Day 40 on 100mg Spiro
My skin has been looking okay for the past couple of days. Luckily my two huge pimples right next to each other on my cheek went away by the weekend. It seriously took the whole week to first show up then go away. Of course I'm left with scars, as with every single one of my other pimples. Idk what is worse... scars or actives?? I guess actives are worse because they show up as bumps, but my scars are flat.
I got 2 new ones over the weekend, but I wasn't too bothered by them because my hair covered them. I popped one this morning. So.. at this moment, I have zero actives.
Anyway, despite all this negativity, I'm still hopeful!!!
and you dont have to worry about what you look like in different lighting like with active bumps! Lol just my positive spin on getting to red marks after a pimple. I'm on my 6th day of spiro. Red marks are much better because they cover with makeup
and you dont have to worry about what you look like in different lighting like with active bumps! Lol just my positive spin on getting to red marks after a pimple. I'm on my 6th day of spiro.
Good point. 
Good luck!!
Day 42 on 100mg Spiro
3 new actives on my left cheek. 1 on my right cheek. UGHHHHhhh when will this end????
I have a dermatologist appointment this Friday. Wondering if I should ask for antibiotics. I really don't think I can handle another initial breakout though from new drugs.
Day 43 on 100mg Spiro
-I cancelled my derm appt that was scheduled for tomorrow. I figured I'll wait until the 2 month mark to see how my skin is doing then. I HOPE my skin is doing better. I'm so tired of getting new blemishes.. I just want them to STOP!!!!! I don't understand why it takes so long for the spiro to work. My skin is a million times less oily. Isn't this an indication that the meds are working to block oil production??? If so, there shouldn't be anything clogging my pores!
-I'm going on a week long trip in May with my bf and will be sleeping over at his sibling's place. I'm so embarrassed for his sibling to see my skin like this... and he will probably see it without any makeup on. Thinking about it makes me cringe. UGH
Day 43 on 100mg Spiro
-I cancelled my derm appt that was scheduled for tomorrow. I figured I'll wait until the 2 month mark to see how my skin is doing then. I HOPE my skin is doing better. I'm so tired of getting new blemishes.. I just want them to STOP!!!!! I don't understand why it takes so long for the spiro to work. My skin is a million times less oily. Isn't this an indication that the meds are working to block oil production??? If so, there shouldn't be anything clogging my pores!
-I'm going on a week long trip in May with my bf and will be sleeping over at his sibling's place. I'm so embarrassed for his sibling to see my skin like this... and he will probably see it without any makeup on. Thinking about it makes me cringe. UGH
Wanted you to know I've been keeping up with your log as well! HALFWAY MARK (for most people)! We're almost to two months which is kind of exciting! I want the blemishes to stop too, but I think were on our way! The reduction in oil is definitely nice! I don't know if you ever had a problem with oily hair, but I was just curious what the spiro has done in regards to that for you?
Quite a while ago, I read something about acne somewhere that has stuck with me. I heard that it takes two weeks for a pimple to form. Since reading that I always think about that whenever I get a new pimple. If this is true, that would explain why we're still getting new pimples and why skin takes so long to clear.
By May we will almost be about 4 months into treatment! That's still a ways away (at least it feels like it, considering all the school work I have left for this semester! haha). We have plenty of time to see improvement! I know EXACTLY how you feel in regards to the no makeup situation though. I think every woman feels like that to an extent. I don't think other people realize how much that anxiety is heightened when someone actually has things they are trying to cover up, like acne. From what you've said though, it's obvious your boyfriend loves you and he has even said to you that it's not that bad! He wouldn't lie to you about that! Trust me, if it bothered him, he wouldn't be with you. Plus, if it bothered him, he isn't someone worth being with anyways. I've seen pictures and it really isn't bad! I guarantee his brother will think nothing of it. We are our own worst critic 
Day 43 on 100mg Spiro
-I cancelled my derm appt that was scheduled for tomorrow. I figured I'll wait until the 2 month mark to see how my skin is doing then. I HOPE my skin is doing better. I'm so tired of getting new blemishes.. I just want them to STOP!!!!! I don't understand why it takes so long for the spiro to work. My skin is a million times less oily. Isn't this an indication that the meds are working to block oil production??? If so, there shouldn't be anything clogging my pores!
