Hi, first of all I wanted to say that I'm sorry for the long post, but please bear with me...I started Accutane 2 months ago due to my ongoing battle with acne. My face used to be covered by acne but I didn't take accutane soon enough to fight it, so I believe I ended up with the hyperpigmentation. By the time I started accutane, I had the hyperpigmentation ALL over my face, and I believe I wasn't getting many new acne, so I guess that the hyperpigmentation had replaced the actual acne disease, but I still had to fight it.
I consulted a doctor that finally decided to put me on the medication and here I am after two months. I was very secure that Accutane was going to clear my skin from the red marks but from a research I did on this forum a couple of hours ago I became paranoid, because almost everyone was saying that accutane makes your pigmentation worse. The thing is that accutane has made my skin A LOT better from what it used to be, but I want to know, will the medication strengthen the pigmentation of the remained marks that I have?
Now I want to point out something, that during these 2 years that I have started taking the pill, I have NEVER went outside on the sun, not even a single day. Even at about 5-6 PM or later, when I *occasionally* went out, I ALWAYS applied sunscreen of 50SPF. So I am totally protected from the sun, does that mean that I'm safe?
Lastly, the whole point of the thread: My derm told me to keep taking the pill for another month (I've been on 40mg/day for 2 months, so that'll be 3 months by the end of August) and then take it for one more month at 20mg/day only. She kept insisted that I should end it on September, so I was considering to pay for the medication on my own and end the whole course, so that I'd receive the full dose for my weight, which is 65kg. So that'll be 3 more months at 40mg/day.
Before doing this, I wanted to ask your opinion, is it pointless to keep taking accutane, should I stop taking it, wait a couple of weeks and start treating my hyperpigmentation with fading creams and whatnot? I really DON'T want acne to come back, but I believe that my acne was gone before I started taking accutane because:
1) I wasn't getting any pimples even 1 month before taking the medication.
2) I haven't had *any* pimple, NOR an initial break out during the entire time that I have been taking accutane.
Does this mean that I'm somewhat "cured" from acne, but have the hyperpigmentation left?
I'm attaching pics below. This is the cut-out of my face, mainly cheeks and jaw area before starting accutane. You can see that the red marks had taken over my face.
The next two pics are of the same area and are taken in the same day, about a week ago, so 2 months after accutane. I guess you can see the difference.
What would you suggest 
? I'm so confused...
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for your reply 
. First of all I'm a male and make-up isn't an option 
..
The thing is that I don't want to wait 6 months to begin the hyperpigmentation treatment (as impatient that might sound). ALL of the read stuff you see pictured in the pictures are about 99% hyperpigmentation, so it's something that I'm self conscious about, and since the 2 months of Accutane noticeably cleared a good part of it, I was wondering if it might be a rare exception or something, and further help me? My main concern and question is whether I should stop accutane at this time so that I can start treating hyperpigmentation as soon as possible, but I CAN NOT want a relapse sometimes near.. What would you do 
?...
Thanks again.
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for your reply
. First of all I'm a male and make-up isn't an option
The thing is that I don't want to wait 6 months to begin the hyperpigmentation treatment (as impatient that might sound). ALL of the read stuff you see pictured in the pictures are about 99% hyperpigmentation, so it's something that I'm self conscious about, and since the 2 months of Accutane noticeably cleared a good part of it, I was wondering if it might be a rare exception or something, and further help me? My main concern and question is whether I should stop accutane at this time so that I can start treating hyperpigmentation as soon as possible, but I CAN NOT want a relapse sometimes near.. What would you do
Thanks again.
Yes, I noticed from your pics that you're a male. Some guys on here wear cover up to hide red marks. I thought you might have been one of them. 
As long as you wear it correctly, it will not be noticeable. I wish it was more socially acceptable for guys to wear cover up.
Personally, I wouldn't take accutane and would use AHA in the meantime to help fade the marks faster. It is strange that your red marks improved while on it, though. What did your derm tell you?
