Day 33/Oct 26
I feel like the 50mg is already working. My cysts have flattened out. Well, they're still bumpy but way less than the previous 3 days. While washing my face, everything is a lot smoother feeling. I'm noticing less closed comedones, yay! I've been using bag balm on my lips ... Holy moly, its incredible. I can't stand having bare lips for more than 30 seconds, and bag balm seems to work the fastest to relieve the dry/tight feeling. When I'm in the shower, I just use my finger to gently rub at my lips and I can get most of the dry skin off, which leaves my lips nice and smooth! I haven't had any active pimples on my back for a while now, either.
I'm still in the market for a body lotion... Well, I have't really went to look at anything! Thats it for today!
34/Oct27
Things are flattening out. I just noticed that I haven't had an active spot on my back, even when I had my period, although the scars on my face seem to fade faster. I had a couple of spots pop up on my forehead but my skin still looks better than it did a month ago, so no complaints here!
Day 35/ Oct 28
The cysts are definitely flattening out. When washing my face, they still hurt though.
Day 36/ Oct 29
I didn't notice before but I still have a lot of closed comedones around my jaw. I can feel them as many many tiny bumps when I wash my face. I did some (more) heavy lifting and my back was a little sore during, but its fine now. No discomfort at all
Day 37/Oct 30
I feel like my log is very repetitive. Is anyone finding them useful? Well, I guess its for myself too. Anyways, nothing new to report today. I did get a new pimple on top of my lip... although I think I caused it because I tried to pop a whitehead that did not want to come out. My cysts are smaller, but are still there. They are MUCH easier to cover. My back hasn't had any active pimples. Its only scarring at the moment. Odd how my back is doing better than my face. Oh well! I do still have the closed comedones on my forehead and jaw/jaw line area. It doesn't seem like they're going away anytime soon. But I understand since I've only been on accutane for a little over a month
Thank you SO SO much for posting this! I have spent months/years looking for a log from someone with skin like yours/ours! I think it was about around when you first began the log that I last stopped looking. I was prescribed accutane nearly two months ago but have not yet been able to begin because the derm messed up my iPledge information >,
Thank you SO SO much for posting this! I have spent months/years looking for a log from someone with skin like yours/ours! I think it was about around when you first began the log that I last stopped looking. I was prescribed accutane nearly two months ago but have not yet been able to begin because the derm messed up my iPledge information >,
Do you have the closed comedones too?! They are SO annoying! The cystic acne that I got last month are finally flat but you can still definitely feel a hard bump under the skin where they used to be & some of my closed comedones do appear as white heads (which I very badly pop). My forehead is getting way less bumpy, I've noticed the past few days. I've started using shea butter as my daily moisturizer and I think my skin is reacting well to it.
Some of the closed comedones become cystic acne and some of them become white heads for me. Usually its easy to tell because if my skin feels hard, it'll most likely become a cystic acne. Other than some dry spots, my skin is looking better than when I started. I still have spots but they are not as frequent and not as many.
Are you going on 40mg as well? With the 50mg, my back aches at the end of the day, like I've been standing the whole day (rare). My lips are actually so dry now, I can't survive without some sort of lip treatment thing.
Yes! Closed comedones EVERYWHERE. I start on 30mg next week before I get bumped up to 60mg depending on how well I handle the 30mg. I'm soooo ready to start.
I get the whiteheads and custic stuff around my cycle each month, so I'm guessing I'll have a similar response once I start the medicine. Do you feel like your pores are clearing out any? Many people say they have a "purge." I just really hope I can get this funk out of my pores.
And would you say the whiteheads/cysts are different from how your skin behaved before accutane?
Yes! Closed comedones EVERYWHERE. I start on 30mg next week before I get bumped up to 60mg depending on how well I handle the 30mg. I'm soooo ready to start.
I get the whiteheads and custic stuff around my cycle each month, so I'm guessing I'll have a similar response once I start the medicine. Do you feel like your pores are clearing out any? Many people say they have a "purge." I just really hope I can get this funk out of my pores.
And would you say the whiteheads/cysts are different from how your skin behaved before accutane?
Keep me updated! I highly, highly recommend your pill with a meal, a capsule or two of fish oil and a scoop of peanut butter. The fish oil really helps with the back discomfort (preventative measure), although with the 50mg, I feel my back ache faster throughout the day. Well, its more like a feeling like I've been standing for too long.
