112 replies to this topic

[answerme]

hi appletime! how are you today?
just dropped by to post some info that might help:

i know that the drug manufacturers (acnetrex & accutane as well) strictly warns/forbids us from taking vitamin A supplements. but i was kind of worried about the effects of the drug on my liver (as i've learned from leo kiesen's book. uhh...have you heard about him & his "Last Acne Solution", which is kinda like a holistic approach? there's a zillion tons of info to learn from the man).

so i started taking MULTIvitamins (the best that's available in my house at the moment, Pharmanex LifePak...& no, it's not vitamin a concentrated) in its suggested full dosage, in addition to the "skin, hair & nails supplements tablets" that my derm gave me before i started taking isotretinoin, and i have to say that i started feeling much better since then. im not taking these LifePak supplements after the same meal that i take my isotret, though.

i also dilute 1-2 lemons/limes in a cup of water every morning for vitamin C, to help neutralize toxins, thereby taking some burden off my liver (as advised by kiesen as well). the liver, by the way has so much role to play in keeping the skin clear. plus, i take lots of fiber in the morning - from whole grain rolled oats for added internal cleansing.

im not advising you to take vitamin a supplements as i wouldn't know the effects with regard to your isotret dosage & also to prevent bad side-effects of vitamin a overdose, such as drier skin, but the lemons & fiber might help.

We have a lot in common! I'm surprised you're only on 10mg a day. My derm started me on 40 mg a day. I'm assuming you have mild/moderate acne? I hear you about the dry lips. I'm slathering vaseline all over mine. It's annoying, but it's also something I could live with. eusa_think.gif About the topical meds, I was prescribed an Erythromycin topical solution but I stopped using it on the 4th day seeing as how my face would start peeling and itching.

well my condition had been ranging from mild to severe for ten years (got a little severe lately when big cysts started appearing on my chin & jaw line - amounting to nearly 10 - that's why i looked for a new doctor who finally prescribed me to take acnetrex). i normally had comedonal acne from age 12... i still don't know if my derm's going to raise the dosage on my next visit (should have visited her a few days ago), as what others had experienced. im applying vaseline on my lips too, although i skip it sometimes when i stay home coz i dont want it causing further breakouts on my chin. (do you get problems on your chin too? if you do, quickly switch to flavour-and-fluoride-free toothpaste.)

so there. hope to hear about your progress soon!

P.S. Leo was never in favor of Accutane...but in my case, i already started taking the drug before i got the book.

[appletime]

Hello!! I've used vaseline on my lips at night time. During the day I don't go anywhere with out my chapstick. I use the blue tube / vaseline moisturizer spf 15 / been using it for awhile now. Love it As far as moisturizer try Cetaphil moisturizer. It's got a clean smell.
Good luck with the blood work.

Hey Jules! How are ya? Thanks for the tip about the moisturizer. I'm gonna check that out. Vaseline is like my best friend these days. You wouldn't believe how dry my lips are - it's crazy! I need to moisturize it every 1-2 hours.

I LOVE Burt's Bees! It really is the best! That's my recommendation!

Sorry about the nose zit! Hopefully it will go away SOON! Yay accutane!

Hey there! I wish I could get Burt's Bees products - but it's not available here. I've heard a lot of good things about it though.

Thanks!

hi appletime! how are you today?
just dropped by to post some info that might help:

i know that the drug manufacturers (acnetrex & accutane as well) strictly warns/forbids us from taking vitamin A supplements. but i was kind of worried about the effects of the drug on my liver (as i've learned from leo kiesen's book. uhh...have you heard about him & his "Last Acne Solution", which is kinda like a holistic approach? there's a zillion tons of info to learn from the man).

so i started taking MULTIvitamins (the best that's available in my house at the moment, Pharmanex LifePak...& no, it's not vitamin a concentrated) in its suggested full dosage, in addition to the "skin, hair & nails supplements tablets" that my derm gave me before i started taking isotretinoin, and i have to say that i started feeling much better since then. im not taking these LifePak supplements after the same meal that i take my isotret, though.

i also dilute 1-2 lemons/limes in a cup of water every morning for vitamin C, to help neutralize toxins, thereby taking some burden off my liver (as advised by kiesen as well). the liver, by the way has so much role to play in keeping the skin clear. plus, i take lots of fiber in the morning - from whole grain rolled oats for added internal cleansing.

im not advising you to take vitamin a supplements as i wouldn't know the effects with regard to your isotret dosage & also to prevent bad side-effects of vitamin a overdose, such as drier skin, but the lemons & fiber might help.

