660 replies to this topic

[redhead rachel]

136 Days Post-'Tane

 

Honestly? I'm as frustrated with my skin right now as I was just before starting Accutane. My left cheek has about 14 teeny tiny flesh-colored and red bumps. I have a small bump on the right side of my face. The first big zit I had post-Accutane is gone and the other one is on its way out. Something is suddenly brewing on my chin and you don't even want to know what I have to say about that.

 

I don't drink a lot of soda, but I usually drink one or two small bottles of Pepsi a day. It's an addiction, okay? I have completely cut out all soda for nearly two weeks now and you'd think my skin would get better, but it hasn't. I suppose cutting Pepsi out of your diet doesn't make it okay to snack on ridiculous amounts of cupcakes and chocolate. (It was my little sister's birthday.) Cupcakes in the house are a dangerous, dangerous thing. I'm not even going to admit how many cupcakes I think I ate. Yeah, it's that bad. (Also, don't ask me how I still manage to weigh only 105 lbs. despite all that. It's somehow impossible for me to gain weight, which is why I have the tendency to eat junk.)

 

So, my only guess as to what is causing these spots all over my face is, as I've stated 100 times before, my poor eating habits.

 

So, I shall be living off broccoli and water for the rest of my life.

 

Juuuust kidding.

 

To help combat this, I had tried the Jason Vitamin E Oil, which I don't think did anything and possibly caused some of the small bumps. I'm not sure. After seeing an ad in a magazine, I bought the Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Cleansing Pads with salicylic acid, despite mixed reviews. Hoping those will help. Will let you all know how that goes.

 

But in all seriousness... No more junk food for this girl.

[Sasch83]

I'm sorry to hear that you have relapsed Rachel.  I know how you feel as i have been on TANE twice before and relapsed.  Keep trying different things and don't give up.

[redhead rachel]

144 Days Post-'Tane

 

Well, my skin hasn't exactly gotten better since I last updated. However, I do think the problem may be due to a product I recently introduced into my regime. In an attempt to clear up the spots I had, I purchased Aveeno's Clear Complexion Cleansing Pads after seeing an ad in a magazine and then reading great reviews. I used the salicylic acid pads on my face every morning, but my acne persists. I'm thinking the Aveeno pads might be causing the sudden increase in acne since that is the only thing that has changed over the last week. And I also got some of the cleanser in my hair and ultimately had tiny zits in that location one or two days later. So, I've dropped those from my regime and now I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do about the cluster of four red zits on the left side of my chin, the bumps I feel along my right jawline, and the swollen, red monstrosity that is next to my nose.

 

Now, don't get me wrong... Things are NOT as bad as the were before Accutane. However, if things don't seem to be improving over the next week, I'm going to give my derm a call and see if he thinks I need to try a new topical since he didn't prescribe anything for me post-Accutane. The last prescription topical treatments I used were Retin-A Micro and BenzaClin, which I haven't used in well over a year now since they stopped working, leading me to take Accutane.

 

Going to dig out my Aztec Healing Clay Mask and some Bragg's apple cider vinegar to use as a spot treatment tonight. And I'm also planning to do the Dr. Oz three day detox at some point in the near future. Maybe that will help too.

 

Fingers crossed that something works.

[CWR24]

I can completely relate to you. Ive had persistent acne since 15ish and got it cleared up in high school pretty good by using topicals then kept breaking out. Took Accutane when I was 19 and it returned within a year : /

[redhead rachel]

I can completely relate to you. Ive had persistent acne since 15ish and got it cleared up in high school pretty good by using topicals then kept breaking out. Took Accutane when I was 19 and it returned within a year : /

 

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that! Fortunately, things aren't as bad as they were before Accutane for me, so I'm hoping it'll all clear back up again. But who knows. Sick of acne!

[redhead rachel]

148 Days Post-'Tane

 

1) I've stayed away from the Aveeno Clear Complexion pads.

 

2) I wish the Aztec Secrets Indian Healing Clay Mask worked for me, but it still doesn't.

 

3) Lemons. Yes, lemons.

 

My skin is looking much better. The three zits I was dealing with are on their way out. The two of my chin are almost gone. But the one on my cheek still persists, though it has gone down in size. It's looking much better, but it still has a ways to go. It feels like a big scab now. And out of the corner of my eye, I can see the sucker sticking out from my face. I've had these teeny tiny bumps on my left check for forever now and they are still there. I think they popped up while on Accutane and haven't gone away since. No idea what to do about those. I feel bumps along my right jawline, but I don't think they're anything to worry about.

