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Will Switching From The Regimen To Epiduo Make For A Less Severe Initial Breakout?

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(@daggs)

Posted : 07/24/2013 10:29 am

After typing all of this, I realize it's a lot more information than anyone needs - just skip to last paragraph for the basic question, sorry.

 

A couple of years back, I tried Epiduo and I was completely miserable due to the redness and deep peeling that it caused. I got the hell off of it after I couldn't take it anymore. For the last couple of years, Ive been following the regimen religiously. Around January/February, there was a school dance and I decided to stop the regimen for a few days prior so that the redness caused by it so it would be given a chance to calm down. Anyway, after the dance (with great skin, by the way) I decided to quit the regimen cold turkey. For the next couple of months, my skin was the clearest it's ever been and I realized something crazy: the time I put into my skin everyday while on the regimen was ridiculous.

 

After the couple months of great skin, I started breaking out - especially on my forehead and along my eyebrows, which was really odd for me because my forehead was never really a huge issue, even when I had long hair that fell to my eyebrows.

 

Fast forward to now. Back on the regimen and spending tons of time on it and my skin has been basically a roller coaster which is probably due to the schedule of the summer (work, soccer, beach - all places where I am sweating) and normally how it goes is breakout at the beach, come home, skin clears up, skin basically clear, go to beach, repeat process.

 

My aunt, the derm, has recommended that I try epiduo again. I am considering it but I am hesitant to go through with it because of the likely initial breakout. Do you think that because I've been on Dan's 2.5 BP the switch to Epiduo might be less rocky considering that 2.5 BP is one of the two active ingredients?

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(@lizardanne)

Posted : 07/24/2013 1:11 pm

That might be the case! Epiduo might work, and I think the redness/peeling you initially had the first time might have been from lack of moisturization, or you just weren't on it long enough to adjust/weren't using the recommended amount. Jojoba or a really good moisturizer usually helps that problem.

However, I think the reason you broke out again was because you stopped the Regimen. Continued use is really important, and if you think your skin has been cleared for good, you need to slowly ween off of it, not quit immediately.

Let me know what you think. It's your call, both have worked for many people.

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(@daggs)

Posted : 07/24/2013 2:49 pm

Yea, no doubt the crazy side effects I had the first time on epiduo were because I was using way too much. Stupid me didn't realize that just because I put more on, didn't mean I would clear up faster.

 

And the breakout that I had after stopping the regimen was obviously caused by stopping it, it just sucks that it happened - especially when I thought I was in the home stretch.

 

So I'm still not sure... Maybe when my skin is looking really good I'll work up the courage to try the epiduo once more and just hope my skin doesn't freak out too badly. Besides, even if it does, it's only summer... I can avoid people at all costs if need be. That's why I'm disappointed that I didn't make a derm appt sooner. I have one scheduled for the first week of August and I want to bring up the subject of accutane. Had it been right after school ended, I wouldn't have given a second thought to going on accutane. But seeing as people's skin gets awful before getting better on it, I'm not sure if I would go on it a few weeks before school.

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(@lizardanne)

Posted : 07/24/2013 6:17 pm

How severe is your acne? Accutane is some hardcore stuff...it's usually used as a last resort because of its intense side effects. I'd say give Epiduo another try, since that's what your aunt recommended, and use it as directed. Make sure to give it a few months before you decide if it really works or not!

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(@daggs)

Posted : 07/24/2013 8:39 pm

Moderate. However, I've also been on retin-a and doxycycline in the past which didn't help too much and the acne on my chest and shoulders/shoulder blades is getting pretty bad - which just really makes me miserable being that every weekend when we go to the beach, I keep a shirt on all weekend and don't go in the water, I can't go to pools at friends houses, and soccer is really starting to pick up, right now I'm only at four nights a week, but in a couple of weeks it will be twice a day, six days a week - that means a lot of shirts vs skins and praying to god I'm not on skins.

 

Anyway, my physician was the one to bring up accutane when I was in to get my sports physical the other day and yes, I am aware of the side effects. However, the idea of going through all the side effects and there being a chance of the acne coming back (or not going away at all) makes me more nervous than the side effects themselves.

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(@ayeaye)

Posted : 07/25/2013 3:28 am

Phillykid, I've successfully gone from the regimen to Epiduo with no dire consequences. Take a look at my signature. Good luck with whatever you decide to go with :)

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