An Accutane Experience in Pictures

Accutane-compatible diet and habits--(update)

This post began as a response to a question by a reader, and as the reply got longer, I realized it answered some questions I've been meaning to address for some others that have asked them-- so here it is--

First, I was asked if there were any long-term side effects from my experience with this treatment--

I am happy to report that there have been no long-term side effects in my case. It has now been about four years or so, and I can still report that my skin is nice and "normal". You are correct that I have maintained a special level of attention to the products that I use to wash with. I use Dove Sensitive Skin bars for pretty much everything these days, and the Cetaphil cleanser and lotion are simply the best thing ever during and after treatment--ESPECIALLY for the face. I also use only hypo-allergenic/dye-free laundry detergents and such-- I have experienced a welcome reduction in skin irritation and itchiness since switching to these types of products.

I also have a condition called Dermatographism.

It makes my skin sensitive to scratches and scrapes that don't affect most people. Nobody really knows why it happens. I do not think it's related to my Accutane treatment, as there appear to be many people that have the condition without having ever used this drug-- some people are even born with it.

It's actually kinda cool to write stuff anywhere on me and have it grow out of me for an hour, as you can see in the link above, but gets annoying having bright pink itchy marks all over anywhere I scratch ;)

As it is an overactive histamine response in the "mast cells" of the skin, I take Zyrtec daily to reduce the effect. I also have dust allergies, so this is a dual-solution for me. 

As far as the foods avoided-- I'll just say right away that I don't expect most people to consider my diet reasonable or easy-- but remember I wanted to accomplish more than just clear skin-- I wanted clean, simple nutrients, protein, and fuel for my body-- and little else. I figured that diet was the one thing I had complete control over, and while I was hoping accutane would work, I knew adding in a clean, healthy diet would probably help it work better--not to mention stabilize and optimize all my other body systems.

When I was beginning treatment I was already completely away from most processed foods and refined sugars as part of my efforts to clean out the inside of my body as well as the outside. NO High-Fructose Corn Syrup!!! My God, what a cancer that crap is for the human body... I have specifically rejected anything containing it for many years.

I mainly ate whole grains, like brown rice, whole wheat breads, and pastas. Though nowadays I have migrated away from grains. Mostly vegetables on the menu.

Albacore white tuna, and as many other fish types as I can get-- excellent for you in many ways. Lean meats, like chicken. Though I'm not into pork, it is pretty healthy as well. I eat a LOT of skinless chicken breast with my pasta/rice. 

Vegetables--especially dark green. The lady that spurred this post mentioned that her doctor recommended against eating any fruits/veggies with red pigment, as they somehow exacerbate skin allergies. I admit this is news to me, but mention it here to relay what her doc said, so that other readers might consider the advice.

No fried foods. No *fast food*.

Alcohol is specifically warned against in the regimen by the drug makers and doctor-- I had already quit drinking entirely a couple of years before I started Accutane. I remember learning that the dehydrating qualities of the alcohol were horrible for the already-weak skin. Again, since I don't drink I have no direct experience with this, but mention it so you might reflect upon it during your own treatment.

(PS-- I'm happy to report that chocolate as a cause for acne is, as far as I've ever read, no more than an urban myth-- though from the refined sugar perspective is something I have moderated.)

I also cut out all dairy from my diet-- I have read that dairy foods contribute to skin issues and other negative body ailments. Take it for what it's worth. I do love all kinds of dairy, but moderate the best I can. Remember that humans are the only animal in the world that actively ingest the milk of another animal on a regular basis. Just sayin...

I hope this post has answered your questions-- if not, please don't hesitate to ask more, or new ones. I recently had a computer disaster, and have only recently been able to get back online-- deepest apologies to those that I have delayed or overlooked in replying to-- you guys are a bright point in my life, and I feel great getting the feedback and stories from you--

Here's a few general heath links you may enjoy:

Get your D3!

Grains as the "root" of IBS and many other digestive problems.

The last vitamin and mineral guide you'll ever need.

Onward and upward....

An introduction, why I'm here, and a picture log of my Accutane treatment...

    As I open this page, I am not sure where it will go. But to begin it in a properly dull manner, (and since I have no idea what I'm supposed to do here anyway) I suppose I should introduce myself.

    My name is Matt, and I'm 27 years old.
    I am a kinda-health nut, working out pretty regularly. I don't eat junk food, fast food, sweet food, or fried food much. Nothing with more ingredients than I have fingers and toes, really. I'm pretty fit, overall. Average-looking, though kinda skinny. Smoked for 10 years, but quit a few years back. Quit drinking alcohol and soda completely, too. (Can you tell how fun I am at parties yet?)
      I absolutely love music, and consider it one of my life's true passions. I have a wide range of  favorites.
    I am an *extremely* amateur guitar player owner.

       None of that matters. Truth be told, I decided to start this blog as a way to tell others about my experience with the drug Accutane. See, I lived with severe acne from the time I was 14 years old, until I found Accutane (which is the same drug- isoretinoin- as the generics versions, Amnesteem and Sotret) This past summer, for five months, I used the last resort 'nuclear option' of acne treatment.
    So far, it has worked. After a decade of horriffic, self-confidence-crushing skin, only the fading scars remain-- a 1000% improvement.