-I'm going on a week long trip in May with my bf and will be sleeping over at his sibling's place. I'm so embarrassed for his sibling to see my skin like this... and he will probably see it without any makeup on. Thinking about it makes me cringe. UGH
Wanted you to know I've been keeping up with your log as well! HALFWAY MARK (for most people)! We're almost to two months which is kind of exciting! I want the blemishes to stop too, but I think were on our way! The reduction in oil is definitely nice! I don't know if you ever had a problem with oily hair, but I was just curious what the spiro has done in regards to that for you?
Quite a while ago, I read something about acne somewhere that has stuck with me. I heard that it takes two weeks for a pimple to form. Since reading that I always think about that whenever I get a new pimple. If this is true, that would explain why we're still getting new pimples and why skin takes so long to clear.
By May we will almost be about 4 months into treatment! That's still a ways away (at least it feels like it, considering all the school work I have left for this semester! haha). We have plenty of time to see improvement! I know EXACTLY how you feel in regards to the no makeup situation though. I think every woman feels like that to an extent. I don't think other people realize how much that anxiety is heightened when someone actually has things they are trying to cover up, like acne. From what you've said though, it's obvious your boyfriend loves you and he has even said to you that it's not that bad! He wouldn't lie to you about that! Trust me, if it bothered him, he wouldn't be with you. Plus, if it bothered him, he isn't someone worth being with anyways. I've seen pictures and it really isn't bad! I guarantee his brother will think nothing of it. We are our own worst critic
Thanks for the support! I reallyyyy hope the 2 month mark shows some improvement!
My hair is wayyyyy less oily. Actually, since starting spiro, I haven't seen my hair become oily at all!!! I take a shower every morning... before spiro, I used to wake up with somewhat oily hair. If I went over 24 hours without taking a shower, my hair would be very noticeably oily. However, nowadays, it's not like that at all! I love it.
Day 47 on 100mg Spiro
-I realized today that I haven't thought about my skin nonstop for the past couple of days! It's kinda awesome. I was thinking about it nonstop pretty much everyday since I started spiro. My skin has been doing okay! Last weekend I didn't get a single new blemish (today is Monday)! My skin is still recovering from breakouts in the week, but over the weekend - nothing. Hooray!
- I'm glad I cancelled my derm appt I had for Friday. I want to avoid taking more meds. Going to wait til the 2 month mark to see the derm. Just 13 more days to go til 2 months! Wow.
Continued success in:
-chest acne (although it was never that bad before)
-back acne (I used to get a few here and there, every so often)
-lack of oily skin and hair
Make-up info:
-I wear Bare Minerals everyday. It doesn't cover all my scars, but it definitely makes a difference. If I wanted complete coverage, I'd need some kind of liquid concealer, but I reallyyyy want to avoid wearing liquid makeup everyday.
-When I go out (usually once or twice a week), I wear Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation. http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/158/1231/Studio-Fix-Fluid-SPF-15/index.tmpl
It covers VERY well. I highly recommend it for anyone with scars. Of course I'm paranoid that it could possibly clog my pores, but I only wear it when I go out - usually 6 hours max. The key is to WIPE OFF ALLLLLL the makeup before starting the cleansing routine. I just use make up wipes before I do my cleansing routine of Clean and Clear Cleanser, BP, AHA and lotion. I literally need 3 wipes to get all my makeup off! Ew!
Glad to hear you're acne seems to be improving! Can't believe we're almost to two months either! Sometimes it feels like I've been on spiro forever and other times I feel like the time has actually gone by pretty quickly.
