23 replies to this topic

[Jakebakedacake]

Hi everyone! Well, i'll get right to it. I have been using Differin 0.1% cream for 14 weeks, an my doctor just switched me to Epiduo. Right now, my face is looking good, with very light acne. I will try and update you on how I am doing at least once a week. Acne sucks, so Im gonna hit it with everything I have. Thanks everyone, please follow this log and comment with any personal stories/questions, and I will try to answer them ASAP!

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[random1]

Just curious but why did your doc up you to something stronger?

[Jakebakedacake]

She is not a dermatologist, but she has become aware that dermatologists are now using Epiduo as a first-line treatment, so she thought it would make more sense than just Differin.

[Jakebakedacake]

Hey guys, just wanted to update you on how i'm doing with Epiduo. So far, I don't know if it works any better, but it is much more irritating. The differin did not irritate my skin AT ALL, in fact, it made it feel nice and soft. Epiduo makes it soft, but it has a slight burn to it. Again, feel free to comment!

[Jakebakedacake]

Hello everyone,
just thought I'd give you guys an update. Epiduo is irritating my skin, not so badly that I don't want to use it, but it seems to me making it flake and peel a little bit. Whatever. Anyway, my face is looking pretty good. Not perfect, but good. I'll tell you how it's going again as soon as I can.

[Jakebakedacake]

Hi guys. My skin has actually been remaining pretty stable for the past week, but starting today it looked like it was flaring up slightly. Epiduo is still a bit irritating, but I don't care. Please post on this thread with your Epiduo stories, I have been wondering how it has worked for other people.

[Jakebakedacake]

Blah. I hate acne. Im breaking out again, isn't this just wonderful. Hopefully It will clear up again soon.

[Sasch83]

Jake, just remember, our skin is ALWAYS changing so this is only temporary

This Too Shall Pass

[Jakebakedacake]

Thanks Sasch... However, I am quickly loosing faith in this regimen my doctor put me on. Overall, I would say I'm 20-25% better off than I was 17 weeks ago, and thats on a good day. I will be seeing a dermatologist in a months time, so maybe I can develop a more comprehensive treatment plan with him. What would you guys recommend I ask him? I was thinking of requesting some antibiotics, such as doxycycline. My acne is not nearly severe enough for Accutane, so thats out of the question. Has anyone tried Tazorac/Retin-A? Maybe a combination of an oral antibiotic, and a different retinoid would be more effective. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[Sasch83]

Jake - i absolutely feel your frustrations! I am on week 12 and broken out so......... All i can say is give it time. I would suggest you stick to Epiduo for 3 months as it will take that long to see noticeable results (you may be one of the lucky ones and see results earlier). If you begin breaking out on Epiduo, don't be too upset, it will make you purge - you should check out some of the epiduo logs online.

I am using Atralin which has the same active ingredient as retin A (tretinoin) and as i said, it has not been my miracle cure but i have seem improvement (in my forehead mostly). I am giving it 4 months before i go back to my derm and try something else (not sure where else there is to go - i don't want to do anything with benzoyl peroxide and i tried and failed with differin so......) But my experiences aside, a lot of people have found success with retin a.

As for antibiotics, they are soooooo bad for your body so please think long and hard if you want to go that route. You may be better of using a topical antibiotic just to get through the first 12 weeks of treatment.

If epiduo does not work, then try retin a at the lowest concentration and work your way up (.025%).

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Jakebakedacake]

Yeah i'll definitely keep at it, at least until my dermatologist has a chance to evaluate my skin.

[chickle]

Sorry to hear bro. First pictures = skin looks great, wouldn't of changed a thing. How is it now/photo update? topical retinoids arn't working in combo with antibiotics, I would go full on accutane.

[fadedjay]

Hi Jake,

Any update on how epiduo is working for you?

Thanks,
jay

[Jakebakedacake]

It clears, then breaks out, then clears, then breaks out. It is very frustrating. Today I went to the doctors because a pustule became a staph infection again, so I was given bactrim antibiotics. I think that I will ask to take bactrim long term, as its efficacy for acne is very profound. Does anyone have any experience with bactrim?

