Kariya i'm sorry it didn't work out for you, my gut instinct agrees with you and you should stop using it. There's plenty of other treatment methods and at least you know you gave it long enough.

I hope your skin recovers quickly.

Ahh life's just ups and downs, some u win some u lose [Edited image out]

damn.. i'm so lost.. idk what to do.. i feel like i should stop but i look through the accutane before and after pics (obviously different from differin) but it makes me think that my acne is just still at the purging stage but i dont KNOW..

i am so stressed out abut this and am soo worried.. goddamnit.

i'm worried that if i stop its gona get worse without any treatment and if i continue differin it could get better but the way its been since i started it has only been worse.

I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO.. isnt 12 weeks the mark? maybe its suppose to be month 3-5? damn i dont know and i'm so depressed

Kariya.....go to your dermatologist! I am seeing mine tomorrow and although differin 0.3 has eliminated almost 70% of my comedones at week 8...I think he wants to bump me up to Retin A (a stronger retinoid to get rid of the rest). He is also going to give me a few cortisone injections in my big papules that i scratched and picked at lol. But talk to your derm girl....

oh and my derm says that the 12 week mark is sh*t. It takes accutane (the strongest retinoid on the market) to show its results 6 months!!! All the others such as taz, retin a, differin and way milder so we can't be expecting exceptional results in 12 weeks. It IS more like 6 months.

Yeah, I wouldn't listen to the 12 weeks mark on Differin. I'm coming up to week 15 and I still got some way to go.

I'm hoping I will be all clear in July, which would make it 6 months. Anything earlier is a bonus.

The 12 weeks is just a guideline to start seeing positive results but i dont think it should take anywhere near 12 weeks to purge, i would expect a few weeks of purging and then your skin staying it usual self maybe a little up and down. You said you've started getting cystic acne, cysts are deep in the skin so that can't be purging :s purging is bringing stuff to the surface.

At week 13 on a retinol if your still getting worse i don't think it's purging, retinols brings stuff to the surface but it shouldnt take it that long to bring stuff to the surface if that was the case then without differin a spot would start 6 months before it surfaces and you can see it, which obviously isn't true.

Talk to your derm. At my med/dental school we're taught about patient central model which means yes you have to consider the whole medical and science behind choosing treatment method but it's just as important to consider the patient's "feelings". If your really not happy with the treatment tell your derm, he/she has to consider other treatment options if the patient isn't happy.

wiseboy you saw progress tho along the way, Kariya thinks her's is getting worse

Allison i agree we can't expect exceptional results in 12 weeks but there should be results, not getting worse.

Alrighttt guyss I just wanted to give you an update!

I went to my derm and he was AMAZED at my skin at the 8 week mark. He said almost 80% of my acne was gone and so he prescribed me a stronger Retin A 0.1% which is just a stronger retinoid than differin. I am going to be alternating this every other night with differin and he said that the rest of my stubborn closed comedones should be gone within the next month to two months.

AND he gave me the OBAGI clear...damn that shiz is expensive ($106!) which is dermatologically proven to work wonders on hyperpigmentation.

Please Please talk to your derm you guysss!!!! Kariya, if you aren't seeing ANY results...maybe your derm may. Remember how she said that it looked like there was improvement...even when you thought there wasn't any? Just talk to her again. Get her email and express her your concerns and get her to prescribe you something she feels more suitable

OH YEAH...I had my first experience with extractions and CORTISONE SHOTS!!!!! ommmmggg every where he extracted, little white stuff would come out (he was getting more of my stubborn comedones that refuse to work with differin) and where he gave me cortisone shots...I Swear to god I bled EVERYTIME he would give me one of them...! I got 1 cortisone shot in 5 different larger bumps and right now they just look red and swollen but he said that was normal and that they will be gone within 24 hours-42 hours Btw...if you have an emergency event coming up....I STRONGLY recommend cortisone shots to anyone. they are an easy and quick fix and they are sooo painless. it just feels like pinching. thats all. lol. the needle is so small. my cat scratches hurt worse.