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for your reply
The thing is that I don't want to wait 6 months to begin the hyperpigmentation treatment (as impatient that might sound). ALL of the read stuff you see pictured in the pictures are about 99% hyperpigmentation, so it's something that I'm self conscious about, and since the 2 months of Accutane noticeably cleared a good part of it, I was wondering if it might be a rare exception or something, and further help me? My main concern and question is whether I should stop accutane at this time so that I can start treating hyperpigmentation as soon as possible, but I CAN NOT want a relapse sometimes near.. What would you do
Thanks again.
Yes, I noticed from your pics that you're a male. Some guys on here wear cover up to hide red marks. I thought you might have been one of them.
As long as you wear it correctly, it will not be noticeable. I wish it was more socially acceptable for guys to wear cover up.
Personally, I wouldn't take accutane and would use AHA in the meantime to help fade the marks faster. It is strange that your red marks improved while on it, though. What did your derm tell you?
Oh, lol sorry then. Yeah I wish so too, but unfortunately it's not .. And I haven't really experienced with it and I don't want to look bad on it, so 
...
Well, my derm since from the beginning, when I asked her that I had more of a problem with the red marks than the actual acne, told me that the marks would fade from Accutane because of the constant skin cracking up, peeling and flaking away..
She has used Accutane for YEARS on her patients and I know that, but IDK how she managed with my problem.. I believed her especially after 1-2 months went by, since I was seeing results, but I started doubting her when I made this thread lol, that's when I started doing the research... As I said, she suggested me to keep taking the pills until September, in which I would have to cut at only 20mg/day, but that was NOT an option for me, because I either want to finish the whole course my continuing the medication for three other months (sept, oct and november) at the same dosage 40mg/day, so that I can lower the chances of a relapse, or stop it right away and do the fading procedure with creams and whatnot (btw, is hydroquinone not allowed in my case?). That's the decision I'm trying to take, but seeing as I have to wait minimally 6 months, I am thinking of finishing Accutane ...
I wish I had an explanation as to why the medication is fading the marks, but even if it slows down the curing process, can my constant hiding from the sun cure the signs just as if I would use a creme?
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for your reply
The thing is that I don't want to wait 6 months to begin the hyperpigmentation treatment (as impatient that might sound). ALL of the read stuff you see pictured in the pictures are about 99% hyperpigmentation, so it's something that I'm self conscious about, and since the 2 months of Accutane noticeably cleared a good part of it, I was wondering if it might be a rare exception or something, and further help me? My main concern and question is whether I should stop accutane at this time so that I can start treating hyperpigmentation as soon as possible, but I CAN NOT want a relapse sometimes near.. What would you do
Thanks again.
Yes, I noticed from your pics that you're a male. Some guys on here wear cover up to hide red marks. I thought you might have been one of them.
Personally, I wouldn't take accutane and would use AHA in the meantime to help fade the marks faster. It is strange that your red marks improved while on it, though. What did your derm tell you?
Oh, lol sorry then. Yeah I wish so too, but unfortunately it's not
Well, my derm since from the beginning, when I asked her that I had more of a problem with the red marks than the actual acne, told me that the marks would fade from Accutane because of the constant skin cracking up, peeling and flaking away..
She has used Accutane for YEARS on her patients and I know that, but IDK how she managed with my problem.. I believed her especially after 1-2 months went by, since I was seeing results, but I started doubting her when I made this thread lol, that's when I started doing the research... As I said, she suggested me to keep taking the pills until September, in which I would have to cut at only 20mg/day, but that was NOT an option for me, because I either want to finish the whole course my continuing the medication for three other months (sept, oct and november) at the same dosage 40mg/day, so that I can lower the chances of a relapse, or stop it right away and do the fading procedure with creams and whatnot (btw, is hydroquinone not allowed in my case?). That's the decision I'm trying to take, but seeing as I have to wait minimally 6 months, I am thinking of finishing Accutane
I wish I had an explanation as to why the medication is fading the marks, but even if it slows down the curing process, can my constant hiding from the sun cure the signs just as if I would use a creme?
