Day 291
Haven't updated in a while... basically, since my last derm appointment, I've been moved down to 20mg. I'm supposed to take 20mg daily for two weeks, then 20mg every other day - and that is supposed to be the end of my course.
When I had my appointment earlier his month, I barely had breakouts (it was due to this fact that the derm decided that the coming month would be my last on Accutane), but since then I've been having more and more. A lot of them are around my chin / mouth area, or on my upper forehead. My cheeks and cheekbones have stayed more or less clear. The pimples aren't cystic like before, they seem to all be comedonal, but get inflamed and turn into whiteheads nonetheless. In addition, my oil has come back - maybe not as bad as pre-Accutane, but it's still bad.
Hence, since I don't intend to continue Accutane for much longer, I've been future-proofing. I've started looking up post-Accutane skincare products and already have a regimen lined up. For the last couple of days I've been using a 10% BP wash (Oxy Maximum Action) which I had lying around, and it's made things somewhat better. Even though it's only been a couple days, my breakouts have subsided somewhat. I'm eager to see whether a 10% BP wash, day and night, will be enough to keep my minor breakouts at bay. Since Oxy is apparently being taken off the market, I'll be replacing it with Topix 10% BP wash, which is a better deal and only has four ingredients. If a wash doesn't prove to be enough, I'll hop back on the Acne.org regimen but restrict it to night-only use (seeing as how one of the main reasons I did Accutane to begin with was because I like to lead an active lifestyle, and running around sweating with BP dripping down my face is not a pleasant experience... plus it's ruined a LOT of shirt collars). In addition, I'll moisturize day and night with Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion, which has been my go-to lotion for a while.
Accutane's been a heck of a ride, an expensive one at that. It's definitely tightened up my skin, but in the end, I haven't stopped breaking out - although acne is a lot more manageable now. Hopefully it doesn't get even worse in the coming months.
Just wanted to update this in case anyone else on Accutane finds it useful.
Basically, my acne has been getting progressively worse since I've gotten off Accutane around a year ago. Right now I'm at the point where I have about 5-10 red pimples on my face at any given time. I've been trying to combat it with a night-only BP Regimen (I used Dr. Song's BP for about 6 months, and have been using Acne.org for about three months and a half now), but I just keep breaking out. I'm not sure if Accutane made my acne more resistant, or what... I'm still on the hunt for an effective anti-acne regimen.
I don't want to discourage anyone from taking Accutane, since the results are different for everyone... I'd say Accutane was still worth it for me, at least for the moment, since I don't really have that many breakouts on my back now (used to break out quite a bit there), and my acne is pretty much contained to my cheek / moustache region. Plus, my skin isn't as prone to developing annoying conditions like seborrheic dermatitis.
Just wanted to update this in case anyone else on Accutane finds it useful.
Basically, my acne has been getting progressively worse since I've gotten off Accutane around a year ago. Right now I'm at the point where I have about 5-10 red pimples on my face at any given time. I've been trying to combat it with a night-only BP Regimen (I used Dr. Song's BP for about 6 months, and have been using Acne.org for about three months and a half now), but I just keep breaking out. I'm not sure if Accutane made my acne more resistant, or what... I'm still on the hunt for an effective anti-acne regimen.
I don't want to discourage anyone from taking Accutane, since the results are different for everyone... I'd say Accutane was still worth it for me, at least for the moment, since I don't really have that many breakouts on my back now (used to break out quite a bit there), and my acne is pretty much contained to my cheek / moustache region. Plus, my skin isn't as prone to developing annoying conditions like seborrheic dermatitis.
I'm sorry to hear this. I know exactly how you feel as I never stopped breaking out after my 2012 course. Please keep us posted on what you decide to do next. What else have you tried for your acne?
Just wanted to update this in case anyone else on Accutane finds it useful.
Basically, my acne has been getting progressively worse since I've gotten off Accutane around a year ago. Right now I'm at the point where I have about 5-10 red pimples on my face at any given time. I've been trying to combat it with a night-only BP Regimen (I used Dr. Song's BP for about 6 months, and have been using Acne.org for about three months and a half now), but I just keep breaking out. I'm not sure if Accutane made my acne more resistant, or what... I'm still on the hunt for an effective anti-acne regimen.
I don't want to discourage anyone from taking Accutane, since the results are different for everyone... I'd say Accutane was still worth it for me, at least for the moment, since I don't really have that many breakouts on my back now (used to break out quite a bit there), and my acne is pretty much contained to my cheek / moustache region. Plus, my skin isn't as prone to developing annoying conditions like seborrheic dermatitis.
I'm sorry to hear this. I know exactly how you feel as I never stopped breaking out after my 2012 course. Please keep us posted on what you decide to do next. What else have you tried for your acne?
I've been on the Acne.org Regimen a couple of times, in addition to Retin-A and various antibiotics... at this point, I'm back on the Regimen. I'll stick with it as I think it will take longer to work, especially with a night-only application. I've also been shaving with a blade razor for the past couple months, so I feel like that might have something to do with the pseudo-acne I've been getting (might actually be ingrown hairs / folliculitis, as they all form on hair follicles and get very inflamed / filled with pus). I've recently switched to an electric clipper, and I've also started using bentonite clay / ACV masks. Hopefully the combination of BP, careful shaving and clay masks will be enough to keep my acne at bay.
On August 10, 2015 at 1030 AM, freakingthefrackout said:has Accutane improved your acne at all?
