90 replies to this topic

[blackers92]

Hello Fellow acne sufferers,

After struggling with persistent acne and being on antibiotics for 4 years, my dermatologist finally prescribed me Isotertinoin GenRX. Hopefully I will only be on it for the minimum four months. I am currently on 40mg a day (2*20mg). Bit about myself, 19 year old male, 6'6, 96kgs live in sunny Australia (Melbourne) (which will be a pain in the ass because my course goes into summer ) I play a lot of sport. I'm currently in post / pre season for basketball so I hope it doesn't affect my ability to train or workout

My current regime will be Cetaphil Cleanser and Moisturiser, twice a day. I have purchased Carmex for my lips, hopefully it's not too glossy.

I will try to update this regularly, if anything it will be a good journal for me to document my progress. I will not upload photos though as I dont think it is necessary, i have moderate acne of my face and more severe acne on my back.

Im a little worried about the initial flare up, I work in retail and dont want to shock customers

Day 1
Today is the beginning of my treatment, downed my pill with a glass of milk accompanied by 3 slices of peanut butter on toast and 7 Weetbix. So far, as expected I have no side effects
Just have my standard 2-4 active pimples and a lot of smaller ones / redness, with my gross bacne.

Question, I have heard people being anal about NOT bursting acne while on the 'tane, my worry is that it because it get worse before it gets better, my back acne can burst by themselves, will this lead to scarring? should I sleep standing upright?

[blackers92]

Day 3

Nothing at all to report, my skin may be a little worse I cant really tell. I stopped using Minocycline before taking Accutane, perhaps that would explain it. Either way no side effects, no dry lips.

Hopefully something will happen soon, not really a fan of Cetaphil either, not foamy enough it feels like I am just washing my face with my hands

[blackers92]

Day 5

Nothing to report, lips feel a little dry maybe it's all in my head, put carmex on like once. Few active pimples but nothing I would consider initial breakout worthy. Maybe 40mg is too little a dose for someone my size?

I shaved for the second time on the tane (first time was day 1 so it didn't really count) I'm half expecting to wake up tommorow covered in pimples lol. I used a standard nivea aerosol foam then washed my face with cetaphil.

I have been studying hard lately and my diet has turned to shit, usually this amount of coffee and processed foods would make me look disgusting yet it's not :/

Another strange thing I'm sure some of you fellow sufferers have experienced before is the feeling of fresh pimples sprouting through a school day or work shift, this phenomenon has not happened since I started

I just hope my skin is still good by Saturday, sounds lame but I planned to hit the town and have fun before I turn into some hermit vampire with shiny lips over summer, I guess music festivals must be a big no while on the tane, oh well 4 months of shit for *hopefully* a lifetime of beautiful skin!

5 down 117 to go

[Trixy]

Just to let you know that I am reading : )

I started today. Good luck!

[blackers92]

Day 8

Well my face was fine after shaving with a crappy generic shaving cream, IB has not occurred yet, nothing other than a few small pimples that come and go, pretty standard stuff. My back pimples have been a little itchy and a couple bleed out on my nice white t-shirt (great look!). Stayed up pretty late and didn't shower last night and my face was fine today!

My scalp is a little itchy today (Hasn't been washed in a few days though) lips are a little dry, definitely not chapped though. Nothing else to report, maybe this whole Initial Break out thing is incredibly overrated, I wonder if me being on antibiotics for 4 years leading up to accutane helped?

Oh I also extracted a few blackheads on my nose that were practically begging to come out, I was a bit nervous about the whole "Dont pop, touch etc" but it looks fine today.



8 down 114 to go

[blackers92]

Day 9

My face has become a little dry, starting to get a small amount of skin peeling (looked like I had dandruff in my eyebrows lol) scalp was pretty itchy yesterday but not that itchy today. I have noticed that my lips seem to get dry based on how much water I drink, so I have been keeping up my fluids.

Last night after showering my the skin around my nose was extremely itchy so I had to moisturize for the first time.

I also got really dry eyes today which was a little irritating.

Still my initial breakout is yet to happen?!

I know that the drug is working because of these side effects, and my back pimples that I get seem to dry and scab really fast, maybe I have avoided the dreading flare!

9 down 113 to go!

[Trixy]

So your skin is looking OK for the music festival then?

I'm going to one next weekend and I am really hoping I don't get an IB happening then (it will be on day 13 for me)... The thought of people seeing my skin in day light all day makes me feel nervous!

[PaulH85]

I know that the drug is working because of these side effects, and my back pimples that I get seem to dry and scab really fast, maybe I have avoided the dreading flare!

I reckon that's the best way to look at it. Sounds like things are going well so far. Best of luck!

[blackers92]

Day 11

No music festivals yet, they start in 2 months during the hot Australian summer, its going to suck

Went out last night and can say that Accutane had absolutely no effect on me whatsoever, all the rumors about 1 drink equaling like 5 is pure crap, there was also no "accutane and alcohol" hangover. I drank quite a lot and am fine (about 7 beers, 4 mixed drinks 3 shots over 5-6 hours). Most importantly my skin was fine today even after only having about 6 hours of sleep before work.

