Thanks for replying! I hope that this is bump in the road... I was really pleased with my results and now it's almost like i've started over so i'm sooo disappointed! i'm going to stick with it for awhile longer, but still go to my derm appointment on the 23rd just because, i suppose. anyway, thanks again for the reply... helps to know i'm not the only one

Breakout still continuing. I have a full face of TERRIBLE red marks. Looks like I'm starting all over. Haven't been this down in a long time. Damniiiiiiiit.

Are you still using the clindamycin or any other topicals besides the retin-a?

I hope your derm has some helpful advice for you... and hopefully things get better for you soon!

Hey there. Thanks for the nice words

I don't use the clindamycin on a regular basis because I felt like my skin was getting used to it... It also was very drying along with the retin-a micro during a certain period. I occasionally will use it on problem areas, though.

I think I'm done with topicals. Hopefully my derm will put me on accutane. *crosses fingers* still have awhile to wait, though.

END OF WEEK 17

break up isn't clearing. TERRIBLE red marks all over my face. when i say terrible i mean a couple are about dime size deep red marks. i've been skipping classes and not hanging out with friends... not good.

WEEK 18

breakout is starting to clear up a bit, but makeup still isn't really hiding anything. since my summer tan has faded, the red marks are 2342 x more noticeable.

yep, this is really annoying. awesome!

END OF WEEK 18

Well, my breakout has completely cleared. Thank god. Worst 2 weeks ever! I am left with a lot of redmarks, but they're not as bad as I expected, to be honest. I found that plain ol' Vaseline with a bandaid over them overnight made the red marks heal really nicely.

As of right now, no actives *fingers crossed*... I can hardly wait for my derm appt. next week.

I am a little nervous about breaking out because I stopped taking my birth control two weeks ago. It does too many messed up things to my body, and I'm sick of the irregularity/constant headaches. So far so good, though. I don't really think my acne hormonal, anyAnyway. Not sure if that makes a difference on breaking out after stopping the pill or not.

Anyway, hope everyone is doing well!

ahhh no vaseline thats pore clogging gold....

neva use thats stuff i used it on a tiny bit of my face that ddint break out and it went phyco.
you'll probally regret puting vaseline on in a week or 2.
try aloe vera gel for healing, its better for your skin and a lot less comedogenic than vaseline.

good luck and all the best

actually, vaseline is non-comedogenic. it doesn't have any ingredients on the comedogenic list at all. there are lots of threads about it here.

WEEK 19

still breaking out... it is kind of a strange breakout, though. i'm kind of blaming it on stopping birth control. they are just small, under the skin hard spots that never come to head and go away after a few days. i do still have red marks everywhere, though. ): so annoying.

derm appointment on friday!!! so excited to get ANYTHING that could work.

MID- WEEK 19

my breakout is still pretty noticeable, but i'm able to cover it up..somewhat. i have my derm appt. on friday. i'm not going to wear makeup there, and this is a VERY big step for me. i'm pretty nervous about it, but come on mallory, get over it. be a big girl... haha.

no new inflamed spots, really, though, so that's nice. lots of red marks.

i REALLY hope i get accutane. really really.

END OF WEEK 19

Hey all. Just got back from my derm appt. SOOO... GREAT NEWS! I'm going to get on accutane in exactly 1 month! This makes me unbelievably happy. It really pretty much blows that I have to wait so long, though.

My new derm was SO nice. I told her my history and everything I've tried and at the end I said, "it's so annoying." and she said, "you're preachin' to the choir, sister!" I thought that was pretty funny. Anyway, I didn't even have to say anything about accutane because it's the first thing she suggested. I am a little nervous about the dosage she's going to start me on. She said maybe she'll start me at 40mg then bump me up to 80mg after a little while. Whatever, I'll do whatever she wants as long as this acne goes away...

I already took my first preg. test at the office, then immediately went to get my blood drawn after so I could just get it out of the way. The nurse was having problems finding a good vein, so I sat there for awhile getting pricked and it sucked. She was nervous, too, for some reason which freaked me out a little. She kept saying, "is it always like this or is it just me?" Haha, ummmm IDK lady.

So, for the next month I'm going to continue with the RAM I suppose. I'll keep updating this month, then once I start Accutane I'll make a new log. Excited!!!

hey congrats on gettin prescribed accutane
the one month will go fast, i had to wait 1month as well, due to antibiotics not pregnancy haha. Kinda sucks how fast it goes by, since it also means uni exams for me, which im unprepared
I should be phoning derm in a weeks time and if my bloodwork checks out i'll be picking up prescription. Means i'll be like 3weeks ahead of you I got no idea what my dosage/course length is though, which is weird since i thought it had to do with bodyweight, but he never mentioned anything, guess i'll be asking over the phone lol...

Good luck for your course

thank you!!! i'm really excited. the wait sucks already... it's all i think about (ha, lame, mallory..get a life.)! this is actually my very last month of college, so hopefully i'll be really busy and time will fly by!

you should start an accutane log! i'd def. keep track of it. (: then MAYBE i could have an idea of what to be expecting a little before it happens, haha.

anyway, good luck to you, too!

WEEK 20

okay, so FINALLY my face is starting to clear up and look kind of NORMAL. i almost don't even want to type/think that in fear of my face exploding with cysts tomorrow. that seems to be the norm as of late...

i've been reading everyone's accutane logs trying to prepare myself for it. i hate that i have to wait a whole month! i think about it way too often than i should.

i've stopped picking for the past week or so and wow does my face heal up so much faster. i don't know why i do this, but i really need to stop acting like a weirdo. haha. picking is so dumb and it makes my face look 234534 x worse.

okay, 230 am... time for bed. g'night! maybe i'll post some pictures tomorrow.

beginning of week 20

dear face,

why do you hate me?

AUGH. sooo, i'm never telling you guys that my face is looking normal again, because now it doesn't.

so frustrating! three new actives popped up late last night. i think one might be a cyst... it's not super noticable, but i can definitely feel it, and that sucks.

okay, i didn't want to make this a long post, i just need to bitch a little.

This post has been edited by mallory: Oct 27 2009, 12:21 PM

FML.

Hey i am thinking about starting my prescription of retin a .01. I was wondering how much you would apply and when. I know it is intended for night time use, so do you need to apply it a night to where it will stay on for at least 12hours before you shower in the morning?

Hey!

I apply a pea size amount. Not a lot at all. I seriously think this tube would last a lifetime! I usually just apply it whenever I washed my face at night... I didn't really have a specific time. I really don't think it would make a huge difference - unless you're going to be at 3am and waking up at 6am. My routine was usually around 9/10 pm.

Good luck and let me know if you have anymore questions!

Thanks for the response. Ya i am trying to convince myself to try this since my doctor prescribed it to me 2 months ago. I always get a few pimples on chin with the occasional cyst that likes to pop up and just didnt ever want to go through a worse before better. Then i read where it didnt work for some people like you menitoned and makes me not want to try even more lol...argh stuck between a rock and a hard place!!

I gotta try something though, diet is to much and not gettin the results i want. Id rather eat wht i want and maintain my acne at bay with something. Still convincing myself..........