Ah...I think I misunderstood your first post, woops. I thought you meant you finished your first course 2 months ago and your derm allowed you to start another course for hyperpigmentation.
So, with that in mind, I change my mind. Hah. If I were you, I would finish your course of accutane. Not everyone suffers from an IB; all they see is improvement (lucky you! I'm going through a bad IB right now lol). Were you prescribed antibiotics? That might be a reason why you're staying clear. I would continue your course so you have a lower chance of relapsing after accutane. And since accutane is reducing your hyperpigmentation, there's even more reason to continue.
And, yeah, the sun can definitely darken red marks. Plus, accutane makes you so much more sensitive to sunlight. So staying out of the sun might help clear your red marks. But you need some vitamin D so I would take a supplement since your hiding from the sun so much. 
Seeing as how acne will cause hyperpigmentation, keep on with the accutane and clear it up for good. Trust me...in the long run, you will thank me. If your acne ever comes back, you're going to be dealing with the same thing over again. It took me 10 years to get on my 2nd round of accutane and I wish I had gone back on it 9 years ago. After you finish your course, wait a few months and then get VBeam laser to help clear up the red marks.
Just read your other post. Yea getting ahead 1-2 months is not going to do much for your hyperpigmentation. Finish your course. I had awful hyperpigmentation my 1st time on accutane and quit a month early because I wanted to do exactly what you're thinking of doing and I regret that decision every day. 1 more month of 80mg may have put me in permanent remission (it may not have, but I'll never know now).
Trust me, and more importantly, trust your doctor. Keep on it.
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for your reply
The thing is that I don't want to wait 6 months to begin the hyperpigmentation treatment (as impatient that might sound). ALL of the read stuff you see pictured in the pictures are about 99% hyperpigmentation, so it's something that I'm self conscious about, and since the 2 months of Accutane noticeably cleared a good part of it, I was wondering if it might be a rare exception or something, and further help me? My main concern and question is whether I should stop accutane at this time so that I can start treating hyperpigmentation as soon as possible, but I CAN NOT want a relapse sometimes near.. What would you do
Thanks again.
Yes, I noticed from your pics that you're a male. Some guys on here wear cover up to hide red marks. I thought you might have been one of them.
Personally, I wouldn't take accutane and would use AHA in the meantime to help fade the marks faster. It is strange that your red marks improved while on it, though. What did your derm tell you?
Oh, lol sorry then. Yeah I wish so too, but unfortunately it's not
Well, my derm since from the beginning, when I asked her that I had more of a problem with the red marks than the actual acne, told me that the marks would fade from Accutane because of the constant skin cracking up, peeling and flaking away..
She has used Accutane for YEARS on her patients and I know that, but IDK how she managed with my problem.. I believed her especially after 1-2 months went by, since I was seeing results, but I started doubting her when I made this thread lol, that's when I started doing the research... As I said, she suggested me to keep taking the pills until September, in which I would have to cut at only 20mg/day, but that was NOT an option for me, because I either want to finish the whole course my continuing the medication for three other months (sept, oct and november) at the same dosage 40mg/day, so that I can lower the chances of a relapse, or stop it right away and do the fading procedure with creams and whatnot (btw, is hydroquinone not allowed in my case?). That's the decision I'm trying to take, but seeing as I have to wait minimally 6 months, I am thinking of finishing Accutane
I wish I had an explanation as to why the medication is fading the marks, but even if it slows down the curing process, can my constant hiding from the sun cure the signs just as if I would use a creme?
Ah...I think I misunderstood your first post, woops. I thought you meant you finished your first course 2 months ago and your derm allowed you to start another course for hyperpigmentation.