We have a lot in common! I'm surprised you're only on 10mg a day. My derm started me on 40 mg a day. I'm assuming you have mild/moderate acne? I hear you about the dry lips. I'm slathering vaseline all over mine. It's annoying, but it's also something I could live with. eusa_think.gif About the topical meds, I was prescribed an Erythromycin topical solution but I stopped using it on the 4th day seeing as how my face would start peeling and itching.

well my condition had been ranging from mild to severe for ten years (got a little severe lately when big cysts started appearing on my chin & jaw line - amounting to nearly 10 - that's why i looked for a new doctor who finally prescribed me to take acnetrex). i normally had comedonal acne from age 12... i still don't know if my derm's going to raise the dosage on my next visit (should have visited her a few days ago), as what others had experienced. im applying vaseline on my lips too, although i skip it sometimes when i stay home coz i dont want it causing further breakouts on my chin. (do you get problems on your chin too? if you do, quickly switch to flavour-and-fluoride-free toothpaste.)

so there. hope to hear about your progress soon!

P.S. Leo was never in favor of Accutane...but in my case, i already started taking the drug before i got the book.

Hey! I'm doin' good, thanks. How about you?

Thanks a million for the advice re: fiber intake and vitamin c. Do you think eating oranges might be benefitial as well? I'm not too fond of lime/lemon drinks. I haven't heard about Leo Kiesen's book, but I will go look for it and try to read what he has to say. So do you plan on continuing taking multi-vitamin tablets with your isotretinoin? I have a lot of multi-vitamins but I'm not sure if I should take them. I will ask my derm about it and see what he has to say.

I haven't had any breakouts so far in my chin. I've been having them in my forehead and in between my eyebrows. So far so good. I wonder when the real initial breakout will start? I actually hoping this is it, but you never know!

Thanks for the best wishes. Let me know about your progress as well.

Take care


Day 8:


Hey,

Just got home after getting my bloodwork done. I hate needles! Just wanted to say that in here. I absolutely hate it.

The zit on my forehead has gotten bigger. I'm trying my best not to pay any attention to it. It will go away soon, right?

I went shopping yesterday. Spent around $200 in under 2 hours. Must be some kind of record. My debit card is getting a lot of exercises these days!

Another thing I've noticed is that I seem to get tired much quicker. Especially in the mornings when I wake up, I still feel like I haven't slept enough. It's worrying me a bit because I don't have the energy I used to and I get tired much quicker. And my mood seems to be always off.

Anyways, my skin isn't as oily as before. Woohoo Accutane!

Take care guys!

[answerme]

Hey! I'm doin' good, thanks. smile.gif How about you?

Thanks a million for the advice re: fiber intake and vitamin c. Do you think eating oranges might be benefitial as well? I'm not too fond of lime/lemon drinks. neutral.gif I haven't heard about Leo Kiesen's book, but I will go look for it and try to read what he has to say. So do you plan on continuing taking multi-vitamin tablets with your isotretinoin? I have a lot of multi-vitamins but I'm not sure if I should take them. I will ask my derm about it and see what he has to say.

I haven't had any breakouts so far in my chin. I've been having them in my forehead and in between my eyebrows. So far so good. I wonder when the real initial breakout will start? I actually hoping this is it, but you never know!

Thanks for the best wishes. Let me know about your progress as well. smile.gif

Take care

intake of fruits high in sugar (not just fruits, actually) must be minimized. when eating such fruits, take about only 2 servings a day. oranges are a lot higher in sugar compared to lemons & limes. any food that can potentially spike blood sugar level must be avoided or eaten in very small amount. that's what i can remember.

im taking the multivitamins until now. i havent really noticed anything negatively odd with my body ever since i started taking them. i also don't get depressed anymore, which i experienced in the first consecutive days on isotret. btw, herbal teas may also be good and they are best taken before going to bed to help you sleep (according to Leo as well).

