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Ok, so I am technically not done with my course (one week of medication left to take). But I thought I would post these pictures. The first two are from around this time last year, when the severity of my skin was nearly the worst. It improved quite a bit before starting Accutane (the comedones around my mouth were mostly gone) but the cysts never stopped raging.
The second two pictures are of from this morning. **FULL DISCLOSURE**: I am NOT wearing any makeup (i.e., no concealer, no foundation, no powder). I AM wearing a very sheer tinted moisturizer. This moisturizer has almost zero coverage, I promise - I am out of my normal moisturizer and if I do not put some form of moisturizer on my skin while it is still damp from washing face, VERY BAD THINGS HAPPEN (mainly, I peel).
So, with that being said - you can see why I would tout the benefits of accutane over the potential risks to anyone. And you can also see why I am terrified of my skin returning to its previous state.
You can also see I am still dealing with some small issues, a few comedones on my cheek, and a dry old pimple by my lip.
The Vichy is amazing. I cant seem to find it in my part of the US so I import it, but it's the only SPF I can find that moisturizes without being greasy, is extremely cost effective (I don't need to use a whole lot) and truly blocks the sun without looking white or chalky on my face. And it smells great.
But mainly, it doesn't break me out. I have tried all the other derm recommended moisturizers; Aveeno, cetaphil and Cerave, and they all irritated my face. This has worked for me consistently well.
Rose water toner -I actually stopped using that around month 4, but just because I ran out of my bottle and was too lazy to find a new one. I liked it because it got the extra makeup off left behind by my cetaphil, it smelled nice, and it was very soothing to my (at the time) very irritated skin.
La Roche Posay Mineral Spray - I use this to dampen my face before putting on my moisturizer. I don't know if using it over regular water makes a difference, but I like it. I also use it to set my foundation.
Dose 100,
Today will be my 100th dose! It was actually supposed to be yesterday, but I completely forgot to take it last night, so today is the day! Woohoo! I have not had any new activity since the 31st of March (so about 10 days) .This will be a pretty short post, not too much to update, but I did want to post the picture of the graph I've been keeping for anyone interested. On the x axis is date, and the y is the number of active cysts (I am not counting small pimples or comedones, since I rarely get pimples and the comedone count hasn't changed much). You can see that the severity of my breakouts has decreased subtly over the course of the last 3 months, and the points are starting to come closer together, forming a nice downward trend.
In terms of side effects, dryness is a big issue. My lips are still a disaster. I have cracks on the lips themselves and splits on both sides Keeping up with aquafor application helps the cracks on my lips, but I have no clue how to keep the sides from splitting other than to avoid laughing, smiling, eating, or yawning.
I am channeling Mr. Spock on a diet after 3 cups of coffee (do Vulcans get tired?), but I don't see that as being a long-term solution. Applying the hyrdrocortisone is probably not a great idea in the long-term either, so I am somewhat at a loss :\
Still better than dealing with cystic acne any day.
Did you use Excel for the chart? I want to do something similar Sorry to be such a copycat, but I've also tried to compare my breakouts to the timeliness of my period just like you had done and I've noticed that I tend to break out a little bit more after my period/during ovulation. I couldn't find any info on why this is happening.
I do, and I think it really helps! Towards the end of my course when I wasn't breaking out so regularly I stopped logging my new breakouts (I plan to start logging them again as soon as I am "officially" done with my course), but it was very helpful to see, not to mention it pretty consistently predicted when I would be getting a new breakout. They did not necessarily coincide with cycle (i.e., not right before or right after - I tended to breakout in the middle of my Mcycle weirdly enough) but it was still consistently cyclical.
Megtree~
Did you by chance notice any other the eye skin thinning on Accutane? It's one side effect I don't want. I already have thin transparent under eye skin and don't need it worse to show it off even darker. But I am sick of my skin and we're around the same age. Also my pores are huge, presumably from constant salicylic acid use to try and control my acne. I have one scar on the right side of my face that's noticeable and don't want to scar on Accutane, but acne has drained me the life out of me. Thank you for this log. I would be grateful if you happen to still frequent the forums if you were to dispense some advice, although I know you have a lot already.
