My journey with Isotretinoin(Accutane) + Month One
Background:
My hormonal stage started when I got my period when I was eleven years old. Had a lot of pimples om my forehead on only left cheek. Asked the school nurse and visited the hospital a few times when it continued and was not pimples anymore. I was young and had no idea how to go about. By then the area which had endured pimples and acne was a mountain with bumps under the skin, ugly scars and uneven like the soil. By then I had tried Clearasil, Neutrogena, other none-brand products against acne. Nothing helped. In the end I landed with Vichy which was easy on the skin. My normal skin condition was oily to the point where you could any time during the day wipe it with a tissue and it would be soaked. But it was still dry underneath. Of course I did peeling, deep cleansing and masks. Nothing helped. Vichy did not clear this condition but did not contribute to additional problems.
When I was seventeen one doctor finally took me serious enough to send me to a dermatologist(doctor specialized with skin problems). Not the most friendly person. Informed me that there were two options. One was to start a antibiotic period of six month. This was the treatment that had helped many she told me. Then there was the other one involved something with vitamin A. This treatment was reserved for hardcore patients and only a small percentage of the population was cured by this. Five month later I visited her again and there was no change. By then I was going to travel abroad in three month so the treatment stopped and that was the end of that chapter.
Three years later after my return my skin still had cystic acne but it was durable and it had calmed down a great deal. It left many deep scars around my temples. Dark ones. After visiting London 2014 my pores became very clogged and infections started to appear on the bridge of my nose and around my right cheek(the healthy one). Visited a skin specialist who introduced me to Glycerin Acid treatment. Sure it helped in the beginning but slowly pimples started to appear along my jawline and grew in area. This year around February my healthy right cheek started to go through the same problems I had with my left cheek six years ago. Visited a dermatologist and was prescribed Isotretinoin.
The fist picture of the left side and has undergo now 10 years of trouble. Second picture if the most recent development of my right ex-healthy side. Third picture is the jawline area which is not full of infections and well swelled up quite a lot.
Started taking them 2015-05-11
Week 1
Day1 - 1 pill(20mg) around dinner
Day 2 - same
Day 3 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 4 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner, thirsty, ate half a watermelon and drank one liter of water before I went to sleep
Day 5 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner, thirsty, maybe constipated, itchy here and there
Day 6 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner, the thirst will probably continue, more pimples around the more shallow infected bumps on my chin, split corner of my mouth
Day 7 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner, the pimples come fast and dry out fast and sometimes there is residue liquid even after the pimple dry out which I press out. It is too late to care about scarring anyways.
Week 2
Day 1 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner, exhausted
Day 2 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner, tired/dry eyes and lips. Lips are cracked and no amount of lip balm can help. New pimples on chin area. Two cystic ones came grew enough to the surface for me to press out. One million left.
Day 3 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 4 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner and 1pill(20mg)before bed. Pimples continue to grow on cystic acne, and the infected areas are hot. Itchy scalp.
Day 5 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 6 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner. Dry scalp and hands.
Day 7 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Week 3
Day 1 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner. The infections are starting to press more seriously. Detected one cystic acne on my neck and few on my back. Slightly tired.
Day 2 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner. Blood test today. Exhausted. My period is late. Extremely dry eyes and scalp.
Day 3 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner since my exam period hectic and I need my strength and focus to study, will jump a little with the pills now.
Day 4 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 5 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 6 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 7 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner. One triplecystic one had grown out so much that it made the skin around that area very thin. If I allowed it its natural life that whole area whole be ruined so I pressed it slightly and a lot of white, transparent and mix of blood came out. Have been continuously emptying another one for the last three days since it was never to come out on its own and the area was turning purple. I think my vision will be worse when this treatment is over.
Day 1 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner. Slight headache probably because to dehydration. Layers of skin fall of my scalp. Lose of hair since the scalp is so dry. Bought hair oil and special shampoo, conditioner and gel for dry scalp.
Day 2 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 3 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 4 - 2pills(40mg) around dinner
Day 5 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner(exams are over).
Day 6 - 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner.
Day 7- 1pill(20mg) in the morning and 2pills(40mg) around dinner.
My face is not oily for sure but it was yet to reach the same level of dryness as my scalp and lips. No mood swings either. Instead I feel more myself than ever!
