I posted a topic like this before but no one replied, so I'm here again to do the same thing.
I have been dealing with acne for around 2 years now (I'm 15). I used to have the occasional spot on my forehead or around my mouth and chin. Last summer (August 2014) I went to my GP to see what he could prescribe for it and I got handed Zineryt, the zinc based topical treatment. This worked wonders, it was absolutely amazing, within, say a month, all my spots, redness and acne had gone. Totally gone. This lasted for approximately 6 months, up until last February, when my acne then flared up again. I then got prescribed Duac topical treatment. (All my prescribed treatments are creams or gels, as I cannot swallow pills or tablets), This stuff also worked brilliantly and cleared up most of my acne. But this didn't last long and the product burnt my skin. Literally, burnt my skin. My face was tomato red and all my pores were huge. My acne then flared up again as it was so irritated.
Now, couple of weeks ago, I went back up the Doctors, after trying everything. Lemon juice, tripling my daily intake of water, creams, everything. My GP prescribed Isotrex, which is a isotretinoin gel. I know that it's a retinoid and it unclogs your pores. But after 3 days of use, my skin got extremely irritated and red. Like i couldn't even touch my face as it was so painful. I used tons of moisturizer and even an emollient but it was still extremely dry. It was the same feeling as what I had when the Duac burnt my skin. Now, 2 weeks later I'm breaking out really bad. Like I'll have 8 whiteheads on my chin alone, while my skin is still dry and sore. (My forehead and cheeks and nose are fine, it's mostly my chin). I'm so embarrassed in school, as kids can be so judgmental and I even walk around covering my face as I don't want people to see it. I know this is a long post but I wanted to know if anyone has experienced the same thing and what others have done for it. 
I can't deal with it anymore and I need help. 
Should I keep using it on my chin as it happened 2 weeks ago? or Should i leave it longer?
Thanks.
Ioan
It seems like your skin is really irritated already from the past treatments. When you apply the isotrex, do you wait after washing your face, how much do you apply?
Make sure you only use a pea sized amount and wait around 10-20 mins once you wash your face, I found applying a layer of moisturizer before the gel helped as is sort of provided a buffer between my skin so it wasn't like I was nuking the heck out of it.
Also if you find you only really breakout around your chin, there's not much reason to apply it to any other parts of your face and make them irritated.
The good thing is that because you're getting whiteheads this is probably a purging phase for you! The whiteheads is all the gunk in your pores that is being brought up to the surface. It usually takes up to 12 weeks to see definite improvements, but the worst of the breakouts will be over by around week six.
Honestly, i think you should keep using it on your chin at least (or wherever you tend to breakout the most) for another month. It may feel like hell, but your experience so far fits the the profile of many other people who have had amazing success with it.
I used Retin a for 5 months about this time last year, I only had minor improvement, but at the same time I didn't really have an IB, nor did my skin get very irritated or flaky. My acne's changed from how it was last year, its 90% around my chin now instead of my cheeks and jaw, so I'm gonna give it another shot just on my chin. Wish us luck!
I'm on Differin and had a sinilar experience when I started even though it's weaker!
I cut back on the amount I was applying (pea size down to about half a pea) and how often I done it. I also buffered with moisturiser and then very slowly built up how much and often I used.
10 weeks later I am still pretty dry but my skin is really tolerating it better. As for the acne increase, it's completely normal and for most people it will subside if it works for you.
It seems like your skin is really irritated already from the past treatments. When you apply the isotrex, do you wait after washing your face, how much do you apply?
Make sure you only use a pea sized amount and wait around 10-20 mins once you wash your face, I found applying a layer of moisturizer before the gel helped as is sort of provided a buffer between my skin so it wasn't like I was nuking the heck out of it.
Also if you find you only really breakout around your chin, there's not much reason to apply it to any other parts of your face and make them irritated.
The good thing is that because you're getting whiteheads this is probably a purging phase for you! The whiteheads is all the gunk in your pores that is being brought up to the surface. It usually takes up to 12 weeks to see definite improvements, but the worst of the breakouts will be over by around week six.
Honestly, i think you should keep using it on your chin at least (or wherever you tend to breakout the most) for another month. It may feel like hell, but your experience so far fits the the profile of many other people who have had amazing success with it.
I used Retin a for 5 months about this time last year, I only had minor improvement, but at the same time I didn't really have an IB, nor did my skin get very irritated or flaky. My acne's changed from how it was last year, its 90% around my chin now instead of my cheeks and jaw, so I'm gonna give it another shot just on my chin. Wish us luck!
Thank you so much, I've been reading many reviews and they all say that there's an initial 'purge'. Most of the 'spots' have gone now, thank fully, but it's still extremely red, and i have many bumps under the skin. I'm persevering it and hopefully it'll start helping.