Well I wish you luck. Im a 21 m and friday I going to see my derm to start a second course too.

Hey check the exp date on those pills, I think mine say they're only good for 6 Months, accutane is not something I'd want to take if its expired.

Hey check the exp date on those pills, I think mine say they're only good for 6 Months, accutane is not something I'd want to take if its expired.

 

Actually I just did lol. Unfortunately they are expired, so my plans have been foiled! I guess I'll have to wait another month. -_-

Well I wish you luck. Im a 21 m and friday I going to see my derm to start a second course too.

 

Thanks! Good luck to you too! My derm prescribed a second course no problemo. I feel like the second time is a little easier.

Hi everyone. I finally started my second round this past Thursday. I'm doing 60 mg/day for 5 months. So far so good. I've had some dehydration headaches, and my back's been bugging me a bit. I know those side effects will go away soon though. My skin is starting to get only slightly drier. Right now, I'm washing with cetaphil and my clarisonic (I'll stop using the clarisonic when my skin gets too sensitive for it) and moisturizing with the cetaphil lotion (I will switch to the cream when I start to get really dry). I'm also using tea tree oil diluted with jojoba oil on my red marks to help them heal more quickly. For these past several months, I've mainly been breaking out on the lower third of my face, so from my mouth downward. The right side of my face in particular is very red from all the scarring because I had a few cysts right in the same area about a month ago that would seem to go away and then get really enflamed again until eventually I had to pop them just to make them go away. I've had cysts like these before, and one actually took almost a year to go away completely (it finally turned into a small whitehead that I could pop), and I just couldn't deal with that again. I also keep getting random whiteheads in that same area, which I find really embarrassing, so I have to pop those too. Hence the ugly redness. Luckily, I don't get pit scars, just pigmentation, so it will go away eventually. Just not soon enough!

Aside from the scarring, my skin isn't too bad right now. Since starting Accutane, I've gotten two cysts--one on my hairline, which is barely visible thank God, and one on my jaw, which is quite inflamed. I've also had several very small, under the skin bumps pop up all over my face. I really hope I don't get super bumpy on my chin and nose like I did last time. It's hard to cover gross skin texture with makeup, you know?

The challenge for me will be to stop picking my skin. I know from experience that Accutane makes the results of that about 10 times worse, and my face wouldn't look anywhere near as bad as it does if I could just stop touching it. It's just so hard!!!

Ughh, I just want to be done with acne already. I'm turning 22 in 2 days. I feel way too old to be dealing with this. I'm done feeling bad about myself.

Until next time,

Pig

i find outso hard to socialize too since i have acne.

i do not go out, just home-school-home and 3 days a week at pilates. and mostly do not understand me and i feel more awful

so when i find someone that feels the same i know how it is

i wish you good luck in your second course

i find outso hard to socialize too since i have acne.

i do not go out, just home-school-home and 3 days a week at pilates. and mostly do not understand me and i feel more awful

so when i find someone that feels the same i know how it is

i wish you good luck in your second course

Thanks for the luck! Yeah, it's hard sometimes when you feel bad about yourself to face the rest of the world. Just know that you are beautiful and you have nothing to be ashamed of!

Anyway, I think this is day 5. Right now, my skin has taken a tiny turn for the worse. Still not bad, but I am breaking out. I've gotten two small red pimples on my right cheek, and one on my left. One deeper pimple is also forming on my left cheek, but it's not painful, so hopefully it won't be too bad? Still getting some under the skin bumps all over. Unfortunately, I couldn't help picking at the two cysts from last time, which are going away, but are also pretty scabby and ugly. Luckily they are not in very visible places on my face.

My skin is starting to get really flaky, but is still producing oil. It may be time to switch to the cream, at least at night. I'm also constantly thirsty (I've been busy at school--and it's hard to keep track of how much water I'm drinking) and have started getting the nose bleeds. I forgot how miserable Accutane is!

I know how you feel when you say you're too old to be dealing with this. I'm 26m and still dealing with it. I wish you the best of luck, I'm sure this round of accutane will be really great for you. Socializing completely sucks when you're self-conscious about your face and don't have the confidence. I think typically once you become flaky and dry, you'll see improvements really soon.

