ACCUTANE WEEKLY LOG:
Start Date: July 12, 2013
Introduction: Hey everyone, I just wanted to share my weekly progress on accutane with all of you. To start things off, I am an 18 yr old guy that has had acne since the age of 13. Although my acne is moderate, it is extremely persistent. Like everyone else, Ive tried everything . Antibiotics, Topical Creams, Changing my diet etc... My derm finally chose to put me on accutane starting at 90 mg a day. ( 40 mg in the a.m, and 50 mg in the p.m.). Keep in mind that i am 6 ft 2 and weigh 205 lbs (90 kg approx). I workout a lot, but now i have started accutane, i must discontinue due to derms recommendations. Hopefully i get clear skin!!
Week 1: During this first week, after about 3 days, my skin was actually clear!, but by day 5, I started to breakout with maybe 3-4 inflamed pimples on each cheek. just when thought it was working ,I breakout. If this is my IB then id be pretty happy because its not that bad. As for side effects, my lips are dry and peeling (using aquaphor), and I have an itchy scalp. Also, my skin seems to be oilier then usual.On day 2, my knees were hurting, but thats subsided. Lets see how week 2 will be
Week 2: This week, my skin still seems to be breaking out, but at the same time is healing aswell. My skin is definetly dry and flaky now, and my lips still get pretty dry, but using carmex and aquaphor helps alot. Also, my scalp isnt itchy anymore, but i did have joint pain in my knees when i exerted physical activity as well as one random nosebleed.My chest has broken out since last week, and my back and shoulders are doing alright. hopefully this is as bad as my IB gets, but well see. See you next week.
Week 3: During the third week of accutane, I experienced another breakout on my temples and forehead region, and i have a ginormous one on the middle of my forehead in between my eyebrows which is annoyng, my chest and back are still pretty broken out, but I really hope it gets better by the time i start school. Side effects werent bad. Just dry lips and skin and itchy eyes sometimes. My breakout from last week has improved signifigantly, and i notice my skin is peeling faster and creating new skin cells which is nice to see. as for any emotional side effects, none were experienced except for maybe i get aggravated easier than usual but i can still keep my composure. See you next week
WEEK 4 update: Today marks my first month update, and its been alright. No new side effects other than dry lips and peeling skin on my face, arms, and hands. Now, yesterday I brokeout with with like 6 inflamed papules on my right cheek,and a few more on my forehead and temples, but already overnight, they`ve already started to heal. My chest, and back have also broken out pretty badly this week, but they are healing faster than usual. Question: would having bangs cause the breakouts I have on my temples and forehead even though I have dry hair? See you guys next week
Week 5: This week, i encountered a new side effect and thats my face being so red, and it feels like each zit has a pulse (gross I know haha). As for my acne, its starting to die down abit more since last week as everything dries up and flakes off, however, my chest and back show little to no improvement. I`ve also been having these rash type marks over my arms but i can manage that. Overall, skin looks better then last week with less inflamed pimples.
Week 6: This week was a pretty good week. My face is really clearing up nicely, but my chest and back see, tp be getting worse since last week. Is that even possible? Anyways i went to see my derm today, and she said my blood results werent that great from 2 weeks ago. Apparently me going to the gym affected them pretty bad, so she made take an emergency blood test and luckily the results were fine since i hadnt gone to gym since that last blood test. Side effects remain the same, except for me getting a slight headache which was bearable. My eyes are dry and red, and lips are doing alright. Only thing that bothers me is when i laugh or get embarrassed at all, my face turns super red, and feels like its throbbing. All in all, this week was better than last week since my derm said my skin is improving tons and its only week 6. Lets see what week 7 has in stores for us. (No more loftong weights for me 
Week 7: This weeks progress compared to last week was heaps better. My face chest and back are really starting to clear up. Im about 60-65 % clear and it can only get better from here. I did get 2 new zits. One on my chin and one on my forehead, but its not that big of a deal since theyre almost gone now. Looking back on some pics ive taken. 2 weeks ago my face looked horrible but now its beginning to get smoother, and a few girls have already told me how much better looking Im getting 
. Few side effects include: bloody noses almost everyday, but have stopped due to application of vaseline inside my nose. Red and dry eyes, and of course lips. Forgot to mention my face is very red. Some froends have come up to me and ask why my face is so red haha. I just tell them its cause it is hot, which it is haha, but accutane may also be a big factor in it haha, but they dont have tp know that. Even though Im only about 60-65% clearer, my confidence has unconciously risen from having less acne. Cant wait to be clear, especially at the rate its going. See you next week for my month 2 update.
