#using differin and going through The Purge

[ichimu]

I don't know if this is a good time. But it's been so long since we've seen you is there any chance of a selfie?

my skin is Going Through It rn so that shall not be happening despite having re-dyed my hair ☹️

[rwwg82]

IS TRETINOIN TERRIFYINGLY TRAGIC, OR TRULY TERRIFIC???

Let’s start out with normal questions that we all have about “anti-aging”. What I find so bizarre is that it seems rather taboo to talk about with your closest friends. Or at least in my groups of girlfriends. I ask myself (even as I’m typing this), “WHY?” Why do we not talk openly about such issues that WE ALL ARE GOING THROUGH???? I reflected upon this EXACT question in late May, at the beach with my girlfriends from middle school/high school.

My conclusion?

I think we don’t talk about it because we are ashamed (deep down-yeahhh, all the way down there) that we have succumbed to methods to make us look more youthful….because we are now THAT AGE. Like, we don’t want to admit we are in our 40’s and have to PAY to look younger, and it’s not naturally “God given” youthful looks and awesome genetics.

So, we secretly do it, and pretend we look THIS GOOD…NATURALLY 😂

Okay, so fast forward to the beginning of June. I was on a plane with the preteen (I’ll only refer to her as such, but her name is SUPER DOPE ((duh)) 😂), and an article in a magazine (yes, a physical one), caught my attention.

It was TRETINOIN. WTAF is that? Why is it so “life changing”? Where has this been my entire adult life?

It’s basically…wait for it…..

Retin-A.

Ummmm, I thought that was zit cream. I mean, it is, but it helps with so many other things, including ANTI-AGING!!!

Okay, I read the article, the testimonials, looked at every before/after picture with a magnifying glass, and even started Googling it-because it was THAT convincing.

After I decided I would get on the T-Train (Tretinoin train 😂), I (again) started my research. Turns out it is prescription only. I for some reason thought maybe it was like DIFFERIN gel, as in it is now over the counter, but it’s not. Although DIFFERIN gel (adapalene) is a retinoid also, and a very effective one, they are not the same.

“While both Differin and Retin-A increase cell turnover via the same binding process, Differin does so more gently, since it binds to just one type of receptor. Retin-A, however, binds to all three subtypes of receptors, making it a more potent option with a deeper exfoliation of the skin.”

So, next I had to figure out how I was going to get a prescription. I didn’t (technically) have a dermatologist that I saw on a regular basis (besides Botox twice a year), and I didn’t have any skin issues to address (I only would address wrinkles/aging-which would probably turn into more Botox). With all of that said, I did what any grown woman would do…I called my very best girlfriend…duh.

Doesn’t everyone kinda get an idea in their head, then think of all of your girlfriends and who out of all of them could probably help out with their connections? Well I do 😂. Anyways, to make a long story short, my girlfriend had some tretinoin in her toiletry bag at the beach, so I reached out to her after all of this research to see where she got hers (she couldn’t help), so I eventually decided to try #AGENCYSkincare

This all started about a few weeks ago. I’ve been using it at night along with their cleanser and moisturizer so far, and my skin is looking better already. I know that I am to really to expect a good bit until I can tell you (for sure) that it’s totally worth the money and time. But, if you are on the fence about starting this process, I left links down below to help with all of the questions that I had, and much needed advice on what to expect. And I left #AGENCYSkincare link too because it has a promo going on (which was part of my justification of starting this journey as well).

Soooo, to answer my own question above, it is TRULY TERRIFIC!

[pallasathenagroup]

Acne Medication

~majority of treatments are not a cure for acne. acne can come back after you stop using the treatment but this is not true for everyone. one "cure" is accutane but it may not be a permanent solution for people suffering from hormonal acne.~

1. OTC

a. benzoyl peroxide (bp)

works by decreasing the amount of acne causing bacteria on skin (by drying them out). can cause sun sun sensitivity and dryness. apply at night and use a sunscreen and good moisturizer. keep out of eye and mouth area

b. salicylic acid (sa)

increases skin cell turnover causing skin cells to shed. same side effects as bp same directions as bp. c. differin-also increases skin cell turnover but at a more rapid rate. this is the only OTC retinoid available and has been the mainstay of acne and anti aging treatments for many years. the active ingredient is adapalene 0.1%. there are other retinoids available at different strengths but they require a prescription. there has been concern that the use of topical retinoids may cause birth defects akin to accutane but evidence is lacking. however, they still recommend women who are pregnant or breastfeeding to avoid use. differin makes other products but those don't have the active ingredient; gel is the only one with it. same side effects and directions listed above. can use every other night until your skin gets used to it.