Goodness gracious, you look amazing! Absolutely gives me hope in these hard times. Were your cheeks your main problematic areas?
Well, when I first started breaking out around the end of 2012, it was my jaw and lower cheeks that were the problem. After I started treating it, everything migrated up to my cheeks, and that's when I started getting cystic breakout (the worst place to get them in my opinion, the skin there is so sensitive!). I also broke out on my forehead in the beginning, but that area (and my body acne) was the first to clear up after I started treatment. When I started accutane, only my cheeks were breaking out (I hate saying only, because again - it was horribly painful cystic acne).
Megtree~
Did you by chance notice any other the eye skin thinning on Accutane? It's one side effect I don't want. I already have thin transparent under eye skin and don't need it worse to show it off even darker. But I am sick of my skin and we're around the same age. Also my pores are huge, presumably from constant salicylic acid use to try and control my acne. I have one scar on the right side of my face that's noticeable and don't want to scar on Accutane, but acne has drained me the life out of me. Thank you for this log. I would be grateful if you happen to still frequent the forums if you were to dispense some advice, although I know you have a lot already.
I will be absolutely honest - I already have deepish set eyes, but this was something I did notice and it stressed me out a bit during the beginning of my course. When I started clearing up, my skin was looking so much better that I didn't really think of it any more. However, you do have to weigh the pros and cons a bit. I don't think it was a noticeable enough difference that it caused a change in my appearance but my acne clearing up certainly did!
I did not scar on accutane, but (knock on wood), I am not particularly prone to scarring. I do have some areas of my skin where you can see very tiny ice-pick scars in direct light, but I got those before I started accutane.
Acne was killing me. I considered harming myself everyday when my acne was very bad, and then I made myself sick with guilt for even THINKING that considering all the horrors and traumas people go through everyday. The kind of mental anguish acne caused me was so awful, because no one (at least no one I knew outside of this board) could relate to the physical and mental pain I felt every time I looked in the mirror or felt the hard bumps on my face.
And here is my dirty little secret: I would rather deal with the side effects I experienced from Accutane for the rest of my life than go back to that. Experiencing this moment of clarity, whether it is a long moment or a short one (I am under the assumption that it may come back) has been wonderful and refreshing and I have accutane to thank for that. Accutane has truly been a miracle drug, and even if the acne comes back, it still worked a thousand times better than anything else I have ever done.
Wow, your skin looks great! Congrats!
Thank you so much!
Goodness gracious, you look amazing! Absolutely gives me hope in these hard times. Were your cheeks your main problematic areas?
Well, when I first started breaking out around the end of 2012, it was my jaw and lower cheeks that were the problem. After I started treating it, everything migrated up to my cheeks, and that's when I started getting cystic breakout (the worst place to get them in my opinion, the skin there is so sensitive!). I also broke out on my forehead in the beginning, but that area (and my body acne) was the first to clear up after I started treatment. When I started accutane, only my cheeks were breaking out (I hate saying only, because again - it was horribly painful cystic acne).
Megtree~
Did you by chance notice any other the eye skin thinning on Accutane? It's one side effect I don't want. I already have thin transparent under eye skin and don't need it worse to show it off even darker. But I am sick of my skin and we're around the same age. Also my pores are huge, presumably from constant salicylic acid use to try and control my acne. I have one scar on the right side of my face that's noticeable and don't want to scar on Accutane, but acne has drained me the life out of me. Thank you for this log. I would be grateful if you happen to still frequent the forums if you were to dispense some advice, although I know you have a lot already.
I will be absolutely honest - I already have deepish set eyes, but this was something I did notice and it stressed me out a bit during the beginning of my course. When I started clearing up, my skin was looking so much better that I didn't really think of it any more. However, you do have to weigh the pros and cons a bit. I don't think it was a noticeable enough difference that it caused a change in my appearance but my acne clearing up certainly did!