Hey allison, read your progress. Glad to hear it's going so well for you. I just started a log here: http://www.acne.org/messageboard/index.php/topic/315160-differin-01-doxycycline-100mg-x-2-a-day-18male-pictures-my-log/

Still on week 2 differin, excited to get further into it so i can see improvement as you have.

dont get me wrong, i saw slight improvement.. the biggest cystic pimple ii ever got while on differin did heal but there are some small bumps leftover and never goes away..

but, i am still breakout out with more bumps all the time.. and the bumps (both deep bumps and small rough bumps) never went away for at least 2 months.. i feel like my mouth area should be cleared up, but i always get zits there.. every day more form..

i'm just at the point where i dont believe this is helping at all, but i dont know.. i know i should see a doctor, but i know she'll say that its working but i just dnt want to risk my face continuing to get worse for another 2 months..

overall, its just that maybe it will improve but the spots that have "improved" still look like crap with small bumps and bad PIH.. just dont know if i can continue to use this treatment anymore as i am so stressed and concern 24.7.

i stopped using differin for 3 days now.. idk what to do.

hmm maybe try a different derm, not all Dr are neccesarily good. I've noticed like half my tutors at uni are *hit. You need a good derm who can tailor treatment specifically to you.

try retin a like allison, adapelene, active ingredient in differin is a synthetic retinol, Retin a is a true retinol and stronger so it could help.

and really ask your derm a 101 questions.

if he/she tells you to stick with it ask them how much longer before can write it off.

lastlyy dont let stress get to you! it's just a phase

Thanks noregrets..

from month 1-2.5, i was thinking to myself "its just a small part of the year." i dont know tho.. my skin has gotten so bad it looks like this "phase" will take years to resolve..

its just killing me right now.. i really wish i hadnt start this..

on top of that, i had a horrible haircut.. i cant get a break..

sorry venting on here.

kariyaaaa! I'm sure you look beautiful!!!!!

So...does any one know how long it takes before a cortisone shot decreases inflammation in papules ??? Noregrets...med school student? lol.

Also...kariya, I got retin a 0.1 which is the STRONGEST form of retin a. I got this because my skin can handle differin 0.3 3x a day without drying up! lol. So my derm said it should get rid of my closed comedones!!!

and there is this system called Obagi clear and apparently its supposed to work WONDERS on HP. Its Rx only as it has 4% hydroquinone which can only be given by prescription so....you might wanna ask your doctor but it is hella expensive.

My face currently looks like a tomato with all the extractions and cortisone shots that were put in it. lol. Well actually...it was just one shot but it was still several different places where the needle went lol. But hopefully it will be better in the next 24-36 hours!!! Eeeep! I love myyy dermmm!

Anyway, I hope I wont have an IB to this retin a 0.1 (it is WAYYY stronger than differin) but still...come on now, I was using differin 0.3, 3 times a day! So i assume it wont be too bad. we shall see.

Stick with it and talk to your derms. btw. At week 8....my derm confirmed that differin cleared about 70-80% of my acne...!!! He only gave me something stronger because I am insisting on having clear skin soon! lol.

im starting out very slow. alternating the retin a with differin every other night...easing into it....seeing if my skin can handle that...then i'll start using it regularly. oh and with my insurance...retin A is SO much cheaper than differin. I paid $30/tube of differin and I only paid $9/tube of retin A but that Obagi shit was $106 for a tiny bottle!!!! AHH!

@ Allison, it will take about 12 hours for the cortisone to be degraded from your cells (cells love breaking shit down, especially toxins like cortisone), (once it has been absorbed which is instant if you have it injected), then another 12-24 hours for the inflammation to wear down.

Note: High doses of ibuprofen can also be used. I'm not saying take over the 'recommended dose', but I take ibuprofen as sweets (we're talking ~1500mg doses) when im a bit red, works wonders for inflamed areas.

Allison 48Hrs should do the trick.

update - just getting few little red bumps that surface and go in a day or two aside from that it's seems to be fine.

hey guyssss! UPDATE: so a few of the papules that were injected with cortisone have healed!!! They are flattened but a few more are still hanging around. Anyway, is it normal for pimples to get a tad bit bigger after extractions? My derm extracted some of my closed comedones and now they seem bigger. Hopefully they will heal quickly.

I keep reading these depressing blogs about how differin/retin a didn't work for people and they had to get on accutane...I reaaalllyyy don't want to do that. I hope this works for us you guys!!! My derm didn't even suggest accutane this last time I went to him.

Anyway, retin a 0.1- i'm on the cream....i put it on last night....it was actually quite moisturizing (so counterintuitive) probably because I put on the differin 0.3 like 3 times a day so i'm really on differin 0.9 lol. And it was a cream so it felt nice. Still using the differin on alternating nights. I really hope I don't have ANOTHER IB from retin A!!!! I already dealt with that shit with differin. I dont want one again. But hopefully it wont be too bad.

night 20, few little red bumps here n there, mostly forehead that's my oiliest. small amount of deep comedones left to surface, no papules, flakes are mild. and yo no homo but my skin is so smooth lol

lol watch your back noregrets....if the IB is gonna come....its gonna be around now...3-4 weekss into the treatment lol. But you might be the lucky duck that escapes it altogether!