In doing research, leading up to, during, and after the treatment, I discovered a few really helpful sites that were laid out like journals; documenting the experiences of the people taking the drug, it's side-effects, and their general thoughts on the whole thing. They all proved invaluable to me during what was an admittedly difficult five months. I'll link to them when I re-find them all. (I invite you to let me know of any you find as well--I'll put them up here for others that may also find them useful)

    But here's the thing-- I never did find a place that did a clear, unvarnished, visual week-by-week display of how their skin looked during the whole ordeal. There is one particular site, that had a few  poor-quality lo-res pics of the girl's cheek here and there--but you never really got to see the stuff work.
   

Writing about it is one thing, but witnessing it working in pictures is another. The day I began my treatment, I swallowed my modesty (when you see the pics, you'll understand) and took clear, close-up pics of my upper body in sections--face, neck, chest, back-- and would continue to do so at exactly 1-week intervals throughout my Accutane regimen.
    The resulting visual log of my progress, while admittedly disgusting and embarrassing, is something that I honestly hope and believe will help educate people that are trying to learn about the drug, and those who might be considering its use. I go through those pics today and see, week-by-week, how the drug took my skin from bad, to horrible, to nightmarish, to steadily better, better, and clear right before my eyes.
    There are enough sites screaming about the danger of women becoming pregnant while on the drug that I will not dwell on that here. Much. And the other side-effects are possibly serious as well. I was lucky and had very few of significance.

But, as my introductory post has grown larger than needed, I will end it now.

Please, use what you find here to settle some reservations or answer some questions. I hope it's helpful to you. If so, click on one of my little google ads there as you pass on through-- I know, I know-- but it would mean a lot to me :) 

Until next time...

Getting my Photo Albums started

    It may take a bit to get everything configured properly, but I've begun uploading my pictures.
I'll warn you repeatedly-- it's not a pretty sight. As a matter of fact, it's very embarassing, and I can't believe I'm posting this for all the planet to see. But, I know how much I wanted to see something like this when I was going through it-- if only to be convinced that it would get better. So I will show my ugly mug as a form of charity. Or something.

More later.

Front Face/Chest pics are here.

OK-- here goes.

*edit**The links to the face and chest galleries are to the right. They each contain a total of 24 pictures, taken of myself, from the day I began my Accutane treatment (actually, I started with Amnesteem, a generic version, for $ reasons--I switched to Accutane around the fifth week) all the way through to this past week, which is four months post-treatment. I hope this does a good job of showing you what it is like to go through treatment, when and where the flare-ups happened, and how has worked out so far. Even now, as you can see, there is some significant scarring, but with the severity of my blemishes, I couldn't expect there not to be.

You will see that this drug is serious business-- this stuff is not a joke, and it should not be considered until you have exhausted all other topical treatments, like Retin-A, or antibiotics, bla bla bla. If you have mild acne, YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE THIS STUFF. Period. It can have some serious side effects, as I've said already, and will say again and again. I only had the most common--super-dry lips and skin (which was helped tremendously by Aquaphor Healing Ointment. It's like vaseline on steroids. After the second month when I started using it, it made my lips like 80% better-- and it's only like $7 at the drug store) and Cetaphil lotion and cleanser(!). I want to kiss the maker of Cetaphil. I'll talk more on that stuff later.
    I sincerely think that these three things, plus keeping conscious of my diet, vitamins, and water intake (read: copious), and sun exposure (little), had a real impact on the mild nature of my side effects. They say alcohol makes it worse, and I've seen people both confirm and deny this on various sites (which will be linked to eventually, promise), but I don't drink, so I can't comment on that.

Back to the pics...

I tried to keep it as clinical as I could, with just basic, clear pics, because that's what I was hoping to find when I began researching. So...um...don't mind the glum, drab faces, k? I'm really a happy person--honest!! 

That's all for now. If anyone has any suggestions or comments for me, I'm very open to them. I'm completely new at this, and am just kind of fumbling along...so feedback will be appreciated :)

Neck progress pictures are up.

Contain your excitement, all three of you that have seen this site ;)

I'm trying to figure out a way to let those who might find this information useful know about this place. How do you get something like this noticed? I don't want to spam up all the places I go to, but I do want people to see what they're getting into...if anybody sees this, and has any suggestions, I'd be grateful.

Thanks--and a Mini-ramble

The kind words are appreciated-- really :)

It definitely is especially hard to deal with severe acne when you're getting older. I think I had a special resentment towards it because of the fact that I already look awfully young for my age, and the acne just compounded that effect. Everyone treated me like I was a teenager. Bleh. It doesn't feel that way anymore. But, as I was just telling someone today, I recently realized that I am not ashamed of the fact that I look young today-- so in large part it really was just the acne. I'm actually kind of happy with the way I look now-- is it just the pride of having clear skin that I'm not embarassed about? I don't care. I feel good about my looks, mostly, and that's great to me.