In reference to the expired pills, I don't believe isotretinoin converts/degrades to another compound over time (whereas something like benzoyl peroxide will), but I'm just thinking out loud; you shouldn't take them. Just curious as to why your brother had leftover pills.

I know how you feel when you say you're too old to be dealing with this. I'm 26m and still dealing with it. I wish you the best of luck, I'm sure this round of accutane will be really great for you. Socializing completely sucks when you're self-conscious about your face and don't have the confidence. I think typically once you become flaky and dry, you'll see improvements really soon.

In reference to the expired pills, I don't believe isotretinoin converts/degrades to another compound over time (whereas something like benzoyl peroxide will), but I'm just thinking out loud; you shouldn't take them. Just curious as to why your brother had leftover pills.

Yeah, I didn't take them once I saw that they were expired. There was no reason to risk it aside from my own impatience. My brother quit his course early because he was having joint issues and his skin cleared after about 3 months. He was playing baseball at the time, so he couldn't really tough it out. He's actually taking his second course right now as well, which is a huge pain for our parents. Anyway, he decided to quit once he had already gotten his next monthly supply, hence the extra pills.

I try not to let my face bother me too much, but sometimes it's hard. On bad days, if I see anyone looking at me, I just assume that they're looking at my acne. I'm sure no one cares or probably even notices, but I can never truly believe that. Did you take accutane? How did it work for you?

I'm baaaack!

Over a year ago, I logged the first 3 months of my first experience with Accutane. I took 30 mg a day for 5 months (ending in late November 2011), cleared up in the last 1 1/2 months, and stayed clear for another 4 months after that. This was great because, for those 4 months, I was on my semester abroad in Italy, and I looked FAN-friggin-tastic! For the first time ever, people were complimenting my skin. I was confident around boys and just generally felt pretty great about myself. Then, almost right when I got home, maybe even a little before, I started breaking out again. It wasn't so bad at first. I continued using Ziana and tried some new spot treatments, and those kept it at bay for a while. Then, I switched birth control pills, which made my skin CRAZY. Though I switched back to what I was using before (Beyaz), the acne was still there, and it's been getting worse ever since. So, finally, I've decided to take the plunge again, and I'm seeing my derm tomorrow about starting another course of Accutane. I still have a stash of a month's supply of my brother's old pills, so if I get the okay (which I'm sure I will), I'm just going to start so I don't have to wait a month. I've been trying to get in to see my derm for a while, and I am done waiting.

For some background, I technically only have mild-moderate acne, but not mild-moderate feelings about it. I've had acne (of varying degrees of severity) since I was 10 years old, and I am TIRED OF IT. I'm a young woman in what's supposed to be my peak of youth and beauty, and I don't want to spend it with hideous spots on my face. My skin makes me feel awful about myself and sometimes (read: often) impedes normal social interactions, particularly with members of the opposite sex. I feel the need to slather myself in makeup every day, and I just want to be normal, ya know?

Has anyone had success after two rounds? Is the second time any easier? I'm so nervous about going through those awful five months again, but I'm keeping up hope that it will be worth it!

Pig

I know my response may seem off topic to your question, but you really do sound like you are in distress and I would like to share with you some things that may help you while you are on, or after you finish your course of accutane.

First off, I feel your pain. I really really do. As a 25 year old man who has been dealing with severe cystic acne on and off for almost a decade, let me tell you, I have struggled immensely with it. Yet over the years, through research, reading, conversation with doctors and personal experience I am convinced acne works from the inside out, not the outside in. I have seen this first hand and also read countless books and journal articles that have only strengthened my belief. As you well know, Accutane is a very, very dangerous drug and I always fear for my fellow man or woman who embarks on such a drastic choice to clear a skin problem (although a very deibilating and humiliating problem, let me tell you). I can understand why people would take such risks to clear acne, as I myself have lost job opportunities, missed important family events, and taken time off from college due to severe acne. Having said that, there is so much research showing that non toxic and safe alternative therapies and diet changes are actually more permanently effective and safer than accutane or other prescribed medications so it is important we all look into and consider these!