CRAP.

i went to the docs and let my concern known...

he told me that the only way to go now is accutane..

so in the end.. differin did make my acne worse than ever and has apparently gotten severe to the point of using accutane so yes biggest mistake ever..

i dont know if i want to do this...

night 21 - still getting new little red bumps, they come out of nowhere, half my closed comdones have actually gone so i think this might be the purging period, Allison you spoke too soon! also i've noticed that when I apply differin my face immmeately goes red for about 30 seconds (feels normal just red) and again when i apply moisturiser.

Kariya, sorry to hear that, I can't comment on accutane first hand, however if i was in your position i would weigh the side effects of accutane against having acne AND acne scars (if your acne is scarring).

oh no kariya, accutane is so scary! I would definitely look into the side effects

I would like to inform you guys that I have stopped counting the week I'm on in my treatment which is A GOOD SIGN. I'm almost 80-90% clear. I don't even have whats considered "acne" left....I have like 2 blemishes. lol. Just tons of hyperpigmentation which I'm attacking with retin a and hydroquinone. Differin worked for me...and i'm not even at week 12 yet...I hope the combo of retin a/differin/klaron/doxy/birth control are only going to keep doing GREAT things for me Keep your head up guys

Hello people!

Week 15 today.

Marks are still fading on both sides and making good progress. Just slowly getting there.

Hopefully in June, I will be nearly clear.

Happy so far though 🙂

yay wiseboy!!!!

Can I please give the differin users who are on their IB period some advice???

Go to your derm and make sure it is an IB and not a reaction. AND THEN

STICK WITH DIFFERIN!!! ITS A MIRACLE WORKER.

Even though my skin has ways to go with hyperpigmentation....I do NOT have acne anymore. I have 2 small zits that have scabbed over and are falling off now. Its about week 9 and this is when I first saw the most results...meaning looked at my skin and was like: "DAMN this IS getting better!" PLEASE STICK WITH IT after you have confirmed that its not ACTUALLY making your skin worse (sorry kairya!) And then stick with it. Its amazing. My skin is only going to keep getting better. I know it.

Thanks Jacinthaa!! Never thought I'd look forward to a little bit of an oily face It's MUCH better now, (I think I'm on Day 21, kind of lose track after a while) and I'm noticing real improvements. A small bump here and there but I'm just glad the comedones are leaving so the inflammation doesn't bother me.

Kariya... SO SORRY you've had such a horrible experience with Differin... I was on Accutane for 3 months before Differin (I know, kind of backwards right). I had mild/moderate comedonal acne (to the point where I picked up my prescription and my pharmacist said "what do you need Accutane for???", which scared me even more) so it's not just prescribed to people with severe acne. There's 2 things I will say if you're considering it: 1) It works and 2) listen to your body. I stopped taking it after almost 3 months because the side effects were too much for me. Someone else may have been willing to stick it out but I wasn't. The side effects I was experiencing left within a day or 2 of not taking Accutane. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that it's not ALL scary, but you should also be aware of everything before and during your treatment, if you decide to do it! (just as we should do with ANY drug!!!) Good luck.

And just another note on the PIH... I have tan skin too, and don't get any major PIH so I definitely think it depends on the person!! Most of my acne is/was on my lower jawline so maybe it depends on where? Hmm.

Allison you need to write a manual on Differin!! Love all your awesome tips. Very helpful.

Hope everyone's doing well!

Oh, and do you guys moisturize after applying Differin? My pharmacist said to do so, but I've read conflicting opinions.

start of week 4, still just a few little red bumps, a couple of lingering comedones, no papules, some PIH from a brake out before differin is slowly fading, flakes mild, and no irritation..

lol Allsion are u sure your not trying to sell differin

Amethyst yeah i moisturize after to control flakes and i kind of need it after a shave anyway. Differin's been working for me so moisturizing doesn't seem to affect it's efficacy.

I predict end of June I should be clear

Thanks noregrets. I've been moisturizing after I apply Differin as well, and I think I'll continue. Sounds like our skin is reacting similarly at the moment, hopefully it keeps going this way because I can totally handle this! Fingers crossed for end of June.

hahahahahi swear I'm not tryina sell differin...I'm just SO happy with the progress my skin has made. I mean....look at this picture from today....its in the sunlight so if there were any bumps, you guys would have seen them. I have two small closed comedones and thats it. I put on mineral makeup today and this is how I looked.