It clears, then breaks out, then clears, then breaks out. It is very frustrating. Today I went to the doctors because a pustule became a staph infection again, so I was given bactrim antibiotics. I think that I will ask to take bactrim long term, as its efficacy for acne is very profound. Does anyone have any experience with bactrim?

[Sasch83]

It clears, then breaks out, then clears, then breaks out. It is very frustrating. Today I went to the doctors because a pustule became a staph infection again, so I was given bactrim antibiotics. I think that I will ask to take bactrim long term, as its efficacy for acne is very profound. Does anyone have any experience with bactrim?

It clears, then breaks out, then clears, then breaks out. It is very frustrating. Today I went to the doctors because a pustule became a staph infection again, so I was given bactrim antibiotics. I think that I will ask to take bactrim long term, as its efficacy for acne is very profound. Does anyone have any experience with bactrim?

Jake, i am sorry that you are having such a rough time with treatment. That's unfortunately how it is with retinoids. I have taken Bactrim in the past and it did not help my acne so i am now anti antibiotics because they have messed with my digestion in the past. I definitely would NOT recommend them long term and if you choose to do it, take some probiotics to balance out the good bacteria.

You're still early on in treatment so take it week by week.

I go back to my derm on Wed and i am considering Epiduo (despite the benzoyl peroxide) as i am about to embark on holistic treatment to heal my organs and i may experience detox symptoms.

Good Luck and keep us posted

[Jakebakedacake]

Thanks for all of the well wishes... I will be seeing my dermatologist soon, where I hope to develop a more comprehensive treatment plan. Has anyone heard of "Ziana"? It is apparently a combination of 0.025% tretinoin, and 1.2% clindamycin, and it has the highest clinical effiacy rates that I have seen in any of the topical retinoids or antibiotics prescribing information.

[Sasch83]

Thanks for all of the well wishes... I will be seeing my dermatologist soon, where I hope to develop a more comprehensive treatment plan. Has anyone heard of "Ziana"? It is apparently a combination of 0.025% tretinoin, and 1.2% clindamycin, and it has the highest clinical effiacy rates that I have seen in any of the topical retinoids or antibiotics prescribing information.

Jake it seems as if we are mimicking each other....lol. You want to try Ziana which i was on and i want to try Epiduo which you were on.


Long story short, my forehead was the only part that cleared up using Ziana and i was on it for over 3 months. Towards the end i got really bad clusters of inflamed bumps that hurt like a mutha.....not the greatest of experiences. Also, i wasn't too fond of the antibiotic component as we all know that antibiotics eventually devlop resistance. You may be better off trying a low dose of retin A (or generic tretinoin) gel (not cream) at a .025% concentration and adding a topical antibiotic separately.

How long have you been on Epiduo? Is your acne worse than before? Is it irritating?

I was also thinking, since Differin worked so well for you, why not just move up to the .3% version. Your skin looked FANTASTIC at the end of your differin treatment.

Edited by sasch12, 29 May 2012 - 02:53 PM.

[N.clare]

Jake, you should hold out a little longer with epiduo. Ive been using it since December last year and my skin has improved so so much. It does have waves... itll get better then worse then better etc... but each time it gets worse its not as bad as the last time and eventually it stops. Retinoids are not quick fixes but they change your skin over time.

[Jakebakedacake]

Thanks Clare... I plan on staying on Epiduo unless my dermatologist changes my plan when I see him in 6 weeks. Oh and sash, I have been on Epiduo for about 8 weeks now, and yes it can be irritating. Sometimes it's not irritating at all, and sometimes it is. But usually a quick application of moisturizer fixes it.

[Jakebakedacake]

Saw my dermatologist, she kept me on Epiduo, but she added Sumadan Wash to my regimin. My face gets better, then breaks out. Gets better, then breaks out. Very frustrating.