kk so i bought the scar gel stuff u suggested. i'll tell u about the results after a couple of weeks. i hope it fades my scars! i kno i sound greedy now i mean seriously 2 months ago i would have died for the skin i have now, i mean really if u look at wat my skin looked like 2 months ago ..... yah itz a miracle that it even got this good. so i'm gonna b patient with my scars....

From what I've read and what my dr told me, when you start a treatment like retinoids, you need to use an antibiotic to help with the breakouts. While the retinoids treat you inside out, it's inevitable that you will have IB. Therefore, you need to continue with an antibiotic to prevent and control any breakouts/infections.

I think if snowlily started with both the retinoid and an antibiotic, the IB wouldn't have been so bad?

Experts, what are your thoughts?

I tried to stick with just a single medication, the retinoid, but my dr insisted I need all to efficiently fight acne. Retinoid for treatment, antibiotic for healing/prevention.

Snowlily, do you also have indented scars or just red marks?

your skin looks great congrats! I am almost on month 4 of retin-a micro use and my skin is finally starting to clear from the IB. I also wish I had been put on antibiotics sooner, I started solodyn 2 weeks ago. I think it really would have helped with the bad breakouts about 2 months back.

Good luck with further clearing and beautiful skin

juicy788-

oh i so wish i started on the antibiotics with the retin a! but i have such bad luck tat when my dermatologist told me to come back after 2 weeks for i check up (i think she was gonna give me the antiobitics then) i didn't go. instead i went out of the country for vacation and didn't come back 2 months later. and yes i suffered through 2 months of absolute hell. but i stucked it out and kept on using just the retin a. but i can't say i saw any improvement on my skin wat so ever using just retin a. but after i came back and was put on a oral antibiotic and a gel antibiotic i saw tremendous results after about 1 month. I'm pretty sure my IB wouldn't been tat bad if i had the antibiotics, but if ur gonna start on retin a i suggest you go on some sort of oral antibiotic, b/c if i were you i would. you saw how bad my IB was from the photos, it was not just acne, it was PAINFUL! i hurt to even touch my face! anyway good luck with ur retin a!

Weelassie1984-

lucky for me the scars are just read marks that is fading slowly....actually i think itz doing pretty well ever since i started using a scar treatment gel the redness is going away faster. although i do have SOME indented scars, although nothing taz very extreme,,,at least not tat i can tell, some of the scars i have look like itz indented by when i run my finger across the skin its a smooth surface, my dr. told me sometimes colors can create the illusion tat the scar is indented when itz really not. so anyways yah i have a few indented scars but mostly just red marks.

Do you feel like retin-a has helped with some of the indented scars also?

I'm at month 3,5 on Differin. LOTS of red marks and a few dents...

Thanks for the reply snowlily! Seeing your pictures, it really helps to understand and have faith in how the retinoid will work.

I'm actually on Ziana (which is clindamycin and tretinoin in 1 prescription), but use it every 2 or 3 days. I was pretty consistant in the beginning, but my sensitive skin makes it hard for me to put it on every night unless I want to suffer dry/burning/itchy skin. Currently, I use it every 2 or 3 days, but I apply topical erythromycin daily.

I started August 1st with Ziana, erythromycin, and oral ampicillin 1000mg. Then, I started bcp mid-September. Just last week, I cut down oral antibiotic to 500mg daily. I don't feel so comfortable taking an antibiotic for so long, but my main problem is having to take it with food (routine was a bit tiresome...). Plus, despite not being consistant with my regimen, my skin still improved. I'm hoping it's the bcp. Most people that start bcp seem to be solely dependant on it, and was successful with not using other prescriptions.

Since cutting down, I haven't had a serious reaction/breakout (although, it's only been 2 weeks). But, after seeing how your treatment went and how others reply with similar stories, I'm contemplating whether I should cut down or go full-force for the remainder of my treatment (about 2 months). My skin's improving, but at a rather slow rate...

I hope this will help those considering weaning off some of their drugs.

Snowlily: Are you still on the retinoid? I forget if you said you stopped or not. Have you talked to your dr about getting off it, or are you going to just stick with the routine?

Do you feel like retin-a has helped with some of the indented scars also?

 

I'm at month 3,5 on Differin. LOTS of red marks and a few dents...

oh absolutley! I'm on my 6th month on retin a. I saw good results by month 4 and so far had 2 months of absolute acne free face. The red scars r defintely fading. I can tell b/c when I apply foundation I don't need to conceal as much as I use to. I do think retin a is helping with the redscars and plus I'm using a scaring gel in addition to the retain a and acanya gel. The indented scars r still there but really it not tat bad cus itz located on the side of my face where

my hair usually covers it up. And itz a very small indent. So how's diffrin doing 4 u? And how bad r ur indented scars?

Thanks for the reply snowlily! Seeing your pictures, it really helps to understand and have faith in how the retinoid will work.