I did not scar on accutane, but (knock on wood), I am not particularly prone to scarring. I do have some areas of my skin where you can see very tiny ice-pick scars in direct light, but I got those before I started accutane.
Acne was killing me. I considered harming myself everyday when my acne was very bad, and then I made myself sick with guilt for even THINKING that considering all the horrors and traumas people go through everyday. The kind of mental anguish acne caused me was so awful, because no one (at least no one I knew outside of this board) could relate to the physical and mental pain I felt every time I looked in the mirror or felt the hard bumps on my face.
And here is my dirty little secret: I would rather deal with the side effects I experienced from Accutane for the rest of my life than go back to that. Experiencing this moment of clarity, whether it is a long moment or a short one (I am under the assumption that it may come back) has been wonderful and refreshing and I have accutane to thank for that. Accutane has truly been a miracle drug, and even if the acne comes back, it still worked a thousand times better than anything else I have ever done.
Wow, your skin looks great! Congrats!
Thank you so much!
Meg tree, thanks for your response and sorry for my late one. I feel the same about my acne. It has murdered ( yes that word) my 20's for me. But due to the user horror stories and my own research on the drug, I avoided it like the black plague. I didn't even know it existed when I was younger, but did two years ago. So tired of it.
What should I do? I had been offered it before but turned it down with mantras of, 'well, do you want to trade off and get clear skin for diabetes?' and stuff like that. Because I know some people have gotten that from it. But my life sucks with acne. I have also had health issues too boot. Yet oddly to me, nothing is worse than having acne on top of it. I want it gone so badly that I cry almost every other day. Also, it is painful. Parents are worried. I don't even recognize my psyche anymore because of the distress it causes me. I know I'm a rational person and shouldn't be feeling this way about a skin problem. But yet I do. I feel trapped and not free. I restricted diet previously with no success and so now just eat whatever with no change.
My acne is strange looking. It can be a bright pinprick with a bullseye, there's blackheads, whiteheads, and cysts. I have every type of acne. Some are just slightly raise and rectangular but have no head to pop. But I have lived so long with it. Yes there are worse things I guess! But restrictions on my diet gave me no nutrition at all.
Do you think Accutane will effect us bad down on the line? Thanks again.
Goodness gracious, you look amazing! Absolutely gives me hope in these hard times. Were your cheeks your main problematic areas?
Well, when I first started breaking out around the end of 2012, it was my jaw and lower cheeks that were the problem. After I started treating it, everything migrated up to my cheeks, and that's when I started getting cystic breakout (the worst place to get them in my opinion, the skin there is so sensitive!). I also broke out on my forehead in the beginning, but that area (and my body acne) was the first to clear up after I started treatment. When I started accutane, only my cheeks were breaking out (I hate saying only, because again - it was horribly painful cystic acne).
Megtree~
Did you by chance notice any other the eye skin thinning on Accutane? It's one side effect I don't want. I already have thin transparent under eye skin and don't need it worse to show it off even darker. But I am sick of my skin and we're around the same age. Also my pores are huge, presumably from constant salicylic acid use to try and control my acne. I have one scar on the right side of my face that's noticeable and don't want to scar on Accutane, but acne has drained me the life out of me. Thank you for this log. I would be grateful if you happen to still frequent the forums if you were to dispense some advice, although I know you have a lot al
ready.
I will be absolutely honest - I already have deepish set eyes, but this was something I did notice and it stressed me out a bit during the beginning of my course. When I started clearing up, my skin was looking so much better that I didn't really think of it any more. However, you do have to weigh the pros and cons a bit. I don't think it was a noticeable enough difference that it caused a change in my appearance but my acne clearing up certainly did!
I did not scar on accutane, but (knock on wood), I am not particularly prone to scarring. I do have some areas of my skin where you can see very tiny ice-pick scars in direct light, but I got those before I started accutane.
