4 replies to this topic

[CarolineG]

So, I finally popped my first accutane ever!!

I can't wait to just see my face in the mirror. I have had acne for so long, that I don't even remember what I looked like with smooth, un-blemished skin. And I hate that! The really bad stuff started in 6th grade for me, and now I'm 20, so I bet I look way different, but I can't look beyond my acne to see myself. I know I have a problem with putting too much emphasis on that part of myself, but I can't seem to get over it. I often wonder if other people even notice my blemishes as much as I do. I think since I got into college, since people around me are more mature (no more teasing, thank god), the worst part is the physical pain that acne causes. My problem spots are my jaw line and cheeks. Every night, it's a fight to find a comfy place for my head on the pillow because my face is so sensitive and painful!
I am so ready to be free of this!

I have big hopes that my scars will also fade. Any advice on scar treatments from people who have had success?

Edited by CarolineG, 09 August 2012 - 08:55 PM.

[clearly_dreaming]

My derm said that 6 mo after I'm done with my Claravis, I can have some cosmetic work to reduce scars.

He said I would need about 5 treatments at about $650 each.

He said at best I could expect a 50% reduction in acne scars.

[===]

I have big hopes that my scars will also fade. Any advice on scar treatments from people who have had success?

Are the scars you're referring to either indented or raised? If not, they're probably just red marks from prior acne (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, if you wanna look it up). I've got that pretty bad, too. It sucks looking like you have acne in places you don't, but it's certainly favorable to having legit scarring in the long run, which usually requires expensive cosmetic work for significant improvement as clearly_dreaming mentioned. PIH most always fades with time. There's a subforum here dedicated to it: http://www.acne.org/...eft-after-acne/. Unfortunately, we can't apply many of the solutions to it while on Accutane. What we CAN do, though, is apply a good sunblock; more tanning -> more pigmentation -> more time to heal. I'm just starting to use sunblock regularly, hopefully it will make things more manageable . It might be tempting, especially if you're fair-skinned like me, to try to hide the red marks with a tan, but trust me, it's best to take care of it asap. I'm also like you in that I've never really seen my face without acne; since puberty, I've always had something active.

Anyway, good luck! I've found that people who have cystic acne along the jawline seem to always be cleared up after their Accutane course is said and done. It might get worse before it gets better, but just remember that it has to come up sometime, so better now than later!

[CarolineG]

I have big hopes that my scars will also fade. Any advice on scar treatments from people who have had success?

Are the scars you're referring to either indented or raised? If not, they're probably just red marks from prior acne (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, if you wanna look it up). I've got that pretty bad, too. It sucks looking like you have acne in places you don't, but it's certainly favorable to having legit scarring in the long run, which usually requires expensive cosmetic work for significant improvement as clearly_dreaming mentioned. PIH most always fades with time. There's a subforum here dedicated to it: http://www.acne.org/...eft-after-acne/. Unfortunately, we can't apply many of the solutions to it while on Accutane. What we CAN do, though, is apply a good sunblock; more tanning -> more pigmentation -> more time to heal. I'm just starting to use sunblock regularly, hopefully it will make things more manageable . It might be tempting, especially if you're fair-skinned like me, to try to hide the red marks with a tan, but trust me, it's best to take care of it asap. I'm also like you in that I've never really seen my face without acne; since puberty, I've always had something active.

Anyway, good luck! I've found that people who have cystic acne along the jawline seem to always be cleared up after their Accutane course is said and done. It might get worse before it gets better, but just remember that it has to come up sometime, so better now than later!

I kind of have a mix of both indented and just redness scars, but the red ones are what really bother me. This is good news, I guess! It does suck that my face still looks so bad even though it feels smooth and I know it's better! I am super fair skinned. I can't even tan unless it's a spray tan, haha! But what I try to do to cover the redness is use a green tinted sunscreen/foundation. It counter-acts the red since they are complementary colors. Thanks for the reply and the info!

So today is DAY FIVE of my journey!! I am about .034% through my treatment! (Assuming it takes 5 30-day months) haha. Even before I started accutane, my lips were prone to getting chapped and splitting due to dryness, so I was worried about that part. So far, it's hard to tell if it's a side effect or just normal life. I am using my beloved Aquaphor as much as ever. I tried out Blistex Silk&Shine because it was more of a chapstick style, rather than having to smear on the Vaseline-like Aquaphor, but that did not work. I was just in pain for days, no relief or healing. I don't think I'll be trying out anything new for a while. My lips are a problem, but I think my eyes and nose might even be worse

This will be worth it.

Edited by CarolineG, 14 August 2012 - 09:49 PM.

[CarolineG]

It's Day 10 and all I can think is UGHH, the dryness!!
First it was my lips and eyes, now it's my entire face. The creases around my nose really hurt too for some reason. They aren't dry but they sting (?) I am moisturizing in the morning and wearing a light night cream that claims it doubles skin moisture for 8 hours. I can't imagine how dry I would be without that stuff! I have started to use aquaphor almost everywhere now. Around my nose, over my eyebrows, on my lips, and in other random spots that kinda change daily. I've been thinking about how lucky I am that I have a friend who has been through this. If she didn't introduce me to aquaphor, I would be miserable right now. Neosporin just tastes awful if you accidentally lick your lips! And the initial breakout
It has been bad!
I've got 5 or 6 big cysts and several other small clusters of zits. Oh, the pain and embarassment. I wish the first day of school wasn't in a week. I probably could have timed my accutane course better, but since the moment my dermatologist suggested it, I was planning on starting as soon as possible. This will all be over soon!

I know everyone is different, but just so I have an idea, about how long did the initial breakout last for some of you?