ACNE // Roaccutane 3 years update (Scarring, breakouts, improvements)

December, 2015 (click each image to see a larger version)  

 Hello!

It's been about a year and a half since my last acne update post in June, 2014, so I thought I would give you all an update on how my skin is going and address a few questions that I've been getting over email recently.

These pictures were taken today, no makeup! I've actually been off roaccutane completely since the beginning of November because I ran out of my prescription and didn't get a chance to see my dermatologist again (I'll book another appointment in the New Year though, before uni goes back). As you can see, my skin is far from perfect, however, it's doing okay! Since stopping medication I've found a number of things have happened:

1. There was almost an immediate increase in open and closed comedones on my forehead and around my nose area, which makes sense since they are the areas that produce the most sebum.

2. Cluster breakouts appeared in my chin area and around my lower and upper cheeks but they only occurred during my period.

3. My skin is a lot less red than it used to be when I was on full dosage. At the start of this year, Dr Pruim advised me to remain on 40g a week as opposed to 20mg per day, just as maintenance and overall, my skin looked a whole lot better.

4. MY SKIN IS OILY AGAIN. Which is both good and bad. Good: means my lips and skin don't peal or tear anymore. Bad: more pimples and congestion in the T-zone!

Due to the cause of my acne being both genetic as well as a possible hormone imbalance, it was recommended that I remained on medication as an "upkeep" as opposed to "necessity", and because my skin was technically clear at the start of this year, I was no longer eligible for the government discounts for my skin, so things got a little more expensive. Each consultation costs me about $135, as well as $50 for the 6 month supply of medication. Previously, it costed about $100 for the consultation (after government deductions) and $35 for the medication. The increase in price is a bit annoying but if it's looked at as a monthly cost, it's only about $30 per/m, so it's definitely worth it for me if it means the cystic acne doesn't come back.

May/ July/ August 2013 (click to view larger images)

Now, onto questions! It still amazes me and makes me very happy knowing that even after three years, people are still looking at these acne posts and asking me questions and knowing that they're not alone in their acne struggle.

"May I know after the accutane, did you have any indentations on your skin? Was there anything that you've done that improved your scarring?" - Jean, email

There was slight scarring, as you can see in the pictures but it is SO minor in real life, almost unnoticeable since it's so small. I was offered laser treatment to get rid of the scarring that is there, but it doesn't bother me, so I decided not to (plus it's quite expensive!). I take very good care of my skin and stick to a very thorough regime so I think that would've also contributed to the reduced indentations. 

"Can you tell me if you've experienced any long term side affects?" - Lynn, email 

I, personally, haven't suffered any long term side effects and I've been on this medication for three years now. Aside from bruising quite easily and shedding more hair than normal, I've been quite lucky. A lot of people have warned me about possible infertility, depression and weakened bones but unless they have a medical degree and have specialised in dermatology, then I tend to disregard their input as it can often come across as unhelpful and ignorant. Long term side effects are possible, but it's different for everyone. Do your research, talk to your dermatologist and weigh up your options - do what is right for YOU. 

"How do you deal with not feeling confident in your skin?" - Stacey, FB message

Practice. To this day, I am still paranoid about minor breakouts because I never want my skin to return to the way it used to look - acne takes a massive toll on one's self confidence. Taking care of yourself, drinking lots of water and wearing makeup (wash it off before bed though!!) were a few things that really boost me up if I'm feeling even the slightest bit worried about my skin. There's nothing wrong with wearing foundation if it makes you feel pretty, just don't feel like you NEED it to survive ;)! Surround yourself with true friends, who fill you up with love and support. And think happy thoughts! If you do, they'll shine out of your face like sunbeams and you'll always look lovely!

Alright, that's a wrap! Just a little disclaimer, I'm NOT a dermatologist, nor do I claim to be. I'm sharing with you what I have experienced and what I have read. I'm not endorsing roaccutane either, however I do think it is a remarkable product and I am grateful that it had the results it did on me. If you're struggling with acne, I completely understand what you are going through. As a young person, it's already difficult enough going through the process of growth and change, and not feeling confident in your skin doesn't help. I wish you the best of luck in whatever your endeavours are, feel free to email me on AVENUEMBLOG@GMAIL.COM if you'd like to talk about it or have any questions. 