breakouts on forehead you say? i've managed to keep the number of zits on my forehead to minimum by switching to the regular classic Head & Shoulders. i guess it was the zinc pyrithione in it that helped. the anti-dandruff Pantene was also fine with me (also had the same zinc content). i could really see the difference by simply switching from one shampoo to another. the lemon-scented Head & Shoulders here, however, caused me breakouts, probably because of the stronger fragrance.

initial breakout? hmmm...does it have to look so bad or far worse than before we started taking the drug? i kinda fear such stage...i can almost imagine myself feeling so depressed for not being able to go out because of really bad acne...i hope i've gone through it already.

btw, one more difference i've noticed on my face lately is that the black heads on my nose (especially on the bridge) are becoming so visible...i guess that's what my derm was talking about when she told me to come back two weeks after to get facial cleaning (to be performed by her). oh well...

Anyways, my skin isn't as oily as before. Woohoo Accutane! razz.gif

oh, yes! woohoo accutane! (after so many years....i thought i'd have to wait til im an old granny to experience longer hours before my face becomes an oil slick again!)

u take care of yourself too!

[appletime]

intake of fruits high in sugar (not just fruits, actually) must be minimized. when eating such fruits, take about only 2 servings a day. oranges are a lot higher in sugar compared to lemons & limes. any food that can potentially spike blood sugar level must be avoided or eaten in very small amount. that's what i can remember.

im taking the multivitamins until now. i havent really noticed anything negatively odd with my body ever since i started taking them. i also don't get depressed anymore, which i experienced in the first consecutive days on isotret. btw, herbal teas may also be good and they are best taken before going to bed to help you sleep (according to Leo as well).

breakouts on forehead you say? i've managed to keep the number of zits on my forehead to minimum by switching to the regular classic Head & Shoulders. i guess it was the zinc pyrithione in it that helped. the anti-dandruff Pantene was also fine with me (also had the same zinc content). i could really see the difference by simply switching from one shampoo to another. the lemon-scented Head & Shoulders here, however, caused me breakouts, probably because of the stronger fragrance.

initial breakout? hmmm...does it have to look so bad or far worse than before we started taking the drug? i kinda fear such stage...i can almost imagine myself feeling so depressed for not being able to go out because of really bad acne...i hope i've gone through it already.

btw, one more difference i've noticed on my face lately is that the black heads on my nose (especially on the bridge) are becoming so visible...i guess that's what my derm was talking about when she told me to come back two weeks after to get facial cleaning (to be performed by her). oh well...

Anyways, my skin isn't as oily as before. Woohoo Accutane! razz.gif

oh, yes! woohoo accutane! (after so many years....i thought i'd have to wait til im an old granny to experience longer hours before my face becomes an oil slick again!)

u take care of yourself too!

Hey!


Thanks a lot for the tips. I'm really benefiting from your advice man. Once thing I noticed is that my dandruff isn't as bad as before. I've been using this shampoo called Nizoral, which is supposed to help? It's seemed to have worked - so no complaints there.

What kind of facial cleansing does your derm do to clear your blackheads out? Have you tried it before?

How's your acne? Hope it's much better these days.

Take care!

Day 9

Hiya!

Nothing much to say. The zit in my forehead popped last night. Thank the lord, I just wanted that GONE. It was a sight for sore eyes. My face looked good today. It wasn't too oily. I bought a moisturizer last night (Olay Complete Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin) which I use before I go to bed. It felt nice to use. I hope I don't experience any bad breakouts using it.

For the lips I'm using more and more vaseline! It has really become my best friend.


Anyways, I hope all of you guys are fine. Take care!

Mark x

[answerme]

What kind of facial cleansing does your derm do to clear your blackheads out? Have you tried it before?

How's your acne? Hope it's much better these days.

unfortunately, i missed my appointment this morning. yup, i just wasted my time travelling. anyway, im expecting the procedure of physical extraction (facial) with those tiny metal instruments (incuding injections) that they press upon (or prick) your face a thousand times (id been having these sessions with all the dermatologists id gone to)...they all hurt like hell...the first ones were the most painful ones i had ever experienced in my entire life (it was like spending an hour in a torture chamber!). they all drove me to practice crazy visualization techniques during the sessions just to keep my mind from minding the pain!

progress: no new big cysts, existing ones are drying. skin is less, less oily. excessive peeling on chin (hmm...may not be good)

Nothing much to say. The zit in my forehead popped last night. eusa_clap.gif Thank the lord, I just wanted that GONE. It was a sight for sore eyes. My face looked good today. It wasn't too oily.

i like it best when zits pop naturally!

hey, more luck to u!

