Hello acne sufferers/curious individuals! Today I start Absorica, a generic version of Accutane. SO I've decided to keep this log for my own sake as well as anyone who wants to see how well it can work,
Before I start I'd like to give a little background info so that if you want to relate you know whats up. First of all, Im a 16 year old guy. I first started getting acne in about 7th or 8th grade (10th now) so I've been dealing with acne for 3 or 4 years....a relatively shorter time than I've seen around here. When I first started getting it, I didnt even notice. It just kind of crept up on me and soon I had billions of little red spots...like the beginning of a nightmare. By the time 8th grade graduation came, I was a mess of huge whiteheads, multiple small cysts, and new breakouts every morning. The places I got them most were my cheeks, my chin, my temples, and my jawline. It was HORRIBLE.
By the time high school started, I had seen a dermatologist and been prescribed antibiotics, sulfur wash, and retin a gel. After using that for the entire winter, I was clear (except for scars) by spring. I actually loved getting my picture taken by then because I was confident I had no huge things protruding from my face. BUT of course when summer comes with its late nights and staying at other people's houses and you end up not being able to always wash with the sulfur wash and apply retin a, so the acne slowly crept back up on me and was back full force.
I took another two trips to the derm, going on new antibiotics both times and always the retin a gel, but whenever I wasnt falling asleep before applying it i would end up having extremely oily skin during the day and the inflammation stayed the same. However I don;t really get acne anywhere else except my cheeks, temple, and nose now. Not so much my chin anymore. So finally, after researching this drug COUNTLESS times, i went back to the derm and he decided I should try this. So here I am! IM going to post some pictures of my face right now, Im not gonna post anymore until it improves, but I will keep day to day updates with whats going on in terms of oil production, acne, side effects, etc. Currently my face is CONSTANTLY oily (if i slide my hand across my forehead or in the crease of my nose i can get oil everytime) so im not moisturizing right now but probably will be if i get too dry.
RIGHT NOW these are the stats:
Im 52kg and on about 1mg/kg a day
20mg twice a day (40mg per day)
Regimen:
Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser in morning shower and at night
PLENTY of water to prepare for the dryness as well as Blistex
Cetaphil Non-comodegenic Moisturizer (not currently using but on hand for when the dryness starts)
OK...so I know its only the beginning of Day 2 on this, and I plan on updating at the end of every day starting today, but I just wanna say something real quick.
After getting out of the shower this morning, it seems to me as though my acne is already starting to dry up a little. Now this may or may not be because of the meds, hell, I might even just think its happening because Im taking this, but I thought I'd get that out there. No other effects so far, and I'll do a full update tonight. It always seems like my acne is worse at the end of the day, so I figured that would be the best time to update.
Peace
Day 2:
Okay, its the end of day 2. And there's a little bit to note on. First of all, yesterday during the day after taking my very first 20mg, I started getting a bunch of clustered whiteheads that weren't really big but all over. May have just been a regular old breakout, I mean yesterday morning was the first time I used the cetaphil wash (I usually use Johnson&Johnson gentle cleanser) so maybe it was just getting used to that. IDK, But I've decided to use the J&J wash at night because it makes my skin very slightly dryer and I like it being that way for bed.
Second, today during day 2 I noticed a lot of the whiteheads I have are randomly breaking open. It's not like they pop themselves, but I'll feel a spot tingling on my face and touch it and notice a very small amount of liquid on it. The places this has happened have become black, almost like scabs but they aren't that big. If they're still here tomorrow I might take a picture to let you see, but other than that everything is still the same. I played some soccer today so I was sweating and my face got a little dryer than normal, but now its back to normal.
SO far no chapped lips or eye dryness or anything, but I guess it's just a matter of time.
BTW one last important thing: I've been seeing some reports of IBD and colitis and other stuff and that kind of scared me...but then I read that sometimes it's only because before taking accutane people take a bunch of antibiotics which kills all the good bacteria in your gi tract. So in order to replenish that and decrease my chances of getting these things, Im going to start eating at least one thing of yogurt every day. I hope its as good an idea as I think. Goodnight!
Day 3:
I know it's a little late now, but I had a long evening. Nothing changing really...little spots still change into whiteheads throughout the day and then after I washed my face they dry up a little and shrink. So in terms of acne...still the same. No side effects yet either...my lips aren't chapped and my face is still oily in the t-zone as usual. Shaving is such a bitch though...I have a little bit of acne at the end of my jawline and where my sideburns are and I have to be soooo careful not to run over anything but I do the best I can. It'll be such a relief when the acne is gona and I can get a perfectly clean shave without worry 
Day 4: I'm writing this from my phone tonight so it's gonna be short...not much to say really. Nothing has changed except I broke out some more and its hard to even wash my face without rupturing a whitehead these days. I hope something happens soon to at least show some progress.