If you'd like to see my previous acne posts, you can click on the links below: 

ACNE: MY STORY (ROACCUTANE PROGRESS PICTURES)
ACNE: 8 MONTH UPDATE, SCARRING, SKINCARE (AND PICTURES!)

ACNE: 1 YEAR OF TREATMENT, FAQ, ROACCUTANE PROGRESS PICTURES

ACNE // 1 year of treatment, FAQ, roaccutane progress pictures

(No makeup, no editing, June 2014) 

Hello! It's been a while since I've updated you on how things are going with my skin and roaccutane. I've been on this treatment for well over a year (since April 2013) and I'm hoping that my derm will let me finish sometime in July. I'm completely delirious at the improvement of my skin and how much of a difference this has made in my life. If you've read my first post about acne, you would remember I was extremely insecure about it and it was terribly hard for me to share pictures like that. Well! I've pulled through because these pictures were taken today and despite the quality being slightly skewed by Blogger, you can see that all that's left now is scarring and redness (which is a side effect of roaccutane anyway), which is a very stark contrast to the last photos!

Today I'm going to be answering a few questions I've been getting about this treatment - mainly from emailers who want to take Roaccutane etc. 

Does roaccutane make your skin dry/ itchy/ inflamed? How did you treat it?

It really depends on the person but for me it did all of those things. Initially, when I was on a very small dosage but my acne was built-up under the skin and severe, it made my skin very itchy/ dry and inflamed. This went on for about the first five months. It was really hard and often made me cry because I couldn't put my head down on the pillow because I was in a lot of pain but eventually I got used to it. There are a few products you can use to help though: using a very gentle moisturiser like this one by QV will gently hydrate your skin without irritating it and using the moisturiser from their 'Flare Up' range also helped a lot too with the inflammation. 

What did you skin look like this time last year? 

Okay, so in June/July last year my skin was really inflamed and painful - mainly because my skin was starting to fully absorb the roaccutane AND because it was Winter and the air was so dry. But here's what it looked like a year ago:

And here's that side of my face today...

How many mg are you on now? How has it affected your skin?

My dermatologist dropped me down from 20mg on one day and 40mg the next day to only 40mg/week. That was a recent change and I can notice the difference in the redness of my skin already. I take one 20mg tablet on Monday and Thursday nights. This is for maintenance purposes to help my body get used to the change. If I get a pimple (which hasn't happened in a while), he'll bump the dosage back to 20mg a day. 

What's the most annoying thing about this medication?

How dry it makes my skin/ lips! I used to have the oiliest skin EVER and now my skin is so dry it's like a cracking desert in Saudi Arabia. Depending on how many mg you are on, it also makes your skin very red and fragile. The other day I took my glasses off and the metal part that sits at the top of my nose lightly scraped my skin and took a layer off! I was like "Um, what?!" and also the other day I ran into the kitchen bench and the next day I woke up with a colossal purple bruise on my side. These things are annoying but it's not really a HUGE deal. I've just learned to be a lot less clumsy. I've never been in pain while on this medication so it's not a huge factor. 

How often do you moisturise/ wash your face?

I moisturise and wash my face twice a day (morning and night), every day. It's really important to moisturise your lips as often as you can as well because sometimes they peel and it can be a little uncomfortable. My favourite lip balm of all time will fix that though. Another tip as well; NEVER go to bed with makeup on. Just don't, it's not good for your skin anyway, let alone if you have skin problems. 

Before and after picture with the most difference? 

This picture is kinda crazy actually. The top picture was taken in May last year I think... and the bottom one was taken today.

What are some products I can use for emergencies? My skin has been so dry and painful lately and it really hurts. 

Ah, I know exactly how you feel. One of my favourite things to use if my skin is just really, really dry and itchy etc is the QV Rescue Gel. It's very cool and soothing and perfect for sensitive skin. I also like the QV lip balm.

If you're so happy with your skin, why do you still wear makeup?

Good question! I wear makeup because I'm self conscious about how red my skin is at the moment - not about acne. I also like wearing makeup; it's fun to put on. I won't wear it a lot when I finish my medication though, just because I won't really be bothered - there won't be as much point. For the time being though, I like wearing makeup. I use it to enhance my features, not to cover them up. 

What did you skin look like last year when you had acne and when you wore makeup? Is there a big difference? 