So, with that in mind, I change my mind. Hah. If I were you, I would finish your course of accutane. Not everyone suffers from an IB; all they see is improvement (lucky you! I'm going through a bad IB right now lol). Were you prescribed antibiotics? That might be a reason why you're staying clear. I would continue your course so you have a lower chance of relapsing after accutane. And since accutane is reducing your hyperpigmentation, there's even more reason to continue.
And, yeah, the sun can definitely darken red marks. Plus, accutane makes you so much more sensitive to sunlight. So staying out of the sun might help clear your red marks. But you need some vitamin D so I would take a supplement since your hiding from the sun so much.
Thanks for the reply, and no, all I'm taking is Accutane at the moment. *Could* it probably be because all of this time I haven't moisturized my face? Except for the first week, I didn't experience flaky/cracked face, just dry and not oily. So I couldn't tolerate even water based moisturizers for some reason because they would somehow make my face red and make me feel uncomfortable, I guess it's because it was dry? I did use sunscreen though, when I went out.. Other than that and chapstick I haven't used anything else ...
Seeing as how acne will cause hyperpigmentation, keep on with the accutane and clear it up for good. Trust me...in the long run, you will thank me. If your acne ever comes back, you're going to be dealing with the same thing over again. It took me 10 years to get on my 2nd round of accutane and I wish I had gone back on it 9 years ago. After you finish your course, wait a few months and then get VBeam laser to help clear up the red marks.
Just read your other post. Yea getting ahead 1-2 months is not going to do much for your hyperpigmentation. Finish your course. I had awful hyperpigmentation my 1st time on accutane and quit a month early because I wanted to do exactly what you're thinking of doing and I regret that decision every day. 1 more month of 80mg may have put me in permanent remission (it may not have, but I'll never know now).
Trust me, and more importantly, trust your doctor. Keep on it.
Thanks a lot for the reply, that is certainly motivating for me. I feel so bad for you and that's the last thing that I'd want to happen to me, or anybody else for that matter.
And as for trusting my doctor, only this time I can't do it, because she is telling me to stop taking accutane when September finishes, and take only 20mg/day, opposed to the 40mg/day that I used to take during the summer months. So I'm thinking of buying accutane with my pocket money for two more months (october and november) to finish the full dose on my own.
The only thing is, since I don't want my parents to know about this (I know this doesn't sound right, but still...) can I not do the blood tests for these 2 months that I'll be paying on my own? I've already tested my blood, liver and lipids 3 times (4 times at the end of the August) and all the parameters were perfect... What would you suggest?
Thanks again.
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for your reply
The thing is that I don't want to wait 6 months to begin the hyperpigmentation treatment (as impatient that might sound). ALL of the read stuff you see pictured in the pictures are about 99% hyperpigmentation, so it's something that I'm self conscious about, and since the 2 months of Accutane noticeably cleared a good part of it, I was wondering if it might be a rare exception or something, and further help me? My main concern and question is whether I should stop accutane at this time so that I can start treating hyperpigmentation as soon as possible, but I CAN NOT want a relapse sometimes near.. What would you do
Thanks again.
Yes, I noticed from your pics that you're a male. Some guys on here wear cover up to hide red marks. I thought you might have been one of them.
Personally, I wouldn't take accutane and would use AHA in the meantime to help fade the marks faster. It is strange that your red marks improved while on it, though. What did your derm tell you?
Oh, lol sorry then. Yeah I wish so too, but unfortunately it's not
Well, my derm since from the beginning, when I asked her that I had more of a problem with the red marks than the actual acne, told me that the marks would fade from Accutane because of the constant skin cracking up, peeling and flaking away..
