I need some help!
I started using differin four days ago. My skin is ALREADY breaking out a lot more! I thought it would take longer for the IB... Is this a good or bad thing? I'm so scared of the IB. Hope it doesn't get much worse:( as far as dryness etc is concerned I'm not experiencing any problems at all. Yet.
At what point using differin did your acne showing signs of clearing up...?
Sounds like you are experiencing the initial breakout. You have to use Differin for 3 months before assessing results:
(Click to enlarge)
Effect of Differin (aka adapalene) on inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/3/1188.full.pdf
I need some help!
I started using differin four days ago. My skin is ALREADY breaking out a lot more! I thought it would take longer for the IB... Is this a good or bad thing? I'm so scared of the IB. Hope it doesn't get much worse:( as far as dryness etc is concerned I'm not experiencing any problems at all. Yet.
At what point using differin did your acne showing signs of clearing up...?
Differin started working within days for me too (although luckily mosty non inflamed). I find it amazing how well Differin works with pushing stuff to the surface of your skin. Even better than other retinoids I tried.
I did squeeze a lot though to speed up the process, this helped me, but does damage your skin (Differin makes it more easy to rupture your skin, be careful).
It sucks, but just comfort yourself that if you want to cure acne, or clogged pores, you need to purge your pores, there is no escape, and Differin will just do that.
I also didn't experience much dryness, even more oily skin on my forehead. I think because differin is pushing all the excess skin oil out.
Sounds like you are experiencing the initial breakout. You have to use Differin for 3 months before assessing results:
(Click to enlarge)
Effect of Differin (aka adapalene) on inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/3/1188.full.pdf
great reading, thanks.
I think this can't be stressed enough on this forum: ''A topical retinoid should be the foundation of treatment for most patients''
Thanks a lot for the replies! I've gotten tons of non-inflamed comedones just like you salinas, and I'm hoping it will stay non-inflamed. Usually from experience I find squeezing doesn't really help for me so I will try just to leave it.
in my experience Differin is very efficient pushing comedones to the surface (in particular the white excess sebum that is still liquid), as long as the comedones didn't got too stuck in the pores. For some reason (maybe all the drying products I used to use) , I have a lot of hardened plugs in my pores. Maybe Differin can push those out too over time, but I didn't have the patience for that, i just squeezed them out. Differin makes your skin layers more loose/soft, so the plugs are more easy to squeeze out. Damaging my skin in the process, although it heals more quickly (another side effect of the faster skin cell shedding because of Differin).
Regarding speed: there was a dermatologist quoted on this board that said: expect Differin to purge 10% each month. I think this is a good rule of thumb to bear in mind . So in something like a year the job should be done, And you only need to continue using it if your skin still produces too much oil.
Thanks a lot for the replies! I've gotten tons of non-inflamed comedones just like you salinas, and I'm hoping it will stay non-inflamed. Usually from experience I find squeezing doesn't really help for me so I will try just to leave it.
in my experience Differin is very efficient pushing comedones to the surface (in particular the white excess sebum that is still liquid), as long as the comedones didn't got too stuck in the pores. For some reason (maybe all the drying products I used to use) , I have a lot of hardened plugs in my pores. Maybe Differin can push those out too over time, but I didn't have the patience for that, i just squeezed them out. Differin makes your skin layers more loose/soft, so the plugs are more easy to squeeze out. Damaging my skin in the process, although it heals more quickly (another side effect of the faster skin cell shedding because of Differin).
Regarding speed: there was a dermatologist quoted on this board that said: expect Differin to purge 10% each month. I think this is a good rule of thumb to bear in mind . So in something like a year the job should be done, And you only need to continue using it if your skin still produces too much oil.
A year....
Sometimes I just feel like giving up. Go back on the pill. I didn't have any major issues with my skin when I was on the pill.
I hate this so much. Since I finished my antibiotics cure a week ago it all seemed to be somewhat ok until today. I've got three big zits forming again around my mouth. The kind that hurt a lot and never come to a head.
I just broke down into tears. I hate how this is ruining my face. I'm so sick of it. I can't even be bothered to do anything anymore. I just want to lock myself in my apartment and come out when my face is zitless again. Even if that means coming out when I'm like 30. I just hate it so so much.
A year....
Sometimes I just feel like giving up. Go back on the pill. I didn't have any major issues with my skin when I was on the pill.
I hate this so much. Since I finished my antibiotics cure a week ago it all seemed to be somewhat ok until today. I've got three big zits forming again around my mouth. The kind that hurt a lot and never come to a head.
I just broke down into tears. I hate how this is ruining my face. I'm so sick of it. I can't even be bothered to do anything anymore. I just want to lock myself in my apartment and come out when my face is zitless again. Even if that means coming out when I'm like 30. I just hate it so so much.
The worst period will be weeks, or months at most. After the worst is over, you most likely will continue to see your skin improve each week: pores will become more refined, skin will become more smooth. You will want to put on Differin!
Differin is a challenge, you need to emotionally prepare for the worst. Probably the main reason why Differin fails is that people stop because of the purging period.
In fact, if you don't have any obligations, locking yourself up until the worst of the purge is over, is probably not such a bad idea. Or take a half year leave, go to some low budget beach destination, live a simple life in a beach cabin without mirrors.
A year for best results from a retinoid is not uncommon, and seems to be the standard. I was told not to judge results until 6-12 months on retinoids. It's brutal, and it's WAY worse than my acne was before treatment - I look at it sometimes and think, "what was I thinking.. I looked FINE before", even though I know I didn't. I'm at the 4 month mark, and it's just now to the point where I have very few active breakouts. I have a ton of scarring though, and around the 6 week mark I had a group of cysts so painful and swollen it was like I had a rock under my skin. These are brutal treatments, but they WORK. I've seen the before/after of people at the 1-2 year mark and it's gorgeous.
Just keep pushing. The number 1 reason people say the retinoids didn't work is because they didn't give them TIME to work.
A year for best results from a retinoid is not uncommon, and seems to be the standard. I was told not to judge results until 6-12 months on retinoids. It's brutal, and it's WAY worse than my acne was before treatment - I look at it sometimes and think, "what was I thinking.. I looked FINE before", even though I know I didn't. I'm at the 4 month mark, and it's just now to the point where I have very few active breakouts. I have a ton of scarring though, and around the 6 week mark I had a group of cysts so painful and swollen it was like I had a rock under my skin. These are brutal treatments, but they WORK. I've seen the before/after of people at the 1-2 year mark and it's gorgeous.
Just keep pushing. The number 1 reason people say the retinoids didn't work is because they didn't give them TIME to work.
Sure I know it takes time.
But it's hard when it's so painful emotionally already. I don't even function properly. I know it's pathetic but I just break down all the time, thinking it's the worst thing in the world, which I know it isn't.
Nobody around me really understand either. My boyfriend, my family, they don't understand at all. At this point they just find me annoying the way I cry about it. Which I sort of understand but really just makes me feel even worse not having any support.