 

Fresh lemon juice is what has helped turn my skin around (or so far it has, anyway). I've known for many years that lemon juice is great for the skin. I only tried it once and when I did it was years ago and I used that bottled lemon juice. I don't remember seeing any improvement. While I've read many reviews of people who have had success clearing their acne with bottled lemon, I'm sticking with fresh juice. Thursday night I squeezed the juice out of a lemon and used it as a spot treatment on the zits I had. There was some improvement overnight, but the zits certainly didn't disappear. I didn't expect them to. But if you all know of something that makes zits disappear overnight, then please, let me know. Last night I used lemon juice again, but instead I took a slice of lemon and rubbed it all over my face. Sure, it stung for a minute, but I didn't want to wash it off (though some people do).

 

This morning I woke up and things are looking much better. My pores are smaller. Zits have gotten a little smaller. No new zits have popped up. So, I'm going to continue using a slice of lemon every night to clear things up and hopefully get rid of my red marks as well. I've read a lot of reviews online where people used lemon juice to lighten their freckles and they claimed it worked, which kinda bugs me because my freckles are actually genetic (not sun damage) and I'm apparently one of the few people in the world that actually likes freckles.

 

So, fingers crossed the lemon clears things up entirely.

 

 

Hey Rach! So bummed to hear the accutane isn't keeping you clear. I started breaking out too. Even with the use of retin a my acne started to return. Not as much or even the same as it was before accutane but enough to bother me. So I started taking spiro last month and am just about to start my 2nd month. Things cleared up quickly for me thank god and I hope they continue to get better. Having clear skin was amazing and I need that back

Hopefully you are able to clear up with just a topical or something easy like that. Best of luck!

 

Hey Betsy! I've been wondering how you and the other girls were doing. I'm terrible about checking up on everyone here. On the bright side, things haven't been too bad and it seems the breakouts were brought on by poor eating habits and a new cleanser. But it certainly makes you worry that the acne is just going to come back just as bad as before.

 

Sorry to hear your acne started to come back too. With as much Accutane as you took, I wouldn't have thought you'd have a problem! But I'm glad Spiro is working for you! Hopefully it clears you up and keeps you clear!

[redhead rachel]

150 Days Post-'Tane

 

I have been using fresh lemon juice on my face for four nights in a row now and I've really noticed a significant improvement in my skin. I don't have any new acne. Red marks have already lightened a little. Like I said previously, the acne that I had is going away.

 

However, the the one bump on my right cheek is just so persistent. Will someone come burn the stupid thing off my face or something?! I'm kind of tempted to call my derm and see if they can somehow manage to squeeze me in so I can have him inject a cortisone shot into it. It doesn't have a head on it, so it won't pop and ooze pus. It's just a big, red bump. And I hate it.

[redhead rachel]

154 Days Post-'Tane

 

Just wanted to say that I have been using fresh lemon juice on my face for a full week now and I have noticed such an improvement in the red marks that were left from my Accutane course. It's incredible how quickly lemon has worked. The red marks aren't completely gone, but they are about 90% gone. Plus, it's nice to have less spots to cover with concealer in the morning!

 

And that big zit that was on my cheek? Finally on its way out. Thank God.

[sonrisafingida]

hey rachel! i'm happy that your marks are going. i wanna ask you how do you put the lemon juice on your face? how do you apply it? 

[redhead rachel]

hey rachel! i'm happy that your marks are going. i wanna ask you how do you put the lemon juice on your face? how do you apply it? 

 

I juiced the lemon the first time, but now I find it's easier just to cut a slice off the lemon every night and rub it all over my face.

[sonrisafingida]

hey rachel! i'm happy that your marks are going. i wanna ask you how do you put the lemon juice on your face? how do you apply it? 

 

I juiced the lemon the first time, but now I find it's easier just to cut a slice off the lemon every night and rub it all over my face.

and you wash it then or you let it to be absorbed? thank you for the answer. i'll try it

[redhead rachel]

 

hey rachel! i'm happy that your marks are going. i wanna ask you how do you put the lemon juice on your face? how do you apply it? 

 

I juiced the lemon the first time, but now I find it's easier just to cut a slice off the lemon every night and rub it all over my face.

and you wash it then or you let it to be absorbed? thank you for the answer. i'll try it

 

I've read reviews where people have said they wait like 15 minutes or so and wash it off, but I don't. My skin is super sensitive, so I thought it would be bothered by the lemon. But I haven't been washing it off and it's been fine! If you give it a try, I hope it works for you! You just have to see how your skin handles it.