I'm not the type to tell people what to do, we all have to make rational decisions ourselves and we are in charge of our own bodies. However, I strongly encourage you to read the Clear Skin Diet, a highly respected and heavily researched book written by Dr. Treloar, a Dermatologist who saw that drug therapies were not curing most of her patients and went on a journey of research that led her to the conclusion it was diet that has actually been showing a strong link to acne in decades of published medical research (But these types of findings don't make money for derms or the pharma industry that is so intertwined in the medical community).

There is just so much evidence showing the links between diet, gut inflammation, stress and acne. Dairy has shown to be a strong link between acne, it could be a hormonal imbalance, gluten insensitivity, an allergy, while sometimes getting the pimple cultured and finding what particular strain of bacteria causing it will be the key to your therapy. Antioxidants are a must, as is exercise and meditation. Probiotics must be taken to get good bacteria back into your system and fight the bad ones. There are just so many possibilities as to why we have acne, but most signs point to diet and lifestyle.

The information in this book will help you for years to come after your next round and maybe prevent you from ever having to take a prescribed drug again! Don't get me wrong, I still take store bought topicals and yes, struggle with sometimes horrendous acne as I am recovering from years of antibiotic use that destroyed my gut, left me with persistent fungal infections and even worse acne. But it is helping little by little as I reintroduce good bacteria through probiotics and get my body back into its normal functioning.

You sound like a smart person and I am in no way shape or form trying to tell you what to do, but I really think you would benefit from seeing a naturopath, an experienced nutritionist, or an alternative derm, because there are a TON of supplements, natural topicals, alternative medicine strategies that are non toxic and safe that can help your acne long term, not just kill it off temporarily. Although acne is a horrible affliction, acne tends to respond very well to non toxic remedies with no side effects, so it important we all look into these things.

Most acne around the world is a direct result of western diet, Studies continuously show acne is almost unheard of in cultures that have not been exposed to our diet. Frequently, acne is a temporary part of young adulthood that persists and worsens as a direct result of prolonged exposure to acne fighting medications,and once these medicines are stopped and we work on our diet, gut, stress levels, allergies, vitamin deficiencies, etc.we start to recover.

Just my two cents! And I wish you to be safe on your treatment! We all have to make our minds up and find what works best for us. But please, proceed with caution and be sure to check out alternatives and diets as well. I don't want to come off as someone who joined this thread to bash accutane users (after all this is an accutane related forum topic lol), I just hoped I could affect your decision to consider alternatives in the future. There's a good chance you are somewhat familiar with what I said above, and decided to take accutane because you just want the damn acne to go away now (I know the feeling). However, I am confident if you try different diets and less invasive treatments something will click! I know of too many stories of long term accutane/antibiotic users who one day gave up X food or introduced X supplement and boom, they recovered. So i just had to write.

Again, personal choice is a must with any medical treatment, and I wish you much luck in exercising yours, because I hope you find what works for you and I would not wish acne on my worst enemy.

(PS, sorry about the long length, I get on a roll and I can't stop writing!)

I'm baaaack!

Over a year ago, I logged the first 3 months of my first experience with Accutane. I took 30 mg a day for 5 months (ending in late November 2011), cleared up in the last 1 1/2 months, and stayed clear for another 4 months after that. This was great because, for those 4 months, I was on my semester abroad in Italy, and I looked FAN-friggin-tastic! For the first time ever, people were complimenting my skin. I was confident around boys and just generally felt pretty great about myself. Then, almost right when I got home, maybe even a little before, I started breaking out again. It wasn't so bad at first. I continued using Ziana and tried some new spot treatments, and those kept it at bay for a while. Then, I switched birth control pills, which made my skin CRAZY. Though I switched back to what I was using before (Beyaz), the acne was still there, and it's been getting worse ever since. So, finally, I've decided to take the plunge again, and I'm seeing my derm tomorrow about starting another course of Accutane. I still have a stash of a month's supply of my brother's old pills, so if I get the okay (which I'm sure I will), I'm just going to start so I don't have to wait a month. I've been trying to get in to see my derm for a while, and I am done waiting.

