Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Spots, zits, pimples, cysts, etc.
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RRM
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by RRM »

Squash wrote:Making the slightest expression sends my face into hours of ongoing excruciating, pulsing, throbbing pain at the affected site...
Hoping for the best
Man, thats not good...
Accutane attacks your health.
I understand that you want to look good, but your spots are tiny!!
and we dont even know whether you have acne, at all...
mario91
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by mario91 »

RRM wrote: Man, thats not good...
Accutane attacks your health.
I understand that you want to look good, but your spots are tiny!!
and we dont even know whether you have acne, at all...
Exactly...
Squash wrote: I can't talk, eat or laugh. I can't even brush my teeth. I'm sipping big time on juice to get in the calories as it's all I can do.. Making the slightest expression sends my face into hours of ongoing excruciating, pulsing, throbbing pain at the affected site...
And that isn't an emergency?...

Anyway you should go to hospital because you may have bacterial or fungal infection in your eczema. I've had it before (bacterial), and I went for much less than you (just some tiny impetigo dots on my left hand).
If you don't apply medicine, it may very well spread to the rest of your face. And even to the rest of your body, if you scratch it.
And you should stop Accutane, at least till you get healed from this.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by mario91 »

Squash wrote: We ought not to underestimate eczema. Every case is different, everyone is different. It would be like saying you gotta give acne time, apply the medicine and it should heal in a matter of days.
Acne has nothing to do with eczema in that matter.

Acne will not spread if you don't apply medicines. In fact, if you do, zits will just keep appearing anyway.
Eczema WILL possibly spread if you don't treat it.

Acne doesn't itch. Doesn't hurt. Doesn't impede you from going on your day normally.
Eczema does.

Acne can be cleared, and kept from coming back, in some weeks with Wai Diet.
Eczema can't (it can get better, but can't get healed only with diet).
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by Squash »

It's gotten better. I've had a good night's sleep racking in 10+ hours. The pain is less, a little facial movement has been tolerated and the fungus-like growth on the red patches has gone down considerably.

I hope it will continue this way.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by RRM »

mario91 wrote: Acne doesn't itch. Doesn't hurt.
Actually, before the new zit becomes visible, it usually produces a pin-point pain.
I used to have huge cysts, and these were painful as well.
Of course these are different kinds of pain.
mario91
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by mario91 »

RRM wrote:
mario91 wrote: Acne doesn't itch. Doesn't hurt.
Actually, before the new zit becomes visible, it usually produces a pin-point pain.
I used to have huge cysts, and these were painful as well.
Of course these are different kinds of pain.
You're right RRM. I went a bit too far in my generalizations.
I just wanted to tell Squash that it's not necessary to apply topical creams on acne pimples, specially his tiny pimples, because they will keep on coming up anyway, and they won't spread more if you don't apply anything.
But on eczema, a tiny portion of cortisone can really save your ass, because it can be crucial for stoping the expansion of the eczema. Eczema mostly starts with one or a few tiny spots, and some of the people who don't treat end up with it on their whole face, for example. I hope Squash won't be one of them.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by Squash »

I don't use any topical creams. Isotretinoin is taken orally.
mario91
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by mario91 »

Squash wrote: I don't use any topical creams. Isotretinoin is taken orally.
I know. I was just comparing acne and eczema, since you said "It would be like saying you gotta give acne time, apply the medicine and it should heal in a matter of days.".

Btw, how is the eczema?
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by Squash »

mario91 wrote: Btw, how is the eczema?
The eczema-like stuff on my face is totally gone. It got better day by day, shedding a ton of skin cells (the flaky look, you know). Now, there's still some flakiness and redness, but I am guessing that will disappear in the next couple of days. I can smile again without hurting.
I think the outbreak indeed had something to do with my abrupt commencing the Accutane (20 mg/day) and the sun that was unusually strong during those few days. I am now taking 10 mg/day of Accutane and all is going as expected. My nose is a great reference point for oiliness, and it looks completely dry in the morning. 2 weeks ago my nose looked like a drenched olive in the morning, it was that shiny/oily. It's great to see how the Accutane's affecting my sebum/oil production.

Thanks for asking btw.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by mario91 »

Glad to see you're doing well!
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by Squash »

Update:
I'm still taking Accutane, 13.3 mg a day to be exact.

My skin is still recovering from the sun allergy/eczema thing, as there's still some redness and dry skin on the affected areas.
My acne is a lot better. My forehead is as good as clear, and I have 1 active, significant pimple. Most of what's left on my face is Post Infammatory Hyperpigmentation (red marks), which will hopefully fade during the coming months, and blackheads, which were formed before I started Accutane again.

This morning, I for the first time deliberately had a cup of oatmeal and some cooked salmon (both 100 g). I've taken reference pictures yesterday and will see how my skin reacts.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by RRM »

Squash wrote: This morning, I for the first time deliberately had a cup of oatmeal and some cooked salmon (both 100 g). I've taken reference pictures yesterday and will see how my skin reacts.
I doubt that you will notice any difference, because even if you really have acne, you are on Accutane now.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by Squash »

RRM wrote:
Squash wrote: This morning, I for the first time deliberately had a cup of oatmeal and some cooked salmon (both 100 g). I've taken reference pictures yesterday and will see how my skin reacts.
I doubt that you will notice any difference, because even if you really have acne, you are on Accutane now.
That's true. I personally think isotretinoin shows its effects on the skin very quickly. It is very quick in inhibiting sebum output. When you start the drug, within a week your skin and lips will be 90% of the driest they'll get. What's interesting, though, is that many acne patients take considerably time (2-10 months) to attain 100% clear complexion. This, I think, might have to do with the fact that acne that was in the developmental stage before even taking isotretinoin. These 'developing lesions' all need to 'come out' sometime, which happens over the course of the 2-10 months isotretinoin therapy.

In my case, I still have a lot of blackheads that, one by one, appeared over the timespan where I didn't take isotretinoin. These will all need to come out and are in the process of doing so. I think it's just a waiting game right know (knock on wood).

P.S. I've gained 13+ pounds since starting Accutane, of which a considerable amount muscle, which is nice.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by RRM »

Squash wrote:...might have to do with the fact that acne that was in the developmental stage before even taking isotretinoin. These 'developing lesions' all need to 'come out' sometime, which happens over the course of the 2-10 months isotretinoin therapy.
Yes, and the more pronounced the effects of the treatment, the less sebum will be produced,
so that it takes longer for the trapped sebum to reach the surface of the skin,
so that it might come down to total skin renewal for all trapped sebum to get out.
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Re: Photo Log - post Accutane -> on Accutane

Post by Squash »

RRM wrote:
Squash wrote:...might have to do with the fact that acne that was in the developmental stage before even taking isotretinoin. These 'developing lesions' all need to 'come out' sometime, which happens over the course of the 2-10 months isotretinoin therapy.
Yes, and the more pronounced the effects of the treatment, the less sebum will be produced,
so that it takes longer for the trapped sebum to reach the surface of the skin,
so that it might come down to total skin renewal for all trapped sebum to get out.
That's definitely a great insight! I can speak for it from personal experience. I had a whitehead that had been sitting there for months, and after the plane trip, which induced very high sebum excretion/production rate, it finally came to the surface and got infected and subsequently red and raised (immune system at work). This could be a good theory to back up low dose accutane use instead of high dose, for a little sebum is still produced on low dose

gtg haha
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