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hi, i'm new here but I've been a lurker for years. I just want to share how tretinoin helped me somehow get rid of my severe acne. I'm really happy that I didnt stop applying retin-a on my skin even if it made my acne look worse for 3 months. If you look at the pics you'd see why. I somehow got a little of my confidence back again. 
By the way, I've been using retin-a micro 0.1% nightly on my whole face and twice a day on my nose, I haven't really seen an improvement with my blackheads on my nose but there are just a few of them so it doesn't really bother me.
I've had acne since 13/14 but they were just a few little zits every month, around 4-5 a month, I used a 2.5% BP to get rid of them. It was only a year ago when my face decided to ruin my life, cysts everywhere, it was horrible, probably because I moved to a warmer city (where my school is) . When my face was a total mess, I've decided to drop off the grid, I dropped out of school, I completely ignored all of my friends and I didn't leave the house for 4 straight months (not even a second outside our house). I felt like no one understood me which made me cry a few times, I prayed to God to help me, asked him why he gave me acne. I was depressed, hopeless & friendless. I wanted to die.
So here are my before and after pictures using retin-a micro for 5 months. my "NOW" pictures show flaking and redness on my neck near my jaw. Now that it's better, I'm still depressed (because of the scars those damn cysts left me) and friendless.
Once I get my camera back I'll post better pictures. Also, what could be the best treatment for pitted scars? I'm actually going to use a dermastamp today and I'll let you guys know how it turns out. Wish me luck.
Wow! What a difference the right treatment can make in only five months. Your skin looks fantastic! You've gotta get out and show it off! To be honest, I didn't notice any scars at all, your skin looks really awesome.
Thank you! made me feel a lot better. =D
I forgot to add. retin-a made my face oily, but the derm said it's normal for the first few months.
and whenever I can't handle to wash my face because of the burning sensation or when my face gets really oily, I put on a lot of baby powder on my face and just wash it with water.
wow thats great result! did you just use the retin a or anything else? very few people clear up that much with a topical retinoid in just 5 months, you are very lucky!
Dont worry too much about the friends. the exact thing happened to me. i got severe acne and basicaly became a hermit. i was too embarrased to go out and avoided my friends, but when my skin cleared up id feared id pushed them all away too much. i was so depressed about it. the best thing is to be honest with them and just tell them what was going on. even if they dont understand at first they will eventually come round. dont give up x
also a last question, has the overall oiliness of your skin gone down with retin a, or is it the same?
Well done Itsakstubimi!!!
Your face is looking great!!!!! Now, go back to school, graduate & meet some great, supportive friends...ignore anyone that is not kind, understanding, encouraging and a True loyal, trustworthy friend etc...
Although your teens are a difficult time of life, please trust me when I state that in the greater scheme of your life, your teenage years are rather an insignificant time that you'll hardly recall later on (even the people) ...but what will linger is whether you attained qualifications to progress in your life...so don't let your confidence hold you back...you'll gain more confidence naturally with age...in fact, some don't attain it truly till they've reached their 30s or 40s....so do your best now....and be kind to yourself, love yourself, and be a WARRIOR and go out and achieve and the best you can be...
~Peace~ 
wow thats great result! did you just use the retin a or anything else? very few people clear up that much with a topical retinoid in just 5 months, you are very lucky!
Dont worry too much about the friends. the exact thing happened to me. i got severe acne and basicaly became a hermit. i was too embarrased to go out and avoided my friends, but when my skin cleared up id feared id pushed them all away too much. i was so depressed about it. the best thing is to be honest with them and just tell them what was going on. even if they dont understand at first they will eventually come round. dont give up x
also a last question, has the overall oiliness of your skin gone down with retin a, or is it the same?
I don't use anything else, just retin-a. My face handles retin-a better now, before my face gets really red and it's painful to apply retin-a on and even if i wash my face, it stings/burns. That's the time I tried putting a lot of baby powder on my face and just wash it with water. Works great for me. No oil and no burning feeling.
I tried using a sunscreen before but it makes me break out so i stopped.
One thing I've noticed with retin-a is it makes my face oily after a few hours of applying it. but in the morning when i wash my face and just leave my face alone the whole day, it doesn't get too oily.
Are you planning on using retinoids?
Well done Itsakstubimi!!!
Your face is looking great!!!!! Now, go back to school, graduate & meet some great, supportive friends...ignore anyone that is not kind, understanding, encouraging and a True loyal, trustworthy friend etc...
Although your teens are a difficult time of life, please trust me when I state that in the greater scheme of your life, your teenage years are rather an insignificant time that you'll hardly recall later on (even the people) ...but what will linger is whether you attained qualifications to progress in your life...so don't let your confidence hold you back...you'll gain more confidence naturally with age...in fact, some don't attain it truly till they've reached their 30s or 40s....so do your best now....and be kind to yourself, love yourself, and be a WARRIOR and go out and achieve and the best you can be...
~Peace~
Thanks! 