Hey everyone, I know it's not an update, but I just wanted some input on something. Last night went to a party, and I know that I shouldn't be drinking on Accutane, but unfortunately I did. I was able to handle my liquor about the same as I would without Accutane, and I didn't have a hangover or anything at all the next morning. My question is, if I take my blood test 2 weeks from now, would there be any change in my triglycerides or anything in my blood that would make my derm discontinue the use of Accutane? Just to say, I won't be drinking anymore just to be safe. Any input wouldbe greatly appreciated
. I'm currently taking accutane and they have me fast before getting blood tests that way all your liver levels will be unaltered from by-products such as alcohol/sugar/etc. 2 weeks from now the alcohol that was in your system wont even be traced. You'll be fine
. I'm currently taking accutane and they have me fast before getting blood tests that way all your liver levels will be unaltered from by-products such as alcohol/sugar/etc.
Alright thanks for the input. I just dont wanna have to stop taking this miracle of a drug cause of one night i had. Its good to hear that itll hopefully be fine.
Week 8 update: alright so this week was unfortunately not a's good as last week . It pisses me off that i broke out slightly again when it was getting better. I hate acne so effin much and cant wait for the end of it. Its held me back from getting a girlfriend, being confident, and overall being comfortable in my own skin ( no pun intended 
). Anyways like i said, my forehead broke out with a couple zits, my right cheek is surprizingly pretty clear, but my left cheek broke out with 3 pimples that form a triangle. Whats also weird is that i have a symmetrical triangle of zits on my left arm where i have never broken out before. My chest seems to get better, and my back looks like crap because of all the marks that look like acne. And dont forget the 5-8 zits i have there as well. Side effect remain the same. Occasional nosebleed, dry lips and skin, and super sensitive eyes that get bloodshot red if wind goes against them. Hopefully this month will be a great turning point. Still trying to the of the positive. Also although its 1 day before the legit 8th week, it wont really make a difference of how my skin will look tmrw morning anyways. Also, my buddies invited me to go clubbing this weekend, but i dont want to drink, any tips to refuse it without being a killjoy?
I always say I'm on an antibiotic for a tooth infection and can't drink. It was actually true once upon a time but I've sneakily used it a few times since then
how's your accutane journey coming along? I'm almost at week 8 as well
ooh nice haha, that might just work, and as for my journey, well you can tell from my log haha. It's coming along alright, I just want to have clear skin you know. It's really a major setback in life. And whoever says it isn't obviously hasn't had acne that was bad. I'm not talking about the odd 1 or 2 zits. Id be stoked if I was able to get that, but oh well my shxtty genetics for skin won't let me which is why accutane is my last hope after wasting so much time on all these other prescription meds that didn't work for shxt or would'nt have long lasting effects. i really hope this all works out in the end, because I'm honestly just fxckin tired of it physically and mentally. Apparently month number 3 is the turning point from your skin going bad to good. I really hope itll play out this way. Anyways see you guys next week
Hey I seem to be on the same week as you!yippeee! Glad to see you're progressing even if there are those slight set backs! I unfortunately had a mini breakout right before a wedding! Typical eh! Any who I was just wondering have you or anyone found you suffer from sickness more since being on accutane? I've either got a lowered immune system because of the drug or just unlucky in catching summer colds! Great to see your updates ill be following
Hey I seem to be on the same week as you!yippeee! Glad to see you're progressing even if there are those slight set backs! I unfortunately had a mini breakout right before a wedding! Typical eh! Any who I was just wondering have you or anyone found you suffer from sickness more since being on accutane? I've either got a lowered immune system because of the drug or just unlucky in catching summer colds! Great to see your updates ill be following
Hey I seem to be on the same week as you!yippeee! Glad to see you're progressing even if there are those slight set backs! I unfortunately had a mini breakout right before a wedding! Typical eh! Any who I was just wondering have you or anyone found you suffer from sickness more since being on accutane? I've either got a lowered immune system because of the drug or just unlucky in catching summer colds! Great to see your updates ill be following
Awesome 
please let me know how your progress is in the future . And of course, we always have to breakout before something important comes up eh? As for the sickness, I haven't gotten sick at all ever since being on this drug at 90 mg a day!! I'm not sure what it could be. I usually get sick often during whether changes and what not, but I'm surprisingly doing well in that department. I hope it subsides for you. Keep me posted. I noticed I got these rash bumps on my arms. Is that normal?