For some background, I technically only have mild-moderate acne, but not mild-moderate feelings about it. I've had acne (of varying degrees of severity) since I was 10 years old, and I am TIRED OF IT. I'm a young woman in what's supposed to be my peak of youth and beauty, and I don't want to spend it with hideous spots on my face. My skin makes me feel awful about myself and sometimes (read: often) impedes normal social interactions, particularly with members of the opposite sex. I feel the need to slather myself in makeup every day, and I just want to be normal, ya know?

Has anyone had success after two rounds? Is the second time any easier? I'm so nervous about going through those awful five months again, but I'm keeping up hope that it will be worth it!

Pig

I know my response may seem off topic to your question, but you really do sound like you are in distress and I would like to share with you some things that may help you while you are on, or after you finish your course of accutane.

First off, I feel your pain. I really really do. As a 25 year old man who has been dealing with severe cystic acne on and off for almost a decade, let me tell you, I have struggled immensely with it. Yet over the years, through research, reading, conversation with doctors and personal experience I am convinced acne works from the inside out, not the outside in. I have seen this first hand and also read countless books and journal articles that have only strengthened my belief. As you well know, Accutane is a very, very dangerous drug and I always fear for my fellow man or woman who embarks on such a drastic choice to clear a skin problem (although a very deibilating and humiliating problem, let me tell you). I can understand why people would take such risks to clear acne, as I myself have lost job opportunities, missed important family events, and taken time off from college due to severe acne. Having said that, there is so much research showing that non toxic and safe alternative therapies and diet changes are actually more permanently effective and safer than accutane or other prescribed medications so it is important we all look into and consider these!

I'm not the type to tell people what to do, we all have to make rational decisions ourselves and we are in charge of our own bodies. However, I strongly encourage you to read the Clear Skin Diet, a highly respected and heavily researched book written by Dr. Treloar, a Dermatologist who saw that drug therapies were not curing most of her patients and went on a journey of research that led her to the conclusion it was diet that has actually been showing a strong link to acne in decades of published medical research (But these types of findings don't make money for derms or the pharma industry that is so intertwined in the medical community).

There is just so much evidence showing the links between diet, gut inflammation, stress and acne. Dairy has shown to be a strong link between acne, it could be a hormonal imbalance, gluten insensitivity, an allergy, while sometimes getting the pimple cultured and finding what particular strain of bacteria causing it will be the key to your therapy. Antioxidants are a must, as is exercise and meditation. Probiotics must be taken to get good bacteria back into your system and fight the bad ones. There are just so many possibilities as to why we have acne, but most signs point to diet and lifestyle.

The information in this book will help you for years to come after your next round and maybe prevent you from ever having to take a prescribed drug again! Don't get me wrong, I still take store bought topicals and yes, struggle with sometimes horrendous acne as I am recovering from years of antibiotic use that destroyed my gut, left me with persistent fungal infections and even worse acne. But it is helping little by little as I reintroduce good bacteria through probiotics and get my body back into its normal functioning.

You sound like a smart person and I am in no way shape or form trying to tell you what to do, but I really think you would benefit from seeing a naturopath, an experienced nutritionist, or an alternative derm, because there are a TON of supplements, natural topicals, alternative medicine strategies that are non toxic and safe that can help your acne long term, not just kill it off temporarily. Although acne is a horrible affliction, acne tends to respond very well to non toxic remedies with no side effects, so it important we all look into these things.

Most acne around the world is a direct result of western diet, Studies continuously show acne is almost unheard of in cultures that have not been exposed to our diet. Frequently, acne is a temporary part of young adulthood that persists and worsens as a direct result of prolonged exposure to acne fighting medications,and once these medicines are stopped and we work on our diet, gut, stress levels, allergies, vitamin deficiencies, etc.we start to recover.

