End of Week 2: Epiduo

i still break out a lot! My face has gone bad! I feel very ugly! my face is worst! but im still not giving up on epiduo, im giving it few more weeks and see if it'll work. I also already asked my doctor if she can prescribe me accutane. i will be going on a laboratory test tomorrow to see if i am qualified, so my doctor can decide if i can use accutane. she said they only reserve accutane for severe cases. well there is no doubt i have severe acne. Accutane should be avoided as much as possible because of its side effects but it is sure effective. she also scheduled me for a chemical peel and injection. she did not explained so much about these two but i'll ask her when i go back to her clinic. anyway here's my case at the end of this week. :( :( :(

On week two my doctor added tea tree face wash and 2% clindamycin lotion to my regimen.

i am actually not going out of my house! good thing it's vacation. hopefully my face gets better before school. please keep in touch i'll be posting more updates! i have hopes that these acne curse will be gone soon!

End of Week 1: Epiduo

Unlike other epiduo users, i did not experience drying and burning during the first week. my skin felt a little dry but it was bearable. i just experienced a little itching after applying the gel. i also make sure that i apply a very thin layer. it is important to follow what your doctor is saying. during the first week, my face got more breakouts, big zits are everywhere and i got two cystic acne. one along the jaw line and one on my lower right cheek near the mouth. Here's my photo at the end of the first week. i actually don't want to show this to anyone but i think i have to do this for full documentation.

i know it's gross. it's still red but that's nothing compared to when i was using everything that my first doctor gave me. my self-esteem really did subside. i don't even go out with my friends anymore. i continued the use of epiduo. according to some reviews, this is called the purging phase. this means that epiduo is working on bacteria on your skin which results to new pimple and more zits. 

Dermatologist

It was February 2015 when  my mom decided to bring me to a dermatologist. i was so relieved. My dermatologist gave me the following:

1.      Dermosone (oral meds)

2.      Clindamycin (oral antibiotic)

3.      Astringent

4.      Acne lotion

5.      Bpo gel and mupirocin ointment ( mix before applying to face) 

6.      Sunscreen (morning)

7.      Anti-hyperpigmentation cream (evening)

3-5 are applied twice every day. First week was heaven, zits and bumps were gone. It was fast. Only acne marks remained. I go back to her clinic once a week for comedone extraction, this is to prevent future break outs. On the second week, I started to get zits again, she gave me doxycyclin in replacement for clindamycin, I took it for two weeks. Third week I started to get more breakouts, the same on the fourth week.on th fifth week, my face was all red and burning. She prescribed me again clindamycin but made it 3 times a day (used to be twice). Everything just stopped working so I decided to goto another dermatologist.

My second doctor asked me to stop everything (those that my first derma gave me). I did not use any face wash during the first week. She prescribed me epiduo gel and papulex oil-free cream, and cold milk compress. Here’s the routine:

1.      Wash face with water only

2.      Cold milk compress (add a tsp of salt)

-          To make this, you’ll need a small basin, cracked ice, 2 glasses of water, salt, and about ¼ glass milk. Mix altogether, get a clean face towel and use it as a compress. You can find this on youtube.

3.      Apply epiduo before bed time

4.      Apply papulex oil-free cream in the morning.

Cold milk compress is used to reduce redness. During the first week, burning and redness was gone but I get more break outs, this is because of epiduo gel.

Epiduo Gel: Epiduo gel contains both adapalene and benzoyl peroxide. You can just google it. Articles about this gel says face “Gets worst before it gets better”. Make sure to apply only a pea-size of this because it burns and may irritate your face. And apply it only once a day.

On my second week, my doctor gave me a new routine:

1.      Tea tree facial wash

2.      Cold salt compress

3.      2% clindamycin lotion

4.      Epiduo gel (evening)

5.      Papulex oil-free cream (morning)

1-3 are used twice a day. I did not see much improvement during the second week but acne started to dry. I am now on my third week and already thinking of taking accutane, tomorrow I will go for a laboratory test to know if I am qualified to use it.

Overview

Hi Everyone! I created this blog so i could share this story to those who have the same problem with me. ACNE. If you are reading this, you are probably on the same curse (lol). i want you to know that you are not alone. i feel the same embarrassment and the feeling of wanting to cry everytime i look into the mirror, every morning waking up with new zits, pus and blood on pillow case. I also avoid going out as much as possible, except when i have to go to school.

I am currently having a hard time, and i've been to two dermatologists and nothing seems to work. i'll be posting here my weekly progress. i'll provide photos and updates as much as i can!
Here's my photo before i get acne:

Background: I started getting few pimples when I was 15. It doesn’t bother me during those times; I only get one bump once in a while. After high school I still get a number of zits on my face but it’s not that bad and I did not even worry. July 2014 came and I was already in a university when I started to see lots of small bumps that looked like there’s something in it. It wasn’t noticeable but I was bothered. I used over the counter products (I’ve been doin this since 15) such as face wash and toners to take care of my face. It was October 2014 when I finally broke out and that’s when terrible things started to happen. Large zits appeared on my jaw, it hurt so bad. I even wake up with blood and pus on my pillow case. From jaw line to chin, to cheeks and forehead. Good thing my T-zone don’t get any.