[TennesseeGrl]

Great moisturizer choice

I'm glad you are pleased with your skin right now! And hooray for that forehead guy going away!

[appletime]

Day 10 and 11


Hey guys,

Sorry I wasn't able to update y'all yesterday. I haven't been feeling really well and I've been SO tired from work. I just got home (a little earlier than usual) and I'm going to bed now. I really do need it. My eyes are so dry and sore that I just need to rest them out.

Face wise it's not going too well. I've got 3 new spots. 1 in my chin, and the other 2 in each cheek. One of them is really big and it's bothering me. I don't know if this is due to the new moisturizer (Olay Complete Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin) I've been using. Should I continue with it or stop?

Anyways, I'm going to sleep. My eyes are just so fucked up. They hurt and I just want to rest them.

Take care everyone and I'm really sorry I haven't had the time to check your logs out. I promise I will during this weekend though!

M x

[appletime]

Day 12:

Hiya,

I'm feeling a little depressed today. My 3 spots have gotten bigger and the one in my right cheek almost looks like a cyst. I wasn't feeling very confident at work today because I was too paranoid about people looking at my face.

I hate this. My lips are sooo dry and now my face has sprouted extra zits. I have 0 confidence. I guess this is part of the IB but it's still very difficult. I know that clear skin is just around the corner, 5 1/2 more months to go, but I'll get there.

Should I avoid the sun while I'm on 'tane? I think I've gotten darker since I've been on it. Is this possible or am I going crazy?


Anyways, thanks for reading my log. I hope your acne's gettin' betta!

Take care,

M x

[Jules70]

Day 10 and 11
Face wise it's not going too well. I've got 3 new spots. 1 in my chin, and the other 2 in each cheek. One of them is really big and it's bothering me. I don't know if this is due to the new moisturizer (Olay Complete Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin) I've been using. Should I continue with it or stop?

Day 12:
I'm feeling a little depressed today. My 3 spots have gotten bigger and the one in my right cheek almost looks like a cyst. I wasn't feeling very confident at work today because I was too paranoid about people looking at my face.

I hate this. My lips are sooo dry and now my face has sprouted extra zits. I have 0 confidence. I guess this is part of the IB but it's still very difficult. I know that clear skin is just around the corner, 5 1/2 more months to go, but I'll get there.

Should I avoid the sun while I'm on 'tane? I think I've gotten darker since I've been on it. Is this possible or am I going crazy?

Hey Mark!! Sorry to hear about the newbie monsters It's hard to say if the Oil of Olay is causing you problems. It could just be a coincident that your IB is occurring at the same time. I've used in the past and never had a problem with it. Again, that was just me. I understand the self concious feelings. Are they looking at "me" or at my acne. It's something that will take a while to get over, even once your skin is clear. Amazing how acne can scar you mentally as well. Dry lips are part of it and your only on day 12, better start carrying vaseline or some lip balm around with you. You could end up cracked and bleeding Gotta be proactive on this drug. No, your not crazy. I had gotten the same comments about looking tan around the same time. Take care of yourself and keep us updated

[answerme]

yeah, same here...i normally have that kind of feeling about what i think other people think or see of me.
that's why im beginning to really try hard to keep my attention on something else, say what im saying or what the people around me are talking about or something as positive as how good things are gonna be soon...remember that all these negative thoughts will only cause you to be more negative <ding> - that's something we must avoid. observing the reality we're in doesn't mean we have to have negative feelings toward things.

yes, avoid sun exposure. isotret makes us more sensitive to sunlight. if you can find a good sunscreen, get yourself one. high spf the better. im using vmv hypoallergenics armada 45 - 60 (its really good, doesnt give me breakouts). im not sure if its available where you are (you can check it out at their website, though)...

cheer up! we will get through this!