Just my two cents! And I wish you to be safe on your treatment! We all have to make our minds up and find what works best for us. But please, proceed with caution and be sure to check out alternatives and diets as well. I don't want to come off as someone who joined this thread to bash accutane users (after all this is an accutane related forum topic lol), I just hoped I could affect your decision to consider alternatives in the future. There's a good chance you are somewhat familiar with what I said above, and decided to take accutane because you just want the damn acne to go away now (I know the feeling). However, I am confident if you try different diets and less invasive treatments something will click! I know of too many stories of long term accutane/antibiotic users who one day gave up X food or introduced X supplement and boom, they recovered. So i just had to write.

Again, personal choice is a must with any medical treatment, and I wish you much luck in exercising yours, because I hope you find what works for you and I would not wish acne on my worst enemy.

(PS, sorry about the long length, I get on a roll and I can't stop writing!)

Hi! Thanks very much for the advice. I totally get where you are coming from, and I know that Accutane is a risky drug. I have taken it once before with only minor side effects, so I'm not too worried about it this time. In the past, I tried some diet changes and introducing various supplements, and none of those things seemed to work. I also use as many natural topical ingredients as I possibly can. My skin is naturally very oily, I'm prone to stress, and I tend to react badly to any hormonal changes in my body (BCP helped tremendously with the hormones). I think all of these combined help create my skin issues. What I eat has never seemed to have much of an effect on my skin either way.

The only two times in my life (since age 10) that I have had clear skin were for a year when I was taking Solodyn and using Ziana--both of which lost effectiveness as my body developed a tolerance to them, which eventually happens with any antibiotic--and the 4-5 months during and after my first course of Accutane (I didn't even have blackheads on my nose--that's how well it worked!) My dermatologist thinks a second course will likely knock it out for good. I would really love to experiment with more diet changes, supplements, natural solutions etc. because maybe one of those would help, but it's a time commitment that I'm just not willing to make. What if I tried one thing and it didn't work? That's at least a couple of months wasted. Then I would move on to the next thing, and the next. What if my skin issues are never resolved the natural way? I want my acne gone as soon and as surely as possible, so I can finally begin to feel like a real adult and leave my little college cocoon with a sense of confidence. I honestly think Accutane is the only way for me to do this. Believe me, I've been breaking out and feeling not so great about myself since last July, so I've thought long and hard about taking this drug again.

Thanks again, and I hope you understand my reasoning.

Pig

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DAY 8

Soooo I picked at my face. WORST IDEA EVER. My skin looked totally fine BUT I AM SUCH A CRAZY PERFECTIONIST I just couldn't handle the two not-terrible but still painful and annoying zits that seemed like they were ready to go. Now I have two nasty scabs on my face because my natural skin healing has already gotten slower. Great.

Otherwise, bloody nose ftw. I am constantly thirsty, though the headaches have stopped, and my skin is already producing less oil. Honestly, I think the worst thing about accutane is that you hear so many bad things about it, you end up psyching yourself out. I'm a bit sick to my stomach tonight and have been exhausted lately, and I'm just like "OH GOD WHAT IF I GET CROHN'S DISEASE??" "ACCUTANE WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME TIRED???" When in actuality I just ate some jalapenos at lunch and haven't been sleeping as much as I should because of school work. Oy.

Anyway, I'm making a new rule. NO TOUCHING OF THE FACE UNTIL ACCUTANE IS DONE. My skin heals SO SLOWLY on this drug, and picking just makes everything look worse anyway. I have to stop. I wish I had someone to yell at me about this.

Until next time,

Pig

END OF DAY 16

By this time during my last course, I was starting my initial breakout. Now, my skin is actually doing...dare I say it...okay?? I had a couple of cysts on my left cheek next to my lip last week, which I popped, and they are healing fairly normally, though not as quickly as I would like. I also keep getting cysts near my hairline (which is odd, because I never break out there usually), but I have bangs so it's pretty easy to hide. Otherwise, no noticeable acne at all. My back, neck, and chest are clear, but they haven't really been problems since the end of my first course. The black heads on my nose are way more prominent than usual, but I'm sure that means they're purging, which is a good sign. I also still have small under the skin bumps all over. Mostly I'm happy because my right cheek next to my mouth hasn't broken out at all in these past couple of weeks. That area wouldn't stop breaking out for almost two months, and it was AWFUL! Now, even the scars are fading. I actually looked in the mirror and felt GOOD about my skin today, which is amazing. Of course that is with makeup on BUT WHATEVER--PROGRESS!