Yeah, a huge difference! Even when I wore makeup last year, you could still see major pigmentation and lumps under the skin. This is a comparison between June 2013 and June 2014, wearing makeup:

What's been the best thing about going on roaccutane?

Man, there's a lot. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride but going on this medication has honestly changed my life. Like I've said before, it's really helped me get my self confidence back. I was so unhappy last year; crying all the time because I hated myself so much. I've learnt a lot about myself this last year though. I've pushed myself to the absolute limit on a number of occasions. Now I am working towards TOTAL self confidence as well as skin confidence. 

It's only acne... why make a big deal about it?

Let me just clear something up (no pun intended): Until you experience any skin condition at all, it can be really hard to empathise with someone who has. Remember that everyone is fighting their own battle and just because it may not seem big to you (or big in the whole scheme of things) doesn't make it hurt any less for the person experiencing it. (And that was a terribly ineloquent sentence... I'm really tired okay... you get the picture.)

I hope this post was helpful! If you have any more questions, feel free to email me at avenuemblog@gmail.com. If you'd like to have a look at my older acne posts, you can check them out here and here. As always, thank you for the support and kindness. It's because of you guys that I feel comfortable sharing this kind of thing on the world wide web. 

ACNE // 8 month update, scarring, skincare (and pictures!)

(My skin: no editing, no makeup, December 2013)

Hey everyone! So it's been just over three months since I last updated you all on the state of my skin and how Roaccutane is going (and here's the link to that first post if you haven't already seen it). Oh my goodness, it's just wonderful. I can't even find words to describe how relieved and happy I am feeling about my skin. It's been officially eight months since I started this medication with a pretty hopeless attitude and terrible, terrible skin that I thought would never have a chance at getting better. But! Here I am, more than two thirds of the way through my treatment (finishing next April, woohoo!), with skin that has never been healthier and a much more confident, positive outlook on life. There's still a few more pimples that have to come through (mainly around the sides of my forehead, my chin and near my nose), but otherwise, I have zero active acne. 

What I am most pleased about is the minimal scarring and the healing process. I went and saw my dermatologist yesterday and he was extremely happy with how things were going in that regard. I'm quite lucky because I am still quite young and since my skin is at it's best (biologically), the scarring will be minimal and unnoticeable, especially with time. He also told me that redness accentuates the appearance of scars, but once I am off roaccutane for about two weeks, the redness will disappear due to it being a normal side effect. Yippee! 

I still haven't really gotten any major side effects aside from extremely delicate skin and a bit of eczema and pealing on my legs, but there's not really much I can do about that aside from lots of moisturising, which really isn't a problem. A few people contacted me in regard to the last post I did and mentioned the suicidal thoughts and depression that a people can develop from roaccutane. I haven't had anything like that at all so far and I'm really blessed. 

As for makeup and skincare, I am able to use different products (other than the ultra-sensitive QV formulas) as long as they are organic and don't have any nasties in them. I was on the hunt for something affordable, effective and most importantly, safe for my skin. Sukin is definitely a winner. I've been using the face wash for a few weeks now, and I bought the facial mist and moisturiser yesterday. The products are really excellent and I think I got all three for about $10 each. So if you have sensitive skin or would just like to try something different, I would highly recommend it. 

Makeup is such an easy task now! Gee wiz. I use a light coverage foundation and a primer (which are only sometimes necessary). I actually went shopping the other day WITHOUT MAKE-UP ON. That is kinda a huge deal for me!

(No makeup, no editing. April 2013 vs. November 2013)

Before and after. I can't believe that comparison. The picture on the left is probably not even the worst of it. It makes me really sad seeing this photo, because it brings back pretty horrible memories of unhappiness for me. I was such a different girl back then, and even though it was only months ago, I still remember that Maria. She was sad, terribly insecure and felt hopeless. The photo on the right however, is a snippet of what I've become. I still have a while to go, but what I have achieved this year as an individual is more than I ever thought would be possible. And it's only going to get better from here. 

P.S: Thank you for the support and love, as always. I have the best readers ever and I cherish every single one of you that takes the time to read this blog. In the meantime, if you like to keep up to date regularly with my progress (or perhaps see more pictures), you can check out my acne.org profile and my progress album here. 

