Day Two
I was on Accutane in 2009 for three months. I had to stop because I lost my job. Three months cleared me up for about a year, and right after I went on birth control, the acne flared back up. Just recently, it has gotten out of control. I tried antibiotics, topical creams, and have decided that Accutane is my best option. I'm so happy that I have the chance to do another course of treatment.
I can tell that the ˜tane is actually doing something already. My face was so itchy last night during class. After my shower last night I had to moisturize my face, because it™s already drying out the existing acne. That™s a great thing to see after only one day. I™m still breaking out though in certain spots. It seems that the pimples I do have are already starting to heal so much faster. And like I said, they™re itchy!
I know it™s going to be extremely hard for me not to pick at my face. It is my worst habit & I need to stop it. Last time I was on Accutane, I picked so much, and I had red scaley marks on my face. I don™t want that to happen again. More importantly, I don™t need more scars. I™m going to try everything not to pick.
This is also kind of random, but I've been having weird dreams. I don't really remember them, but I know they're strange. Maybe it is just stress though.
Day Four
Almost done my first blister pack already! Everything is going fine as of day four. My skin is definitely drying out. I had a dentist appointment this morning, and I moisturized my face before putting on my usual makeup: Foundation, concealer & powder. I came home two hours later and the pimples on my chin looked...for lack of words...crusty. I guess that's a good sign, but it just looks disgusting! I'm hoping that the pimples I do have start to heal.
I've decided to photograph my face to document my progress every week - so I will be sure to post that on my log.
I was going to wait until Tuesday - which would make it one week since I started taking 'Tane.
But with the way that my face is looking today, I couldn't help but take pictures & notice that it's already improved!
I am so excited to see what my face will look like at the end of treatment if it's looking better so fast! 
Day Seven
Seven days down, one hundred-something more to go. I can do this, right?!
I noticed that I have a few small blemishes on my cheek, which is strange, because I rarely break out on my cheeks. They're very small, & I'm sure they'll go away soon. There's a few other spots where I've broken out as well. I know it gets worse before it gets better; although I'm a lot happier with the way my skin looks now than before I started Accutane.
Side effects are very minimal right now.
- Last week I had an awful back-ache. But I haven't had one since last week, so I'm happy about that.
- My skin is becoming more dry, as expected. I've been moisturizing as much as possible, though.
- Chapped lips! I'm CONSTANTLY applying either Burt's Bees, or Aquaphor. This morning before putting on Aquaphor I saw that my lips were cracked in one spot, and like an idiot, I tried peeling the skin off. Bad idea, I won't be doing that again unless I want to have bloody cracked lips. Gross.
- My scalp was ridiculously itchy yesterday, as well as my face & my neck.
- In addition to the itchy scalp is dandruff. Yuck, I just noticed it when I went to the restroom at work. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good shampoo/conditioner for dry scalp?!
All these things are nothing that I can't deal with. I've done three months of the 'Tane before, so I think I have a general idea of what to expect. I'm not looking forward to my lips becoming even more chapped. I remember last time, by three months into the treatment my lips were cracked at the corners. But I can deal with it.
Okay, I think I jinxed myself. The back-ache is back. It's not awful, but it's there.
I started using Targets antibiotic ointment a few days ago. It is basically a bacitracin ointment. My lips started to peel and the aquaphor wasn't cutting it for me. My doctor okayed the use of the ointment and it has helped me sooo much. I will ask my derm for a prescription for something else when I see her next week but until time im using this. It tastes like crap but it works
BeautifulDisasters - I'll have to go to Target to see if I can get that ointment. Aquaphor works, but I feel like it dries out really quick and my lips are right back to being dry.
Betty Lee - Thank you! I shouldn't have gotten so excited about my skin looking clear so fast, because I am now experiencing a break out.
So another possible side effect...I realized during my night class that I have a rash on both of my hands.
I put some hydro-cortisone cream on it. Has anyone experienced anything like this?
Me too! lol. I think I got my initial breakout yesterday. Pretty nasty. I'm not too upset about it though, since I've seen that glimmer of hope. I didn't expect it to work so quickly anyway. Are you upset about your breakout?
