I've read quite a lot on these forums and read about people not clearing from accutane even after 6+ months. I never thought I could be one of these people, I thought accutane might finally end the years of antibiotics and BP etc.
I've been on accutane for 4 months and 3 weeks. I started on 30mg for a month, 40mg for 1.5 months, 50 for 1.5 month and now on 60mg for 3 weeks (I weigh 65 kg) . I was clear for a long time on antibiotics until a GP, against my wishes, took me off antibiotics 2 years ago. Afterwards I went through a cycle of getting acne then going on one type of antibiotics which would then work for awhile. I had zero scarring, maybe some enlarged pores but they never bothered me.
After, I started accutane my acne slowly got worse and worse. I started getting multiple huge cysts which would eventually raise to the surface and form a huge white head. Before accutane these would happened but were very rare. I now have severe rolling scars on one side of my face with the other side playing catchup. I'm actually amazed how quickly I scarred. You see people on here with very severe acne (large scabs across the face) but after accutane there isn't even a scar.
My acne recently improved (around the 4 month mark) and I was feeling positive. This lasted a week until I could see the extent of the damage on my face, which was ok as it was all over. Now the cysts are back I don't know what to do. I guess I don't know what I expect people to say, has this happened to anyone and it's been ok in the end?
I hate feeling sorry for myself but I don't know how else I should feel seeing my face permanently scar.
I'm going to upload pictures soon.
Yes upload pictures! They would give the forum great insight on your issue.
Also what do you use for skincare?
I stopped breaking out in month 7 (i know) But i found it was my fault. My skin doesn't like products or moisturizer so when i stopped with everything i cleared. Just use a basic cream cleanser (cerave hydrating cleanser) and thats it! Obviously out aquafor or something on your lips but let your skin do its thing.
My brother didn't use anything but a cream cleanser on accutane and he had horrible acne. And its been 3 years and he hasn't had any breakouts.
Ive been done accutane since oct. and all i use on my skin is water (thats it). My parents and both brothers are the same way- we all have very sensitive, clog prone skin that doesn't like anything but water.
I've added the pictures if you want to take a look. I'm using the Cetaphil gentle cleanser and moisturising lotion at the moment. If I stopped using a moisturiser my face wold completely dry up and flake everywhere, when I wake up in the morning I feel this is already starting to happen.
I've used accutane 3 times, and still have acne.
course 1 :
20mg daily / 9 mo
course 2 :
80 mg daily / 4 mo
course 3 :
80 mg daily / 8 mo
I had acne all throughout the initial low-dose course. It only cleared up, paradoxically, once I stopped taking it. This lasted about 6 months, at which point my acne returned.
During both the second and third courses, there weren't really substantial improvements - either during or after.
I'm sorry you are still experiencing breakouts, I can understand how frustrated you might be! Based on your weight however, you have reached 80% of your minimum cumulative dosage (120mg/kg) and only 65% of the recommended high cumulative dosage (150mg/kg) although there are several people on here who have gone even higher with success. To reach your minimum cumulative dose (the minimum dose recommended to reduce the chance of relapse, and to successfully clear your skin), you would need to be on the drug for AT LEAST another month (again, this is the minimum). At the "high" dose level, you would be on it for AT LEAST another 2 months. Alot can happen in two months, so don't give up hope! Also, looking at your pictures, I see a lot of hyperpigmentation (comes with the territory, unfortunately) which can make existing scars look alot worse than they will when the pigmentation starts to fade.
I'm sorry you are still experiencing breakouts, I can understand how frustrated you might be! Based on your weight however, you have reached 80% of your minimum cumulative dosage (120mg/kg) and only 65% of the recommended high cumulative dosage (150mg/kg) although there are several people on here who have gone even higher with success. To reach your minimum cumulative dose (the minimum dose recommended to reduce the chance of relapse, and to successfully clear your skin), you would need to be on the drug for AT LEAST another month (again, this is the minimum). At the "high" dose level, you would be on it for AT LEAST another 2 months. Alot can happen in two months, so don't give up hope! Also, looking at your pictures, I see a lot of hyperpigmentation (comes with the territory, unfortunately) which can make existing scars look alot worse than they will when the pigmentation starts to fade.
Thank you for your reply. How long does the redness take to fade?
If I'm honest, I'm starting to experiment with concealer to hide them as they are bright red and people struggle not to stare. The problem is that accutane is making my skin very flaky even after moisturising or trying to use a light salicylic acid wash to remove them.
I think concealer is appropriate for anyone to use to feel more comfortable in their own skin! To help with the redness, I would strongly recommend you stop using the salicylic wash or any other acne topicals while you are on accutane. Accutane dramatically increases your skin's sensitivity to even mild irritants, which can make you more more susceptible to infection, not to mention increased redness and flushing (which can make PIH look much worse). Instead, use a very mild cleanser morning and night, and moisturize with a creamy, non- comedgenic moisturizer morning and night as well. Also, wear a very high SPF sunscreen (I would recommend a good moisturizer/SPF combo. I use Vichey Capital Soleil, but I am not sure what is available to you). The sun is your enemy right now, and any exposure to the sun has the potential to aggravate PIH and slow down the time it takes to fade.
As for how long it will take to fade, unfortunately, there is really no telling. For most people, it takes anywhere from 6 months to a year for PIH to completely fade to the point that it is not noticeable. Like I said, sunscreen and treating your skin as gently as possible will definitely help.
How do you apply a concealer with flaky skin? Is there a method to it? I'm not exactly experienced haha. Someone mentioned using a primer can help, smashbox or something?
Yeah, I think you are right about the salicylic wash. I only used it many once every 3 days and while it reduced the flakes I think it was making my skin even redder.
As I live in England and I'm always studying in the library, I'm hoping my very minimal sun exposure doesn't have an effect on PIH. I definitely look into it for summer though.
Thanks for the help!
Hmm, applying concealer to flaky skin is a tough one. I'm not a huge fan of primers except for special occasions (they make makeup more difficult to wash off, which is not good for sensitive skin), but you can always try and see if it works, just make sure to look for non-comedgenic, oil-free primers. Most of them have silicon which is supposed to be non-comedgenic, but some people are sensitive to the silicon and complain that it makes them break out. I am not saying you should avoid silicon-based primers (they really do seem to work the best), just be aware of that issue some people report having.
One thing I do that seems to help with the flakiness (at least the major noticeable kind): In the morning I take a paper towel (works with a very, very soft clean washcloth too) and moisten it slightly with water. I apply a thin layer of cetaphil to my face, and I GENTLY buff the flaky areas with the moist paper towel. Don't rub hard, and if you feel ANY pain, stop immediately. After, wash the cetaphil off your face and while your skin is still damp, apply your non-comedgenic moisturizer. Wait just a couple of minutes to let the moisturizer absorb, then apply your concealer ONLY to your problem areas.
In my experience, the best method to applying concealer so that it blends well is to literally tap it on, rather than rub it on. Literally just lightly tap the concealer until it is blended in, if you try to rub it in you will only wipe it away. I recommend a high-coverage, more waxy concealer rather than a liquid or powder concealer. Make sure the shade matches your skin tone as much as possible. Going too light will accentuate your flaky skin. Going too dark might make your PIH more noticeable. However, in my experience, if you can't find the perfect shade for your tone (i.e., you are stuck between something slightly too light or slightly too dark) go with the slightly too dark tone, as it will be less obvious than the light one.
I hope that helps!