24 replies to this topic

[Hadouken998]

So today is the day that after alot of consideration i start accutane. Mainly making this log for my own benefit so i can track stuff easier down the line but maybe it will be of use to someone else on here so here we go!


Background
Acne runs in the family. My mum especially had a big battle with cystic acne right through her teens to early twenties. So it was no surprise that i have problems with Acne. I have had it ever since i was 12/13 which was just teenage spots which i controlled with over the counter Oxy/Clearasil stuff. It escalated and by the time i was 14/15 i was dealing with large under skin mosqutio bite spots which i found hard to control. I then went to the doctor and was prescribed a large number of antibiotics/topicals/washes which never did the trick.

I managed to get this under control at 16 as i found a skincare routine that worked for me. I took Lymecycline daily and I coated my face in Benzoyl Peroxide (Panoxyl) and then put moisturiser over the top. Twice a day. This made my skin very dry but manageable. This kept me clear but maybe once a month i would get a large spot which was under the skin still big. Just dealable. I went to a NHS dermatologist about this “one big cyst” pattern in 2009 but he just said my face was fine.

It was all fine and i carried on doing this until i was 20. My acne had calmed down so much that i didnt have to keep taking lymecycline i could just do the routine once a day. Then in April 2012, I noticed that instead of just one every once in a while more and more big cystic spots were coming through the routine and it wasnt having as much effect as it was before. I went back to the doctor to get back on antibiotics and was put on Doxycycline to help.
Then probably the best timing in the world, Panoxyl was then discontinued in May 2012. So i went cold turkey and everything was fine for a few weeks until my acne progressively came back worse and worse which i tried to control naturally/ with over the counter products until in September my acne was so bad that i went back onto the original skincare routine i did initially. Ordering a Panxoyl alternative from america (acne.org regimen)

This routine now for some reason my skin wont respond to and isn’t helping like it did previously. It just makes my skin really red raw, itchy and dry, because of that my acne is still just getting worse and worse. Its like for some reason my acne has developed and is now majority all under skin but all over my face.

Lifestyle
I lead a very active lifestyle. I cycle to work every day and walk around all day when i am at work. I workout 4-5 times a week and my diet reflects this. Because of how i want results from the gym i eat a very clean diet with plenty of meat and clean vegetables. I have tried cutting out Dairy and Gluten to no avail. I never eat fast food and completely avoid sugar as a rule of thumb except in fruit. I have good hygiene and shower regularly but only wash my face twice a day to reduce irritation.

Impact
It has really affected my self esteem and i wake up in the morning dreading what i have to deal with today. I dread going outside and facing people or seeing friends. With a trip to the hairdressers or the convenience shop being something i have to build up a load of confidence to do. Work has been a nightmare recently and i find myself segregating myself from everyone in an empty office. My job is very public and circles around being very confident and good at dealing with newpeople which is difficult when i have no self esteem. There have been times when i cant actually wear my hat at work because of my acne as it causes me so much pain.

- I missed an award ceremony i was due to attend at work because i didnt want to get up on stage infront of a crowd to accept my award and then deal with a camera.
- I grew a beard to hide my jawline area as best i can
- I avoid my friends/people in general trying to stay inside as best i can
- I recently passed all of my assessments for my dream job and will be starting in May. This is a childhood dream which i am not excited about at all because i am dreading starting with this face and not to be able to be as confident as i normally am and excel as i should do.
- Colleagues/friends have noticed a change in my behaviour, im not the outgoing/ confident/chatty guy anymore. Just the guy who stares at the floor and excludes himself.

Here is everything that i tried that i can remember prior to going on Accutane
Antibiotics
- Erythromycin
- Tetracycline
- Lymecycline
- Doxycycline
- Flucloxacillin
Topicals
- Zineryt
- Quinoderm
- Panxoyl
- Duac
- Acne.org benzoyl peroxide
- Clerasil
- Oxy on the spot
- Neutrogena on the spot
- Freederm
- Retin-A
Natural side of things
- Zinc
- Multivitamins
- B5
- Tea tree oil
- Green tea
- Every face wash/moisturiser under the sun.



