#14 - COMPLETED COURSE OF ACCUTANE.

Progress:   32 weeks. 

Dosage:   80mg (2 capsules) everyday for 2 months.

I can't believe i'm going to say this but.... I'VE FINISHED MY ACCUTANE !!! *air punch*

I took the final 80mg daily dose on the 26th July. 

For those who are new to this blog, I started accutane on the 29th November 2013. Below are some photos you can compare before and after.

It's been 4 days since completing the course and I still feel good. I had a pimple break out about 1 day after my last post, but that pimple disappeared in about 3 days time. 

My lips are still really dry since accutane will continue to be in my system for another 2-3 weeks perhaps.

I have started using Rio Rosa Mosqueta oil as part of my skincare routine. 

I read a lot of reviews that this is a miracle oil for fading acne scars so i'm going to give it a try. I mix a couple drops of the oil into my moisturiser and use that several times a day. 

CONCLUSION - WORTH IT OR NOT??

Yes!!! ... it was worth all the pain and tears. The initial outbreak made me cry a lot and I became even more depressed but to those who just started the treatment... you just need to wait it out. If you stick to it... you'll see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I had so many doubts about this treatment too, thinking this treatment won't work on me... but look at the difference. :)

After a very long 8 month waiting game and an accumulative dose of 12600mg... I feel a million times better. 

Dosage breakdown:

Month 1:   20mg

Months 2,3 & 4:   40mg

Months 5 & 6:   60mg

Months 7 & 8:   80mg

I no longer need to cake myself in layers of thick foundation paste, concealer and puff powder.
It was embarrassing to use all that make-up... and it didn't even do a good job of covering anything. The only purpose it served was to make the redness look skin-coloured but any person can tell there were still clusters of monster sized bumps within bumps next to a bump on a bump!

... Not to mention the flaky skin and foundation paste cracking by the end of the night.

Yuck, i'm glad thoooose days are long gone!

Nowadays, I can wear just a very thin layer of CC cream and walk outside. 

My friends and family have noticed that I have been more confident and positive in the recent months too. 

* Aside from having a flat skin surface... I've been very happy that accutane got rid of the dark ring around my lips. For years, the dark corners of my mouth made me feel very embarrassed as if I was constantly wearing a dark lip liner (see 2nd set of images below).

With the amount of lip skin shedding caused by accutane, I was able to rub off all the dark pigmented, dead skin build-up and feeling more confident with my new, healthier-looking, younger-looking, rosier-looking lips. :)

And lastly... 

Here are the final pictures of my accutane update. :)

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And for those who are late to catch on... this is what my face looked like 8 months ago BEFORE the initial outbreak... 

And below, during initial outbreak...

#13

Progress:   30 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   80mg (2 capsules) everyday for 2 months.

Getting closer to the end of my course!

#12

Progress:   28 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   80mg (2 capsules) everyday for 2 months.

Final month of accutane! OMG...

Can't believe it's coming towards the end of my course. There are only a couple more posts to write after this one.

For the past 2 weeks, I haven't had an outbreak. There are no more lumps on the skin and I hope the redness and scarring will final fade. 

#11

Progress:   26 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   80mg (2 capsules) everyday for 2 months.

After 2 and a half weeks being on 80mg, these are the results. So far so good still, no fresh big lumps. Hope the redness will clear even more. 

#10

Progress:   24 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   80mg (2 capsules) everyday for 2 months.

Hi all,


Skipped the last update because I had an infection under my eye which needed draining twice and then it needed a bunch of time to for the swelling and bruising to go away. It was disgusting...


Anyway, i've just begun my first month of taking 80mg!! Oh the excitement. I've got 2 more months on accutane and then the dryness should be over and hopefully my face should be as good as it can be!

I still get 1 or 2 new acne bumps here and there but they aren't that big and go away within a few days which is good. My chin has been clear for a good month or more and hopefully it stays that way!

Most of it is redness and old acne scarring on my face. The surface of my skin is pretty much 99% flat as of today.

#9

Progress:   20 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   60mg (2 capsules) everyday for 2 months.

(Posting a day earlier since i'll be unavailable tomorrow.)

Hello all! 

Though it may not look like it, my skin feels pretty smooth. I still have 1-2 new acne bumps appear every so often, but these are very very small and tend to heal within 2-3 days.

I took these photos right next to the window this time, so hopefully it gives you a clearer idea of the progress. 

It's time for me to buy some new lip balm. I've used up about 7 sticks since being on accutane. The dryness is no joke. There have been times where i've yawned and tore the corners of my lips. Hate it.    (=.  =')

The skin around my temples and hairline has become pretty flaky, so i've been using this super awesome hydrating sheet mask made by a company called 'My Beauty Diary'. The pack i've been using is called '2-Step Africa Hydrating pack'.  It smells lovely and leaves my face feeling less like a raisin.

This is my last month of taking 60mg. For the next 2 months, I will be bumped up to 80mg. I can't wait.

#8

Progress:   18 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   60mg (2 capsules) everyday for 2 months.

Hello i'm back!!

Due to personal reasons i've been absent, so there was no update in the last fortnight. Apologies for that.