    I can't describe the change in my confidence--every interaction is different for me now. The very first thought--embarassingly enough--the VERY first thought I used to have when meeting a new person when my skin was bad was "God. They must think I look disgusting." I know...I know...

But that only sounds ridiculous if you're reading this and haven't had to look through that mask at the rest of the world. Maybe I am not as strong-minded as some, but in my mind, that damned acne defined who I was as a person!  Now when I meet people I think normal things, like "Who are you?" or "Damn, she's hot!"...

    I dread it returning. I try to be conscious of keeping my face clean, using Oxy pads at least twice a day, and keeping my sheets/pillows clean,(I shower before bed)  and not touching or scratching my face if possible during the day...all out of a fear that if I give it the slightest chance, it will come back. And I have noticed a few pimples on my scalp, which keeps it on my mind. (pardon the pun) I have also gotten a tiny whitehead on my cheek or chest maybe once a week, though I hit it with some acne cream and try like hell to keep the oil that my skin is again amply producing from building up in any quantity anywhere.

Logically, I know there is a strong chance I could develop the bad stuff again...with my case being as bad as it was, it wouldn't be a surprise...my skin was soooo severely out-of-whack. But I pray to God that I'm gonna look back in five years...ten...at the true end of the nightmare that dominated too much of my young life. Maybe then I won't be so paranoid, hehe.

Feedback? Anyone?

Not to be pushy-- but If I have no reason to believe that people are considering this stuff a good resource, then there's no reason to keep it here. I have no idea how to advertise this to get it seen, or where to go to get the word out...or more importantly-- find out if you people that do look at this little experiment of mine find it useful or not.

I've only got five more days to decide whether I'll be keeping this account active or letting it die.

If you read this little page, how's about just writing a quick comment--just a "Hi--it was helpful" or "Dude-- that stuff's nasty--get rid of it!"

Anything--something...

I just want to know if it's worth paying to keep this open, that's all. If it's helping people, then it will stay and grow--if nobody's watching, I'm not gonna trow money away. I'm too n00b at this to know what else to do, hehe--

I guess I'll stick around :)

I need to figure out a way to let accutane users know that this stuff is here, though.

It doesn't do much good tucked away in the corner like this, eh?

I guess I'll think of something--

Cheers--

So...how permanent is Accutane anyway?

I just finished working out ('cause as you can see from my pics, I totally make Arnold Schwartz-a-however-you-spell-his-name look like Steve Erkle) and afterwards I decide to take a tally of the acne currently on my body.

I currently have three mini-blemishes on my face, essentially invisible to everyone but me looking into the mirror @ 8 inches, where they seem like they measure an inch across), a few on my neck above the hairline that don't feel quite as mini, and one decent-sized one on my chest. These are all pretty new. I think in the last three weeks or so I have really become conscious of them showing up sporadically (though for awhile I was 100% clear). I ended my accutane treatment on  August 26th, 2004. That's a bit over 5 months ago. Erm....

So as I may have mentioned before, I am more than a little paranoid about the whole thing... what scares me the most is not *that* they're appearing, but *where* they are. The biggest ones so far have been on my jawline/cheek, and on my chest near the collarbone.

Exactly where my demonic worst-of-the-worst cysts were. Exactly where the scars from those cycts still are.

I know that it's not uncommon for sporadic, minor blemishes to appear post-treatment. I've read about it, and have been told by the derm that it can happen. But the frequency at which new acne is appearing is starting to worry me.

Well...no matter what happens, I know I'm glad that I only look goofy, and not hideous, right now. Maybe I'll schedule a follow-up with the doc? Just because I haven't seen him in half a year, and he's a cool guy-- it probably can't hurt-- and I may ask him about the scarring while I'm there. It doesn't really bother me, as it's 1/10 of what severe cystic acne is, (hell, it''s almost like battle-scars that I earned from years of suffering-- and they're so subtle now that I'm almost proud to show them off, hehe) but I would like to know whether to expect it to continue to diminish or if it's as good as it's gonna get.

That's it for now I suppose.

Until next time:)

PS--Oh...you might have noticed two little text ads on the page...um...I'm kinda embarassed to ask, but if the 12 of you that come here wouldn't mind clonking one of 'em every once in awhile, the couple of cents here and there would help me pay for this exciting and fun-filled site each month. No pressure, and I won't mention it often-- I hate them too-- but...well...enough of that...thanks in advance:)

PPS-- What the hell are trackbacks? I have no clue.

A clear-skin Christmas pic:)

I just dug up a pic from this past Christmas. I thought I'd put it here to show you that from a distance, you would never know I had acne at all. While I admit that I worry about how long the effects last, it's seeing pics like these that remind me of how incredible this stuff really is...

Side face pics coming soon

For those interested-- I have left- and right-side face pics to add to the existing photo sequence. I have to crop them up so they are leveled and equal like the others are. They clearly (pardon the pun)  show some of the worst breakouts and the progress of the Accutane. I'll try and get them up tonight sometime.  I'm putting off calling my dermatologist. Because I'm a procrastinator.