So after years of reading blogs on this site I decided to take the plunge and create one myself.
I have suffered with acne since I was 15 - I am now 20, turning 21 in a few months. I have been on roaccutane twice in the past and finished my second course last October. The second course was really tough, as my initial breakout was AWFUL, the worse acne I have ever had in my life, and I was left with loads and loads of red marks of which some are still visible. My face stayed clear after the roaccutane with the help of a really good dermatologist - she changed up my skin care routine to include non-comedogenic cleansers and moisturisers like La Roche Posay etc. and introduced Isotrexin gel to my nightly routine (this was about 9 months ago). I tried Duac but my skin is extremely sensitive and couldn't tolerate it. I also tried Finacea (azeliac acid) but had the same problem. All was well until this summer when I started breaking out again. In an unrelated appointment with my gynaecologist (I have had irregular periods for the last 4/5 years) and lots of tests/ scans, I was diagnosed with PCOS. My gynae put me on Yasmin on the 11th August and after reading lots of horrific reports of initial breakouts, my dermatologist put me on Lymecycline and Zineryt topical to put my mind at rest. I stated the two medications on the same day.
Despite doing everything right, I still suffered the initial breakout, and still am. I finish my second pill packet today and have a host of new red marks and two healing cysts.
I have decided to do a weekly update on here to monitor my progress - anyone who has been on Yasmin for their acne with success PLEASE comment to let me know your experience.
Oh and btw, I eat EXTREMELY healthy and I am talking EXTREMELY. I eat no dairy, no sugar and no gluten. I still to a primarily plant-based diet with lots of veggies and fruit. I eat wild/organic fish and eggs probably about 4/5 times a week max.
My morning routine is:
Take 1 x Lymecycline 1 hour before food.
Wash face with LRP Toleraine cleanser, splash with cold water, pat dry. Apply Zineryt to spot prone areas with a cotton pad (I don't like the applicator), let dry. Apply LRP Toleraine moisturiser, wait ten mins. Apply Elta MD spf.
My nighttime routine is:
Wash face with LRP Toleraine cleanser, splash with cold water, pat dry, wait 20 mins. Apply Isotrexin to spot prone areas, wait ten mins. Appy LRP Toleraine moisturiser.
6 Weeks (Day 42):
Lots of clogged pores, 2 cysts (hopefully on their way out), 2 pimples, LOTS of red marks.
EDIT:
Title changed of log - see post below.
So I have had to change the title of this log because as of yesterday I started Spironolactone. Following my last post I had another bad breakout and I was just getting so depressed and down with my skin so I emailed my derm and she suggested I try Spiro as there is apparently a lot of success with acne treatment of Spiro combined with a bcp. I have started on 50mg a day for 2 weeks and then she is bumping me up to 100mg a day. I also have to have frequent blood tests on this medication. I am no longer using the Zineryt either as I just didn't feel like it was doing anything. So as of three days ago I started using Duac again. I know I said my skin has previously not tolerated it but after reading lots of reviews I think I always gave up too soon before letting my skin acclimatise. So I am using Duac in the morning in the same way I used the Zineryt and continuing my Isotrexin at night.
7 Weeks (Day 50) of Yasmin/ Lym
Day 3 of Duac
Day 2 of Spiro
4 healing spots (thanking the Duac for drying these up) - 1 on forehead, 2 on right cheek and 1 on left cheek, some clogged pores on forehead and a few clogged pores around mouth/ chin/ lower jawline area.
Feeling really really low today. I am seeing nothing but breakout after breakout. My skin now is so so so much worse than before I started. I'm feeling really hopeless. The duac made my skin very red and sore for about the first 4 or 5 days but now the redness has completely subsided and it is just the dryness I am dealing with - although not sure if that is due to the Spiro. It isn't stopping new breakouts from forming either. Really need some encouragement.
8 Weeks (Day 57) of Yasmin/ Lym
Day 10 of Duac
Day 9 of Spiro
1 huge cyst on left cheek, 2 healing spots and 2 pimples on right cheek, clogged pores on both cheeks and forehead. LOTS of red marks.
Skin is still bad. Recently upped my Spiro to 100mg a day, so on top of the Yasmin, which apparently has an ingredient equivalent to 25mg of Spiro, that makes it 125mg. I am quite slim so surely that is enough to notice improvements?!! I'm just getting really impatient now and feel like I'm going to have bad skin forever 
. On a slightly different note I did recently invest in the CeraVe hydrating cleanser, original moisturising lotion and PM moisturising lotion. I really like them, I feel they provide just the right amount of moisture without feeling too greasy so would definitely recommend to someone like me who naturally has very oily skin but is using products/medication for their acne which are drying.