She has used Accutane for YEARS on her patients and I know that, but IDK how she managed with my problem.. I believed her especially after 1-2 months went by, since I was seeing results, but I started doubting her when I made this thread lol, that's when I started doing the research... As I said, she suggested me to keep taking the pills until September, in which I would have to cut at only 20mg/day, but that was NOT an option for me, because I either want to finish the whole course my continuing the medication for three other months (sept, oct and november) at the same dosage 40mg/day, so that I can lower the chances of a relapse, or stop it right away and do the fading procedure with creams and whatnot (btw, is hydroquinone not allowed in my case?). That's the decision I'm trying to take, but seeing as I have to wait minimally 6 months, I am thinking of finishing Accutane
I wish I had an explanation as to why the medication is fading the marks, but even if it slows down the curing process, can my constant hiding from the sun cure the signs just as if I would use a creme?
Ah...I think I misunderstood your first post, woops. I thought you meant you finished your first course 2 months ago and your derm allowed you to start another course for hyperpigmentation.
So, with that in mind, I change my mind. Hah. If I were you, I would finish your course of accutane. Not everyone suffers from an IB; all they see is improvement (lucky you! I'm going through a bad IB right now lol). Were you prescribed antibiotics? That might be a reason why you're staying clear. I would continue your course so you have a lower chance of relapsing after accutane. And since accutane is reducing your hyperpigmentation, there's even more reason to continue.
And, yeah, the sun can definitely darken red marks. Plus, accutane makes you so much more sensitive to sunlight. So staying out of the sun might help clear your red marks. But you need some vitamin D so I would take a supplement since your hiding from the sun so much.
Thanks for the reply, and no, all I'm taking is Accutane at the moment. *Could* it probably be because all of this time I haven't moisturized my face? Except for the first week, I didn't experience flaky/cracked face, just dry and not oily. So I couldn't tolerate even water based moisturizers for some reason because they would somehow make my face red and make me feel uncomfortable, I guess it's because it was dry? I did use sunscreen though, when I went out.. Other than that and chapstick I haven't used anything else
>Seeing as how acne will cause hyperpigmentation, keep on with the accutane and clear it up for good. Trust me...in the long run, you will thank me. If your acne ever comes back, you're going to be dealing with the same thing over again. It took me 10 years to get on my 2nd round of accutane and I wish I had gone back on it 9 years ago. After you finish your course, wait a few months and then get VBeam laser to help clear up the red marks.
Just read your other post. Yea getting ahead 1-2 months is not going to do much for your hyperpigmentation. Finish your course. I had awful hyperpigmentation my 1st time on accutane and quit a month early because I wanted to do exactly what you're thinking of doing and I regret that decision every day. 1 more month of 80mg may have put me in permanent remission (it may not have, but I'll never know now).
Trust me, and more importantly, trust your doctor. Keep on it.
Thanks a lot for the reply, that is certainly motivating for me. I feel so bad for you and that's the last thing that I'd want to happen to me, or anybody else for that matter.
And as for trusting my doctor, only this time I can't do it, because she is telling me to stop taking accutane when September finishes, and take only 20mg/day, opposed to the 40mg/day that I used to take during the summer months. So I'm thinking of buying accutane with my pocket money for two more months (october and november) to finish the full dose on my own.
The only thing is, since I don't want my parents to know about this (I know this doesn't sound right, but still...) can I not do the blood tests for these 2 months that I'll be paying on my own? I've already tested my blood, liver and lipids 3 times (4 times at the end of the August) and all the parameters were perfect... What would you suggest?
Thanks again.
Have you tried talking to your derm about wanting to extend your course? You might be able to convince her. You still need a prescription to buy accutane after all.
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Hey, thanks for your reply
The thing is that I don't want to wait 6 months to begin the hyperpigmentation treatment (as impatient that might sound). ALL of the read stuff you see pictured in the pictures are about 99% hyperpigmentation, so it's something that I'm self conscious about, and since the 2 months of Accutane noticeably cleared a good part of it, I was wondering if it might be a rare exception or something, and further help me? My main concern and question is whether I should stop accutane at this time so that I can start treating hyperpigmentation as soon as possible, but I CAN NOT want a relapse sometimes near.. What would you do
Thanks again.