Mostly, I'm hoping my skin will continue to improve, but I'm sure the IB is just around the corner! Last time, I continued to break out basically until the last month, and I really hope things move more quickly now. The under the skin bumps make me nervous because last time, each small pimple eventually turned into a big angry one!

As for side effects, my ribs have been hurting of all things? It's really weird and annoying. I hope it goes away soon. My eyes have also been red lately, but I wear contacts and my eyes can get irritated, so that may be why. But it's awkward because everyone makes jokes about me looking stoned, which I find kind of offensive because I don't do any of that stuff. I also have had really bad dandruff, which is SO embarrassing, especially at the beginning of the week when my skin wasn't looking so good. It's like "Oh hi, I have acne and it looks like my head is snowing. How are you today??" I got some T-Sal shampoo, and it's helped a bit, but things could be better. I heard that Baking Soda of all things really helps, so I will massage my scalp with jojoba tonight and try washing with that in the morning.

My lips are VERY dry, and so is my skin. My skin has already stopped producing oil for the most part. I had to stop using my usual mineral powder makeup and switch to my liquid foundation. I mixed my foundation with some moisturizing lotion, and it gave my skin back some of its glow and looked really good actually.

In case anyone is wondering about what products I use on my skin, here they are:

Cetaphil sensitive skin cleanser

Cetaphil moisturizing cream + a few drops of Trader Joe's 100% jojoba oil

Aquaphor on my lips

1 part Trader Joe's 100% tea tree oil to 2 parts jojoba oil on my red marks or any non-inflamed active pimples

Epiduo as a spot treatment on any inflamed active pimples

Neosporin + pain relief on any painful cysts or healing areas

Diorskin Nude liquid foundation (at least for now) mixed with Cetaphil moisturizing lotion, applied with fingers

Jane Iredale mineral blush

Cle de Peau concealer (it is really expensive, but it lasts forEVER because it is so pigmented and good--I had my first tube for over three years!)

Tea Tree oil has worked wonders on my red marks btw. I discovered it this summer, and I'm loving it!

Anyway, sorry for the long post. Have a great day!

Pig

DAY 20

UGHHH I just blow-dried my bangs and a quarter-sized chunk of skin came off my forehead. THIS IS NICE. Except not at all.

GOD Accutane is just the worst.

More day 20...I have a big Latin test tomorrow and got really stressed. So, even though my skin is looking totally passable, I picked at it, and now it looks like crap. I picked at the blackheads on my nose, removing a patch of skin on my nostril in the process, one small one on my cheek, also removing some skin around it and making it all red, and one painful one on my forehead. UGHH I don't know what's wrong with me. Also my skin is SO SENSITIVE already. I don't remember it being like this so early in the game last time.

Also why the hell am I breaking out on my forehead???? I never break out there! It's so annoying, especially since my bangs are now too long to cover it. This drug is just a pain in the ass. I have eczema on my arms and legs, my lips are dry, the skin on my face is SO dry and occasionally feels like it's burning. I guess I forgot how much this whole process sucks.

Bleh I just feel kind of terrible right now, which is dumb cuz I know my skin isn't that bad at all especially when compared to other people at this time during their accutane course. It still makes me feel bad though. I just don't understand what it is about acne that affects people this way. I wish I cared less about how I look, but somehow when other things are going wrong in my life, I always turn all of it onto my skin problems. I likely need a therapist more than accutane, honestly.

Day 25

Yesterday skin was okay aside from scars and some healing zits, but suddenly two cysts popped up on either side of my mouth last night before I went to bed (wtf how do they even do that). They are red and angry looking, though they don't hurt yet. I also had a giant cyst on my forehead (in addition to the one from several days ago), which I couldn't help popping because it WAS really painful. I'll try to leave these two alone, so maybe they'll go away on their own. Otherwise, still some small under the skin bumps on my forehead, cheeks, and chin. The blackheads on my nose are getting better, but still aren't gone. I know I'll probably break out until the last month like I did last time, but I can't wait for the skin around my breakouts to at least look good.

