The Decision
After much deliberation, a bad breakout, and years of suffering with acne, i've finally decided to go on the Accutane treatment. There are many journals dedicated to people's experiences with Accutane, and I believe the more opinions you have to pool off of, the better your decision will be.
A Little About MeMy name is Matt and I live in the refinery town of Texas City, TX, near Galveston island. Everyone has their theories of why I have acne: the pollution, the humidity, not enough water intake or excercise, etc. But really, I don't know the reason.
I've had acne ever since I can remember, probably since fifth grade. In addition to having it moderately on my face, I also have it very badly all over my back (I never take my shirt off, it's disgusting) and somewhat on my upper-arms. Usually, I can keep my face clear enough with Proactiv Solution, but in the past week or so, I've been breaking out badly on the lower half of my face. Usually, I break out with normal pimples on my face (whiteheads). My back never clears up, and there's constantly new acne when a spot clears.
Unlike on my face, I have cystic acne on my back, the painful swollen nodes that hide deep beneath the skin and pop up as huge ugly nodules and take weeks to go away. However, my "bacne" hasn't really brought me down as much as one would assume, since no one knows about it (It's constantly covered by a shirt, and I'm very careful keeping it secret). When I go to the beach, I just chill in the sun. People wonder why I never take my shirt off or get in the water. If only they knew! Other than that, I look at acne as only a nuisance; as something that will eventually go away, and I'm hoping Accutane is the evental answer.
The ProductsOver the past several years, I've used many products: some that work (kind of), and others that don't (at all). Here are some of my favorites:
Proactiv Solution. Quite expensive, but worth it. The face scrub really works into your skin and deep cleans it.
Retin A Micro. A very harsh prescription gel treatment, but it works. If you can stick with it, it helps a lot.
pHisoderm Clear Swabs, pHisoderm Masque, and pHisoderm Wash. pHisoderm has great products, and I strongly recommend them if Proactiv is too costly. The swabs are most effective in spot-control, though, in clearing up annoying individual pimples quickly.
Clean & Clear Complete Control Foaming Wash. I use this for my back to keep it under control and dry. It's a very good salysilic product to keep your skin from getting too oily.
Clean & Clear Oil-Absorbing Sheets. The original oil-absorbers, these little pads really soak up the nasty shine when it's inconvenient to wash your face (like in the middle of class or after a workout). I always keep a set in my pack to be safe. Most girls I know carry them in their purses (It's just embarassing to have to ask for one).
I completely sympathize 100% with everyone who has acne, and I hope you find the right solution. I just have one piece of advice: Don't let acne get you down. People don't look at the pimples when they look at you; they just see the real you. And the great thing is, when it clears up, you'll be able to let people see the real you more easily. I've read so many good things about Accutane, and I'm very excited to get on it. I'll update every week or so. Bye for now.