Acne was killing me. I considered harming myself everyday when my acne was very bad, and then I made myself sick with guilt for even THINKING that considering all the horrors and traumas people go through everyday. The kind of mental anguish acne caused me was so awful, because no one (at least no one I knew outside of this board) could relate to the physical and mental pain I felt every time I looked in the mirror or felt the hard bumps on my face.
And here is my dirty little secret: I would rather deal with the side effects I experienced from Accutane for the rest of my life than go back to that. Experiencing this moment of clarity, whether it is a long moment or a short one (I am under the assumption that it may come back) has been wonderful and refreshing and I have accutane to thank for that. Accutane has truly been a miracle drug, and even if the acne comes back, it still worked a thousand times better than anything else I have ever done.
Wow, your skin looks great! Congrats!
Thank you so much!
Meg tree, thanks for your response and sorry for my late one. I feel the same about my acne. It has murdered ( yes that word) my 20's for me. But due to the user horror stories and my own research on the drug, I avoided it like the black plague. I didn't even know it existed when I was younger, but did two years ago. So tired of it.
What should I do? I had been offered it before but turned it down with mantras of, 'well, do you want to trade off and get clear skin for diabetes?' and stuff like that. Because I know some people have gotten that from it. But my life sucks with acne. I have also had health issues too boot. Yet oddly to me, nothing is worse than having acne on top of it. I want it gone so badly that I cry almost every other day. Also, it is painful. Parents are worried. I don't even recognize my psyche anymore because of the distress it causes me. I know I'm a rational person and shouldn't be feeling this way about a skin problem. But yet I do. I feel trapped and not free. I restricted diet previously with no success and so now just eat whatever with no change.
My acne is strange looking. It can be a bright pinprick with a bullseye, there's blackheads, whiteheads, and cysts. I have every type of acne. Some are just slightly raise and rectangular but have no head to pop. But I have lived so long with it. Yes there are worse things I guess! But restrictions on my diet gave me no nutrition at all.
Do you think Accutane will effect us bad down on the line? Thanks again.
I can't tell you what to do - but I can say that if acne is destroying your personality, your self-esteem, and your quality of life, then the pros of taking accutane already outweight the cons. Here are the outcomes as I see them, based on the probabilities reported in the several medical studies of acne and accutane I have read :
Likelihood your skin will clear up or improve on it's own (I am assuming you have tried many other treatments already that haven't worked): Very unlikely
Likelihood Accutane will clear up your skin or at least drastically improve it's quality either permanently or for an extended period of time: Very likely
Likelihood Accutane will give you severe long term side effects that will interfere with your quality of life: Very unlikely
Likelihood continuing to suffer from moderate/severe acne will interfere with your quality of life: Very likely.
So if we think of this logically, our quality of life is much more likely to be impacted if we DO NOT take accutane for moderate to severe acne (assuming we have tried other treatments that have failed)
Again, the decision is a very personal one - but I wanted to give you as an objective of an answer that I could.
Thank you! It makes me feel good to know I made someone's day! I know pictures like that helped me get through the hard times on accutane, so I thought I'd pay it forward.
You made my day too! I can not wait to finish and have beautiful skin! I will probably be nervous like you to finish treatment but your skin is seriously gorgeous!
I agree- Megtree should do advertising for some high-end skin care line, no kidding 
I'm surprised she's still lurking around here lol
Thank you! It makes me feel good to know I made someone's day! I know pictures like that helped me get through the hard times on accutane, so I thought I'd pay it forward.
You made my day too! I can not wait to finish and have beautiful skin! I will probably be nervous like you to finish treatment but your skin is seriously gorgeous!
I agree- Megtree should do advertising for some high-end skin care line, no kidding
I'm surprised she's still lurking around here lol
Thank you! It makes me feel good to know I made someone's day! I know pictures like that helped me get through the hard times on accutane, so I thought I'd pay it forward.