It actually has. I don't regret going on Accutane at all. For one thing, it cleared my back entirely. I used to get cysts all over my back - now, I don't get anything except for maybe some tiny, invisible, non-inflamed bumps here and there. You know, the stuff everyone gets every so often. It's also helped a lot with my chest acne, although I still get small red pimples there on occasion.
As for my face - it had me 100% clear for a couple of months after finishing the course, then I started getting the occasional pimple, and eventually it progressed to where I had between 5 and 10 active pimples on my face at any given time. Still - it's a lot better than pre-Accutane. Before Accutane, I always had tons of stuff going on under the skin, just waiting to come out. I never knew how many pimples I actually had - some were active, while others were kinda lurking below the surface. My skin was always bumpy and rough-looking. Now, I can actually see every pimple clearly - it's either there or it's not. Most of my skin is nice and smooth. It's just that the 5-10 pimples I do get now are really inflamed with big pus-filled heads, so it's a little more gross than your usual run-of-the mill bumps.
I'll use the opportunity to say that nothing I've tried since August has really worked. I've added antibacterial soap to my regimen, been on an antibiotic briefly, and supplemented with garlic / turmeric (antibacterial effects) as well as taken ACV internally. Nothing keeps the pustules at bay - they just force their way through whatever I throw at them. Recently I've started on Vitamin D supplementation, since I've heard back from several people who had similar acne to mine (painful pustules, mainly around around mouth) saying theirs improved when they started taking D3. Plus, it is true that I've been getting miserable amounts of sunlight (work in a windowless office, don't go outside much since starting my new job), and probably no UV rays due to the latitude at which I live + the time of year. Regardless of whether it works or not, it's definitely worth a shot.
On 15/01/2016 at 4:25 PM, wombat666 said:It actually has. I don't regret going on Accutane at all. For one thing, it cleared my back entirely. I used to get cysts all over my back - now, I don't get anything except for maybe some tiny, invisible, non-inflamed bumps here and there. You know, the stuff everyone gets every so often. It's also helped a lot with my chest acne, although I still get small red pimples there on occasion.As for my face - it had me 100% clear for a couple of months after finishing the course, then I started getting the occasional pimple, and eventually it progressed to where I had between 5 and 10 active pimples on my face at any given time. Still - it's a lot better than pre-Accutane. Before Accutane, I always had tons of stuff going on under the skin, just waiting to come out. I never knew how many pimples I actually had - some were active, while others were kinda lurking below the surface. My skin was always bumpy and rough-looking. Now, I can actually see every pimple clearly - it's either there or it's not. Most of my skin is nice and smooth. It's just that the 5-10 pimples I do get now are really inflamed with big pus-filled heads, so it's a little more gross than your usual run-of-the mill bumps.
I'll use the opportunity to say that nothing I've tried since August has really worked. I've added antibacterial soap to my regimen, been on an antibiotic briefly, and supplemented with garlic / turmeric (antibacterial effects) as well as taken ACV internally. Nothing keeps the pustules at bay - they just force their way through whatever I throw at them. Recently I've started on Vitamin D supplementation, since I've heard back from several people who had similar acne to mine (painful pustules, mainly around around mouth) saying theirs improved when they started taking D3. Plus, it is true that I've been getting miserable amounts of sunlight (work in a windowless office, don't go outside much since starting my new job), and probably no UV rays due to the latitude at which I live + the time of year. Regardless of whether it works or not, it's definitely worth a shot.
will they not allow you to go back on Accutane??
22 hours ago, freakingthefrackout said:On January 15, 2016 at 11:25 AM, wombat666 said:It actually has. I don't regret going on Accutane at all. For one thing, it cleared my back entirely. I used to get cysts all over my back - now, I don't get anything except for maybe some tiny, invisible, non-inflamed bumps here and there. You know, the stuff everyone gets every so often. It's also helped a lot with my chest acne, although I still get small red pimples there on occasion.As for my face - it had me 100% clear for a couple of months after finishing the course, then I started getting the occasional pimple, and eventually it progressed to where I had between 5 and 10 active pimples on my face at any given time. Still - it's a lot better than pre-Accutane. Before Accutane, I always had tons of stuff going on under the skin, just waiting to come out. I never knew how many pimples I actually had - some were active, while others were kinda lurking below the surface. My skin was always bumpy and rough-looking. Now, I can actually see every pimple clearly - it's either there or it's not. Most of my skin is nice and smooth. It's just that the 5-10 pimples I do get now are really inflamed with big pus-filled heads, so it's a little more gross than your usual run-of-the mill bumps.
I'll use the opportunity to say that nothing I've tried since August has really worked. I've added antibacterial soap to my regimen, been on an antibiotic briefly, and supplemented with garlic / turmeric (antibacterial effects) as well as taken ACV internally. Nothing keeps the pustules at bay - they just force their way through whatever I throw at them. Recently I've started on Vitamin D supplementation, since I've heard back from several people who had similar acne to mine (painful pustules, mainly around around mouth) saying theirs improved when they started taking D3. Plus, it is true that I've been getting miserable amounts of sunlight (work in a windowless office, don't go outside much since starting my new job), and probably no UV rays due to the latitude at which I live + the time of year. Regardless of whether it works or not, it's definitely worth a shot.
will they not allow you to go back on Accutane??
I think they would, but at this point I don't think it's not a good move considering how much it costs: last time it cost me maybe $3,000 out-of-pocket for 9 months of treatment. I'm not willing to pay that much just to get rid of 5-10 pustules. Maybe in the future, if my acne gets debilitating, but right now I'd rather look at other options. Of course it depends on what kind of insurance you have.