Day 8: I haven't updated for the past few days but here's a recap of what's happened: breakouts and oil. either this is the initial breakout or the drug hasn't even really started working yet. in terms of side effects, my nose has started to dry out inside and I have to blow it a lot. im pretty sure that's from the drug. another thing is ive just decided to start applying lip balm everyday so I can't really tell if my lips would be that dry without it but I do not want to chance it and find out. hopefully soon the acne and oil slowly start to subside
Day 10:
Just finished another pack of ten capsules and I have some notes. First of all, I think I'm getting the dry lips. But its not like they're chapped...just as soon as I get out the shower or wash my face after a night with lip balm on I can feel the front-most part of my lips starting to shrivel and if I use blistex right away it keeps them nice and smooth for a couple hours but I have to reapply. It doesnt really bother me...as long as this is as bad as it gets.
Second of all, the acne. I honestly think its starting to work for my face. I my whiteheads have mainly died down (except for a few on my nose) and the cysts are drying up and getting smaller and overall i actually think my pores look a little smaller too. I don't really know about oil production...if its changed it isnt drastic enough to note on, but Ill keep watch.
Finally, tonight's going to be a little different than usual. I literally feel like shit tonight because I'm coming down with something and I honestly don't have the energy to wash my face tonight. It's sort of a test for me, usually when I would go to sleep and then wake up my whiteheads would be a lot more prominent and my face really oily but I think if i skip tonight the absorica will keep me ok. If not Ill remember to never miss again no matter what lol. but we'll see!
Okay, i havent posted in a while but i think it's Day 16:
The night I didn't wash my face, nothing happened. I woke up with nothing new so i was relieved. However, I am still getting new acne sometimes. Not clustered cysts like before, but random tiny whiteheads that do happen to go away in much less time than before. I can honestly say it's helping my acne.
Now, for the big issue. I realize that everyone has that one side effect that hits the most, and for me I thought it might just be the dry lips. BOY was i wrong. Every day this week I have just been getting NOSEBLEED AFTER NOSEBLEED. Its ridiculous. IT MAY just be that I was sick this week and so I blew my nose more than usual which caused so much bleeding due to my already dry nose, but it really is horrible. I tried the vaseline method and all that did was clog up my nose no matter how much I tried to make it not. I get them mostly in the morning but all day I feel like if the smallest thing happens I'll start gushing blood. Hopefully when Im completely over this cold itll be better, but so far it is torture. 2 more weeks till my first month is done!
Watsup man! Acne is such a tough battle!! Coincidently I am also on day 16 of accutane! Good luck! I will be following your log!
thanks! and if there's any ways you find work that help with any side effects let me know! and let me know if you have a log too if you dont i suggest making one just for looking back's sake
anyway....Day 17:
I didn't wash my face again last night...this time I regret it a little more. I woke up and am having a little bit of a breakout. Combine that with drier-than-usual skin and my face looks probably the worst it has throughout the treatment so far. Hopefully things look better tomorrow morning.
BY THE WAY...I figured out the way to combat the nosebleeds is slightly coat the inside of my nose with vaseline before I go to bed and after I take a shower in the morning. Thank God for vaseline!
Day 24:
At least I think it is...anyway almost done my first month and I have to get my blood tested real soon again. And things are sort of going downhill...the side effects are really starting to take over my body. My face dries up after I get out of the shower (curiously it isn't that dry after waking up) but thats not really the worst part. Right now both of my arms are being taken over by rashes and patches of dry skin that burn. This doesnt seem to be anywhere other than my arms, but its killing me. I really hope this doesnt last long like the nosebleeds ended up calming down. If I have to live with both horribly dry and disgusting skin on my face as well as red swollen itchy arms for 4 more months, I dont know if Ill be able to take it. Especially with summer coming during which Ill be wearing nothing to cover them all day. It seems the only side effect that isnt bothering me are my lips, which is funny because thats the only thing everyone else complains about. Applying chapstick just twice a day keeps them perfect all day. But I guess Ill see what I can do about the dryness and the rashes.
My lips are always terrible - I use vasoline at night sometimes and that really helps.
You'll be able to take it in the summer, don't worry!
For the nosebleeds, I know you said you did vasoline and it clogged up your nose. Try just putting a dab on each septum, the inside of your nose in the middle. Or, use aquaphor or carmex and put a dab on there. Don't just shove it up your nose, you only need it right on the inside, on that little slit that seperates your nostrils.
My arm blotches come and go. If they get too bad, fill your bathtub with warm water, and squirt some johnson's baby oil in there, and just soak in it for a while. It will make your whole body smooth as a baby's butt =)
My lips are always terrible - I use vasoline at night sometimes and that really helps.