Question about makeup for you. I had bought the Studio Fix POWDER Foundation about a year ago. I used it all summer, although I try to use make up as sparingly as possible. Fortunately for me, most of the summer I felt confident enough to go places without makeup on. I never felt that it broke me out, and since my acne wasn't terrible and I had a decent tan it was pretty good coverage for me! When I had a bad breakout near the end of the summer I went to a different dermatologist and she said she wouldn't use Mac and to switch to Clinique. I went and got the Clinique Acne Solutions Foundation. I was actually very impressed with the coverage, however by the end of the day my face looked very dry and peely with it. At first I blamed it on the makeup, and even though I know it was a more drying makeup, I'm pretty sure a lot of my the problem was because I had gone from using Differin to Retin-A Micro. Anyways, I wasn't a fan of the new derm, so I went to a DIFFERENT one in January (the one I'm seeing now who put me on Spiro). SHE said that most make up these days are noncomedogenic so not to worry about breaking out from it. I also NEEDED new makeup anyways because my other makeup I had gotten when I still had my summer tan and now I'm back to my pasty winter self haha. SO since I've always heard about the great coverage from Mac and liked the last product I tried, I went again to get a liquid foundation. The consultant helped me get a color and we decided on Pro Longwear SPF 10 Liquid Foundation and a Mineralizer Powder to put over it. It ended up costing about $60 all together and I must say I am very disappointed in it. Not only does it not match my skin, but I feel the coverage isn't very good. I also feel like there is a SLIGHT chance it is contributing to my breakouts.... I've been HIGHLY thinking about getting Bare Minerals since I've heard it praised so much. LONG story short, what's your take on the Bare Minerals? I was thinking about getting the foundation and then the concealer too for blemishes. Do you not think it has very good coverage then? And do you only wear the Mac sparingly because it breaks you out? Sorry for the LONG post haha. I'll probably post something similar to this under on the makeup board. Just wanted your opinion though since we are in a similar situation! Thank you! And again, so glad to hear things are going good for you!
Glad to hear you're acne seems to be improving! Can't believe we're almost to two months either! Sometimes it feels like I've been on spiro forever and other times I feel like the time has actually gone by pretty quickly.
Question about makeup for you. I had bought the Studio Fix POWDER Foundation about a year ago. I used it all summer, although I try to use make up as sparingly as possible. Fortunately for me, most of the summer I felt confident enough to go places without makeup on. I never felt that it broke me out, and since my acne wasn't terrible and I had a decent tan it was pretty good coverage for me! When I had a bad breakout near the end of the summer I went to a different dermatologist and she said she wouldn't use Mac and to switch to Clinique. I went and got the Clinique Acne Solutions Foundation. I was actually very impressed with the coverage, however by the end of the day my face looked very dry and peely with it. At first I blamed it on the makeup, and even though I know it was a more drying makeup, I'm pretty sure a lot of my the problem was because I had gone from using Differin to Retin-A Micro. Anyways, I wasn't a fan of the new derm, so I went to a DIFFERENT one in January (the one I'm seeing now who put me on Spiro). SHE said that most make up these days are noncomedogenic so not to worry about breaking out from it. I also NEEDED new makeup anyways because my other makeup I had gotten when I still had my summer tan and now I'm back to my pasty winter self haha. SO since I've always heard about the great coverage from Mac and liked the last product I tried, I went again to get a liquid foundation. The consultant helped me get a color and we decided on Pro Longwear SPF 10 Liquid Foundation and a Mineralizer Powder to put over it. It ended up costing about $60 all together and I must say I am very disappointed in it. Not only does it not match my skin, but I feel the coverage isn't very good. I also feel like there is a SLIGHT chance it is contributing to my breakouts.... I've been HIGHLY thinking about getting Bare Minerals since I've heard it praised so much. LONG story short, what's your take on the Bare Minerals? I was thinking about getting the foundation and then the concealer too for blemishes. Do you not think it has very good coverage then? And do you only wear the Mac sparingly because it breaks you out? Sorry for the LONG post haha. I'll probably post something similar to this under on the makeup board. Just wanted your opinion though since we are in a similar situation! Thank you! And again, so glad to hear things are going good for you!
I LOVE Bare Minerals. I've been using it for years and am confident that it doesn't affect my skin or clog my pores. The only problem is it won't completely cover up your blemishes. I would recommend a different concealer for full coverage. I'm not sure that Bare Minerals concealer will make a difference since it's also in powder form. I really like that BM is very natural looking. I absolutely hate the caked-on look and try to avoid looking like that as much as possible.