So i decided i needed to get this under control so i could get my life back, after venting to family i realise how much of an obsession my skin had got to and how big of an impact it was having on my life. I was basically hinging around skin quality day to day. So i went back to the GP who just wanted to put me on topical Zineryt, even though this did nothing for me previously and refused to give me an NHS referral as i had one previously 3 years ago. So i saved up some money and decided to go to a private dermatologist (UK) which for me was a big step. I walked in and she was really nice had a brief chat with me and then immediately recommended Roaccutane and was severely annoyed the NHS had refused it for me 3 years ago. She thought it was ridiculous i was spending life savings on clearing my skin, as i dont have insurance, so referred me to herself on the NHS. She let me start the treatment there and then and handed me my prescription, asking me to get some bloods done through my GP in the next week or so. So i only had to pay £300 for the consultation and initial round of meds which for me is a bonus as i was expecting it to be near to £1500.

So today is Day 1 i just took my first pill this morning and we shall see how it goes! I am planning to continue doing the regimen for the first week once a day using minimal BP just to minimise the dreaded initial breakout and to overlap the two courses of treatment.

I am on half dose for the first 2 months, 20mg twice a day (40mg ED)

Roll on clear skin!

 

********EDIT*****

I have tried to find a picture of my skin to add to the beginning of the log but didnt take a picture. Instead i have  attached a picture of my skin just before Accutane when it was at its worst. may not look too bad because of rubbish webcam pictures but at this point all the red marks are big under skin cysts. I could wear a hat at work and couldn't even raise my eyebrows without causing a considerable amount of pain.

 

Edited by Hadouken998, 26 January 2013 - 09:15 AM.

[Hadouken998]

Day 4

So far so good. My skin looks better which was unexpected. No new spots! A few whiteheads here and there but they came as fast as they went. The active cysts on the forehead look smaller and more dealable aswell.

However, i look like a sunburn victim, probably windburn from cycling to work and then walking around in the snow. Either way i am cutting out the BP and fully committing to the accutane. Hopefully it all works out

 

 

Edited by Hadouken998, 24 January 2013 - 01:42 PM.

[letsgetthisoverwith]

,
Impact
It has really affected my self esteem and i wake up in the morning dreading what i have to deal with today. I dread going outside and facing people or seeing friends. With a trip to the hairdressers or the convenience shop being something i have to build up a load of confidence to do. Work has been a nightmare recently and i find myself segregating myself from everyone in an empty office. My job is very public and circles around being very confident and good at dealing with newpeople which is difficult when i have no self esteem. There have been times when i cant actually wear my hat at work because of my acne as it causes me so much pain.

I know exactly what you're saying in this paragraph. I've had the exact same feelings. Good luck to ya. I just started this past Friday and am really hoping to be done with acne forever.

[whoartthou1]

any photos?|

[Rorius]

Your story is strikingly similar to mine- I too have just began a course of isotretinoin & am using BP until I feel the drug has taken hold or my skin becomes too irritated. I'm using Quinoderm 5- it's very good for keeping the bulk of the acne away (although it doesn't work for deeper nodules) and it's somehow more gentle than Panoxyl 2.5

 

About the dreaded Initial Breakout- I have quite a few friends who have been on Isotret in the past & haven't experienced one. I asked & my derma says that it is common for inflammation to rise initially while on the course, but a severe initial breakout is rare.

[Hadouken998]

any photos?|

 

Edited and added! Whats a log with no pictures anyway.

 

 

,
Impact
It has really affected my self esteem and i wake up in the morning dreading what i have to deal with today. I dread going outside and facing people or seeing friends. With a trip to the hairdressers or the convenience shop being something i have to build up a load of confidence to do. Work has been a nightmare recently and i find myself segregating myself from everyone in an empty office. My job is very public and circles around being very confident and good at dealing with newpeople which is difficult when i have no self esteem. There have been times when i cant actually wear my hat at work because of my acne as it causes me so much pain.

