6 replies to this topic

[Shannanigunz]

I went to my first EVER dermatologist appointment today, and was prescribed Epiduo.

I am also taking Ortho Tri cyclen (for about 5 months now) BCP.

I have mild adult acne (It was moderate, but my initial breakout from the Ortho Tri is over, and it's slowly improving)

Never had acne as a teen; just started getting it about 6 months ago, at 25 years old.

 

I've been reading a lot of good reviews about Epiduo on here, however, I am terrified of an initial breakout. I am still recovering from my Ortho Tri IB, which made my acne worse than before I even started the pill. Honestly, I probobly didn't even need to switch birth controls. But I did...so now I've gone too far into it (like I said, 5 months) and may as well stick with it since it appears to slowly be getting better.

 

I had my first bout of "cystic acne" while on my 2nd month of Ortho Tri, now that is over, I just have scars.

 

It did not get rid of the tiny bumps on my jaw and chin, so the dermatologist prescribed me Epiduo.

 

I'm so worried about another initial breakout.

Am I more likely to have one than not?

I was thinking that I may be less likely to have once, since my skin has already recently been "purged" within the last few months.

My derm said "it may, it may not" .....so I'm scared sh*tless...of course.

 

If you tried epiduo, especially if you had only mild acne, did it make your face better or worse, and did you experience an initial breakout?

 

Are there ways to prevent an initial breakout?

 

Again, I know it's probobly a 50/50 chance that I will experience an IB, but I don't like those odds.

 

I want to try this epiduo to clear my face completely...but I am extremely nervous.

Edited by Shannanigunz, 31 January 2013 - 01:20 PM.

[milica]

Hi there, I have only been on Epiduo for a few weeks now, so I don't have too much insight for you, but I will still tell you about my experience so far.  The first few days on it I didn't experience any of the dryness or burning.  Day 3 it felt like somebody dipped my face into the fires of hell.  Worst pain EVER.  The next morning my skin was flaking and red.  I applied a thin layer of Vaseline to the flaky areas which took care of that.  I continued using the Epiduo as prescribed.  The pain stopped after a couple of nights.  It does get better.  My face does still flush after I apply the Epiduo, but it is at nighttime so I don't mind too much.

When I started on the Epiduo I had a large cyst on my jawline and a nodule on my cheek.  The nodules usually clear after several weeks and the cysts usually take months for me to heal.  Both are completely flat now.  I also had dozens of closed comedones and blackheads on my cheeks and nose.  Most of these have disappeared already.  I believe that I am going through the initial breakout right now.  I developed a large nodule on my cheek yesterday, but it is already decreasing in size.  So maybe the pimples that we get from the initial breakout will heal faster.  My skin has a long way to go before it looks great, but if I am just going by the number of imperfections on my face, they have already decreased greatly.

Good luck to you with whatever you choose. 

[Shannanigunz]

Hi there, I have only been on Epiduo for a few weeks now, so I don't have too much insight for you, but I will still tell you about my experience so far.  The first few days on it I didn't experience any of the dryness or burning.  Day 3 it felt like somebody dipped my face into the fires of hell.  Worst pain EVER.  The next morning my skin was flaking and red.  I applied a thin layer of Vaseline to the flaky areas which took care of that.  I continued using the Epiduo as prescribed.  The pain stopped after a couple of nights.  It does get better.  My face does still flush after I apply the Epiduo, but it is at nighttime so I don't mind too much.

When I started on the Epiduo I had a large cyst on my jawline and a nodule on my cheek.  The nodules usually clear after several weeks and the cysts usually take months for me to heal.  Both are completely flat now.  I also had dozens of closed comedones and blackheads on my cheeks and nose.  Most of these have disappeared already.  I believe that I am going through the initial breakout right now.  I developed a large nodule on my cheek yesterday, but it is already decreasing in size.  So maybe the pimples that we get from the initial breakout will heal faster.  My skin has a long way to go before it looks great, but if I am just going by the number of imperfections on my face, they have already decreased greatly.

Good luck to you with whatever you choose. 

 

 

 

 Wow, thanks so much for the insight!

It sounds like the IB isn't that bad, IF you have one at all. I believe  existing acne gets treated right away with epiduo, and the initial breakout that can be caused by epiduo will not last long. Scientifically, it doesn't make sense for the IB to last long, because the bacteria is constantly being smacked down.

Let me know how it goes over the weeks!! I'm thinking about posting a picture log if I decide to start.

Edited by Shannanigunz, 01 February 2013 - 02:09 PM.

[milica]

Oooh do take pictures!  I wish I had started taking pictures before and throughout just so I could see what changes I am going through.  I think it would be uplifting, because even though I am still breaking out, I am sure my face is better than it was.  Sometimes it is easy for us to forget.

So have you decided that you will use the Epiduo then?

[tracy521]

i would think that epiduo should clear you pretty well since it has bp in it too. you figure you are killing the bacteria so i can't really even see why you would really get much of an initial breakout. i just started using differin but would like to switch to this instead because i would think it would work so much better. i pretty much think the initial breakout with any medication is overrated because you figure you are on this stuff because you are breaking out already so there is no way to tell for sure if you are breaking out normally or if the topical is making it any worse. 

[Shannanigunz]

Hey guys, sorry it's been a few days.  

 

The epiduo may not be for me. It BURNS. to the point where I don't know if my skin really needs it. My acne is so mild now, through giving soooo much time to Ortho Tri Cyclen BCPs.

 

It's still not clear...I still have lots of little bumps along my jawline and a few on my lower cheeks. But they aren't inflamed, nor are they really even red. They're just little bumps. i can assume they are clogged pores.

 

So far nothing is really touching this, just pain. I feel like the epiduo is bombing my face. I need something to treat whatever these small bumps are, without giving me new breakouts or burning my skin in the process.

Really unsure if I should stick with it....?

[milica]

I had that awful burning when I started on Epiduo as well.  It subsided though.  I am not going to tell you to continue or not to continue, that is up to you, but I have read that in the beginning it helps to use it every other night to get your skin accustomed to it.  It should help so that your skin doesn't feel so raw.  I am in the initial breakout (I hope it is only an initial breakout) phase, so I'm not feeling great.  But so many people say that their skin clears up after 3 months, so I will try it for 3 months and see how it goes.  Hope you feel better soon.