Sorry to hear about your MAC failure. When I went, the makeup artist made sure to color match my skin. She wiped off some of my makeup and put on the MAC makeup to make sure it went together. I guess your makeup artist didn't do that? The fluid foundation works so well for covering my hyperpigmentation. I've actually thought about using the Clinique Foundation that you mentioned. My friend, who also covers up her blemishes, swears by it! I think when I run out of my MAC foundation, I will switch to Clinique.
In short:
Bare Minerals - highly recommended for everyday use
Mac Fluid Foundation - highly recommended for OCCASIONAL use (once or twice a week)
Concealer needed when using Bare Minerals if you want full coverage
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 48 on 100mg Spiro
-I had a new blemish today, but I didn't freak out like I normally would!!! It was actually an awesome feeling. If I had more than one, I'm sure I would have been incredibly unhappy and depressed all day, but I only had one!!!
- I really do believe that the spiro is working. Why??
------- No need for oil blotter sheets on my face
------- No need to touch up my foundation twice a day (which I did before Spiro because my skin was so oily)
------- CLEAR back and chest
------- No need to wash hair once a day (my hair used to get super oily 24 hours after being washed)
Now, I'm just waiting for my face to be clear too!!!
STILL HOPEFUL 
Day 53 on 100mg Spiro
Bad news and good news:
Bad: I have a TON of hyperpigmentation all over my cheeks. It's like I can see every single spot on my face where I've had a blemish over the past few months. If one scar went away, I would have no idea because there's a new one appearing. I'm incredibly unhappy about all these HIGHLY visible spots on my face. I had my 3rd laser treatment (non ablative fractional laser) 2 days ago. I've read that people who do this type of laser should see 50% improvement after the 3rd treatment. My face was peeling a LOT today due to the laser. I'm going to really examine my skin in about a week to see if I notice a difference. Honestly it's so hard to tell because I keep getting new scars. Will update about that next week!
Good: I have only ONE active right now (of course on my cheek). This has been the case for the past week! I'm so happy about this. I really do believe the spironolactone is working for me. As I've said in previous posts, my skin/hair is much less oily and my back/chest are 100% clear.
This girl's spironolactone journey is very encouraging, and I watch her videos every so often to stay motivated!!!
[Removed]
In this video, she's pretty much at the same point as I am now. She has a lot of hyperpigmentation but hardly any active blemishes.
I'm sorry about the hyperpigmentation, but that is AWESOME that you only have one active zit! That is proof the spiro is working for you! I'm sure the hyperpigmentation is frustrating, but it WILL go away. I have a bit right now, and it's nice that it can be covered with makeup well, but it would be even BETTER if it could just be gone because I'm having a pretty clear week and if I didn't have any hyperpigmentation I wouldn't have to worry about makeup. Hyperpigmentation isn't permanent! With acne, you never know if it will go away, but the hyperpigmentation is a sure thing! I know you've been patient forever, but it sounds like your patience is paying off! So happy for you! I watch that girl's videos sometime too, and they really are inspirational. They are honest, detailed, and accurate. Glad things are going well for you for the most part
Day 56 on 100mg Spiro
2 months on 100 mg Spiro
So today = 2 months on Spiro. Overall, I am happy with the results, BUT my skin is FARRRRR from perfect. I have a ton of hyperpigmentation, and I have 2 active pimples right now. I can't wait til 1) my hyperpigmentation is gone. and 2) I have no new pimples.
Over the past 2 months, my view of my skin has changed a bit. I was super depressed at the beginning of taking spiro and I was OBSESSED (literally consumed 90% of my thoughts) with my skin. I admit I still think about my skin A LOT, but definitely not as often as before. I'm not as depressed about it, and when I see a new pimple I try not to freak out.
I'm going to set a dermatologist appt for the 3 month mark because I need a prescription for more spiro at the end of 3 months. I'm hoping my skin will be doing so well that I won't need anything else (like antibiotics) prescribed.
