Yesterday evening I started a run of Ziana. I'll be using it in conjunction with doxycycline 100mg, 1x per day.
I am very concerned, for numerous reasons, the first being the effect the retnoid will have on my skin texture. I generally have small pores (excepting T-Zone) and a fair complexion. Recently I've been experiencing clogged comedones from improper skin care. (I began using products with mineral oil, despite never having done so, and experienced non-cystic pimples around my entire face.)
My acne is mild, primarily on chin. However, the acne I do get is painful and cystic, and the scars are threatening my complexion, as my skin is too translucent. I began experiencing these hormonal cysts in the summer of 2011. Prior to 2011, my skin was clear. I had other problems, but my skin was clear.
Although the Ziana is a risk, as my skin is mild and could potentially worsen from this treatment, my OCD and slight BDD is leaving me no choice. I scour Acne.org day in and day out, the summer providing ample time to squander over obsessions. I am also leaving for China for an internship on June 11, and am worried that my skin obsession will carry with me. I do not want my aesthetic inclinations to dampen my work!
Day 1:
Used Ziana last night, tiny pea sized amount. Surrendered my pricey cleaners and facial products (which probably were damaging my skin) and used what my lovely dermatologist gave me, a sample of CeraVe PM.
Woke up this morning with oily skin (my skin tends to be on the drier side) and enlarged pores. Noticed 1 small pimple on my upper cheek had dried out. No progress on cyst on chin. Still have raised red spots from irregular comedonal breakout (mineral oil).
I am not starting the doxycycline until June 5, as I want it to last until August 5, when I return from China.
Does anyone have any POSITIVE experience with Ziana? How was the first week, etc. As my skin is mild, I am hoping there will be no "purging," as I am not sure there is deep infection to purge. But skin is unpredictable!
Also, how old is everyone? I am 25.
There's hope!!! I've been using Ziana for like a month-ish and I'm finally starting to see results. From my experiences and from what I've heard Ziana is a long process, so don't get frustrated. Don't get freaked out when I say this but the first 2/3 weeks of Ziana were HELL. My skin is so sensitive and it took a really long time for it to get used to using Z (my derm had me use it once every 2 days for 2 weeks, then every night after that). I had a ton of white heads and gross crap all over my face for the first two weeks.. I thought it would never get better. Eventually I went back to the derm because it got so bad and she made it very clear to me that having bad breakouts on Z was totally normal, especially at the beginning of treatment. My skin would go through cycles of clear, breakout, clear, breakout, which was sooo annoying but thank god it only lasted for about 2 1/2 weeks. By the third week my skin calmed down a little, but the acne was still very visible. By the fourth week my skin completely turned a corner and now I have almost no acne, and the zits I do have are small, scattered, and not painful at all. I forgot to mention that my derm also put my on Aczone (am only) about 3 1/2 weeks into Z treatment, and let me just say that stuff is ahhmazing! I highly reccomend talking to a derm about it because it truly has done wonders for my skin. Anyways, Z has ultimately done wonders for my skin so far, I've noticed that my pores are A LOT smaller than they were before treatment, my acne scars are fading, and most importantly my acne is slowly but surely going away for good.
So in a nutshell don't be surprised if your skin purges a lot, because Ziana is SUPPOSED to purge your skin and get all the nasty stuff out 
. You will see results but it won't happen overnight. My skin is also really oily in the morning from Z so I wouldn't worry so much about that. I'm 16 by the way.. yay hormones!
Good luck!
Thanks for all the helpful information Swimchick!
It's my third day and my skin is absolutely worse than it's been before, but I'm noticing that all the spots I had seen are rising, coming to a head.
It's the dryness that I find so off-putting! It makes makeup very difficult to apply; I like to have my face glow!
I plan to carry out the first week and then assess. I didn't think the timing through too well, as I'm leaving for China next Tuesday and a 24 hour flight on an airplane isn't going to help the state of my skin, especially if it's already quite dry and infected! Oops!
So I guess I've been on Ziana six days, though it feels a lot longer, as I've been hiding out at my mother's house sitting online and drinking gallons of water.
My skin has gotten a bit better since the first few days of initial breakout, but the "enlarged" pores, with blackheads that I didn't know existed looming at the surface, are unsettling to say the least.
I don't have any new acne, as I shouldn't, because I didn't really have comedonal acne to begin with! (I usually get several monthly hormonal chin cysts, which seem harmless in their low number, but cause great assault upon my spirit.)
I think once the pores purge the dirt, and reduce to their original size, I will be fine. But as of now, I am very dissatisfied and embarrassed about my overall skin texture. I hate being obsessive, and compulsive.....
Also, if anyone is reading this (you probably aren't), and has used Ziana, is it very bad to use a toner before moisturizing in the morning? I am tempted, as that's part of my normal routine, but do not want to further irritate my skin.
Also Also, angry at myself for not just taking an oral antibiotic to clear my allergic comedonal reaction to my over-priced moisturizer, and wait until AFTER my all-important two month trip to China to deal with lower-layer skin issues. I have six days left for my skin to be suitable for a twenty-three hour flight on an airplane.
Hey Kylenea, when I was in bad social situations with acne related issues (I once had a huge nasty thing appear on my face during a flight) I was instinctively very compulsive about it too. What helped me was to think about the worst that could happen, then multiply that by 10.
Like if I had to go to a job interview, I'd imagine in advance how my interviewer would be utterly disgusted with me and ask me to leave immediately, after which I'd go to a bar, get drunk and throw myself down a bridge.
Having imagined that, I could go do whatever I was supposed to do with an easier conscience since I realized that nothing that bad was gonna happen because of acne, and when I'd get there I'd focus on being myself and doing what I was gonna do.
I know some people get distressed when you tell them this kind of thing even joking, so I hope I didn't distress you it just really helps me. I also visualize into the future ( in your case 2 months) when I'd be sitting at home thinking of all the stuff I got to do in China and how having acne problems didn't stop me doing them.
If the Ziana thing's still bothering you badly though, couldn't you stop using it till your flight to get rid of its effects?
Hi again!!
About the toner, I think you should stay away from it all together even if your skin isn't sensitive because I have a feeling it will just irritate your skin more. Ziana is a pain in the butt but personally I think if you just use 1 or 2 products on your skin then it will heal faster.
I also had (and have) some dry skin because of Ziana and my derm gave me a sample of the CeraVe lotion. It works really well and it's not greasy, and so far no breakouts from using it so that's always a plus
Good luck!