As for the rash - I got something like that on my hand the second day I took it. I put some of the Green Wisdom All-Heal Salve on it that I mentioned in my log and it went away really quickly. I am a bit neurotic about stuff like this since I had a really bad allergic reaction to minocycline, so I would try to forget about it for now but call your derm if it's still there tomorrow? It's most probably nothing, but again, I'm neurotic. In the meantime, maybe put some soothing cream on it. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
Betty Lee - I feel the same way! I've seen how much my skin improved after 3 months on Accutane in 2009. I had no pimples for about a year before relapsing. I know I need to be patient. The course of treatment wouldn't be 5 months if it worked so quickly. I wish I had a fast-forward button to see my face in 5 months.
The Hydrocortisone cream seemed to help it. It's not bothering me today. Hopefully it doesn't come back! If it does I'll have to make a run to the Pharmacy for some of the stuff that helped you.
Day Nine
Feeling miserable today. I was hit with a bad breakout. My face is looking all sorts of crappy right now. I guess this is my IB & I know I need to hold on because I've got a ways to go. But I'm definitely feeling like shit because of this breakout. 
When my face cleared up from my previous round of 'Tane, I started modeling. I felt great about the way I looked. Now I just want to hide under a friggin' rock.
I've also noticed that I'm more tired than usual. I work full-time & go to school part-time, so that's obviously exhausting...but it's worse than usual. My eyes hurt & I just want to fall into bed.
Aw, I'm sorry you're in a shitty place right now. Try to remember how good you felt after your last round, and know that in a couple months you'll be there again. It's hard to be patient, but think about how long you have been struggling with this problem and now you are doing something about it. Embrace your shitty side effects because they let you know that it's working! Sorry, I'm trying to be as positive as possible (NOT my personality type!) because I know that all this yuckiness will be worth it. You're in a particularly good position because you have done this before - you know that it will work - and you'll be rocking the pages of Vogue by fall!
Also, maybe try browsing before and after pictures? That's been a good pick-me-up for me so far.
Betty Lee - Thank you. I'm trying so hard to stay positive. You're right though - the shitty side effects definitely mean that it's working! I can't wait to get past this initial breakout and make some real progress!
Before & after pictures always give me hope! I remember exactly one year after my first treatment, I had not one blemish on my face. It was amazing to be able to just put some concealer & powder on & leave the house, instead of caking on makeup to try and hide acne.
Oh my god, I am so excited to not have to spend 20 minutes preparing my face every morning! Hey, how long did it take for your dryness to go away after you stopped taking it last time?
And how's your face today?
I guess it took about a month for the dryness to go away. I remember being able to go days without washing my hair, even after Accutane. That was awesome! Haha.
My face is doing better today. Everywhere that I broke out seems to be healing pretty fast. I'm going to cross my fingers & hope that I don't have anymore breakouts like that.
Day 13
Tomorrow marks two weeks since I took my first pill. Damn, time sure does fly by. Hopefully the whole course goes relatively fast.
On Thursday/Friday, my face exploded with zits. I have patches of pimples on both sides of my chin, including two cystic pimples, and then a bunch of whiteheads. Also, about 5 pimples on my cheeks, and a few more on my forehead. I even got a pimple on the back of my neck. Gross! I was so embarrassed & feeling down about my appearance that I called out of work on Friday.
I went out on Friday with a few friends & I felt embarrassed by my face. My friend told me, Your skin isnt bad at all! I showed her the picture I took of my face on Thursday & she said, No way! I guess I do a good job with my makeup.
I feel like the breakout is starting to dry up & begin to heal.
Im crossing my fingers & hoping that I dont have another breakout quite that bad.
As far as side effects go, nothing out of the ordinary has happened. I have patches of dry skin on my hands. I dont know if its psoriasis, because it doesnt itch. Ill have to tell my dermatologist about it I have my next dermatologist appointment on the 18th. Im hoping that everything continues to go well.
Day 15
My IB seems to be healing pretty quickly. The two cystic pimples aren™t half as inflamed as they were on Thursday of last week. Before Accutane, cystic pimples would hang around on my face for a good month or so. It™s nice to wake up & notice that every day they™re starting to get smaller. This lovely cluster of whiteheads on the right side of my chin aren™t looking too great right now, but with the way things have been going, I™m hoping by next week they will be looking a lot better. I have no new actives on my face, which is great! Everything on my face right now is from my IB last week.
I™m hoping everything only gets better from this point.