 

I'm actually on Ziana (which is clindamycin and tretinoin in 1 prescription), but use it every 2 or 3 days. I was pretty consistant in the beginning, but my sensitive skin makes it hard for me to put it on every night unless I want to suffer dry/burning/itchy skin. Currently, I use it every 2 or 3 days, but I apply topical erythromycin daily.

 

I started August 1st with Ziana, erythromycin, and oral ampicillin 1000mg. Then, I started bcp mid-September. Just last week, I cut down oral antibiotic to 500mg daily. I don't feel so comfortable taking an antibiotic for so long, but my main problem is having to take it with food (routine was a bit tiresome...). Plus, despite not being consistant with my regimen, my skin still improved. I'm hoping it's the bcp. Most people that start bcp seem to be solely dependant on it, and was successful with not using other prescriptions.

 

Since cutting down, I haven't had a serious reaction/breakout (although, it's only been 2 weeks). But, after seeing how your treatment went and how others reply with similar stories, I'm contemplating whether I should cut down or go full-force for the remainder of my treatment (about 2 months). My skin's improving, but at a rather slow rate...

 

I hope this will help those considering weaning off some of their drugs.

 

Snowlily: Are you still on the retinoid? I forget if you said you stopped or not. Have you talked to your dr about getting off it, or are you going to just stick with the routine?

yah retiniod really works in a werid way. it makes ur face look like crap at first and then it gets all better. I'm still on the antibiotics, but my dosage is 100mg every 3 days so i don't take one pill every 3 days. I don't mind the antibiotics b/c they don't cause any side effects as long as i take them with food, and taz not a problem for me. yes I am still on the retinioid and i'm also still on the acanya gel. Itz a pain to go through and do the routin everyday day and night of cleaning and puting on the medication, and i have not asked my dr. about going off the drugs. because first of all i'm afraid to see what happends once i go off the drugs, and second I rather do the face routin everyday than to live with acne. I'm probably gonna go off the oral antibiotics very soon as i'm taking it once every 3 days, and eventually i'm gonna stop taking them. I don't think I'll stop with the topical medication though... cus my dr. said thoes can be used for ever even without acne because it will prevent the acne from coming, plus retin a is good for the skin...i think... at least taz wat the dr. told me so i'm gonna just stick with it.

not gonna lie, I use so much crap on my face itz not even funny, but really if taz wat it takes to get clear skin so be it.

Yea, if I know for sure that those 2 or 3 products work, it definitely sounds safe and comforting to stick with it. I mean, the retinoid is supposedly good for anti-aging (although I'm scared of the side effects I've read). The only reason why I'd think of switching is because my skin seems to have a hard time trying to adjust to it because it is very sensitive. Too drying/flakey. I hope the flaking eventually goes away and my face gets less dry after longer use.

Snowlily-What kind of scar gel did your dr prescibe you? Do you think you can describe price, instructed dosage, and short/long term results?

Thanks!

Do you feel like retin-a has helped with some of the indented scars also?

 

I'm at month 3,5 on Differin. LOTS of red marks and a few dents...

 

oh absolutley! I'm on my 6th month on retin a. I saw good results by month 4 and so far had 2 months of absolute acne free face. The red scars r defintely fading. I can tell b/c when I apply foundation I don't need to conceal as much as I use to. I do think retin a is helping with the redscars and plus I'm using a scaring gel in addition to the retain a and acanya gel. The indented scars r still there but really it not tat bad cus itz located on the side of my face where

my hair usually covers it up. And itz a very small indent. So how's diffrin doing 4 u? And how bad r ur indented scars?

 

I have less acne than before so thats a good thing but the red marks and dents (not too big but I used to have none...) make me sick to my stomach...

Was there a lot of improvement in your scars between 4 and 6 months on retin a?

juicy788-

Yah i know wat you mean, at first when i used it my face was peeling. I got used to the gel though, but now that the weather is changing my skin is slowly becoming a little dry and red but nothing to the extreme.

i'm using the mederma scar gel, for about a good 3 weeks now i think.... I can't really see a dramatic improvement.... well I take that back, if you look at my before pictures you can see that I had acne all over my face, but i got it the worst on the sides of my cheeks. the acne scars on the center of my cheek are all gone. but there are some pretty noticable scars on the sides of my cheeks where i got the worst IB. the price is around $12, itz not a perscription, you can get it at any drug store. the affects... hum... i've only been using it for 3 weeks so i can't tell but at 1st when i used it it was a little bit drying but nothing to the extreme. the dosage is like 3-4 times a day. and there as not been any extreme side affects.

Hi Snow Lily- sorry if you've answered these questions before, but when did your initial breakout really start to subside? Also are you still on an antibiotic? I'm worried that the RAM will start breaking me out again when I go off the antibiotic I started to take. Thanks!

Hi Snow Lily- sorry if you've answered these questions before, but when did your initial breakout really start to subside? Also are you still on an antibiotic? I'm worried that the RAM will start breaking me out again when I go off the antibiotic I started to take. Thanks!

hum.... well my IB really didn't start till the end of the 1st month, and then it was all out IB, but i think it really started to subside at the beginning of month 4, month 2 was the absolute worst, month 3 was pretty bad too, but not as bad as month 2, and by month 4 things were really starting to look good. To be honest i really don't remember how the healing process happen, it wasn't like everyday i woke up i saw improvements... i know is that by month 4 i was getting less and less acne, and by the end of month 4 my face was practically acne free.