I'm guessing this is my initial breakout starting, but who knows really. I'm about to start my period too, and I always break out the week before. I just can't wait to finally have clear skin. I feel so bad about myself today, it's hard to care about anything else happening in my life right now. A celebrity came to my school to give a talk the other day, and I was kind of embarrassed when I met her because my skin must look SO AWFUL to someone who works in Hollywood. I mean, not like she would notice or care, but I was still upset, you know? Acne is such a drag, you guys. At least it's just one more week of school until I can hide at home for spring break. Maybe I'll be looking okay, if not good, when I come back. Fingers crossed.

Day 25

Yesterday skin was okay aside from scars and some healing zits, but suddenly two cysts popped up on either side of my mouth last night before I went to bed (wtf how do they even do that). They are red and angry looking, though they don't hurt yet. I also had a giant cyst on my forehead (in addition to the one from several days ago), which I couldn't help popping because it WAS really painful. I'll try to leave these two alone, so maybe they'll go away on their own. Otherwise, still some small under the skin bumps on my forehead, cheeks, and chin. The blackheads on my nose are getting better, but still aren't gone. I know I'll probably break out until the last month like I did last time, but I can't wait for the skin around my breakouts to at least look good.

I'm guessing this is my initial breakout starting, but who knows really. I'm about to start my period too, and I always break out the week before. I just can't wait to finally have clear skin. I feel so bad about myself today, it's hard to care about anything else happening in my life right now. A celebrity came to my school to give a talk the other day, and I was kind of embarrassed when I met her because my skin must look SO AWFUL to someone who works in Hollywood. I mean, not like she would notice or care, but I was still upset, you know? Acne is such a drag, you guys. At least it's just one more week of school until I can hide at home for spring break. Maybe I'll be looking okay, if not good, when I come back. Fingers crossed.

Man I'm on tane right now 40mg. I been at it for like maybe 13 days? I haven't had any issues so far. My lips are like slightly dry, and my acne is already reduced size greatly. I think I also skipped the IB. Maybe u can have some luck like me i wish it to u

MONTH 2: DAY 1

Just saw my derm yesterday and got my pills refilled, so YAY MONTH 2! My derm thinks my skin looks good, but I don't agree. I was also wearing makeup when I went because I had to run errands afterward.

The two cysts by the sides of my mouth are very, very slowly going away. One came to a head, and I was able to pop it without any damage, so it's healing a little faster. The other one is taking it's sweet time though. Both look pretty ugly. I also got two smaller, but painful, cysts on my chin, both of which came to a head--so I popped them too. They've gone away completely, but have left peeling red marks, so, also ugly. I have two very large painful cysts developing, one on my jaw (so not that visible thank God), and one on my chin underneath the ones I just popped. UGHHH. Just when I think things are getting better, they get worse. I also have two red marks on my forehead, three on my left cheek next to my mouth, a few on my right cheek in the same area, and two very small pimples on my right cheek. I still have the small white bumps on my cheeks, forehead, and chin.

As for good news, the blackheads on my nose are almost completely gone. Yay! And my back, neck, and chest have all been completely clear. My eczema has also cleared up nicely. I'm home from college for break, and we actually have soft water hear, unlike at school, so that's really helped with the dryness on my face and the rest of my body.

Here's hoping month two goes smoothly.

<3 Pig

 

Day 25

Yesterday skin was okay aside from scars and some healing zits, but suddenly two cysts popped up on either side of my mouth last night before I went to bed (wtf how do they even do that). They are red and angry looking, though they don't hurt yet. I also had a giant cyst on my forehead (in addition to the one from several days ago), which I couldn't help popping because it WAS really painful. I'll try to leave these two alone, so maybe they'll go away on their own. Otherwise, still some small under the skin bumps on my forehead, cheeks, and chin. The blackheads on my nose are getting better, but still aren't gone. I know I'll probably break out until the last month like I did last time, but I can't wait for the skin around my breakouts to at least look good.

