Here are recent photos---Lot's of changes, I think! Hope you agree. Don't just gaze lovingly at my attractive photos---read my update below!

It's been a while.

I'm back, in all my glory!

Just wanted to update everyone on my progress with ACCUTANE.

There is huge improvement in my skin, both the active acne and the texture. Right now I only have 3!! pimples. One isn't budging, its a white bump, looks kinda like those pimples babies get, that you're not supposed to mess with and the others are well, healing.
In the past, I would spend too much of my "night-time regimen" picking, popping, analyzing and almost CREATING blemishes to mess with. Now, I can't create much!! I'm thrilled.

Will it keep getting better? Will it last when I've completed 9 months on this medication? I'm hoping...

The flip side, which is totally worth it, are my continued side-effects, including but not limited to:

Extremely dry patches of skin, scattered all over my body--very itchy.

THE (with a long e) most chapped lips EVER. EVER. Me, I got 'em.

Generalized facial redness.

Sensitive skin, slow healing and easily torn skin.

And sensitivity to the sun.

All of these are "do-able".

Accutane photos 3 1/2 months

I know, I'm getting sick of my face too.

Although there continues to be acne present, the bumpy texture to my cheeks has significantly decreased!

New blog post following photos...

Accutane day 77

Hey there Everyone! So, I think today is about my 77th of faithfully taking ACCUTANE! What's that?--3 1/2 MONTHS!

I'm just gonna go on and pat myself on the back, because I'm TERRIBLE at taking medication.

I've taken some photos of recent disasters on my face. Although, I seem to be noticing a difference. Less breakouts. A ton of redness, flakes and a couple scabs (can only blame myself for those), but less PIMPLES.

As a matter of fact!!!!----All (well, almost all) of my blackheads

on my nose, chin and forehead

are.......

YOU

GUESSED

IT!...

GONE!!

And the regular "pimps" are completely different than they used to be. I won't get into specifics, but

I will say that their consistency has changed dramatically.

I'm kinda under the weather today, yet optimistic.

Accutane Photos

New photos, scroll down!
Sidenote, this blogging site stinks! Very difficult to manipulate your layout and photos. Next time I have a topic, I'm going to check out Wordpress. Maybe I'll move my site. That depends...ON IF ANYONE IS reading!!!
It's ok for you all to leave comments you know. It's simple too! One does NOT have to create an account, I think you just click anonymous or something like that. Try it! But leave your name or I won't know who wrote. Sounding desperate, so I'll sign off.

Ok, so first 5 photos I have make-up on.


'sup?

Thse last 4 were taken this morning.

Ugh.

I actually thought today was a good day!

Notice the redness around my mouth.

Accutane Side-Effects

Photos taken 3/9/08 Keep in mind, I have make-up on.
Click on 'em, they're even scarier enlarged!


Today is the day I gripe about all my ailments related to Accutane. Other blogs that contained a list of adverse effects were super helpful to me, in that I knew what to expect.

At the end of the 1st week, I already had chapped lips.

That has become consistent---3 MONTHS with no reprieve, always, always applying aquaphor--to the point of embarrassment. One evening, while meeting my "boss" for the very first time, I actually had to explain why I was doing such a personal thing over and over again. There was no hiding my dip into the huge tube and slathering goop all over my lips

NEXT on my list would be, dry nasal passages. As in CRACKED, CRUSTY & BLEEDING!

Now, I'm not getting any perks for recommending a product (i should be with the amount of times i mention it), but the ONLY thing that has any effect on both the lips and the inside of my nose is

Aquaphor healing ointment.

I actually swab some on a q-tip and shove it up there a.m. & p.m.

The reason for all the epidermal dryness is the very same reason Accutane works in clearing acne>it drys out sebaceous glands. Which as we know, protect and moisturize your skin by producing oil (and also the bane of my existence.)

Moving on, (btw, these are in the order they appeared in my life!) the 3rd side-effect that happened was facial redness. Initially, this presented itself in splotches of red here and there. Now it's more of a generalized facial redness, kind of like I was out in the sun for the first day of summer. You know what I'm talking about, you're sooo excited to be laying out in the sun after a long, pale winter and you refuse to put sunblock on...well, we know how cute that is. lol.

NEXT! was the pure joy of shiny SHINY, maybe even waxy facial skin. With an outcropping of huge, underground and above ground cysts on my cheeks.

Hard to pop, irritated, red, inflamed nodules. Which currently still loiter on my cheeks. They've set up camp, with no intentions of relocating.

Nodulocystic acne: A severe form of acne that is characterized by numerous deep, inflamed bumps (nodules) and large, pus-filled lesions that resemble boils (cysts). The nodules tend to be tender when touched and feel firm. The severe inflammation can cause the acne to become very red or even purple. Scarring often results when the acne heals.

I've spoken to my Dermatologist about this during my monthly visits (mandatory also, and I mean Federally mandated, or no medication for YOU!), and he explained that it "gets worse before it gets better", huh...so how long do I have to wait?

He claims I should be clearing by the 4th month, but at what price I ask? Irreparable scarring? This is risky business. Still unsure if I've made the right decision by going on Accutane.