I guess you could say I am still on the antibiotics.... kinda,,, i mean i take one 100mg doxycicline every 3 days. So i'm barley getting any, but I guess I am still on it, but I think i'm gonna stop taking it soon.

I know wat you mean by worrying about going off the antibiotics. Taz why I slowly ease myself off the antibiotics. I started off taking 2 pills a day, then i went to 1 pill a day, then I did 1 pill every other day, and then i started doing 1 pill every 3rd day, now i think i'm really to do off it compeltely, i'll let you know how it goes, but I'm pretty sure my acne won't come back cus I've been cutting down the dosage alot and nothing has changed...

I have less acne than before so thats a good thing but the red marks and dents (not too big but I used to have none...) make me sick to my stomach...

 

Was there a lot of improvement in your scars between 4 and 6 months on retin a?

Snowlily-Thanks for the Mederma scar treatment answered. I've read that Mederma acts more like a filler, rather than actually making the scar disappear. So if you stop using it for several months, your scar will go back. I hope that's not true.

As for weaning off antibiotics, I'm also doing that right now with the ampicillin (1000g to 500g). I haven't had any breakouts for reducing my intake, but I'm also on bcp. Also, I started fish oil daily same day I decided to do 500g per day.

Snowlily-How long did u take the antibiotic for 1 day before cutting down again to 1 every other day? Basically, how long did u make each dosage period last before cutting down?

I have less acne than before so thats a good thing but the red marks and dents (not too big but I used to have none...) make me sick to my stomach...

 

Was there a lot of improvement in your scars between 4 and 6 months on retin a?

 

 

Hum.... I wouldn't say there was ALOT of improvements, but there's definitely improvements. I can tel that I saw great improvements from month 4 to month 5 but the improvements are slowly starting to slow down. What i'm trying to say is that the light scars are all gone but the deep scars are fading slowly

Snowlily-Thanks for the Mederma scar treatment answered. I've read that Mederma acts more like a filler, rather than actually making the scar disappear. So if you stop using it for several months, your scar will go back. I hope that's not true.

 

As for weaning off antibiotics, I'm also doing that right now with the ampicillin (1000g to 500g). I haven't had any breakouts for reducing my intake, but I'm also on bcp. Also, I started fish oil daily same day I decided to do 500g per day.

 

Snowlily-How long did u take the antibiotic for 1 day before cutting down again to 1 every other day? Basically, how long did u make each dosage period last before cutting down?

hum... i can't really remember.... i know i took 2 pills everyday for like month 3, and 4. and then probably one everyday for a good 3 weeks, then 1 every other day for another 3 weeks, and now i'm taking 1 every 3rd day.

Hi Snow Lily- sorry if you've answered these questions before, but when did your initial breakout really start to subside? Also are you still on an antibiotic? I'm worried that the RAM will start breaking me out again when I go off the antibiotic I started to take. Thanks!

 

 

hum.... well my IB really didn't start till the end of the 1st month, and then it was all out IB, but i think it really started to subside at the beginning of month 4, month 2 was the absolute worst, month 3 was pretty bad too, but not as bad as month 2, and by month 4 things were really starting to look good. To be honest i really don't remember how the healing process happen, it wasn't like everyday i woke up i saw improvements... i know is that by month 4 i was getting less and less acne, and by the end of month 4 my face was practically acne free.

 

I guess you could say I am still on the antibiotics.... kinda,,, i mean i take one 100mg doxycicline every 3 days. So i'm barley getting any, but I guess I am still on it, but I think i'm gonna stop taking it soon.

 

I know wat you mean by worrying about going off the antibiotics. Taz why I slowly ease myself off the antibiotics. I started off taking 2 pills a day, then i went to 1 pill a day, then I did 1 pill every other day, and then i started doing 1 pill every 3rd day, now i think i'm really to do off it compeltely, i'll let you know how it goes, but I'm pretty sure my acne won't come back cus I've been cutting down the dosage alot and nothing has changed...

 

Thanks! I've only been using the antibiotics for 3 weeks so i'll keep weaning in mind when in a month or so when I'm ready to go off. I'm scared to use antibiotics much longer than 2-3 months!

I had Retin-A from a dermatologist, and my skin started flaking off in patches, and there was flakes of skin that were still hanging on to my face everywhere. It was supposed to be clearing up my skin, but people only asked me what was on my face, even worse was the burning. My skin would feel like it was on fire all the time, and putting anything on it, even moisturizers for sensitive, dry skin, would make it burn and turn really red. I stopped using it because it was way too harsh for my skin. I think that if you're having more negative side effects than positives, its time to throw in the towel. I kept my tube, and now I'll use it as a spot treatment on some of my larger acne spots to help dry them up quickly, but wouldn't apply it all over my face ever again.