[appletime]

Hey Mark!! Sorry to hear about the newbie monsters It's hard to say if the Oil of Olay is causing you problems. It could just be a coincident that your IB is occurring at the same time. I've used in the past and never had a problem with it. Again, that was just me. I understand the self concious feelings. Are they looking at "me" or at my acne. It's something that will take a while to get over, even once your skin is clear. Amazing how acne can scar you mentally as well. Dry lips are part of it and your only on day 12, better start carrying vaseline or some lip balm around with you. You could end up cracked and bleeding Gotta be proactive on this drug. No, your not crazy. I had gotten the same comments about looking tan around the same time. Take care of yourself and keep us updated

Hey Jules! Thanks for the good wishes. I'm still using Oil of Olay on my face. I reckon that it's worth continuing with the product and that I'm only being paranoid about it breaking me out. If the 'tane will really clear me up in the end then my face shouldn't be so sensitive when it comes to moisturizers - especially those designed for oily/sensitive skins. What do you think?

I know what you mean about being self concious. I'm really confident when I know my skin looks good but now it's just blah. I've got 2 cysts on my face and a big zit on my chin. So I tend to shy away from people at work and just concentrate with what I'm doing.

My lips are so fucked up right now. I've bought a new lip balm, so I hope it works great. It has an applicator and it isn't too shiny which is what I want. Because since I'm a guy I don't want people looking at my shiny lips.

And you take care of yourself too! I hope that upped dosage works the best for you!

M x

yeah, same here...i normally have that kind of feeling about what i think other people think or see of me.
that's why im beginning to really try hard to keep my attention on something else, say what im saying or what the people around me are talking about or something as positive as how good things are gonna be soon...remember that all these negative thoughts will only cause you to be more negative <ding> - that's something we must avoid. observing the reality we're in doesn't mean we have to have negative feelings toward things.

yes, avoid sun exposure. isotret makes us more sensitive to sunlight. if you can find a good sunscreen, get yourself one. high spf the better. im using vmv hypoallergenics armada 45 - 60 (its really good, doesnt give me breakouts). im not sure if its available where you are (you can check it out at their website, though)...

cheer up! we will get through this!

Thanks a lot (I haven't gotten your name!)

It's kinda tricky avoiding the sun because I live in a place where we have it everyday. It's almost impossible to avoid it so I want to use a good sunblock and something good for the face as well. I'll check that product out you're using. Hopefully we have it here.

I completely agree with what you say about having negative thoughts. It always brings me down when I think about it so I'm trying my level best not to pay so much attention to it while I'm at work. It's kinda tricky though.

But I will continue to remain and stay positive. Even if I get 10 cysts tomorrow. Well, easier said than done! How's you're acne? I hope it's goign better than mine!

Take care!

M x

[answerme]

'sup mark? hope you're feelin much better now.

im off to my derm again tomorrow. hope i get up early as tom's the last weekday of this week & i dont want to further delay my visits til nxt wk.

my chin is really getting so dry, has flaking white strips of skin and makes me look like im growing white thin beard. anyway, i try to peel them off and im glad it doesnt hurt a bit! haha! im also using cetaphil to wash this part...im getting or noticing no new pimples, although most of the existing ones are still there. a few have dried already, though. what else? seems like i can stay dry without having to wash my face more than once or twice a day now! it's really amazing that i wouldnt have to bother now having to keep wiping excess oil off my face.

and this is like the end of my third week. that's why i allowed myself to sinfully eat as much chocolate as i could yesterday! (boy, that made me, literally, feel sick. started feeling slight pain in my lung/heart/rib area after finishing an entire huge bar.) so i had a strong urge to eat a cup of cooked whole grain oats & a cup of green tea last night.

btw, what's the new lip balm your using? about the Oil of Olay, you may give it a 2-wk try to see if it's really gonna work fine for you. that's what most people suggest to see if the product is gonna work for you. i hope you wouldn't have to look for something else.

Sherrie

[appletime]

'sup mark? hope you're feelin much better now.

im off to my derm again tomorrow. hope i get up early as tom's the last weekday of this week & i dont want to further delay my visits til nxt wk.

my chin is really getting so dry, has flaking white strips of skin and makes me look like im growing white thin beard. anyway, i try to peel them off and im glad it doesnt hurt a bit! haha! im also using cetaphil to wash this part...im getting or noticing no new pimples, although most of the existing ones are still there. a few have dried already, though. what else? seems like i can stay dry without having to wash my face more than once or twice a day now! it's really amazing that i wouldnt have to bother now having to keep wiping excess oil off my face.

and this is like the end of my third week. that's why i allowed myself to sinfully eat as much chocolate as i could yesterday! (boy, that made me, literally, feel sick. started feeling slight pain in my lung/heart/rib area after finishing an entire huge bar.) so i had a strong urge to eat a cup of cooked whole grain oats & a cup of green tea last night.

btw, what's the new lip balm your using? about the Oil of Olay, you may give it a 2-wk try to see if it's really gonna work fine for you. that's what most people suggest to see if the product is gonna work for you. i hope you wouldn't have to look for something else.