Yes, I noticed from your pics that you're a male. Some guys on here wear cover up to hide red marks. I thought you might have been one of them.
Personally, I wouldn't take accutane and would use AHA in the meantime to help fade the marks faster. It is strange that your red marks improved while on it, though. What did your derm tell you?
Oh, lol sorry then. Yeah I wish so too, but unfortunately it's not
Well, my derm since from the beginning, when I asked her that I had more of a problem with the red marks than the actual acne, told me that the marks would fade from Accutane because of the constant skin cracking up, peeling and flaking away..
She has used Accutane for YEARS on her patients and I know that, but IDK how she managed with my problem.. I believed her especially after 1-2 months went by, since I was seeing results, but I started doubting her when I made this thread lol, that's when I started doing the research... As I said, she suggested me to keep taking the pills until September, in which I would have to cut at only 20mg/day, but that was NOT an option for me, because I either want to finish the whole course my continuing the medication for three other months (sept, oct and november) at the same dosage 40mg/day, so that I can lower the chances of a relapse, or stop it right away and do the fading procedure with creams and whatnot (btw, is hydroquinone not allowed in my case?). That's the decision I'm trying to take, but seeing as I have to wait minimally 6 months, I am thinking of finishing Accutane
I wish I had an explanation as to why the medication is fading the marks, but even if it slows down the curing process, can my constant hiding from the sun cure the signs just as if I would use a creme?
Ah...I think I misunderstood your first post, woops. I thought you meant you finished your first course 2 months ago and your derm allowed you to start another course for hyperpigmentation.
So, with that in mind, I change my mind. Hah. If I were you, I would finish your course of accutane. Not everyone suffers from an IB; all they see is improvement (lucky you! I'm going through a bad IB right now lol). Were you prescribed antibiotics? That might be a reason why you're staying clear. I would continue your course so you have a lower chance of relapsing after accutane. And since accutane is reducing your hyperpigmentation, there's even more reason to continue.
And, yeah, the sun can definitely darken red marks. Plus, accutane makes you so much more sensitive to sunlight. So staying out of the sun might help clear your red marks. But you need some vitamin D so I would take a supplement since your hiding from the sun so much.
Thanks for the reply, and no, all I'm taking is Accutane at the moment. *Could* it probably be because all of this time I haven't moisturized my face? Except for the first week, I didn't experience flaky/cracked face, just dry and not oily. So I couldn't tolerate even water based moisturizers for some reason because they would somehow make my face red and make me feel uncomfortable, I guess it's because it was dry? I did use sunscreen though, when I went out.. Other than that and chapstick I haven't used anything else
>Seeing as how acne will cause hyperpigmentation, keep on with the accutane and clear it up for good. Trust me...in the long run, you will thank me. If your acne ever comes back, you're going to be dealing with the same thing over again. It took me 10 years to get on my 2nd round of accutane and I wish I had gone back on it 9 years ago. After you finish your course, wait a few months and then get VBeam laser to help clear up the red marks.
Just read your other post. Yea getting ahead 1-2 months is not going to do much for your hyperpigmentation. Finish your course. I had awful hyperpigmentation my 1st time on accutane and quit a month early because I wanted to do exactly what you're thinking of doing and I regret that decision every day. 1 more month of 80mg may have put me in permanent remission (it may not have, but I'll never know now).
Trust me, and more importantly, trust your doctor. Keep
on it.
Thanks a lot for the reply, that is certainly motivating for me. I feel so bad for you and that's the last thing that I'd want to happen to me, or anybody else for that matter.
And as for trusting my doctor, only this time I can't do it, because she is telling me to stop taking accutane when September finishes, and take only 20mg/day, opposed to the 40mg/day that I used to take during the summer months. So I'm thinking of buying accutane with my pocket money for two more months (october and november) to finish the full dose on my own.