I'm going to try new makeup routines. Right now, I use Bare Minerals on a daily basis, but it really does not cover up my hyperpigmentation very well. I have been avoiding using liquid foundation (except when I go out on the weekends), but I think I'm going to try to find a light foundation that won't clog my pores. I'm thinking of Clinique Acne Solutions. http://www.clinique.com/product/1599/9285/Makeup/Foundations/Acne-Solutions-Liquid-Makeup/index.tmpl
My friend says it covers really well and doesn't irritate her skin.
I'm also thinking of getting a primer, which I've never used before. It's supposed to form a barrier between your skin and your foundation. I'm not really sure if it truly works like that, but I'm going to do some more research.
I've found this girl's YouTube videos helpful. She suffers from VERY LITTLE hyperpigmentation. Imagine her spots x 10000... that's my face.
STILL HOPEFUL for more improvement!!
When u see your derm ask him for something to fade the hyper pigmentation. The bha you are using will help some. But Hydroquinone works the best. You can buy it over the counter in the 2% but you have to get the 4% from a doctor. Murad has something with the 2%. Its called Post acne lightning gel. You can get it at sephora or ultra. Obagi makes a cream with 4%. You can buy it at some derm or plastic surgeons office.
When u see your derm ask him for something to fade the hyper pigmentation. The bha you are using will help some. But Hydroquinone works the best. You can buy it over the counter in the 2% but you have to get the 4% from a doctor. Murad has something with the 2%. Its called Post acne lightning gel. You can get it at sephora or ultra. Obagi makes a cream with 4%. You can buy it at some derm or plastic surgeons office.
Thanks for the info! Is there any chance that these creams could break me out?
Day 61 on 100mg Spironolactone
Hello everyone, just letting you know my skin is doing fine. I had 2-3 actives last week, but they're all gone now.
I have no actives right now, hooray!!!!
My skin texture still sucks. I can't wait til it's SMOOOOOTHHHHH. When I put liquid foundation, the lack of smoothness becomes more evident.
Just happy that my skin is doing better
Day 69 on 100mg Spiro
Unfortunately my skin isn't completely clear.. I guess I wasn't really expecting 100% improvement at this point. I have one huge pimple on my left cheek. I have a few clogged pores. Clogged pores are SOOOO frustrating because you KNOW it can turn into something bigger but there's nothing you can do about it!!! This big one I have on my cheek started out as a visible clogged pore... and then it turned into a monster. Ugh.
I still have tons of hyperpigmentation. It's really annoying because I have to layer on the Bare Minerals... but I still don't have full coverage. Still debating whether or not I should get a liquid concealer for everyday use.
Other than that my skin is doing okay. I honestly wouldn't even care that much about my one big pimple if I didn't have all this hyperpigmentation to go along with it!
Anyway, I'm still hopeful my skin will look better .... eventually!
Day 71 on 100mg spiro
-My skin isn't doing so well right now. I currently have 3 huge actives (on my cheeks of course) and a few others that are healing. UGHHHHHHH so hideous!!!! It's especially bad when I look up close and see how the texture of my skin isn't smooth.
-I'm going to see the dermatologist in a couple of weeks... I wonder what he'll recommend.
Day 84 on 100mg Spironolactone
My journey with spiro has seriously been a rollercoaster ride... and it's not even 3 months.
My skin is doing okay right now. I have a couple actives. The thing that bothers me a lot (other than hyperpigmentation) is that my skin texture is not smooth. When I look super close at my face, I can see bumps from previous actives and some clogged pores. I just want my skin to be SMOOOOOOOTH.
I've changed up my skin care regimen a bit. I've added 2% salicylic acid and I put BP on every other day. BP was just too drying. Even though I had been using it routinely, my skin woud still flake from it! It was really annoying. My solution to that: use BP every other day, only at night. I've also added a different moisturizer. Here's my detailed regimen:
In shower:
- Exfoliate with St. Ives Scrub (not every single day)
- Cleanse with Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser - I LOVE this cleanser because it foams up really nicely.
After shower:
- Thin layer of Neutrogena 3 in 1 salicylic acid gel - I'm sooo happy I found this gel. It smells good and feels good when I put it on! I highly recommend using this product.
- Moisturize with Aveeno Positively Radiant SPF 15 face lotion - This lotion is supposed to improve skin texture and tone. I really hope it does!!!!
