Day 64:
Well today is by far the worst my face has been since highschool. I am so embarassed I did not want to leave the house. On top of the major break out I have a red patch on the left side of my face by my mouth of painful raw / dry skin. It feels like I burnt my face on the stove! I am PRAYING this is the Storm before the CALM ... I havent been this depressed about my face in a very long time.
I purchased Bioderma Cicabio cream for 40.00 ... for a tiny tube and really hope it is as good as the woman at the store said for healing! if anyone has any suggestions I am all ears!
3 months @ 40mg is not a long time so definitely address your concerns with your derm. When i started my course in November, i stopped after 1 month and acne came back within days.
Also, it seems as if you are trying many different products while on accutane. It is recommended to keep it simple and just wash and moisturize. You just have to let the drug do its thing....but then again you probably know all of this as like me, you have done this course a few times
Good Luck.
You are right, I need to stick to a gentle moisturizing cleanser and the cetaphil during the day, and find a better night moisturizer to help the jojoba oil out. I did use Penaten last night to bring some of the redness on the right side of my face down but I have been doing that since the start. I am not sure what to use on this dry scaley patch on the right side of my face....I tried aquaphor that I use on my lips over night and its still red and flakey.
Day 75
Not having nearly as many dryness issues ... this almost worries me that maybe I need a higher dose? still breaking out like crazy though 
YAY ... The best part is they eplode of their own accord when I am working out hard and leave little cuts! Any clue how to heal these faster ? aside from Polysporin which is a little too greasy to wear at work.
Pics: excuse the dismal look... I was in tears this morning waking up with this face.
I am sorry that you are going through this but keep your head up as best as you can - you are not alone in your struggle. I also have had an explosion on the right side of my face and its led to lots of red marks but i'm trying to keep busy with the knowledge that once i stop breaking out, my acne will have a chance to heal. Breaking out at the stage you are at now is quite normal, especially since you increase dosages. I think the important factor though is cummalitive dose versus daily dose. Did you do full, correct dosages on your previous courses? I don't think i did which may be a reason my acne returned as soon as it did. I definitely reinterate to you the importance of fullfilling your cumalitive dosage so that there won't be what if's later.
What's your plan for after care?
can we just talk about how incredible your eyelashes are? Super jealous. You have pretty similar acne to mine (mine cleared up for about 3 years after my first round of accutane). Unfortunately, mine is seemingly not managed by birth control, which is an option for me. But I have the same closed comodones and then the jaw line acne really bad.
Hopefully this last round clears you up for good. My doctor has always said the more isotetorin you get in your blood the better off, so maybe that will be the case for you. Like others have expressed, three months wasn't very long the first two times you were on it. (I believe I was on it for 5 months).
lol thank you ! You actually made my day!
are you going to do a second round of accutane? 3 years is pretty impressive to stay clear! well done!
yes'm. I started my second round yesterday. I'm hoping this is my last one as I grow out of my 'teen' years and more into an adult. My acne is no where near as bad as it was, but it worked so well last time that I figured another shot was worth it. Were your rounds pretty easy or more difficult than one another for multiple courses?
lol thank you ! You actually made my day!
are you going to do a second round of accutane? 3 years is pretty impressive to stay clear! well done!
yes'm. I started my second round yesterday. I'm hoping this is my last one as I grow out of my 'teen' years and more into an adult. My acne is no where near as bad as it was, but it worked so well last time that I figured another shot was worth it. Were your rounds pretty easy or more difficult than one another for multiple courses?
This round has definitely been a lot harder, I have been having way more side effects than I did before :S this was my first time with IB's and joint pain but I think Its really working!
Day 99
My skin is starting to feel a lot smoother finally... it still doesnt look great but it is such an exciting feeling to wash with a cleanser and my bare hand and not feel a million bumps!!!
Looking much better! My course also feels so much harder as well - not in terms of side effects but in terms of acne severity (the ib) and how slow/non existant progress seems to be. I hope that like you, i start to notice some clearing by my next derm visit which will be in 18 DAYS.
When are you officially done? What is your skin care regimen going to be like for you after your course?
Looking much better! My course also feels so much harder as well - not in terms of side effects but in terms of acne severity (the ib) and how slow/non existant progress seems to be. I hope that like you, i start to notice some clearing by my next derm visit which will be in 18 DAYS.
When are you officially done? What is your skin care regimen going to be like for you after your course?
Hey!
I am supposed to be done Jan 16 finishing at a cumulative dose of 92mg/kg ... I am going on the 14th to see if I can convince him to give me another month or 2 so I can get closer to the cumulative dose that everyone on here says is a minimum.
I cant find your blog on here? how is it going??
After I finish I am going to continue to use the cleanser I have fallen in love with (Biore black head cleanser) and the Anne Borlind Rose Dew moisturizers....and the Aveda Kinetics liquid exfoliant at night 
Day 103
Well I have a super rough ouchie red dry patch ...and a few actives. Face feels a lot smoother. My nose is still like cement, had to stop wearing contacts, and my lips bleed. May be done in one week or may be done in another month... all up to what the dermatologist says next Monday (day 109)
Day 105
ok so I woke up with another breakout today, back on 40 mg now... I have 4200mg Total in my system so that puts me at 84mg/kg
Lips are really dry and nothing is working, the aquaphor makes me get zits all around my mouth which isnt super pleasant. Nose bleeds are daily, headaches have subsided, back is still killing me but it could be from the healing broken ribs and compression fractures more than anything so I guess I wont complain too much. I am heading to Mexico in just over 2 weeks for a week. Hoping the sun, humidity, and salt water work their usual magic and clear me right up.
pics for today:
Day 109
Well I have made yet another change in my regime, I used it this weekend. I have started using Aveeno Sensitive skin acne cleanser in the AM, and Aveeno Dry sensitive skin cleanser in the PM. After washing I am using THAYERS witch hazel with Aloe and lemon astringent. I find it is helping with redness as well as dryness. I will still used the Aveda once weekly. For Lotion I have been using the Ciabo first and then Cetaphil if needed however with the Thayers I havent had a real need for extra moisture.
