Today is day one of my pills. I'm hoping that this medication does the trick for me the second time around.
I'm actually taking a generic form of this medication, teva cyproterone. I checked the ingredients and they are practically the same except shape and colour of the pills themselves.
I took this before for oily skin and lots of whiteheads, ages 15-17. It worked wonderfully.
My acne is more cystic now. Not huge, but definitely annoying. I have them on my upper cheeks, at my temples, on my forehead. They seem to "grow" around ovulation and stay noticeable through my period week. They're always in the same place. Right now I have maybe 6 under the skin spots, only a few of which are super noticeable (cheeks, of course... argh!) I have three smaller zits too, jaw line and temples.
I messed with my hormones over the summer with a bcp that wasn't suited for me (ortho tri cyclen lo). I think this is why it has gotten worse lately.
Fingers crossed!!
Out of curiosity how long did it take to be effective the first time around
My acne was a lot less serious back then (just "surface" stuff, no cysts as I recall). It worked within a few months (maybe two), and I was crystal clear while on it. I used two topicals my doctor prescribed to clear up the existing stuff. I can't remember the names of these, sorry 
I didn't use those much beyond the time it took to get rid of the stuff on my face, so I'm sure it was mainly the pill helping me hormonally.
End of Week One
No symptoms so far, i.e. weight gain, breast tenderness, mood changes, etc.
Nothing that seems like an "initial breakout" so far.
I thought it would be useful to list other things I am doing besides the pill for my skin. I was prescribed tetracycline back in the summer (middle of August), 500mg twice daily. I was pretty good at taking that every day for about a month but now I'm taking it usually only once a day (at night) because it's too hard for me to "schedule" it in avoiding meals to take it on an empty stomach.
My daily care regimen is washing day and night with a gentle cleanser (Spectro Jel), applying acne.org AHA+ nightly. I use BP on spots with a head only. I have what I like to call a beard of hyperpigmentation along my jawline, so every week I use a 55% lactic acid solution on my face to help get rid of that. I don't wear face makeup (i.e. foundation) so I don't need a special remover which is good because I'm trying to be very gentle to help all the pigmentation issues settle down.
I thought I'd come and lend my support after you were kind enough to reply in my thread. I'll be following along with your journey! I haven't started my pills yet because I'm waiting on my period. I'm not sure if I'll create a log.. I already obsess enough as it is!
Fingers crossed for you and clear skin. <3
End of Pack One
Well, I have to say that so far this bcp is a success for me! I'm very happy 
My ovulation/pre-period breakouts have been smaller this month. I haven't gotten an initial breakout as such... but I have had some cystic-type spots on my forehead surface and heal up (after having lingered there for maybe two months now).
No typical side-effects, like breast swelling or weight gain. Actually, I think it has been reducing my cravings, which were practically "pregnant woman territory" before the pill 
.
I have one active on my forehead right now, pretty large but a sign of healing which is good. One area with 2 tiny cystic things on my right cheek by my nose, and a couple of tiny cystic spots on my right jaw line. This is a big improvement for my skin!
First Day of Pack Two
Uneventful period, regular length etc etc. Came on the wednesday after my last pill. No breakouts.
However, spots under the skin... really tiny cyst type things are swelling (eugh). So I guess I can expect another breakout sometime between now and ovulation (when I usually do). But being clear for so long I'd like if they'd dissipate on their own.
Mood wise... quite good! Extra oestrogen is making me baby happy I think, haha! I was definitely more "androgenic" before this pill.
Topically, I've been applying a BHA in the morning (Paula's Choice acne toner) and the AHA+ at night. Every wednesday night I do a 55% lactic acid peel which I leave on for 8 minutes. Since I have no actives I'm not applying any BP and my skin looks better for it I think. CeraVe lotion is still my moisturiser. Red spots that I've had for months seem to be fading. More or less they're a pinkish colour now, but still pretty visible.
Aside from acne, my old bcp gave me a lot of peach fuzz... longer and more obvious 
I'm hoping that it goes away wth the Diane. It makes it nearly impossible to apply makeup and have it sit normally.
On my second pack, third week.
I really love this pill. Okay, that sounds strange but seriously... it is a saviour for my skin (let's hope I'm not jinxing anything, haha).
It's relatively innocuous for me... no bad side effects like breast tenderness or mood swings, just the great one of clear skin!
I've been lucky to once again see a pretty quick turn-around in my skin with this pill. Last time I took it I was clear after about 2 months.
It's currently ovulation-time and I have one spot on my face, a small whitehead at my eyebrow.