I'm guessing this is my initial breakout starting, but who knows really. I'm about to start my period too, and I always break out the week before. I just can't wait to finally have clear skin. I feel so bad about myself today, it's hard to care about anything else happening in my life right now. A celebrity came to my school to give a talk the other day, and I was kind of embarrassed when I met her because my skin must look SO AWFUL to someone who works in Hollywood. I mean, not like she would notice or care, but I was still upset, you know? Acne is such a drag, you guys. At least it's just one more week of school until I can hide at home for spring break. Maybe I'll be looking okay, if not good, when I come back. Fingers crossed.

Man I'm on tane right now 40mg. I been at it for like maybe 13 days? I haven't had any issues so far. My lips are like slightly dry, and my acne is already reduced size greatly. I think I also skipped the IB. Maybe u can have some luck like me i wish it to u

Month 2: Day 3

I'm having a really bad day. I'm actually crying right now. I'm so upset about my skin, I don't want to go anywhere. I feel so ugly all the time, and I just don't know what to do. I know that on Accutane everything gets worse before it gets better, but I'm so tired of constantly feeling unworthy and awful about myself. I don't think anyone is reading my log cuz I don't post pictures, but if you are I could really use some encouragement right now.

I'm sorry you're feeling so miserable. I think most people have been there on this particular board. I would tell you not to feel bad and cheer up, but I won't because it's pointless, and you can't control how you feel. Try to do something to occupy your time by yourself, watch a movie, read a book, just something to get your mind off it. Try to focus on how your skin will look down the road (awesome of course) and how soon it will come and also how inevitable it is. I know you don't feel that way right now, but when your acne starts to improve, time will start to fly by.

You mentioned that your body acne is going away. So logically, the acne on your face will start to improve real soon.

I'm sorry you're feeling so miserable. I think most people have been there on this particular board. I would tell you not to feel bad and cheer up, but I won't because it's pointless, and you can't control how you feel. Try to do something to occupy your time by yourself, watch a movie, read a book, just something to get your mind off it. Try to focus on how your skin will look down the road (awesome of course) and how soon it will come and also how inevitable it is. I know you don't feel that way right now, but when your acne starts to improve, time will start to fly by.

You mentioned that your body acne is going away. So logically, the acne on your face will start to improve real soon.

Thank you so much for your kind response. A large part of this is definitely stress. I'm a senior in college, writing my senior thesis (a 60-100 page paper--YIKES!), and I tend to turn all my stress about that onto how I feel about my looks, my skin especially. I gave up working on it for a while and watched some episodes of Supernatural. That made me feel better cuz hey, my skin might be crap, but at least I'm not getting possessed by demons or something lol.

I just need to keep thinking to the end of my 5 month course! So close yet so far!

Btw, I may have just stalked your log. Congrats on being almost done! Just a couple more days right??

Month 2: Day 7 (I think)

My breakout from last time is definitely improving. Almost everything has turned into a flaky red mark, which sucks, but at least it's not active. The one cyst on my jawline is hanging in there (though it's gotten smaller), as is the one next to my mouth. I haven't touched either of these at all by the way. It's weird how long some things take to go away on Accutane, and it's really annoying! My back and chest have also been very slightly breaking out, just with small pimples and black heads. So I'm not too upset about it.

I've been home for break and mainly just staying in working on my thesis, so I haven't had to wear makeup, and I've been able to shower/wash my face with soft water. I just hope that it doesn't act up again when I get back to school and have to wear makeup and use our awful showers. One thing that's really helping my current breakout heal is icing my face every morning and night. I just massage my entire face with an ice cube until it melts, and then cleanse and moisturize.

Side effects have been fine. My knee was acting up the other day, but it's okay now. My dryness is also way more manageable--again this is likely due to the soft water I can use at home.

I'm using all the same stuff, but I might switch from the cetaphil cream to the cerave cream. I've been using the cerave lotion on my body, and the hyaluronic acid really helps! It soaks in really well too, so I hope the cream is the same.

Month 2: Day 11

Pimple that appeared to be going away has turned into a purpleish cyst. I want to cry.

Two cysts from before still hanging in there, and my forehead and back keep breaking out. Otherwise ok. My throat is really dry and hurts. I hope this is a weird accutane thing and I'm not getting sick.