Sherrie

Hiya Sherrie,

I'm feelin' OK, thanks. Still at the office working my ass off.

I hope you can finally meet up with your derm. I don't think it would be good if it were to be postponed. Try setting up an alarm clock. lol

Sorry to hear about your chin. I hope it gets betta'. I've just bought Cetaphil for myself. The facewash I was using was actually made for oily skin with excess sebum production. I think now, with my skin being so dry I could use a cleanser like Cetaphil which is more sensitive and more suitable for my drying face. I hope it works though and that I don't get any breakouts from it. Woohoo for our dry skin! No more excess oil!

Haha @ eating chocolates. I actually still eat a chocolate bar every other day. I suppose it's it's OK, as long as I don't over indulge in it.

The new lip balm I'm using is from a brand called QV from EGO. It's an Australian brand. I think they have a webpage. Their QV line is designed for those with dry skin. The lip balm is pretty good. It has SPF20 and has a built on applicator. So I don't have a lot of trouble putting it on my lips like with Vaseline. Yekh!

I just bought a sunblock for my face (Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF45) which I plan on using at daytime and Olay will be used before I go to bed. Good idea?

Take care!

M x

[answerme]

I just bought a sunblock for my face (Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF45) which I plan on using at daytime and Olay will be used before I go to bed. Good idea?

one of my friends suggests the same daily regimen. sounds good! keep us updated!

[appletime]

one of my friends suggests the same daily regimen. sounds good! keep us updated!

Hope it works!


Day 14


Wow! It's already been 2 weeks since I've been on 'tane. I can't believe I have to be on this course for 6 months. It feels like forever. I'm hoping the days go by much quicker and the 6 month mark will be here before I know it.

The 3 cysts in my face are starting to die down a little. There's a lot of flaked skin around it which looks gross, but I hope that they will be gone by Sunday morning!

My lips are starting to dry out so much more. I always have my lip balm with me wherever I go. I just hate to have that "glossy" look on my lips.

OK, non acne related: I really have a huge crush on this person from work. I'm incredibly attracted. It's been filling my mind for the past 2 days. I want to do something about it, but I'm hesitant because I try to keep my work life seperated from my personal life. But what I've found out yesterday is that this person is leaving the company at the end of the month. I was so sad to hear about that. But at the same time maybe there is a chance between us?

Ugh. So confusing.

Anyways, that's all from me right now. Weekend! I'm going to my aunt's to have lunch right now. She always cooks the best food ever. Watch me pig out. lol

M x

[answerme]

I really have a huge crush on this person from work. I'm incredibly attracted. It's been filling my mind for the past 2 days.

you can't be seriously attracted to her by now, can you? 2 days is pretty short...or is this the period you finally couldn't keep your "work life separated from your personal life" because you realize your feelings for her are just too strong to control? but yeah, too bad if she'll pursue leaving the company. a few weeks, i think, is sooo not enough for you to try to work somethin out..are you guys friends? like close friends?

hey, i went to my derm this morning and as expected, i underwent acne surgery (cleaning). the procedure was still painful, she also gave me injections on different areas of my face (cant remember the count. they were just too many for me to remember). she told me to come back after a week to 'clean' the zits that she expected to come out to the surface after a few days. uh-oh! but she reckoned that before the second month ends, my condition would, noticeably, improve.

your improvement seems to be progressing quickly too - dryness of skin, drying out of cysts...i think dry skin is soooo much better than oily skin!