Have you been using eye drops for your dry eyes? They have helped me a lot.
I have been using visine dry eyes, and I'm not too fond of them because my eyes still remain bloodshot haha. I might start using it more often since it looks like im going to cry because of how watery my eyes get when wind goes against them. thanks for the advice though
Yeah rashes are common while on Accutane.
Hydrocortisone cream from the pharmacy/chemist should clear them. Otherwise, you can get a stronger prescription strength steroid cream from your Dermatologist. Make sure to keep moisturising and drinking water to keep your skin and body hydrated.
Good luck
Yeah rashes are common while on Accutane.
Hydrocortisone cream from the pharmacy/chemist should clear them. Otherwise, you can get a stronger prescription strength steroid cream from your Dermatologist. Make sure to keep moisturising and drinking water to stay hydrated.
Good luck
Alright thanks alot, good to know. And definitely will do
Hey everyone following this log, Just wanted to say, that I did go clubbing last night, and I must say it was pretty fun although I was sober. I was also pretty proud of the response I was getting by other girls. I was able to dance (grind) , and talk to a bunch of girls and just plain old having a good time. The only embarassing thing was that since I didn't drink much water which was stupid, my lips got really dry, red and cracked. As did my eyes since there was a fan blowing into my extremely sensitive eyes. I'm really hoping that my skin clears up soon. I just want to be a confident outgoing guy, that I know I can be, but because of acne, it sets me back to do many things I want to. Even though it's not the update day, My skin is actually looking pretty good minus a couple zits and red marks. Is there a way to tell if a red mark is going to turn into a scar or no?
DAY 66: Hey guys, today marks day 66 of my accutane journey, and I just wanted to give you guys a quick update based on how my skin is currently doing. I'm glad to say that my face is pretty clear!! I only have a few zits like 2 small ones on my forehead, 2 on my temple, and one or 2 small one on my neck. The zits don't bother me too much as they are small in size, however what does bother me is the red marks/spots that are left from the acne I used to have on my cheeks. Although my skin is smooth on my cheeks, the red marks are an annoyance. Does anyone know how long it will tak for them to fade and reestablish normal skin tone? As for my side effects, my lis still get dry of course, but my eyes are so I don't even know how to explain it. Like keeping my eyes open while typing this message is uncomfortable for my eyes. Is this a normal thing? I've been using two types of eye drops. One for moisture and one for redness, but effect only last 20-30 min I find. It's more of an uncofortable irritating feeling than anything. Any advice would be helpful. Oh, my chest and back and clearing up slowly and surely. I have these red marks on my chest and back as well which are annoying too. I know its only been abit past two months but these results so far have been really great. Towards the end of my cycle, I hope to post pictures of my progress from when I started, to my IB, to the final result. Hopefully all goes well. take care