Friday, March 19, 2004
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day nine, week two
current medications/supplements:
- accutane 40mg
- Augmentin (anti-bacterial for acne flare-ups)
- Yasmin birth control (seriously considered ditching the stuff, but honesty prevailed... crapdangit.)
- iron
- vitamin e
current products:
- St. Ives 24-hour lotion (this stuff ROCKS)
- cetaphil moisturizing lotion
- blistex lip balm (my favorite)
- lots of water
current symptoms:
- very dry hands, feet, and lips
- patches of chafed, flaky skin where my clothes rub
- lots of blisters from shoes
- constant dehydration
- dry, irritated eyes
- sunburn!
WEEK TWO REPORT: Went out and bought Swiss Ives 24-hour lotion after getting a sample in the mail the same day random patches of skin started cracking and flaking... gross! The best part is, it doesn't have all the perfume and alcohol in it that stings broken skin. As for my acne, it's slowly going away but is VERY painful and irritated. My face is actually not too dry thanks to Cetaphil, sometimes it even borders on the oily side, which is a welcome change for me. No anxiety or depression (yay!), no hair loss.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
stay away from: - too much salty or sugary food
- direct sunlight (especially if you're naturally fair)
- chlorine
stock up on: - bottled water
- bandaids
- lip balm (if you tend to lose track of it)
- lotion
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The Guinea Pig |
My name is Allisan, I'm a 21-year-old college student with very bad acne and a chip on my shoulder. I'm taking Accutane to kick the thing in the butt once and for all, and documenting the experience for the benefit of anyone else considering giving it a shot. Read on, fellow acne sufferers!!
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About Accutane |
In Laman's terms... Accutane limits the body's production a natural oil called Sebum that builds up in your pores and causes acne. Generally you spend 5 months on it, and most people see results within 2 months. It has a 75% success rate after the first round, 85% after 2 rounds - that means that the acne never, ever comes back for most people. During the course of the therapy, the most common side effects are dry flaky skin, chapped lips, dehydration, irritation while wearing contacts, and backaches. Basically it makes your body tissue really sensitive to EVERYTHING. Some people also experience moodiness and, in rare cases, severe depression. It also causes some nasty birth defects, so they make absolutely sure you can't get pregnant while you're on it.
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Products I Swear By |
- Mary Kay medium coverage foundation
- blistex original lip balm
- neosporin cream (not ointment)
- St. Ives 24-Hour body lotion
- Cetaphil moisturizer & face wash
- Generic vitamin e supplements
- Visine original eye drops
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Products I Swear *At* |
Blistex Complete Moisture lip balm - Jackie recommends it, but I disagree! It's really thin (heavy petroleum-based ointments are the best) and makes your breath smell funky.
Victoria's Secret lotion - Love the smell, but it stings like a mofo. Same goes for Bath&Body or any other heavily scented lotion, accutane makes your skin VERY sensitive to that kind of stuff.
Proactiv products - great for semi-problematic skin, but totally useless for severe acne. They *do* give your money back, so it *is* worth a try. But if you're serious about dealing with your acne, try something else.
erythromycin - if you get this, make sure they prescribe the capsules, not the tablets. This stuff is powerful, it can really upset your stomach.
Yasmin birth control - makes acne *worse*, turns you into a hormonal one-woman soap opera.
Chapstick brand lip balm - nothin but glorified ear wax. Buy the medicated stuff, folks.
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