[redhead rachel]

167 Days Post-'Tane

 

While fresh lemon juice has certainly helped, I had to cut back on using it since it dried out spots my chin. That zit that was on my right cheek is still there, but a much smaller, red bump now. It won't budge otherwise. I've had a few small red bumps pop up within the last week and I have no idea what caused those. Too much sugar and dairy? Perhaps, but I don't know.

 

I tried a homemade mask of organic milk, raw honey, and turmeric, which seemed to improve my skin. However, the acne that I have just isn't budging for the most part. It's reminiscent of how my skin was before Accutane... My acne just wasn't responding to anything I put on it.

 

So, I caved. I called my dermatologist's office. He didn't see me, but he sent two prescriptions over to my pharmacy. One for an antibiotic and another for Epiduo. Upon reading a few reviews for Epiduo, it has me mildly terrified simply because the last thing I want is to make my mild acne turn into something worse. I'm scared to even take the antibiotic for 10 days!

 

I'll probably pick up the prescriptions tonight and see what happens.

[redhead rachel]

172 Days Post-'Tane

 

Figured I'd pop in to say that I picked up the prescriptions my derm sent to my pharmacy. He prescribed me a 10-day supply of Cephalexin, as well as Epiduo (as previously mentioned). I haven't taken the Cephalexin because I'm concerned it'll make my skin worse. I have been using the Epiduo, but only as a spot treatment at night, instead of all over my face. I just worry about the whole purging stage and I don't want to go from mild acne to a face full of zits by adding a new cream to my routine.

 

Epiduo has helped tremendously on the spots that I have. That pesky zit on my right cheek never fully went away, but Epiduo is actually taking care of that. I think I'll keep using just a tiny bit as a spot treatment for now and maybe I'll eventually use it all over. I'll see how it goes.

 

Hope everyone is doing well.

[Sasch83]

if you're not sensitive to BP, epiduo can be a lifesaver.  IF you keep using it as a spot treatment, you unfortunately don't prevent acne from coming up which is the goal of treatment.  But if it works for you, keep at it girl.  Definitely keep us posted on your progress

[redglim]

heng bu cuo

[redhead rachel]

if you're not sensitive to BP, epiduo can be a lifesaver.  IF you keep using it as a spot treatment, you unfortunately don't prevent acne from coming up which is the goal of treatment.  But if it works for you, keep at it girl.  Definitely keep us posted on your progress

 

Thanks! I've been applying the Epiduo to my cheeks and chin since they're my problem areas. I just haven't tried it on my nose or forehead. But it hasn't even been a week and it's been working great so far, which is a relief. I haven't had a single new zit pop up. Haven't felt so relieved since being on Accutane! I'm hoping since nothing new has popped up, maybe I'll avoid any purging with this stuff. That's the worst to go through!

 

Have you used Epiduo?

[LillyRose7]

hi Rachel, 

 

I have followed your blog loosely but i just wanted to mention something - have you ever considered your acne may be hormonally induced? I noticed you break out mostly on your jaw and chin area and my dermatologist and endo (and even my herbal doctor) told me and through my own research i have come to a conclusion that acne on that area is usually hormonal in nature. My doctor told me that if you have an underlying condition, to check for any hormonal disturbances before accutane because some patients return to the derm a few months, or even weeks later saying their skin has gone bad again or is breaking out. that way you can avoid accutane.

 

I think its worth a shot.

[redhead rachel]

hi Rachel, 

 

I have followed your blog loosely but i just wanted to mention something - have you ever considered your acne may be hormonally induced? I noticed you break out mostly on your jaw and chin area and my dermatologist and endo (and even my herbal doctor) told me and through my own research i have come to a conclusion that acne on that area is usually hormonal in nature. My doctor told me that if you have an underlying condition, to check for any hormonal disturbances before accutane because some patients return to the derm a few months, or even weeks later saying their skin has gone bad again or is breaking out. that way you can avoid accutane.

 

I think its worth a shot.

 

I actually have considered it myself, but my dermatologist never seemed to think it was a hormonal issue, which is why it wasn't something I looked into further. I started taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen many years ago, which was supposed to help, but it never had any impact on my acne. I'll actually be seeing my derm next month and I will discuss with him what he thinks may be the cause. Fortunately, things are fine right now though. But I tend to get random flare-ups that don't seem to happen in any sort of pattern, which makes it the most frustrating.

 

Although, it's a little late to avoid Accutane since I already did a five month course, which helped tremendously. Despite the minor acne that has occurred since being off Accutane, I still think it was the best decision I made for my skin so far. But if things get worse, I definitely plan to find out if it's potentially a hormone imbalance.