Week 1&2: I saw no real difference in the severity of the acne. No improvement either. My face felt wonderfully dry. My doctor had me wash my face with Dove sensitive skin soap. I put aside all of my acne products. : ) Lips were chapped. Had dry scalp for the first time ever.
Week 3: Acne begn to worsen. Face still dry. My back started to break out. The area around my chin has constant cysts and is extreamly dry. Definetly cannot be without chapstick! By the end of the week my face is worse still. There are many painful cysts around my jaw line. Feeling depressed and don't really want to socialize. Am waiting for an improvement.
Week 4: The cysts on my lower jaw and chin persisted throughout the week and I also developed a few new ones. Pretty painful. I have a rash on my hands and later on in the week also had rashes on my arms. My doctor told me to use lotion at least 3 times a week which has helped. I'm very tired which may or may not be accutate related. My blood tests from last week came out normal. I am on 50 mg. a day.
Week 5: I have developed 3 large cysts. two on my jaw line and one on my cheek. My eyes are begining to feel dry and burn. My neck, back, and upper arms are dry and itchy. My previous breakout is taking a long time to go away completely. I have a few smaller pimles around my face.
Week 6 (first half): My face and scalp are feeling a little greasy. I am worried the medicine is not working right. Please email me if anyone else has had this happen! Cysts are still there from week 5. Have a rash on my arms and neck. Eyes are dry. I am very tired and my body aches.
Week 7: Face is dry again. Not much improvement from last week.
Week 8: Feeling more confident about the medicine working. face still dry along with lips and scalp. Using whatever lip balm I can get a hold of, but I like chapstick lip moisturizer.
Week 9: I was pretty optimistic last week but this week my face has broken out with a vengence. It could have something to do with my period and I have also been very stressed out with other stuff. There are 3 small cysts on my face which feel like they will be around for a while, along with a bunch of smaller pimples. I mostly have acne on my cheeks, around my mouth and on my forehead. All of the former cysts around my jawline are now gone. I am having problems with the skin on my arms and hands which have been developing red, dry, raised, irritated spots. The rash that was on my hands is now gone. I am still on 50 mg a day.
Week 10: Face slightly less dry than last week. My face looks like it did when i first started on accutane small cysts around my face and breaking out again around my chin area. However, this was also a high stress week (father and brother visiting, working overtime, etc.). Feeling a bit down again about the acne. Cant' wait to start seeing some results. I have been using two types of soap on my face, swiitching back and forth. Dove moisturizing soap to Cetaphil. The dove, if used to frequently, makes my face red but the cetaphil makes it dryer? I don't know why. I am also am having problems with the skin on my arms and hands. They are very dry and have a rash that my boyfriend says is psorasis (sp?). It's really bothering me and I'm going to ask the dermatologist when I see him next.