Anyway, i've been taking 60mg for 2 weeks so far and things are starting to pick up. 

For the last 4 months, things have been up and down when it came to inflammation and minor breakouts, but finally... in the 5th month, I can safely say, my chin is completely flat and has been for a good while. *air punch*

Lucky for some, it only took 2 months to clear up a lot, but for me it took around 5 months. Not bad, but it's so arduous and I can't wait to get it over and done with.

My left and right cheek are almost flat, with only a few small acne bumps here and there. These should hopefully clear up over the next month.

Although my face feels almost flat, the redness and old scars are still there... but I promise it really isn't lumpy. It looks like it, but well you'll judge for yourself.

#7

Progress:   14 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   40mg (2 capsules) everyday for 3 months.

I don't really know what's happened... but experiencing a small breakout on the right cheek and one fat-a** one on the chin. :(

#6

Progress:   12 weeks into treatment.

Dosage:   40mg (2 capsules) everyday for 3 months.

#5

Progress:   10 weeks into treatment.
Dosage:   40mg (2 capsules) everyday for 3 months.

Few fresh lumps.

#4 - Meh

Progress:   8 weeks into treatment.
Dosage:   40mg (2 capsules) everyday for 3 months.

Finally! A small improvement on the left side of my face. The left side took the longest to 'calm' down. The redness and lumpiness is starting to clear a little. 

There were minor breakouts along the jawline this week on both sides of the face. 

Hopefully after being on this for 3 months, there will be a bigger difference. 

#3 - Getting there slowly

Things have improved since my last post and i'm no longer as depressed.



Progress:   6 weeks into treatment.
Dosage:   40mg (2 capsules) everyday for 3 months.



Though my face still feels a little lumpy, but the inflammation has gone down a lot !
And I mean a lot a lot, because for the first time in years, my chin is almost flat. Yes it sounds stupid, but oh my god, finally... something... is going the right way, for once!

It may not look like it in the photos i'm about to show you... but I assure you, the texture is less like mountainscape. The redness is still there, but I think the 40mg dosage has really started kicking the acne's ass.

You know, though my lips are still desert dry and shedding everyday which makes me highly annoyed, but the pigment is a lot less dark.
I used to have pretty dark pigment on my lips and it looked like I was wearing a dark lip liner.
With all the skin shedding that has been going on, my lips look a more healthy, rosy colour. Now I can't wait to shed more... if that makes any sense.

I guess it has been worth it.

#2 - Does it really work?!

Hello again!


Finally finished the first month of accutane!

Progress:   4 weeks into treatment.
Dosage:   20mg (1 capsule) everyday for 1 month.


In the last week, it's been particularly depressing. I feel like i'm spinning my wheels. Something must have happened in my system and i've been breaking out really really bad, only this week.
It seemed like the pills were working but i'm not even sure right now. Sure it's only been 4 weeks and I need to wait it out for another month or two to see proper results, but it's pissing me the [beep] off!

My face right now looks no different than the first set of photos I posted before starting accutane. Facepalm.

The left side of my chin and face feels very tender this week and i'm starting to have a lot of doubts about this. My lips are still as dry as ever.

But finally, i've been able to up my dosage. For month 2, I will be taking 40mg everyday. See how that turns out.

#1 - Dry, dry, drrrryyy!!!

Hello everyone!

Time for a fortnight update as promised.

Actually i've felt pretty miserable over the last 2 weeks because of the initial breakout I was experiencing after taking the Accutane. I didn't think this was going to work for me.

Progress:   2 weeks into treatment.
Dosage:   20mg (1 capsule) everyday for 1 month.

- - - - -

What has it been like? Any changes to the appearance?

Well... firstly, my lips have never felt this dry. This isn't the kind of dry where you lick your lips and it will be ok.
When I say dry, I mean DRY! I've managed to swipe through a stick of lip balm because I keep applying it at least once every hour. It is no joke that accutane would suck out all the moisture from your face and lips. My lips feel like the desert.
I do keep myself hydrated, I drink a lot, a lot of water.

I have also started to notice my skin flaking between my eyebrows and the sides of my nose... which never really happens! My skin can be dry in the winter but never to the point where it flakes.

Mind you, I am using the 'Aveeno' moisturizer for my face and hands. It leaves skin feeling very nourished!
I have always used the 'Simple' moisturizer as part of my routine but with the accutane in my system, it just isn't working as well as Aveeno.

My cheeks are still lumpy, but not as inflamed as before. My skin feels a lot less tender to touch also. It's only been two weeks and my friend said I should start to feel a more obvious difference after 4-6 weeks.

I don't know if you guys can tell the difference, but I can't really see any improvements myself.

'BEFORE' photos of taking Accutane.

(Yeah... i'm a few days late in making this post...)


Accutane start date:   29th November.
Dosage:   20mg (1 capsule) everyday for 1 month.


Just 3 days into the treatment and I am experiencing an initial breakout. It makes me... mad and sad... but hopefully by next week, I will be on my way to feeling much better.


NOTE:   These pictures were taken on the 29th November BEFORE I took my first capsule.


You know... I never knew the acne looked so god-awful until I took these photos.