn]

"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional" - Unknown

I love it, so true, explains all of our situations so well! Looks like we started around the same time, I'm 4 days behind you. Wishing you a great course.

I run and mountain bike A LOT, so I have this little RoadID bracelet that has a few lines of info about me-my name, dob, no allergies, mom & brother's phone numbers- just in case something ever happens to me on the trail. They last line or two is open for a quote and that's the quote I chose. I love it! It applies to so many things in life.

[DanaLynn]

Day 9

Just a quick recap:

I've got a couple new blemishes. Not thrilled. They seem to come over night and are gone by the next morning though...they are already almost gone. That's a good thing!

I ran 7 miles tonight after work. I'm hurting...even after the Celebrex I took this morning. You can only take one a day so I may just wait to take it until right before my work-outs instead of first thing in the morning with my morning dose of 'tane.

Other than that all is well. Same ol side effects - no worse, no better. Dry eyes, dry lips, dry nail beds.

Hurray for making it this far!

[DanaLynn]

Today, I pretty much hate my life.

I have, what seems like, an entire tub of Vaseline on my lips right now. So dry.

Shoot me.

[MissMia]

Chin up hon! I feel your pain!

I started a day before you and am going through the same irritating dry lip thing

Have you tried brushing your lips lightly after brushing your teeth to exfoliate and smooth them?

[DanaLynn]

Chin up hon! I feel your pain!

I started a day before you and am going through the same irritating dry lip thing

Have you tried brushing your lips lightly after brushing your teeth to exfoliate and smooth them?

I've been doing that - it doesn't really seem to help. I have started putting a little water on my lips before putting on vaseline at night and that seems to be keeping more moisture locked in. I tend to wake up with pretty smooth, moisturized lips...it's the moment I take a drink of water or eat something that they start feeling chapped again. Oh well. I'm sort of getting used to it now.

[DanaLynn]

So, I think today is day 15. I'm about to finish my 3rd box of meds.

Side Effects:
1. REALLY dry lips

2. Lumbar Joint pain - managing it with one celebrex a day

3. Scaley skin. I don't really have any active blemishes right now, but I the old ones have turned into these little patches of dry skin. I've been bad about trying to scrape off the dry skin and it just causes the spot to break & bleed. I need to just let them be so they can heal. I've been using a vitamin e oil that seems to make the redness less noticeable and it REALLY keeps my face moisturized.

4. Itchy scalp. Need help here. What should I use? It's not dandruffy...just itchy.

5. Eyes: Don't have dry eyes anymore. I don't really know why, but I haven't used visine or anything in probably a week.

6. Dry inside my nose. I haven't had any nose bleeds, but I've definitely had dried blood come out of my nose when I blow it. Hopefully it doesn't progress into full on nose bleeds.

That's pretty much it. I think I am getting over the IB - which sucked but wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Seems like all my comodones are being pushed out into true blemishes which, sucks, but at least the pores are getting clean!

Overall, I'm in a much better mood than I was last Thursday