Make-up:
- Cover blemishes first with Clinique Even Better Liquid Foundation - I've found that this liquid foundation isn't the best coverage, but there is definitely a noticeable difference after putting it on. It's supposed to improve skin tone after a while. Hence, the "even better" in its name.
- All over face: Bare Minerals
NIGHT
- Jojoba oil to wipe off makeup - I recently discovered jojoba oil. It can be used to moisturize and to wipe off makeup! How cool is that?
- Cleanse with Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser
- Thin layer of Neutrogena salicylic acid gel
- Every other night: 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide
- Moisturize with Aveeno Positively Radiant SPF 15 lotion
Just wanted to let you know that I am going through just about the same as you! My breakouts are a lot less than they were, but the remnants of old breakouts are still healing which has left my skin texture far from smooth! Also, in regards to your flaking, I deal with the same thing with my Retin-A I have been using it for about half a year and I STILL flake at night. I'm interested to see how your new routine goes! I recently started only using it 3 times a week, so we'll see what happens with that. We're almost to the three month mark!!! It seems like it's been FOREVER!
Day 92 on 100mg Spiro
Wow it's been 3 months since I started Spironolactone, and I am happy to say that it has DEFINITELY improved my skin. Since my last post 8 days ago, I haven't had a new active. It could be the 2% salicylic acid I added to my regimen... or it could just be the spiro. Who knows!! I'm just happy that I'm dealing with ONLY hyperpigmentation and not current breakouts.
My chest and back are still clear. I haven't had any problems with those areas since I started spiro. Woohoo! So excited to be able to wear tank tops and low back tops in the summer without feeling too self conscious.
I'm going to see the derm next Monday and ask for suggestions about my dark marks!
Still hopeful!!!
Day 96 on 100mg Spiro
I got 2 new actives right after my previous post!!! Fortunately, both seem to be going down. They haven't come to a head, and I don't think they will! Seems like my body and my medicine are taking care of the actives without the need for popping.
I just ordered Olay Professional (ProX) Advanced Cleansing System. I had been looking into the Clarisonic MIa 2, but hesitated to purchase it due to its high price tag ($150). I was reading reviews about the Clarisonic when I came across the Olay ProX System. It's gotten great reviews on various websites, so I bought it!! Less than $30 on Amazon!!!!! I'm super excited to start using it next week when it comes in the mail! I'll let you guys know how it goes.
Day 99 on 100mg Spiro
My skin is the same as my last post.. still recovering from a couple of actives I had last week. My skin still isn't smooth. I notice these small bumps that aren't exactly actives. Not sure what they are!
I had my 4th treatment of non-ablative fractional laser treatment today. It's called Sellas Laser. I found this website that explains it pretty well:
http://urepublic.com...cing-SELLAS.pdf
Key points of Sellas Laser:
-reduced downtime because "adjacent normal tissue" can help with healing the parts of your skin that actually got the laser
----- Every time I've gotten this laser treatment, I still go to work the next day. My skin is super red for a couple of days, but I can put makeup on to cover that up.
----- The thing that is a bit annoying is that my skin gets flaky and sandy for a couple of days. That's a bit more difficult to cover up, but not impossible.
-It can take up to 5 treatments to see results
----- It's hard for me to tell if there's a difference right now because I keep getting new actives and thus new dark marks.
-It might not be AS painful as ablative laser treatments
----- It's still painful. It's seriously awful. UGH just thinking about my treatment earlier today makes me cringe. Even though they put numbing cream on my face, the procedure hurts soooo much!
I also saw the dermatologist this morning. He gave me a prescription for a HUGE supply of 100mg Spironolactone. If my skin keeps getting better, I won't have to go to the doctor's office til the end of 2012 (because that's how long my refills will last)! I asked him about my dark marks and he recommended Microdermabrasion. I told him about my laser treatment, and he said to wait at least 2 weeks. I asked him about fading creams, and he said his patients have seen "fair" results with hydroquinone creams and honestly thinks it isn't worth it. So, he didn't write me a prescription for the fading cream. I will rely on time, my laser treatments, and microdermabrasion. So much $$!!!!