You made my day too! I can not wait to finish and have beautiful skin! I will probably be nervous like you to finish treatment but your skin is seriously gorgeous!
Meg, your skin looks AMAZING!!! It must be a huge boost for you to look in the mirror now. I look forward to hearing how you are doing in the future.
You guys are awesome, thank you.
I wanted to do a quick update.
Unfortunately, I am still breaking out. The breakouts are not bad - but my skin does not look as good as it did while I was on Accutane. I am not freaking out *yet*, because the acne is still significantly better then it has been in years. I see my dermatologist again in September, and he assured me that he will consider another round of accutane if I am ok with it and my cholesterol is back to normal, as my case was "unusually persistent". *ominous music*
I do have one cyst, and this is very sad. It never got as big as they usually do - but it also never came to a head and has been hanging around for about a week. Other then that little monster - my skin is "ok", but I am noticing a few tiny closed comedones here and there, and itty bitty little red barely noticeable blemishes that I don't even want to complain about because I would have smacked myself in the face for even noticing 6 months ago. My skin is pretty much back to a normal level, neither oily nor dry.
I am not experiencing any long-term side effects, and in fact - my lips have already returned mostly to normal. I would say they are "normal people" chapped, not accutane peeling off in chunks-feeling little pieces of paper stuck to my lips-industrial strength chapstick- kind of chapped. But like, "Oh I guess I need some lip-gloss" kind of chapped. So that is good.
Also, weirdly, after stopping isotretinoin, I lost like 6 pounds and haven't gained it back yet, I have a couple of theories regarding this:
(1) I always ate a really fatty meal for dinner because I wanted the iso to absorb well - maybe I am not compensating for those calories anywhere else?
(2) absorica has something to do with fat metabolism?
Also to note, I have always noticed a correlation between how much I weigh and what my skin looks like. The thinner I am, the worse my skin seems to be.
I have a feeling this is a behavioral thing - when my skin gets worse, I compensate for that insecurity by intentionally (but unconsciously) losing weight. Perhaps a left-over dysfunctional habit from my ED days. OR there is some acnegenic mechanism tied to losing weight that I don't know about
In any case, I am ok with my skin at the moment. I wish it was clearer, but I am still ok with it.
Hey Meg, try not to worry. I think everyone's skin goes through a bit of adjustment post-Accutane. I remember always being shocked when I would get a tiny bump and then it didn't turn into a huge cyst, because I always expected it to. And if you have to do another course, no big deal! There are great odds that a second course would seal the deal if it comes to that.
I wrote you a reply to your questions on my log that goes into more detail.
And I thought your weight thing was interesting! I also lost a few pounds since I've been off the 'tane! I gained weight when I went on it, but I also went back on the pill around the same time, so I assumed it was that. I was happily surprised to lose a few of them! So I think you might be onto something.
Hey Meg, try not to worry. I think everyone's skin goes through a bit of adjustment post-Accutane. I remember always being shocked when I would get a tiny bump and then it didn't turn into a huge cyst, because I always expected it to. And if you have to do another course, no big deal! There are great odds that a second course would seal the deal if it comes to that.
I wrote you a reply to your questions on my log that goes into more detail.
And I thought your weight thing was interesting! I also lost a few pounds since I've been off the 'tane! I gained weight when I went on it, but I also went back on the pill around the same time, so I assumed it was that. I was happily surprised to lose a few of them! So I think you might be onto something.
Yeah, I also gained weight when I started (not very much, about 3-5 pounds). Now I am one of those lucky people who's weight fluctuates on a daily basis between 3-5 pounds, so for me, "weight gain" counts as "weight that doesn't fluctuate down to a certain number anymore". For example, if I normally weigh between 117 and 123 (I wish!), on absorica I might have fluctuated between 120 and 126. Now, I fluctuate at a lower number than the low number I started with, if that makes sense.