MORE Adverse Effects to come...

HOLD TIGHT!!!

Let's recap,

We learned that Accutane decreases sebum (oil). Sebum promotes inflammation, thus acne, thus scarring, thus TERRIBLE.

My first signs of side-effects included:

1. severely chapped lips
2. bloody, cracked nasal passages
3. the "sun-burned" look
4. waxy, shiny skin
5. the eruption of GI-Normous, painful, impossibly worsened pimples than prior to Accutane. Did that last sentence work?

Photos taken 3 months into Accutane

Ugh, it is extremely difficult posting these photos. It's difficult just taking them.

These were taken on the 45th night of being on Accutane.

This had been the condition of my skin for about 2 months.

This is after washing my face, so it's more red than during the day. While on Accutane, your skin is much more sensitive, the skin on my face tears easily with just a little manipulation. Unfortunately this led to some purple-ish scarring and discoloration.

Women must NOT WAX while on Accutane!

The above photo is a perfect example of the "waxy" look people often describe while on Accutane.

(just a side-note, I NEVER had breakouts on my jawline until after commencing the medication)

I remember making note this night that my face actually hurt. The cysts were painful, inflammed and oozing.

Also, note how wet my lips look, I am CONSTANTLY applying aquaphor to my lips (tell you more about that later).

One of the most important things to remember, THEY say, is NOT TO PICK, (which is not the appropriate reprimand anyway, it's POP!). That's like asking one not to wipe their nose if it's running!

If you are considering starting Accutane, it's important to know a couple of things,

While on Accutane, or the generic form, you MUST be part of the iPLEDGE program, https://www.ipledgeprogram.com/

which requires a number of things from YOU and your PHYSICIAN.

AND

Before you can even fill a prescription for the med, you need to complete a 30 day waiting period.

Photos prior to Accutane

This photo was taken a lil over a year ago. Looking at this now makes me think how CLEAR my skin appears, that is, compared to now! I bet you don't see "bad" skin, huh? Well, I've learned how to compensate through make-up, lighting, and allowing only the "good" pics to get through.

This was the same time. Unfortunately, I never took any photos without makeup, therefore you won't see any good before pics. And by good, I mean those nasty buggers blazing on my face. btw, that's my honey, who I must mention has been very supportive of my decision to go on Accutane. And, I may add, knows all the right things to say when I'm at the end of my rope with my skin.

THIS is a perfect example of how I would edit photos, use poor lighting, or my CELL to make sure that photos were never too clear.

Ok, so, let's back up again shall we? First of all, if I wasn't me, but you, I would say to myself "Really? I don't see any acne." Maybe your's is worse. Maybe you haven't any fair photos that you would share. I have seen worse. I see others with terrible, heartbreaking acne and it makes me sad. I often say to myself, "Jill, it could be so much worse." Then I beat myself up. I won't try to convince you how severe my case is.

I really have much more important things to tell you, like my side-effects since beginning Accutane and if I've had any improvements. Isn't that what you're just dying to know???

Late Start; The Road to Accutane

I intended to blog from the moment I took my first dose of Isotretinoin, but never took the time.

A LITTLE HISTORY

So, I'll bring you up to speed. I'm 33 this month! Crazy. And still, still suffering from acne. Acne, a very real skin condition. Not a blemish here and there, not a small spattering of pimples on my chin, but cystic acne, acne vulgaris, blackheads, whiteheads, scars, large pores and redness. I can say without exaggeration, that I've had this since I was 13. Some days better than others, but chronic.

If I'm honest with myself, I'd also say that I've spent thousands of dollars trying to "treat" the acne. You name it, I've tried it. Every topical product they invent (and to all those who feel me, say it with me..."Have you tried Proactiv?"...really?) most of the dermatologist's prescriptions, retin-a, antibiotics, lasers, microdermabrasion, blue light therapy (p.s.- DON'T BELEIVE THE HYPE) and even all the ol' wive's-tales. Was it something in my diet? Something I was doing, creating for myself? Was it as simple as that? Please, someone shed light on this...or, just help me.

Of course I had heard of Accutane, but I put it out of my head, thinking the side effects weren't worth it. Suicide? Are you serious? Liver damage? Birth defects? If it causes that much damage to a fetus, what would it do to me over time? It just wasn't for me. So, I put it off--for about 15 yrs.



About 3 months ago, I just couldn't do it anymore. I went online, checked out some accutane forums. It flucuated, the blogs, the photos--I read horror stories, saw sad pics, saw some people with huge improvements. But what I really saw was hope, a small window of hope.

3 MONTHS IN

So, here I am. 57 days into treatment with 60mg of Isotretinoin. Which is also called Sotret and is just the generic form of Accutane.

I've been on the same dose the entire 57 days.

When I read other accutane user's posts and blogs, I usually just scan quickly for results! photos! encouraging words! Anything that would help me hold on. Unfortunately, even after 3 months, I can't give you too much. But, BUT, I do notice a difference. And although you won't be able to figure out how that could be from the photos (that I will post soon, promise!), there are some definite changes for the better.