That's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm actually getting ready to go back to school. I got my teeth cleaned and just had a haircut. I hope my face won't break out again from stress. 
I'm a little nervous because I don't know anyone there. I really hope I'll meet new friends, I really feel bad about avoiding my freinds before, and now as a result, my phone is only used as an ipod, no texts or calls from anyone.
*People like you who gives support to people you don't even know is the real reason why I joined acne.org. I don't really get any support from my family, I always get compared. I hope I'll meet friends like you soon. 
That's exactly what i'm going through right now, I've been on Differin and Benzoyl Peroxide for quite some time now and its made my face a gazillion times worse, its ruining my summer & my life, I just wanna stay in bed until this all goes away
Just stick with it, it may take a while but it will be worth the wait. I should know. just try not to skip a day of application, that's what my derm told me... i even made one of my pictures, the worst one as my wallpaper to remind me to wash my face before going to bed. lol
GOOD LUCK!
Wow, that's such an amazing improvement. Your skin looks great!! I totally understand not wanting to leave the house when my acne gets bad. Hard not letting acne put your life at a standstill sometimes. I agree with the other person, don't worry too much about the scars, it's hardly noticeable from the photos.
Hi,
Your story really touched me.
I just wanted to tell you. And by the way you are good-looking, even with the "scars" you are talking about, which are hardly noticeable, I think.
Glad your skin is better.
But I do not understand about your friendless. Have not your friends understood what you were living?
Wow, awesome results. I'd be really proud of your new skin. I'm on Retin-A myself, although I'm on the generic. I'm around 7 weeks in, and I thought I had finally moved past the IB to some improvement. For about a week my skin was looking a lot better - but recently I've started breaking out again. :/ I'm staying positive and consistent, but I was just wondering if you had some ups and downs initially.
Wow, awesome results. I'd be really proud of your new skin.
I'm on Retin-A myself, although I'm on the generic. I'm around 7 weeks in, and I thought I had finally moved past the IB to some improvement. For about a week my skin was looking a lot better - but recently I've started breaking out again.
I'm staying positive and consistent, but I was just wondering if you had some ups and downs initially.
yes, up until now I still have those days where my skin gets bad, but not really bad. just a few small zits, the thing I like about retin-a is it makes them heal and peel faster. in just three days they're almost gone, barely noticeable. just stick with it. I hope you get the results that you want.
Hey, those are fantastic results, I'm glad you found something that works! Do you mind telling me if you use the cream or the gel version of Retin A? I'm wanting to try it as my skin is similar to what yours was.
Thanks in advance!
I use the gel. it may take a while but it's definitely worth it.
Wow, what an amazing transformation!!!!!!! Your skin looks Gorgeous!
Retin-a help get rid of your cysts???? Do you still have to apply to keep the acne from coming back?
Thanks!
yeah, it helped me get rid of cysts, I'm still applying it nightly and I have no plans of stopping, ever. =D
Congratulations with the progress.
I was wondering: did you squeeze the worst pimples, or did they just burst or disappear on their own?
I use differin, but I don't have the patience to wait when the Differin pushes the trapped sebum to the surface so I squeeze the upcoming bumps or papules, or maybe they are cysts, but damage my skin in the process.
Congratulations with the progress.
I was wondering: did you squeeze the worst pimples, or did they just burst or disappear on their own?
I use differin, but I don't have the patience to wait when the Differin pushes the trapped sebum to the surface so I squeeze the upcoming bumps or papules, or maybe they are cysts, but damage my skin in the process.
thanks, sorry it took so long. when I already see the head, I prick it with a needle and squeeze the gunk out, haha, its bad i know, but it heals a lot faster than waiting for the gel to work, just try to leave them alone. how long have you been using differin?
UPDATE: Im now using retin-a every other day, face is less oily, still get a few zits every now and then but not as much as before and not as big, and they wouldnt last for 3 days. skin is smoother, helped a lot with dark spots, scars are shallower, smaller pores. HAPPY!
wow absolutely amazing! honestly, i cant see any scars at all 
may i know how long you have been on retin a? i started about 2 weeks ago and apart from the peeling, it's going great! im surprised that i hvent gotten any purging yet and i worry that it might happen in the future?
which moisturizer do you use? i used the a neutrogena moisturizer but it couldnt combat the excessive peeling. ive been using cocoa butter at night and it's a life saver! only at night cause i cant go to school with a slick of oil on my face haha.
i have been using the 0.05% and after some months have passed by, do you recommend me to upgrade to 0.1% even though im getting great results with the former?
congrats on your amazing skin! 
I'm really sorry. It's been a while since I checked my account here. I was really busy with school. Anyway, my skin is already used to tretinoin. My face doesn't turn red or flake like before when I was using it for the first 5 months. I've been using it for more than a year now. But I think it's not working on me anymore. I guess it still does, but not like before. I started to get zits again, not as many and as big as before though. Anyone here who has been using retin-a for more than a year? Should I try another brand? What brand would you guys suggest. THANKS IN ADVANCE... =D