I know exactly what you're saying in this paragraph. I've had the exact same feelings. Good luck to ya. I just started this past Friday and am really hoping to be done with acne forever.

 

 

 

Cheers mate! Its about time we got ontop of this and got our lives back! Looks like you are me are pretty much in the same postion. 21 male and started accutane on the exact same day! Looking forward to hearing success stories

 

 

 

 

END OF WEEK ONE!

 

 

Milestone! So far so good! I decided to keep with the minimal BP just because i don't want to deal with an Initial breakout and so far so good. My skin is looking better already! My body has always been quite fast so hopefully it continues this way. 

 

No new cysts, current ones of which i can count 6 are a lot smaller less noticeable and look to be going down! Few whiteheads here and there but they are no hassle.

 

My skin was very red and irritated as you can see in day 4 due to the harsh winter weather and me being out in it constantly. Ive since bought Boots derma pharmaceuticals mosituriser its super thick and for extra dry skin which i am using at night as its really greasy. It seems to be having "some" benefit.  My skin is noticeably dryer and i am having to apply vaseline and moisturise in places 3-4 times a day. Its also less oily. I used to moisturise once and then blot my life away to get the excess oil off my face but now i dont have to despite all the extra moisturisin'

 

Oh and i am keeping my beard for the duration of the course. Mainly because if i shaved now i would have a nice white area where my beard was and a scorched red look for the rest of my face. Not a good look!

 

Looking into buying a clarisonic? Does anyone have any problems with using this when on Accutane?

 

Edited by Hadouken998, 24 January 2013 - 01:53 PM.

[Hadouken998]

End of Week Two - Hello side effects

 

So all in all my skin is looking good. Cysts are still there however they arent as obvious as the redness and size has gone down. I did stupidly pop a spot on my forehead and learned why you shouldnt on accutane. Red mark looks worse than the spot did!

 

This week ive started getting mild eczema on my hands, headaches, itchy scalp, red face, lips are peeling, ears are peeling! my left knee hurts, i had the worst nosebleed of my life and on my face skin looks like it is dry and ready to peel off and then reveals a raw skin patch underneath? Weird. 

 

Still using BP just minimal amounts. Still getting a whitehead here and there which is very do able.

 

So yeah full house of side effects. Skins getting good!

 

 

 

End of Week 3 

 

 

 

A WILD CYST APPEARS!

Josh used Benzoyl Peroxide!

It's uneffective

 

ACCUTANE I CHOOSE YOU!

 

This week i seemed to have backtracked. I got my clarisonic in the post and started using it once a day. But have come to the conclusion that its just too aggressive for my skin on accutane. Seems to just make it raw and irritated. Which we all know means...Acne!

 

So on Friday last week i started feeling the biggest hugest cyst on my face. 3 old cysts which were smaller were merging into something monstrous. So i panicked and started liberally applying BP twice a day to the area.....

 This pretty much sums that decision up
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=cXxoSdm3d2c. 

 

So i ended up with a kinda chemical burn to the area and a cyst to boot. The picture below doesn't make out just how red and blotchy it is but its basically a strip from my eyebrow to my forehead. Ha. So last night i decided to stop with the BP for good, skin healing is probably a better idea than chucking loads of chemicals on it. Just got to have faith in the Accutane. 

 

Overall skin is good. I think as its clearing up im holding it to a higher standard and fretting over things i didnt worry about before. 

 

Oh and i got a very individual haircut. 

 

Edited by Hadouken998, 22 February 2013 - 04:20 PM.

[BMarieWantsNoAcne]

I haven't experienced the nose bleeds, but I've read that you can put some vaseline or Aquaphor on a q tip and put it in your nose which helps.