My problem is that I can™t seem to stop picking. I tell myself I won™t, but then I can™t help myself. Does anyone else have this problem? Any advice on how to stop?
So, I™m pretty sure that the patches on my hands is eczema. I found out that it™s a common side effect of ˜Tane. I™m going to see what my dermatologist says about it¦I™ve just been putting lotion on it.
Oh, and I must say that I love not having to wash my hair all the time! 
Day 17
Holy shit. Let me just say that going to the dentist while on 'Tane frickin' sucks. I have TMJ - which pretty much means that I can barely open my mouth because the joints in my jaw are screwed up. So after getting a cavity filled, the left side of my mouth that the cavity was on was ripped up. My skin is SO delicate. I looked in the mirror afterwards & my skin was tore above my lip. Today the corner of my mouth feels like shit. I was doing such a good job, too! Damn you, dentist! & I have to go back for another filling in two weeks.
Anyway! Yesterday I ordered Clinique's Superbalm. That was what I used on my last round of 'Tane. I'm honestly not too thrilled with Aquaphor, or Burt's Bees right now.
I started using Head & Shoulders a few weeks ago. However, my scalp is still ridiculously itchy and I'm still having dandruff problems. Not sure what to do about that.
Oh no! Sorry to hear about your dentist experience. I have self diagnosed tmj too! Usually only during stressful periods of school though. When I used to have braces, my orthodontist loaded up my lips with vaseline before doing anything. It didn't actually spread around my face too much. Maybe if you explain to your dentist, you could try doing that in two weeks?
I too am a picker. Maybe try wearing gloves? Lol. My willpower is pretty weak in this department.
Let me know what you think of the superbalm! I have it and tried it once but wasn't thrilled. Maybe I should give it another shot. I find the lips are the most difficult thing to contend with right now.
Take care!
Oh no! Sorry to hear about your dentist experience. I have self diagnosed tmj too! Usually only during stressful periods of school though. When I used to have braces, my orthodontist loaded up my lips with vaseline before doing anything. It didn't actually spread around my face too much. Maybe if you explain to your dentist, you could try doing that in two weeks?
I too am a picker. Maybe try wearing gloves? Lol. My willpower is pretty weak in this department.
Let me know what you think of the superbalm! I have it and tried it once but wasn't thrilled. Maybe I should give it another shot. I find the lips are the most difficult thing to contend with right now.
Take care!
I may have to tell the dentist next time that I'm on this medication & how sensitive my face is. The vaseline idea sounds smart! I was in such pain yesterday.
I didn't pick yesterday! I took a shower & rubbed some areas of my face - but no picking. However, I know today is going to be hard to not pick at all because my IB is at this nasty final stage of ugliness & the pimples are healing so quickly that they are flaky looking.
The superbalm was a bit sticky before when I used it, but I'm desperate right now. Aquaphor is pretty awesome, but for some reason it feels greasy to me lately.
Thanks!! 🙂
Hi kaydon! Our skin is very similar!!! except those on your forehead and chin are on my cheeks. my chin and forehead are completely clear. even texture and skin quality is the same! will be going to the derma today to get my prescription for roaccutane!!!
this is also my second time on accutane and the first one was low dose too like yours! (30mg over six months so half only the cumulative dose) and my acne returned ayear later just like yours!!!
Hi kaydon! Our skin is very similar!!! except those on your forehead and chin are on my cheeks. my chin and forehead are completely clear. even texture and skin quality is the same! will be going to the derma today to get my prescription for roaccutane!!!
this is also my second time on accutane and the first one was low dose too like yours! (30mg over six months so half only the cumulative dose) and my acne returned ayear later just like yours!!!
Good luck with your second course! Acne is such an awful disease - I hope to put this behind me for good. I wouldn't wish such a humiliating skin condition upon anyone. It's just awful!
Day 18
I know I just posted yesterday, but I'm having a rough day with my face.
What's still lingering on my face from my IB is still VERY inflamed. My mom told me "It looks bad today. Your face looks inflamed." I also woke up with brand new pimples, a few on my cheeks and my forehead. They're very inflamed and they're sore.
I don't know when to expect the breakouts to stop, and for things to start really clearing. I know, it's only been 18 days & I have a while to go with my course of treatment...but I'm feeling discouraged. It's hard to expect clear skin when your skin is looking so bad.
I'm going to keep hoping for the best.