Day 110
I have woken up this week with large pimples... I have never really had these kind, they are on my cheeks and not the clogged pore type I am used to. I think I may discontinue the use of the Thayers but keep with everything else. I am spot treating with Tea Tree to heal as well ast he penaten at night as always.
This mornings Pictures:
I think i mentioned this before, all the switching of products that you are doing is probably not helping. I know its hard to just let things be but for the time being, it might help.
Did you speak to your derm about extending your course?
You are so right, I need to stop bouncing around. I have picked my cleanser (the Aveeno Sensitive skin) my moisturizer (Ciabo + Cetephil when I am really dry) and am keeping with the Aveda Kinetics liquid exfoliant. The only time this will get disrupted is if I have to do a quick wipe at work with my Oxy pads and appy the Ciabo after... I only do this when I get dirty at work or the barn riding and dont have access to a shower/sink. As for the course the Dr put me on one more month so my ending Acc. dose will be 115mg/ kg 
Day 111
I was unable to take my Accutane last night due to a concussion ... so I am not sure if this counts as day 111 ? I am starting to get so excited to wake up in the morning, finally I am feeling so positive about my skin. I feel like I need to knock on wood but the Accutane has been a miracle!
Hey- it's good to hear of someone on a third round of Accutane. I've been considering doing a third round as well, but I'm nervous to take the plunge because it is the last time I can take it. Did your derm say this would have to be your last time as well or would you be able to go on it a 4th time? I'm 25 but my derm said I might want to wait until I'm a little older because I'll have a higher chance of stopping it for good.
Glad your last post was positive! I love and miss that feeling of being excited to wake up in the morning to clear skin!
Hey! My dr doesnt think I will need another course after this with the positive results
How long did you stay clear after round 2 ? is it bad enough to do another round ? mine were all the under the skin ones that dint respond to anything and were so deep although you couldnt really see them they hurt and there was nothing anyone could do about them.
Day 112
A Few dry patches are all I really have to report.... but I have been bad and tanning to prepare for Mexico. I have always tanned once a week since the beginning but now I am going three times a week. Everthing is going pretty well, I have started just rinsing with water at lunch time rather than using anything medicated and my skin seemed a lot happier to get rid of the oxy pads. Its just rather hard to do in my car!
Glad to hear your derm thinks this round will keep you clear!
The reason I'm considering a third round is because I really half-assed my second course! It was a crazy time in my life and I only ended up taking about a third of the pills. I certainly came nowhere near the cumulative dose so I don't think it had any lasting effect on me. However, I was clear for over a year after ending it.
It's not too bad right now, but I don't have many other options since I'm already treating it hormonally and my skin is usually far too sensitive for topicals. But I'm thinking I might as well try sodium sulfacetamide before Accutane because it seems to be pretty gentle.
Anyway, your skin looks great, congrats!
Hey! My dr doesnt think I will need another course after this with the positive results
How long did you stay clear after round 2 ? is it bad enough to do another round ? mine were all the under the skin ones that dint respond to anything and were so deep although you couldnt really see them they hurt and there was nothing anyone could do about them.
Day 112
A Few dry patches are all I really have to report.... but I have been bad and tanning to prepare for Mexico. I have always tanned once a week since the beginning but now I am going three times a week. Everthing is going pretty well, I have started just rinsing with water at lunch time rather than using anything medicated and my skin seemed a lot happier to get rid of the oxy pads. Its just rather hard to do in my car!
You're skin has improved and looking great surprised about the tanning though did you experience bad symptoms after it? I'm so pale now while taking the course since I avoid the sun like a vampire and apply sun lotion at every chance or I'll get a red face/ sun burnt for the next couple of days.
Day 116
Still feeling pretty great! I cant wait for Mexico and the humidity to clear out the rest of my pores! I am happy to go makeup free in public for the first time in years!
Hey! My dr doesnt think I will need another course after this with the positive results
How long did you stay clear after round 2 ? is it bad enough to do another round ? mine were all the under the skin ones that dint respond to anything and were so deep although you couldnt really see them they hurt and there was nothing anyone could do about them.
Day 112
A Few dry patches are all I really have to report.... but I have been bad and tanning to prepare for Mexico. I have always tanned once a week since the beginning but now I am going three times a week. Everthing is going pretty well, I have started just rinsing with water at lunch time rather than using anything medicated and my skin seemed a lot happier to get rid of the oxy pads. Its just rather hard to do in my car!
You're skin has improved and looking great surprised about the tanning though did you experience bad symptoms after it? I'm so pale now while taking the course since I avoid the sun like a vampire and apply sun lotion at every chance or I'll get a red face/ sun burnt for the next couple of days.
Hey Lindsey, your results are awesome!! I'm also glad that you took the plunge into your 3rd course of Accutane. I am going to the derm this Friday with my decision to go on my 3rd round as well (I met with her a week ago and I wanted to sleep on it before making the decision). Has your derm suggested anything for the joint pain you've been experiencing? I had that a lot during my first 2.5 courses (14 years old, 15 yrs old, short course 16 years old). B/c I'm 23 now, the derm thinks this could be the final kick *knock on wood* since I've grown out of the puberty stages.
Glad to hear you are able to go on it for another month! Good luck!!