Anyway, I am trying not to be too concerned. My skin seems to be balancing out and I am trying to be less obsessive about checking every 10 minutes for a new clogged pore, but it's still not something I was prepared to worry about again for a little while. Sigh. Still SO glad I did my course though.
Hello everybody!
So, just thought I would update - it's been about a month since I stopped accutane, and actually *knockonwood*, things have been ok. My skin seems to have leveled out, and I am not noticing any new clogged pores or other skin shenanigans. There are two little "cloggers" I am keeping an eye on, one on either side of my face. I suspect they may become inflamed at some point in the future, but it hasn't happened yet (I expect, since I am posting this, it will happen tomorrow). I just had my monthly visit from mother nature, and I survived it without any weird hormonal inflammation. I am still incredibly paranoid, however I am following a mild regimen to keep things at bay:
1) I am using aczone at night. Yes, my dermatologist told me not to use anything on my face until he sees me at the 3 month mark, but honestly, F that shiznit. I have read more articles than I can count stating that a maintenance regimen post-accutane significantly reduces relapse rates, so Poo on him. I decided to refill my aczone script and use that over BP because it does not irritate my skin or cause redness. Whether or not it is actually doing anything, I have no clue. But I do know that it makes me feel better to do something, so there you go.
2) Yes yes I do realize that these articles stated that a RETINOID regimen significantly reduces relapse. I was not willing to take the risk of a flare-up, so just Shush. Ssssh.
3) I dropped the argan oil from my moisturizing regimen, except around my eyes. My skin has not gotten 'oilier' per se (although my skin was only ever oily when I was using topical tretinoin), but it is no longer dry (it has returned to its lovely combination state). Additionally, the weather is MOTHER F'IN HOT AND HUMID AS SHIZ (excuse my profanity, the heat brings it out of me) so extra moisturizer is overkill, and just feels uncomfortable on my skin.
Lasting side effects:
None, as far as I can tell. I have had some tummy issues (i.e., irregularity) but I attribute it to stress(new job). Nothing high-grade probiotics and some smooth-move can't help.
Hello everybody!
So, just thought I would update - it's been about a month since I stopped accutane, and actually *knockonwood*, things have been ok. My skin seems to have leveled out, and I am not noticing any new clogged pores or other skin shenanigans. There are two little "cloggers" I am keeping an eye on, one on either side of my face. I suspect they may become inflamed at some point in the future, but it hasn't happened yet (I expect, since I am posting this, it will happen tomorrow). I just had my monthly visit from mother nature, and I survived it without any weird hormonal inflammation. I am still incredibly paranoid, however I am following a mild regimen to keep things at bay:
1) I am using aczone at night. Yes, my dermatologist told me not to use anything on my face until he sees me at the 3 month mark, but honestly, F that shiznit. I have read more articles than I can count stating that a maintenance regimen post-accutane significantly reduces relapse rates, so Poo on him. I decided to refill my aczone script and use that over BP because it does not irritate my skin or cause redness. Whether or not it is actually doing anything, I have no clue. But I do know that it makes me feel better to do something, so there you go.
2) Yes yes I do realize that these articles stated that a RETINOID regimen significantly reduces relapse. I was not willing to take the risk of a flare-up, so just Shush. Ssssh.
3) I dropped the argan oil from my moisturizing regimen, except around my eyes. My skin has not gotten 'oilier' per se (although my skin was only ever oily when I was using topical tretinoin), but it is no longer dry (it has returned to its lovely combination state). Additionally, the weather is MOTHER F'IN HOT AND HUMID AS SHIZ (excuse my profanity, the heat brings it out of me) so extra moisturizer is overkill, and just feels uncomfortable on my skin.
Lasting side effects:
None, as far as I can tell. I have had some tummy issues (i.e., irregularity) but I attribute it to stress(new job). Nothing high-grade probiotics and some smooth-move can't help.
Glad to hear you're doing well!