As for my side effects, skin is starting to peel a little bit around my eyebrows nose and under my lip. I look like I have dandruff in my eyebrows. It gets pretty dry and sore around my nose but it is bearable. I have only moisturized once so far and am not the biggest fan. The flaky skin doesn't faze me. It just looks like mild sunburn. My nostrils are also quite dry, feels like I have breathed in dust. Something that I also noticed is that I actually struggled to open a beer and it cut my hand, maybe my skin is thinning? Felt like a bitch.

The feeling of being sunburt and dehydrated is accutane in a nutshell so far!

But my skin is fine, no massive breakout yet just some casual pimples that I always seem to have.

Also Vasaline > Carmex

11 down 111 to go!

[blackers92]

sounds lame but whenever i try to study my scalp gets uber itchy.

like i can work all day and be fine.

really irritating

[blackers92]

Day 12

Nothing to report, gave up growing a beard because of some dirty looks i got at work, once again shaved with generic foam. A couple of pimples sprouted above my right eyebrow but still not IB worthy imo.

12 down 110 remain

[blackers92]

Day 14

Once again nothing significant has happened, one or two pimples sprouted on my jawline.

Thats about it really, I started going to the gym again, fatigued very easily can could only run 4 km before giving up. However I think this is because I have gone from intense training to 3 week (food binge) to gym again.

Have had some strange back feeling (not really pain) hard to describe, felt it a lot during during squats, almost like my lower back is cramping.. if that's possible lol.

Also my gums bled last night, however I have always had sensitive gums. I just used a new toothbrush so perhaps that is the cause

Im also starting my health kick today, hopefully protein shakes wont affect my blood work.

14 down 108 to go!

2 weeks wow

[blackers92]

Day 15

No major IB yet, just one annoying little pimple near my lip, i think it keeps getting agitated when I use a lip balm or Vaseline. Quads are uber sore from gym yesterday, doubt accutane has anything to do with it.

My facial hair seems to be growing much faster since I have started which is a little strange, it is also a lot higher on my cheeks (under my eyes )

Had a few dry looking sores on my right arm so I moisturised them for the first time, kind of gross looking

15 down 107 to go

[blackers92]

Day 18

Been a bit slack updating, nothing new has happened.

Had a pretty big night last night, drank a fair bit, im still breathing! albeit with chapped lips. They bled last night while I brushed my teeth, most likely due to the alcohol. All the blackheads on my nose are having a mass exodus which is kind of dirty, im resisting the urge to extract them.

For the first time on accutane I can feel two big pimples moving towards the surface, one under my bottom lip and the other on the right side of my nose.

18 down 104 to go

[blackers92]

Day 20

Not much has happened since I last updated, my deep pimple surfaced near my goatee which has died down to just a red mark, a white head near my nose appeared and disappeared in the shower. Currently I have one whitehead/active on my face.

I feel like I have hit a wall, not getting worse or better. That applies to my face and side effects. Lips are the only real problem.


20 down 102 to go
I have to wait until the 24th of October to see my dermatologist again to up my dosage

[ramiza]

Wow, you sound like a male version of me! I'm 19, in Melb, dealt with problem skin for about 3 years now. Was on Minocycline recently, and every other anti biotic before that. And just had Roaccutane prescribed to me today! AND we're using the same wash. Ha, go figure. Let me know how you go though All best!

[blackers92]

Ah a fellow melburnian!

I actually think it would be easier being a girl on accutane, the amount of lip gloss I have to apply is pretty embarrassing, it's so glossy

But so far accutane is incredible overrated, the worst side effects are dry lips and a dry face. So far I have moisturized my face once or twice.

Minocycline is pathetic, I was on it for 3 years!!

We both choose a really terrible time to start our course though, summer is going to be terrible

Day 22

Nothing new to post, my back may possibly be worse? a few more painful ones. Face is pretty much fine, the two pimples from the other day have almost cleared up completely. I think I need a higher dose!!

22 down 100 to go

[blackers92]

Day 24


Nothing significant to report, getting one persistent pimple on my lip which I think my lip balm is aggravating. Blackheads on nose are getting really dry, there are so many! it is strange!

I'm wondering how many people actually have a 4 month course with successful results? how is it determined when I stop?

24 down 98 to go (unlikely imo)

[blackers92]

Just blew my nose and had the second biggest (nose bleed for about an hour once during basketball)

Bit of history, I have always had alot of phlegm, mucus, snot etc. Tried every spray under the sun and nothing works, so I usually go through a box of tissues a week. And have to hock loogies a fair bit

Felt like a massive booger, gave it an almight blow and then the blood began to flow!

Hopefully these dont happen too often, since I have started there has been a bit of blood, but this just gushed out

hopefully anyone reading this wasn't eating haha

[blackers92]

Day 26

Nose keeps bleeding on and off because I keep blowing it by mistake. Accidentally forgot my carmex today, it was the worst. Tried a Nivea stick which was terrible.

Lip pimple is really stubborn, keeps getting coated in lip balm

have a couple of days off so im trying for the beard lol

26 down 96 to go

Going to add whatever im listening to

Accutrack
Climbing up the Walls - Radiohead

Edited by blackers92, 11 September 2011 - 08:10 AM.