You'll be able to take it in the summer, don't worry!
For the nosebleeds, I know you said you did vasoline and it clogged up your nose. Try just putting a dab on each septum, the inside of your nose in the middle. Or, use aquaphor or carmex and put a dab on there. Don't just shove it up your nose, you only need it right on the inside, on that little slit that seperates your nostrils.
My arm blotches come and go. If they get too bad, fill your bathtub with warm water, and squirt some johnson's baby oil in there, and just soak in it for a while. It will make your whole body smooth as a baby's butt
Thanks man...I know this is a late response but that advice really helped. The vaseline and baby oil have worked wonders. Hope your doing good too right now!
Anyway yes its been a longggggg while since my last update and Im sorry. School was horrible that past few months I never had time but now its summer for me! So if Im counting right it should be Day: 67...about the start of month three here. And ever since my last post the side effects have definitely calmed down. My face isnt as dry as it used to be and its definitely bearable. Nosebleeds come and go but when they do come I just use the vaseline. The arm blotches rarely appear anymore although my arms are noticeably drier than usual and I do think Im starting to burn more easily. But SURPRISE! About 5 days ago my dosage was upped to 30mg a day instead of 20. So yes, I am now on 60 a day instead of 40. The derm told me my skin was getting too used to the lower dosage and I agreed...the acne kept showing up randomly. Not nearly as bad as before, but I'd keep getting a small cyst here and there and it just wasn't working out well so now Im upped. So at this point my face is doing very well...I actually have fallen asleep before washing my face the past three nights and nothing new has come up..and the things that were already there are getting smaller and my face overall is smoothing out. Hopefully it continues in this patttern for the next month and I'll be able to confirm some success with the derm at my next appointment. I might upload some pictures later so you can compare them to the first ones i posted. Stay tuned
That's interesting, because you started right when I did, and I've been taking mostly 80mg/day. My face is still pretty constantly horrible. I'm wondering if I should lower my dose and be less agressive and just take it longer like you.
What dose are you taking right now?
And you should post a picture so I can see how well the low dosage accutane is working
That's interesting, because you started right when I did, and I've been taking mostly 80mg/day. My face is still pretty constantly horrible. I'm wondering if I should lower my dose and be less agressive and just take it longer like you.
What dose are you taking right now?
And you should post a picture so I can see how well the low dosage accutane is working
Sorry about the late posts again, I rarely have time to remember and log on to update and reply. Anyway the does I've been on for about the last month and a half is 60mg/day...and im almost halfway through month four. And let me tell you...this drug has finally worked its magic for me. My skin is literally the clearest its been since the day I first started getting pimples.The only reason I'm still not happy is cause I have the scars from the past, but in terms of acne now i might get a pin-point sized whitehead every few days that goes away in a day. or at the WORST a medium sized one that hurts for a day or two then simmers down quickly.
Im gonna be completely honest here...I havent even washed my face at night at ALL for the past month or two and NOTHING HAPPENS. I dont wake up with oily skin or worsened pimples. Mostly cause there are none and the only time my skin is ever anything but soft is when I am sweating. I very very rarely have any oil at all. I LOVE this drug and really really hope I attain remission because that would seal the deal. Although I dont think I would mind having to go on it one more time because I dont even have side effects anymore except for an occasionally dry cheek area. Tomorrow Ill try to take pictures because I just got back from the shore and Im too tired now. And if I didnt make it clear earlier, i absolutely LOVE this drug. PS it doesnt even matter when I miss a dose which I do quite often...Im gonna try to make it happen less for the remainder of treatment but we'll see.
This might be a very late post, but it will probably be my last. I just thought I'd come on and give a little information so that if your thinking about Accutane, you might read this and let it influence your decision. I am currently 5 months post Accutane, and I have to say that going on that drug was the single best decision I've ever made in my life. Sure, the months I was on it were hard and I got many of the symptoms, nosebleeds, desert-dry lips face and arms, and occasional rashes, but it was so worth it. I haven't had a breakout in 6-7+ months. Occasionally I'll get very tiny pimples but I'm 99% positive they happen because of shaving (which I am now able to experiment with due to my clear skin). If you are currently trying to decide whether or not you should try this and have pretty bad acne, TAKE IT. It might not work the same for everyone, but to me this is definitely worth trying.
My life has improved so much due to the freedom I now have concerning my skin. Instead of shying away from pictures or social events I'm completely the opposite. Instead of being afraid to stay over someone's house because of the fear of what my face will look like in the morning, I jump at the chances. There are so many more advantages to the skin I now have, and I'm sure if you have acne you can think of some things you'd love too. Below I'll put before/after pictures so you can see what it really did for me instead of just reading me go on and on. Good luck acne sufferers!
Right side
Left Side
Finally Acne-free!!!