Interesting, your mention of retinoid use post-Accutane to keep relapses at bay. I have three tubes of Tazorac in my drawer (each script is two tubes, for some reason, and I filled a script late December in anticipation of my insurance rates going through the roof), all with expiration dates of 2015 and 2016, just waiting for me when I'm through with my course in December. Of course, now I'm also wondering if it does more harm than good, as several folks on these forums seem to indicate. I was really piling on the Tazorac once my skin started misbehaving back beginning of this year.
Then again, shouldn't a topical retinoid act somewhat like an oral one? Gah. It's all so confusing.
F**k retinoids, my skin hates them topically so there is no way I'm going there. They were what ended me up back on Accutane in the first place so I'm not playing around with that. On the other hand, my skin loves BP, so I have been continuing to use that. I think we all just have to go with our gut instinct on what to do 'after-Tane', and try to keep it simple.
I did SO much research on relapse (due to having one!) and learned that basically there isn't anything you can do. As long as you take your whole course and end it being clear, the rest is in the hands of the universe. High dose, low dose, taking dose while riding unicorn, none of it makes any difference.
Anyway - SO glad to hear things are going great! Things are great over here, too. I've actually gotten some work done on my thesis, and am heading to Jakarta in a week for my brother's wedding - not even worried about my skin! Gotta love the freedom this drug creates.
Hi Elk - I wanted you to know that my eye- circles have gotten markedly better since being off accutane. I don't know if it was dehydration/dryness but I am noticing (and other peope have commented) that I look less 'tired' and 'stressed' (both code words for "WHOA LOOK AT THOSE BAAAAAGS". So yeah.
Megtree~
Did you by chance notice any other the eye skin thinning on Accutane? It's one side effect I don't want. I already have thin transparent under eye skin and don't need it worse to show it off even darker. But I am sick of my skin and we're around the same age. Also my pores are huge, presumably from constant salicylic acid use to try and control my acne. I have one scar on the right side of my face that's noticeable and don't want to scar on Accutane, but acne has drained me the life out of me. Thank you for this log. I would be grateful if you happen to still frequent the forums if you were to dispense some advice, although I know you have a lot already.
Kim - I fully believe retinoids brought my face to the point where I needed accutane as well. I did not have cystic acne until after I started retinoids. However, retinoids did do amazing things for the quality of my skin outside of acne (i.e., wrinkles, tone, and uninflammed cloggers), so as in life, there is a tug and a pull...yunno "turn turn turn" and all that whimsical nonsense.
So if it's not too personal, whacha doin' your thesis on? I finished my M.S. about a year and a half ago, and I am getting ready to dive back in for the full monty... And goshdarnit when I get it I AM gonna make people call me doctor just like I made people call me Master when I last graduated.
I kid...I kid...but seriously. Thesis writing stinks sometimes (but sometimes it's also great).
F**k retinoids, my skin hates them topically so there is no way I'm going there. They were what ended me up back on Accutane in the first place so I'm not playing around with that. On the other hand, my skin loves BP, so I have been continuing to use that. I think we all just have to go with our gut instinct on what to do 'after-Tane', and try to keep it simple.
I did SO much research on relapse (due to having one!) and learned that basically there isn't anything you can do. As long as you take your whole course and end it being clear, the rest is in the hands of the universe. High dose, low dose, taking dose while riding unicorn, none of it makes any difference.
Anyway - SO glad to hear things are going great! Things are great over here, too. I've actually gotten some work done on my thesis, and am heading to Jakarta in a week for my brother's wedding - not even worried about my skin! Gotta love the freedom this drug creates.
Yup, that seems to be the double-edged sword with prescription topical retinoids (I have not tried any OTC products with retinols . . . ). They really do work, I think, if your goal is to minimize or help reverse sun damage. While I have bad skin, I have not yet started to wrinkle. This is partly due to years of slavish use of retinoids and sunscreen, partly to genetics, as all the gals on my father's side of the family look about 10 years younger than they are. However, we all have, surprise surprise, acne. The skin gods giveth and the skin gods taketh away.