[appletime]

I really have a huge crush on this person from work. I'm incredibly attracted. It's been filling my mind for the past 2 days.

you can't be seriously attracted to her by now, can you? 2 days is pretty short...or is this the period you finally couldn't keep your "work life separated from your personal life" because you realize your feelings for her are just too strong to control? but yeah, too bad if she'll pursue leaving the company. a few weeks, i think, is sooo not enough for you to try to work somethin out..are you guys friends? like close friends?

hey, i went to my derm this morning and as expected, i underwent acne surgery (cleaning). the procedure was still painful, she also gave me injections on different areas of my face (cant remember the count. they were just too many for me to remember). she told me to come back after a week to 'clean' the zits that she expected to come out to the surface after a few days. uh-oh! but she reckoned that before the second month ends, my condition would, noticeably, improve.

your improvement seems to be progressing quickly too - dryness of skin, drying out of cysts...i think dry skin is soooo much better than oily skin!

Hey Sherrie

I've known her for a while now, but it's only recently we've started talking (about a week) and I feel really attracted to her. Crazy, I know, but I can't seem to get her off my mind. I might ask for her cell# so we could keep in touch once she's left the company.

Glad to hear you were able to see your derm. Ouch. Sounds like that cleaning she performed hurt like hell. Hope you're OK. How does your skin look now? It's great to hear you'll be getting noticable improvements soon. Can't wait for that!

And I agree with ya! dry skin is wonderful compared to the oil slick I used to be.

Take care!

M x

[answerme]

hello mark!

my skin looks so much better now, my pores are getting smaller (this is like one of my top concerns before. enlarged pores made me look 10 years older). im not so embarrassed anymore to look at myself in the mirror in public comfort rooms! (seriously!) and only isotret was able to do somethin tremendous like that for me! im sooo in love with this drug! im not experiencing awful side effects at all (dry lips & skin isnt sooo bad in my case) since the dosage is almost like underdose compared to what most acne sufferers are being prescribed.

how bout yours? hope its all getting better for ya. if you do think it is, post some pics! i envy people who have digital cameras as using films on taking pictures of my skin then handing them over to the kodak technical staff makes me feel so embarrased about myself. and i dont want other people who cant relate to find out im taking before-and-after photo shoots of myself. <sigh>

how are you and your friend getting along? were you able to get her mobile number? i hope she doesnt live too far away. why is she leaving the company anyway?

update us soon!

sherrie

[appletime]

hello mark!

my skin looks so much better now, my pores are getting smaller (this is like one of my top concerns before. enlarged pores made me look 10 years older). im not so embarrassed anymore to look at myself in the mirror in public comfort rooms! (seriously!) and only isotret was able to do somethin tremendous like that for me! im sooo in love with this drug! im not experiencing awful side effects at all (dry lips & skin isnt sooo bad in my case) since the dosage is almost like underdose compared to what most acne sufferers are being prescribed.

how bout yours? hope its all getting better for ya. if you do think it is, post some pics! i envy people who have digital cameras as using films on taking pictures of my skin then handing them over to the kodak technical staff makes me feel so embarrased about myself. and i dont want other people who cant relate to find out im taking before-and-after photo shoots of myself. <sigh>

how are you and your friend getting along? were you able to get her mobile number? i hope she doesnt live too far away. why is she leaving the company anyway?

update us soon!

sherrie

Hi Sherrie,

Great to hear your skin is looking much better. And I'm glad to know that you've found renewed confidence in yourself. Congrats and I hope it's gets better from here on now.

My skin isn't looking too good at the moment. Read my update below. I just hope that I'm having my IB because I don't want this to happen again. And I'll try post pics. I can't at the moment because my digicam isn't with me - hopefully by tomorrow.

I haven't seen my friend since my last working day. We only talk during work and it's usually only around 10 mins in 1 day. I'm exited to see her tomorrow though, when I go back to work.

M x

[appletime]

Day 15


Hi Guys,

Not feelin' too good about myself. I hate how my face is progressing. It seems to be going from bad to worse. I didn't even want to go out today because I was concious about how my face looked.

I have 4 cysts in my face - up 1 from yesterday. Someone please tell me this is the IB and that it won't get much worse. My lips is getting drier and I think the solution to that is not just slathering lip balms but also drinking a lot of water.

I hope my face looks better tomorrow. I'm going back to work and I want to look somewhat decent for the girl that I like. I want to be confident when talking to her, and I don't think I will be when I have these cysts in my face.

Also, I really like the Neutrogena moisturizer that I bought. It felt really good on my face. So I'm happy with my purchase.

That's it from me today. Hope your acne's getting better!

M x