Hi again-- I am very pleased to report that I am still in great shape-- my status has remained unchanged since my last post-- I still occasionally get minor whiteheads, and very small blackheads on the nose (mostly at the crease where it joins into my cheek-- which are so small as to barely constitute "blackheads" as I once knew them... those evil thick waxy beasts that I spent so many hours in front of the mirror ejecting from my face by force...ugh)
I am still very conscious of keeping my face/body clean-- the whiteheads I do get always appear after a too-long departure of my cleaning regimen... so I finally have clear, observed proof that cleanliness is the #1 weapon I have working both for and against me in my fight. I still use Cetaphil cleanser on my face in the shower, and Dove's sensitive skin bar soap on the rest of me. Judicious use of Oxy's sensitive skin pads remove oil buildup throughout the day.
I visited my dermatologist a few months ago for a voluntary checkup ( mostly because I wanted professional reassurance that I had beaten this menace once and for all-- because I know how some, including readers here, have re-developed the acne after a few years.....) and gave him a CD of the pics I have on here so that he might show them to potential patients looking to use the drug--- he seemed as excited about getting them as I was in making them.
He also gave me some samples of a topical called Duac-- it's benzoyl peroxide plus an antibacterial that I use on the spots that develop since my Proactiv stuff ran out-- It seems to do the job, and it doesn't appear to dry my skin out either-- so that's something you might ask your derm about, if you're worried about sensitivity post- (or pre) Accutane. As you know if you've done the treatment, just about everything irritates your skin when on the drug-- and you're not supposed to use topicals then anyway.
I still feel it's an important thing to be able to see the course Accutane takes you on... and based on the very kind words of those who have written me with thanks and support for this little place, I'm very happy to see that you agree.
THANK YOU-- your sentiment makes it easier for me to keep this site going---
I hope winter is treating you well:)
Keep the faith, and let this drug work for you-- just do it exactly as you're supposed to, and be safe!!!
Hey all--
Yes, it's discouraging at times, and I have to tell you, as you can see in the pics: (at least with me,) it got a lot worse before it got better---but, it DID get better :)
The physical discomfort I had was made a lot more tolerable with the use of the Cetaphil cleanser (which I still use to this day, by the way-- won't use anything else on my face) and the Aquaphor Healing Ointment on my lips.
Here's a link to each so you know what they look like:
Cetaphil Cleanser
Aquaphor
PLEASE remember, before every other piece of advice, to STAY HYDRATED-- I am absolutely serious about a gallon in your body, evenly through the day, from when you wake up to when you go to sleep.
It's as simple as getting out a frosty-cold metabolism-destroying high-fructose corn syrup sugar-bomb in a can (you might know it by it's kinder name: soda), dumping it in the sink, rinsing it out, filling it with water, and drinking 10 of them through the day-- once every hour and a half, on average. Seriously not hard, and incredibly good for your body-- I can't stress it enough.
Also, make sure you're taking a good multivitamin (at least), but remember not to take any extra Vitamin A to be safe, since your medicine is a hyper-active version of this substance. Also, while you are on Accutane, I would not take the higher-dose of Vitamin D3 I mention below (Vitamin D3 and A are very closely inter-linked in the human body, and having high doses of one directly affects the absorbtion/utilization of the other--I believe the vitamin D3 creation by the skin in the sun is why your doctor recommends staying out of the sun while on the drug--it might throw off the saturation of the isoretnoin. That is a guess-- but I don't want to have you take a vitamin that negatively impacts your treatment--even if it's only a small chance that this could be the case. That said, don't avoid vitamin D either--it's arguably the most important single hormone/vitamin in the human body!
As an aside, but because it's such great knowledge to have:
Here's the best list I've ever found of the most important nutrients your body needs in one place, with the reasons why, and the proper amounts, (the link in the page there goes to the full PDF version) I hope you find it helpful. I personally take the D3, Iodine, Selenium, K2, B-complex, Magnesium citrate, Co-Q10, and Carlsons Fish Oil.
It's up to you if you choose to supplement your diet with this stuff-- but for me, it's the best five bucks-per-day insurance I can take out on my body. Just sayin.
I get mine through illnessisoptional.com, and picked the site and brands I did for no reason other than the fact that they offer the doses I want in the larger quantities, in one place, so I don't have to re-order it all the time or from different places, and I save money per-pill by buying the higher bottle-count versions, but there are plenty of other places, brands, and quantities to choose from-- the author linked to several more through the list I linked to--
If nothing else, the D3, Iodine, Selenium, and B-complex will dramatically improve your overall health-- read it and research it-- the government RDA of many of these vital bodily nutrients is based off of ridiculously outdated, demonstrably incorrect, and poorly conducted studies whose recommendations are dramatically below what has subsequently been shown in study after study to be the true optimal doses of these vitamins for the human body.
But back to the point:
Stay hydrated,
use gentle moisturizers and cleansers for your ailing skin,
avoid alcohol or foods that dehydrate you
Before you know it, you will find yourself in the home stretch, and feeling better than ever...
And maybe, several years from now, you'll still be just as clear-skinned as everyone else.
Have faith you guys--this stuff works:
I'm living proof :)