9 Weeks (Day 65) Of Yasmin/ Lym
Day 18 of Duac
Day 17 of Spiro
Healing scab on forehead, 2 healing scabs on left cheek, 2 healing scabs and 2 actives on right cheek plus two 'brewing' pimples.
So a few days ago I thought I was noticing some really positive changes in my skin, and then today I woke up with new breakouts. I feel like this is never ending. The breakouts do seem to be a lot smaller than the deep cysts I was getting before, but my face is such a mess with red marks now.
10 weeks (Day 71) of Yasmin/ Lym
Day 24 of Duac
Day 23 of Spiro
2 active spots on left cheek, 1 healing spot on forehead, 1 healing spot on right cheek.
This last week my skin has been pretty good! The breakout from last week cleared up really quickly - in a day or two - and all I have at the moment is a lot of red marks. I cannot say my skin is better than before I started because the red marks are really unsightly and I didn't have these at the beginning. But it is a hell of a lot better than it has been in a while so I'm really hoping it stays this way. I have had to take my first break week from Yasmin since starting because I was getting a breakthrough bleed at the same time every month, so figured my body couldn't tolerate the back-to-back method and needed the monthly break to allow for a bleed. So I am 2 days into the break and am just really hoping it doesn't affect my skin. Will obviously update next week with how it all goes.
11 weeks (Day 79) of Yasmin/ Lym
Day 32 of Duac
Day 31 of Spiro
Currently 0 actives!!!!
So it seems like every time I am due to write a positive update, I get a set back! My skin had been doing really really well until yesterday when I got a few small breakouts. But compared to the kind I was having before, things have improved A LOT. My break week went okay, only thing I really noticed with my skin was that it was a tad oilier than normal, but since I've been on the Spiro that has drastically reduced anyway. Like I said, I have only had a few minor breakouts, that are small and go away fairly quickly. My red marks are still bothering me so I am going to see a top dermatologist in the city on the 15th Nov to discuss possible treatments for that. I finished my course of Lymecycline a few days ago - to be honest I am not sure it was doing much apart from give me an upset stomach. And I have also stopped the Duac as it was leaving my skin pretty red and since I wasn't having to deal with any active acne anymore I figured it was best to replace it with Finacea to try and tackle the red marks until I see the derm.
12 weeks (Day 88) of Yasmin
Day 8 of Finacea
Day 40 of Spiro
Currently 2 tiny breakouts. Red marks still visible.
Again, skin was doing okay at the beginning of the week and then now have had a small spot come up. I went to see a top derm in the city on Tuesday as he had a cancellation. He told me that I haven't got any permanent scarring and my acne now is very mild with only a few non-inflammatory papules to go. He said that the Spiro does take a while to work (6 months ish) so he had high hopes that things would continue to improve. Because I told him the red marks etc. were bothering me a lot he came up with two solutions. 1) Stop the financea for the time being and change my Isotrex to every other night instead of every night - he said my skin was pretty dry and this would be making the redness worse. On the alternate nights I am to use a specially formulated serum made by him containing salicylic acid,niacinamide, zinc and other skin-aiding ingredients. 2) A course of IPL sessions done at his clinic to speed up the process of fading the red marks. My first appointment is on Monday and he doesn't think I will need any more than 3. I will update on how it goes.
13 weeks (Day 93) of Yasmin
Day 45 of Spiro
1 small spot which.
Haven't updated in a few weeks. Had my IPL treatment on the 14th - was fine, the down time was very minimal. Skin felt very smooth afterwards. Had a few tiny red blister type things come up but they are going down now. Haven't noticed any difference in the marks really but I am going to wait and see how they look at the end of the 3 treatments. My next one is the 13th of next month so we shall see how it goes. Regarding my skin, it was doing okay until this week - I am on my break week from the pill and I have broken out which is just so disheartening. I hope they go quickly and don't leave more marks. Sigh.
15 weeks (Day 108) of Yasmin
Day 60 of Spiro
2 spots and 1 red scab (healing from another spot I picked at)
Since the first IPL treatment I haven't noticed too much difference... I think it is probably not enough to make a difference though. I am going to wait until I have finished the course of 3 before I make a judgement. With regards to the meds, I was getting on okay apart from today when I started my period 9 days earlier than I should have. I am in the middle of my pill pack so shouldn't be bleeding yet... feeling really crap that I am. I don't know why either. Any input/ knowledge on this would be really welcome!!!
17 weeks (Day 121) of Yasmin
10 weeks (Day 75) of Spiro
A few under skin pimples. No actives.