The only thing is, since I don't want my parents to know about this (I know this doesn't sound right, but still...) can I not do the blood tests for these 2 months that I'll be paying on my own? I've already tested my blood, liver and lipids 3 times (4 times at the end of the August) and all the parameters were perfect... What would you suggest?
Thanks again.
Have you tried talking to your derm about wanting to extend your course? You might be able to convince her. You still need a prescription to buy accutane after all.
I tried that, but I'm going abroad for studies in September and that's why she put me on only 20mg/day, because apparently I couldn't be "controlled" (supervised, nobody could see my results, etc) so she said better safe than sorry. And considering that I'm in Europe (where you can get accutane without a prescription), and I'll be going to the US, I'm thinking of buying the accutane pills here and then continue taking them over there in the states.
Doing accutane on your own would be a very bad idea, alot of things can go wrong, even though its low ods if something did and you affected yourself worse in the long run you would punch yourself.
I have hyperpigmentation, and I have alot more than you, like yourself I have like maybe 5 pimples/acne on my face, just alot of red marks. Even my derm put me on accutance because you cant fight the scarring/red marks with active acne. You need to completely beat the acne.
You are just being impatient, trust me I am in the exact same boat but you just have to fight through this because in 5 years we will both be good. Just finish your accutane and kill the acne and then treat the marks. And its easier to beat the scars in winter to.
Dont go for a short cut now that could result in more pain down the road.
Doing accutane on your own would be a very bad idea, alot of things can go wrong, even though its low ods if something did and you affected yourself worse in the long run you would punch yourself.
I have hyperpigmentation, and I have alot more than you, like yourself I have like maybe 5 pimples/acne on my face, just alot of red marks. Even my derm put me on accutance because you cant fight the scarring/red marks with active acne. You need to completely beat the acne.
You are just being impatient, trust me I am in the exact same boat but you just have to fight through this because in 5 years we will both be good. Just finish your accutane and kill the acne and then treat the marks. And its easier to beat the scars in winter to.
Dont go for a short cut now that could result in more pain down the road.
The thing is that the derm told me to stop taking the medication "prematurely" , so for only 3 and a half months, at 40mg/day. I want to take it for another 2 months to completely take the full dose, so that I wont have to take it again. So basically, that's exactly what I'm trying to do, kill the acne first, and then treat hyperpigmentation... I can't beat the acne with the dose that my derm put me on, because it's not enough, compared to what it is really suggested...
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Do you have any studies to support this?
My understanding is retinoids help with hyperpigmentation through a number of pathways including promotion of desquamation and epithelial turnover...
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Do you have any studies to support this?
My understanding is retinoids help with hyperpigmentation through a number of pathways including promotion of desquamation and epithelial turnover...
Agree. Isotretinoin is a retinoid and retinoids helps cell turnover and helps fade hyperpigementation due to the exfoliation deep inside the skin
I've never heard of anyone taking Accutane to remove hyperpigmentation. Accutane impairs healing. After all, it causes apoptosis (cell death) in hyper-proliferating cells. Hence, why it is sometimes used in chemotherapy.This means that when you get a cut, or a pimple, it will take a lot longer for the skin to heal with Accutane. So, hyperpigmentation would take longer to fade away with Accutane.
The marks will fade on their own. You can use topicals to help fade the hyperpigmentation. AHA, chemical peels (don't use until at least 6 months post-accutane), raw honey, lemon juice, etc. can help hyperpigmentation fade away faster. Check the Scar/Hyperpigmentation forum on here for more information.
If you are really self-conscious about your hyperpigmentation, you can cover it up with foundation or concealer. I recommend Dermablend/Vichy. Hope this helps!
Do you have any studies to support this?
My understanding is retinoids help with hyperpigmentation through a number of pathways including promotion of desquamation and epithelial turnover...
Yeah, you're right. My Bad.
I assumed removal of hyperpigmentation was assisted by the healing process of skin, but cell turnover actually has more to do with it.