[Hadouken998]

I haven't experienced the nose bleeds, but I've read that you can put some vaseline or Aquaphor on a q tip and put it in your nose which helps.

 

Thanks for the tip, tried this and havent had a nose bleed today so i'm happy with that!

[Sasch83]

any photos?|

 

Edited and added! Whats a log with no pictures anyway.

 

 

> 

,
Impact
It has really affected my self esteem and i wake up in the morning dreading what i have to deal with today. I dread going outside and facing people or seeing friends. With a trip to the hairdressers or the convenience shop being something i have to build up a load of confidence to do. Work has been a nightmare recently and i find myself segregating myself from everyone in an empty office. My job is very public and circles around being very confident and good at dealing with newpeople which is difficult when i have no self esteem. There have been times when i cant actually wear my hat at work because of my acne as it causes me so much pain.

I know exactly what you're saying in this paragraph. I've had the exact same feelings. Good luck to ya. I just started this past Friday and am really hoping to be done with acne forever.

 

 

 

Cheers mate! Its about time we got ontop of this and got our lives back! Looks like you are me are pretty much in the same postion. 21 male and started accutane on the exact same day! Looking forward to hearing success stories

 

 

 

 

END OF WEEK ONE!

 

 

Milestone! So far so good! I decided to keep with the minimal BP just because i don't want to deal with an Initial breakout and so far so good. My skin is looking better already! My body has always been quite fast so hopefully it continues this way. 

 

No new cysts, current ones of which i can count 6 are a lot smaller less noticeable and look to be going down! Few whiteheads here and there but they are no hassle.

 

My skin was very red and irritated as you can see in day 4 due to the harsh winter weather and me being out in it constantly. Ive since bought Boots derma pharmaceuticals mosituriser its super thick and for extra dry skin which i am using at night as its really greasy. It seems to be having "some" benefit.  My skin is noticeably dryer and i am having to apply vaseline and moisturise in places 3-4 times a day. Its also less oily. I used to moisturise once and then blot my life away to get the excess oil off my face but now i dont have to despite all the extra moisturisin'

 

Oh and i am keeping my beard for the duration of the course. Mainly because if i shaved now i would have a nice white area where my beard was and a scorched red look for the rest of my face. Not a good look!

 

Looking into buying a clarisonic? Does anyone have any problems with using this when on Accutane?

 

 

Would not recommend using anything abrasive like a Clarasonic.  I threaded my eyebrows on accutane and got a massive breakout in the area that lasted for a week.

 

Just be patient and let the drug do its thing

[pr1nc355]

Good luck, I'm in my 5th month of 6 month programme.

 

Take it slow and be patient, hard to say I know.

 

When I first started I was constantly checking the mirror to see a difference. I have also been very lucky with my side effects, dry lips, headaches (which I already suffer from), shedding hair (lucky I have alot of it) dry mouth, eczema on hands (only just started). achey right shoulder. lol, now that I have read that it does seem like a lot. But compared to other people mild.

 

Also remember they are spots, your life is bigger than the spots on your face. Don't let them own you.

[Hadouken998]

End of Week 4! 

Milestone! Really happy to be this far along time is flying by. Skin is so so clear right now. I only have one active cyst on my forehead but its not even red so its barely noticeable. Skin is still peeling. It even peels on my ears! Only problem is this is now rippling round my body, starting to get excema on my neck arms and shoulders, so having to cake myself in moisturiser every day. Finding that my face is flushing a lot more than usual just being beetroot red for a few hours or so for no reason. But hey, look at these results!

 

I have my confidence back which is great! Even so much that i passed my driving test this morning! Life is on the up!

 

 

 

End of week 5

Well it was good while it lasted. My face has broken out like crazy, i counted 8 cysts on Sunday, not just little ones either big red painful ones. Which is a shame because my face was showing some big big progress, i thought i had cheated the initial breakout haha. i really shouldve photographed it earlier on it the week when it was at its peak. Immediately went back to not being able to wear my hat at work, face hurting to make faces/smile and not really wanting to go outisde but hey it looks like its going, i hope at least. 

