Adios Acne

Started accutane 26/5/15

[archatlas]

Heartbeat Charles Pétillon @ Covent Garden

[adios-acne-blog]

Day 72

Haven’t posted in a while because my face is too depressing to even talk about. I’ve got lots of horrible painful cysts that make my face look like the Rocky Mountains. And it’s really sore!!! My lips are awful and I can’t stop peeling of the paper thin skin which makes them look even worse. I was stuck in a meeting today without any lip balm and I could barely concentrate my lips were burning so much. Skin seems to be getting drier as well which means makeup is flaking off quite a bit and not applying very well. Body is also really dry and itchy. Basically I’m just a bit fed up with it all 😔

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Day 58

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Dermatologist Checkup

I had my 2 months check up today. I was hoping to be bumped up to 40mg but alas it was not to be. According to my derm my acne is a very difficult form to treat (!) and the accutane has caused it to inflame quite a lot. Increasing the dosage to 40mg would only cause more inflammation. SO…the plan is to stay at 20mg for another two months and take trimethoprim along side it. In order to reach the correct cumulative dose I may have to stay on accutane for a year!!! Let month three begin.

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Day 52

Things are very up and down still - my cheeks are very sore and cyst infected. It's quite incredible when I take my makeup off at the end of the day and my red, bumpy, blotchy skin is revealed.

I have my 2 month derm checkup next Wednesday - unfortunately that means I will have one day without any pills (oops didn't plan that very well). I am hoping to be bumped up to 40mg - although also petrified that my lips will then fall off...

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Day 45

Just a quick update - things have calmed down quite nicely since the weekend. Pain wise my right cheek is much better still have 7-8 cysts but they don't hurt so yay.

One thing I have noticed is how quickly things can change - I can literally wake up with half a dozen new spots one day (which feels like the end of the world) and then two days later they have dramatically gone down. I understand this to be expected until at the least the 3 month mark.

I can't believe I am already a quarter of the way through though. Just got to keep swimming...🐠

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Day 40!! Unfortunately I feel like things have got worse this week. My left cheek is basically a cyst minefield - you can't really see them in the photo but they are deep under the skin and bloody painful.

My right cheek has calmed down a bit but still looks crap.

I know this is to be expected but it is a little bit disheartening - at the moment I'm just focusing on getting to day 60. I'm still only on 20mg so hoping to get bumped up to 40mg for the third month.

Side effects: mainly just painfully dry/ sore lips.

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Day 30 - MONTH 1 DONE!!! So happy to have got the first month over with - I always told myself that if I can get through the first 30 days I can do the whole 6 months...

Unfortunately my right cheek is still quite inflamed but I think it might be starting to calm down slightly.

Roll on month 2.

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Day 28

Almost 1 month!! Not too much change except my lips are really starting to hurt. It looks like I'm wearing lipstick (but not in a good way) as they are so red and raw. Everything I put on them hurts except Dr. Dans Cortibalm.

My left cheek has calmed down quite nicely but of course that means my right cheek has decided to have a party.....seriously it is cysts galore!

Will post photos on Wednesday to celebrate month 1.

[adios-acne-blog]

Day 26

Hmmm not really sure if there is any improvement. I've got quite a lot of cysts that have been popping up this week. Just really excited to hit the 30 day mark next week.

Oh and jeez back pain or what?!?

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Day 21

I keep writing updates but then get interrupted and by the time I remember my phone has lost them (I'm using the app).

Luckily I'm stuck on a train right now so what better time to update!

Things have really improved the last few days. The biggest change has been in the redness and burning - I'm now only red for about and hour after applying moisturiser and the burning lasts for about a minute. I can deal with that. Also the texture of me skin is just amazing - it's as soft as a baby's bottom. Whenever I feel it I get really excited thinking about what it'll be like 6 months down the road 😍😍😍

Unfortunately I've had quite a bit of back ache the last few days. I do quite a lot of cycling and it's always really sore the next day. Does anyone know if this alleviates or can I expect to have back pain for the whole cause?

Lips are still very sore and I keep accidentally pulling off entire strips of skin...oops.

BUT the best things that has happened is the discovery of mac foundation!! I went to the Mac counter and spoke to a lovely assistant who - surprise surprise - had also been on accutane. She gave me lots of tips and tricks and now my makeup lasts a full day off work without any flaking!! I'm so absurdly happy...

I will post photos later when I get home.

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Day 16: Erm so makeup still looks shitty. It last until about lunchtime and then my chin/nose starts cracking and flaking like crazy. If anyone has any suggestions please please let me know. I’m getting seriously desperate.

Otherwise my face still burns like hell whenever I apply moisturiser (I genuinely almost cried this evening) and I’m rather red still.

I’m also beginning to get paranoid about hair loss - I don’t think I can deal with an ugly face and a bald head 👴

Also felt terribly drained today - not sure if that’s just the effects of being back at work or accutane. Probably both.

Off to bed now…😴😴😴

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Day 14

Today was my first day back at work after a two week holiday 😣😣

That meant it was the first time wearing makeup since starting accutane - and it didn’t go well 😭😭😭. My chin, lips and nose area flaked soooo badly it looked horrific by the time I got home. Also because my skin is still quite red my current foundation seems a bit too pale/chalky (Estee Lauders Double Wear).

So…my plan for tomorrow is to try the ES double wear light (which I have in a shade darker). Does anyone have any other foundation recommendations that don’t look awful?!?

Other symptoms today: I woke up with the most horrific back and hip pain. The pain has eased a bit throughout the day but I’m still aware of it.

My face has felt very hot and itchy all day BUT when I washed my face this evening I noticed that the skin where there are no spots felt lovely and smooth!! This gave me a tiny bit of hope.

Must stay positive.

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Day 12

My left cheek is definitely looking better. Got some very angry cysts on my chin and right cheek though.

Still outrageously itchy - almost made it to two weeks though 💁💁

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Day 11

Guess what....my face is itchy, red and sore. Oh and covered in acne.

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Day 10

Good God the itching!!! I feel like I'm in danger of tearing my hair out my scalp is so itchy!

Erm...apart from that my face is slightly less red and my left cheek (the worst side) is calming down. Of course that means my right cheek has decided to flare up beautifully...fml 😑

I've been watching/reading lots of accutane blogs that say the first 2/3 weeks are the worst so hopefully not too long to go 😁 #postivity

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Day 9

I think the red flushing is subsiding slightly - hurrah!! My face and scalp is still incredibly itchy - I've been applying ice blocks lots.

Lips are definitely starting to dry out and I've been quite thirsty.