I get whiteheads and cystic acne around my cycle as well. I had one on my upper lip a few days ago and I'm expecting my cycle soon. However, during this cycle, I haven't had any new cysts pop up! I'm 45 days on accutane now.
As for pores, YES. In my opinion, my pores are the largest under my eye (inner corner) but still between my nose and cheek. Its not a very big section of pores but during the first few days, I saw black dots on my skin. It was so satisfying to get them out. That area and my nose are actually the only parts that purged out as blackheads. It took my nose probably 30 days to finish clearing up, but the other area only around 2 weeks. The gunk goes away quickly, its those closed comedones that are so pesky! Although I think my right side forehead is finally clearing of the closed comedones, although my jawline/chin is still infested with them.
I had cystic acne during week 2 of accutane and it stayed until day 43. It is still in my face, its just not a big bump anymore. If you are a person who gets a lot of white heads, I think you may experience the initial breakout since its pushing everything out, but if not, you'll only get a few.
If you wear makeup, get a good moisturizer. Makeup does not sit well on dry skin. And if you pop blackheads out, there will be dry skin even though you don't see it. The makeup clings to it and emphasizes it though!
I believe my closed comedones are caused from years oily skin and hormones. Do you have super oily skin as well?
Day 50 update! I think my skin is doing well. I've had this hard closed comedones spot under my cheek for probably months, and it finally surfaced yesterday. I couldn't resist & popped it. Holy moly, there was a lot of gunk that came out even though I squeezed for only 2-3 seconds. I then used a clay mask to get the residual liquid to come out and then I slapped on some shea butter to heal the skin. Its still dry at that area but I'm ok with that. Some of my closed comedones on my chin have become white heads & I did pop them. They come out easily and do not flare up. I should really learn to have some self control and not pick at my skin.
I have these small red bumps on my hands. I think its because my hands are so dry. I have started feeling a bit of back discomfort at the end of my days, the super cold weather does not help at all.
Thats it for these few days : )
Day 60!
I CANNOT believe its been 2 months. What a journey! A lot of the closed comedones on my forehead has disappeared but a few have also gotten inflamed. After around 1-2 days, there is a white head and I do pop them. Light pressure gets it out & they de swell almost instantly. I have one cystic acne on the bottom of my chin. The two on my cheek are no longer visible but you can still feel them. I am assuming they are filled with blood. I still have tons of closed comedones on my right side jaw, by left side has less than my right. I currently have no blackheads on my face. Not even on my nose! There is currently no inflamed acne on my face, other than that cystic acne on my chin. I'm so excited. For month 3, I am still on 50mg!
Day 63! Just thought I ought to update!
I am breaking out on my forehead. A lot of the closed comedones are gone but there are two spots and a few smaller ones that are swollen with no head. They are not cystic acne though, just swollen. My right side jaw also has some of that action but there is less.
I don't know if I mentioned but I"m using lubriderm as a moisturizer for hands and body. It got rid of the bumps on my hand in around 1 day and a half : )
Day 70
I've been breaking out a lot on my forehead. Big, swollen ones. I'm actually okay with it because 80% of the closed comedones (under the skin bumps for me) are gone. My left cheek and jaw are relatively clear, with only a few closed comedones. My right side jaw still has tones, and they are taking their turn surfacing as painful acne. There is no head but it hurts. I am able to pop them and it relieves the pain instantly. My back hasn't had one active breakout since month 1 which I am very happy about.
My skin is a lot more dry now, not just the face but body too, especially my arms. My back aches and my ankles are sore when I sit for a long time. Just a few steps will instantly get rid of the soreness though. I have skipped taking fish oil for a few days, so I may start again tmw.
Day 81. I forgot to take my pills one day. Should be 82 but isn't. My skin has never been this clear. Its only been 11 days since I last posted and things have changed SO MUCH. This just goes to show how much a difference a few days makes. I still have some closed comedones on my jaw (right side). But the majority of my face is clear. I get my period in a few days, so I will keep you guys posted on if that causes me to break out more. I have redness. My ankles are sore when I sit for a long time and my back aches (just a tad now) at the end of the day. I am so happy with the results so far!
Had my dermatologist today! I'm on 50mg for the next 2 months. My bloodwork came back and was good! After I finish these two packs, I'll be done month 5 & she said she usually does 5-6 months, depending on the patient. I'm hoping for a 6th, just for good measure!
Also! I believe I'm on day 87 or 88
My right cheek/jaw is clearing up a lot! When I wash my face, I don't feel the bumps anymore! My left side is practically clear & my forehead has 2 active breakouts at the moment.