End of Pack Two
One new spot on my forehead, started off under the skin as a large raised area and now it's coming to a head. Treating with BP. Maybe 15 clogged pores along my jawline and by my chin which are annoying me. Currently treating them with my Paula'c Choice Acne Toner.
Still taking weekly progress pictures for my PIH. In reallife they always seem to stay more or less the same (except for the TOTAL TEASE that I get in the morning when they look super faint and then get redder through the day, grrr)... but comparing the pictures with pretty much the same lighting in each shows a gradual lightening! Wahoo! 
Third Month, beginning of week two.
Stress/ovulatory spot on my right cheek right in the centre. And a healing one from around Christmastime from hormones/terrible diet. We're not out of the woods yet. Ridiculous pregnant lady cravings today and tender breasts.
Today was the first day back to school for the new term. I only had one class but I was a bundle of nerves so no doubt that wasn't helping skin matters. Feeling more calm now which is good, but this term could be very busy and get out of hand if I'm not careful.
PIH still fading well I guess. I still notice it like crazy but it's gotten to the point now where it just kinda looks like I have a weird skin tone, not like it's more acne all over my face. The new spots are definitely causing more redness though. *siiigh*
Yay! Glad to hear you are having success on the Diane. It is the ONLY thing that has helped me throughout the years. I took a course of Accutane to clear up 9 years ago, and started Diane. I stayed clear for YEARS and attributed it to the Accutane. Not so much. I went off the Diane, and slowly but surely the acne came back. So I have come to realize that Diane, not Accutane, was my saviour.
I'm back on the Diane now, and doing much better.
And I also use spectro jel! Yay!
Hoping for another 9 years of beautiful skin.
Third Month, beginning of week two.
Stress/ovulatory spot on my right cheek right in the centre. And a healing one from around Christmastime from hormones/terrible diet. We're not out of the woods yet. Ridiculous pregnant lady cravings today and tender breasts.
Today was the first day back to school for the new term. I only had one class but I was a bundle of nerves so no doubt that wasn't helping skin matters. Feeling more calm now which is good, but this term could be very busy and get out of hand if I'm not careful.
PIH still fading well I guess. I still notice it like crazy but it's gotten to the point now where it just kinda looks like I have a weird skin tone, not like it's more acne all over my face. The new spots are definitely causing more redness though. *siiigh*
Don't worry about it, things seem to be much better now and over time they will be even better!
Btw, i too love B'Elanna. 
Don't worry about it, things seem to be much better now and over time they will be even better!
Btw, i too love B'Elanna.
Hi Maria, thanks for your comment 
THings are totally better, spots are definitely less now... but this one's timing is bad! haha
!! I love her too! she's awesome 
I've just finished my first 7 day break. Here's to pack 2!
I've got Clogged pores all over my face that are eventually developing into active spots, although they seem to be a lot smaller and heal quicker. My skin isn't as oily either which is great as my face was literally dripping with oil about 1 hour after washing.
x
Do you have any before and after photos?
I am thinking of starting Dianette as well.
Before and after pictures from the first time I took this pill would probably show what it does for me better than ones from this time around. My acne now is more like one large under-the-skin spot usually on my cheeks that eventually kinda surfaces and then clears up after maybe three weeks. So it's not all over acne so I doubt if pictures would really show much difference, other than the absence of a massive red spot halfway through my "cycle".
However, if you don't mind taking my word for it... I can tell you that (for me) this pill is definitely working. Actually, although my skin is much improved, i'd say the biggest improvement I've had is with my emotional state and my periods (which are now regulated) . Before the pill I felt like i was in pms mode all the time.
End of Pack Three
The ovulation spot is mostly just a scabby thing now. It'd probably be gone now if I hadn't picked it.
One tiny tiny whitehead on my jaw and a suspicious under-skin bump on my forehead, but it's small.
Mood going into PMS time has been okay. Hard to judge this time around because I've started a new anti-depressant so that's altering my moods a bit too.
PIH still fading. Pretty noticeable difference from this time last month, I think. Switching to a 50% Glycolic Acid peel each week has been very helpful with this.
Feeling good about my decision to go back to Diane 35!
An update... several months later and Diane is still working. This month I had a few small spots show up, one on my cheek and a couple on my jawline. All very small and went away quickly without developing with a little bit of BP. But holy moly that scared me! Anyway, the horrific red marks I started with is basically faded. The nightmare of last summer and the acne is finally gone.
Good to hear for a few other users that Diane was working well to keep acne away..
I'm taking it now with Accutane but was considering stopping Diane bc i'm noticing weight gain for me and i'm not liking it...
But I guess what's more important in the end is the clear skin for me, so I'll still to it and hopefully i have the same positive results as you