 

On the plus side my NHS referral came through so no more paying through the nose for treatment! Should hopefully be going up to 80mg per day in a week or so.

 

[Hadouken998]

End of Week 6

 

So the breakout started to clear up and peel leaving just red marks, which look just as bad but im happier knowing they're not active. But then my face broke out again. Nothing too major, just 2 big red ones which again the camera isnt showing how large they are but you get the jiist.  Ive started today wearing sunblock, the spray one from Garnier as my face was just getting burnt at the glimpse of the sun. Its making my skin feel more oily than previously but i guess i need it, beats looking like a tomato.

 

Pain in my left knee and hip is still going on, kind of limping along haha. But im still at the gym and havent noticed any problems lifting there. 

 

Oh and NHS follow up appointment tuesday!!

 

Edited by Hadouken998, 01 March 2013 - 04:51 AM.

[HulaNinja]

This is so great - I've enjoyed reading your progress.  Hang in there!

[Hadouken998]

End of week 7

 

Still breaking out in big painful spots which is a pain. Starting to get frustrated with it all, my skin had basically cleared itself leading up to week 4 but the second month just wont stop being rubbish. No more side effects to report, im ill in general this week. Got this rubbish cough cold that seems to be going round. I had my NHS appointment on tuesday, the nurse was really nice and she upped my dosage to 60mg a day for the next two months.

 

Over the course of the treatment she said i needed to average at least 85mg per day for a minimum of 4 months. So looks like i might be going for quite a while!

 

[whoartthou1]

wats ur diet like?

[Hadouken998]

Im trying to stack it on in the gym so i eat pretty clean.

Breakfast
Porridge made with water and a bit of peanut butter in it.
2 egg scrambled egg.

 

Mid morning
Protein shake with water
Banana

Lunch

Wholewheat bread sandwich with chicken and plastic cheese.
Apple

Mid afternoon
Chicken Breast
Sweet potato

Post workout
Protein shake with water

Dinner
Pork steak 
Vegetables
Brown rice

Mid evening
Granola
Natural yoghurt

Before bed
Protein shake with water

 

Black coffee/green tea here and there. And as much water as i can put down my neck.

 

*** just before anyone says anything, protein shakes are not the cause of my acne for me. I tried cutting them out for 2 months in 2012 and noticed absolutely 0 difference. Apart from me losing weight.

Edited by Hadouken998, 09 March 2013 - 05:22 AM.

[Hadouken998]

End of week 8

 

Milestone right there! So this week my face went crazy, all the skin on my cysts peeled off to reveal crimson red raw skin which is on just on its way to healing. Really hope this doesnt scar. Side effects are a bit stronger but thats to be expected. Dry-er skin, dandruff, dry dry dry lips. And my face is red for no reason throughout the day. 

 

Havent broken out this week!!!! Just keeping the ones i have, although they are slowly fading. Skin is getting smooth, just really blotchy from all the red marks. Praying it doesnt scar.

 

Starting to feel im doing this log for my own benefit 750 views and still noone really cares! haha. 

 

[NoMoreDotToDot]

Aww, people do care. Log should mainly benefit you anyway, so you can track your progress and look back on it once we have beautiful, clear skin! Lol.

Good to hear you haven't broken out at all this week, and I can relate about the skin peeling and leaving red raw patches. I have it too from where my spots have been. I think I'm roughly about a week behind you with the tablets.

[everythingthatshimmers]

I've been following along! I'm on Day 16 of my course and it helps to read logs like yours to know what to expect and to feel like there are others going through the same thing, unpleasant as it may be at times. I can see a big improvement from your first picture to your current picture, I think you will have good results. I am also having issues with my scalp being flaky but mine doesn't seem to be true dandruff as dandruff shampoo doesn't help. I've had pretty good results using a really thick conditioner & adding drops of jojoba oil to it. Hope things keep progressing well for you!