ACNE // My story (roaccutane progress pictures)

(No makeup, no editing. My acne, September 2013)

So, here I am talking about my biggest insecurity on the internet. With pictures and everything. I'm a little nervous about hitting that publish button but I had to share this with you all after receiving an email from one of my readers. I received an email last week from a girl living in Melbourne. She suffers from a terrible form of acne (nodulocystic or cystic acne) and is struggling to cope with it and wants to see a dermatologist about it. She said to me that she feels like everyone is looking at her because of it. I decided that after replying to this girl that I would do a post dedicated to my acne story, progress and my struggles. I knew it was about time I posted bare-face pictures and told you guys the story right from the start. So here goes: 

I've always had skin problems. Eczema when I was young, and then as soon as I hit high school I would get regular pimples around my chin and cheeks during my period and when I was stressed. Mum and I both agreed this was just bad luck and the criteria that came with being a teenager. I dealt with it all the way up until grade ten and when holidays came (Christmas 2012/13), my skin sort of "magically" improved and I had little to no acne. I was pretty excited about it and started off year 11 feeling quite confident and happy - then over the course of a few weeks I developed painful, cystic pimples all over my back, chest and face. It multiplied and before I knew it I was covered in a horrible, red rash. I don't think I have ever been so unhappy. I cried all the time... coming home from school after feeling like every pair of eyes was looking at it. I would scrub the layers of make-up off my face whilst still in tears and crawl into bed and cry even harder. I was angry with God for putting me through this. What had I done to deserve such a horrible disease?

I felt so incredibly ugly. I felt like I wouldn't be good enough for anyone, ever, because of my skin. It had gotten so bad that I couldn't even put my head down on the pillow. I couldn't leave the house without makeup. I avoided sleepovers. I even felt uncomfortable being around my family without makeup on. 

I will never forget how sad I was at the start of the year. I hated my face. I hated looking in the mirror. I felt ugly and self conscious on a regular basis.

(My acne, March to June 2013 - the first few months of Roaccutane was definitely a struggle)

In April, Mum and I decided that it was time to see a doctor. I had tried everything - all of that topical treatment crap, natural remedies, etc. and none of it had done a single thing (except perhaps made things worse). He referred me to a dermatologist and at last, I felt as though I might actually have a little hope. My (awesome!) dermatologist took one look at me when I came through those doors and knew instantly what I had to go on. Roaccutane (or isotretinoin). He said Doxycycline, birth control or any other drug wouldn't work because my acne was so severe. I was terrified of taking Roaccutane because of all the scary side-effects (suicidal thoughts etc), but I knew that I couldn't deal with this horrible skin condition any longer. 

The next time I went for another dermatologist appointment, the lady assistant suggested I have a chemical peel because the results weren't appearing fast enough. I agreed to this because I wanted to see an improvement. It was the most painful experience I have ever been through. I will never forget the agony I underwent while I was in that chair and I don't think I've ever cried so hard either. It felt like she was pouring fuel all over my face, then setting fire to sections of my skin with a torch. It actually makes me cry as I'm typing this because it was so awful I can't even put it into words. I don't understand how something so excruciating could be good for my skin. She asked me if I would like to have regular chemical peels and I blatantly said no. 

I was going to wait it out by sticking to Roaccutane and a very gentle skin care routine. I am so glad I did. 

I have been on Roaccutane for five or so months now. It has been a really tough and slowly progressing journey and I know I still have a long way to go, but I have never been happier. My dermatologist is friendly, supportive and his tips and advice have helped me through all of this. My skin has improved so, so much. The cysts have disappeared and now I am just waiting for the rest of the acne to come through.

I've got my self-confidence back again. I want to get up in the morning and seize the day. Not to say I don't wake up some days feeling quite awful, but there are A LOT less of them. My acne is getting better, I'm starting to feel pretty again and by the end of the year I will have lovely, healthy skin. 

 Eating well and staying hydrated has really helped too. 

I just wanted to remind you all that every single person on this earth is fighting their own battle. Be careful with your words and if someone you know is suffering from acne, don't ever point it out. As someone who has experienced nasty words first hand, I can assure you, it is the most upsetting thing and I will never forget it. Be kind and compassionate and remember how deeply your words can affect someone. And if you have acne, I want to let you know that I am here if you ever have to talk. I have been through the worst of it and I know how you feel. It's not your fault. You are a beautiful person and you can get through this. No one should ever have to experience acne. Especially as a teenager.