2. prescription

a. antibiotics

common antibiotics are doxycycline and bactrim. with the increase in antibiotic resistance, this treatment has fallen out of favor. there has been a lack of data showing long term benefit in reduction of acne with use. most treatments require at least 90 days of medication compliance to show effects but long term antibiotic use can have negative consequences of disrupting your normal gut flora (causing digestive issues etc). can cause nausea/vomiting/diarrhea sun sensitivity depending on the medication prescribed. take as directed.

b. birth control (bc-oral, hormonal) (female only)

has the added benefit of contraception and possible treatment of painful/heavy/irregular periods. the two bc that are FDA approved for acne are YAZ and OrthoTri Cyclin Lo (but others can be used too; these have just been studied and proven to help with acne). these have been available for a long time so many generics exist. it's also possible to get these from online prescription companies. works extremely well for hormonal acne but depending on the person, acne can return once you stop taking it. acne can flare when you start taking it and it takes 3 months for your body to get used to the medication/hormones to regulate. there are certain women who should not take bc: preggos, women over 35, women who are obese, women who smoke, and women who have a history (personal or family) of blood clots or a clotting disorder. bc has a bad rep but has worked well for many people. there's side effects but they vary person to person. one side effect to watch out for (very rare) is blood clots. they typically start in your lower leg and can cause pain, redness, and shortness of breath. CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY IF THIS HAPPENS. this risk is increased if you are in the groups listed above who aren't recommended to take bc or live an extremely non active life. using bc and antibiotics together can decrease the contraceptive effects of bc; use a second form of contraception. take as directed.

c. topical retinoids

see above (differin). there's various retinoids available as prescriptions and at different strengths. your derm/doc can work with you to decide which is best. there are also combo topical retinoid/bp/antibiotic products but aren't prescribed as often due to costs. side effects and usage would be the same as each single entity.

d. spironolactone

not FDA approved but is used off label for acne. historically a (really bad) blood pressure medication. commonly used in women with PCOS or M->F hormone replacement therapy (much higher dose). spironolactone is an anti-androgen (blocks male hormones->decreases hormonal acne). it's typically prescribed with hormonal birth control. can cause birth defects so use 2 forms of contraception and don't get preggo/breastfeed on it. it is a diuretic so it is going to make you pee frequently and dehydrate you. with dehydration comes dryness (everywhere) dizziness and headaches. keep up water intake and have a good moisturizing routine. be careful going from a sitting/laying to standing position. it's a "potassium sparing diuretic" meaning you will hold onto potassium more if you take it. this isn't an issue for young, healthy people but your doc will have you get periodic blood tests to monitor your potassium levels. don't go crazy and eat a bunch of bananas when you're on this. not recommended for men (causes man boobies and blocks male hormones). takes about 3 months to show effects. take as directed. i recommend taking it in the morning/daylight hours so you aren't waking up at night to pee.

e. accutane

accutane has been on the market for many many years and is known to be the only "cure" for acne. (this may not be true for people with hormonal acne) it has an incredibly high success rate but comes with a lot of warnings, precautions, and side effects. main side effect: DRYNESS. LITERALLY EVERYWHERE. basically, only use gentle products with NO ACTIVE INGREDIENTS DO NOT EXFOLIATE. increase your water intake, use moisturizers, sunscreen eyedrops etc. no tanning, no waxing, no lasers, no threading (may vary). leave your body tf alone when you're taking it. check out youtube and reddit for resources when starting treatment. along with dryness, it can cause joint pain(common)/tendon rupture(rare) since the cushions on your joints are water and collagen based. its not recommended to start a new or strenuous workout when you start this medication. another (prob most famous) side effect is depression. this is not a common side effects but it is thought to worsen depression and suicidal ideation in patients with pre existing depression. there's a lot of hoops you need to jump through to start treatment. your derm/doc will go over all of these with you but i'll give you a basic overview. accutane causes horrific birth defects to the fetus in pregnant women. this is well documented. it is important that women do not get pregnant or breast feed during this time. you will be asked to sign a waiver every month (called iPLEDGE) stating that you are aware of this and that you will use 2 forms of contraception. your doctor will more than likely start you on a form of bc when you start treatment. it will ask you to list the contraception. along with the waiver, you will need to take a pregnancy test and a liver test monthly (the liver test is to make sure your triglyceride levels aren't getting high since its a possible side effect). you will also need to meet with your doctor monthly to keep track of side effects, worsening etc. your pharmacist will also be on your iPLEDGE and ask you a series of questions before dispensing the medication to you. you will be given the same info every time. listen to it. every. time. therapy on accutane is 6 months. you will start with a low dose and slowly work to the highest. this is a very serious medication and it is important that you are diligent when you take it. stay on top of iPLEDGE, doctors appointment, preg/blood tests, everything. the severity of side effects can vary from people to people as well. this is why its important you keep in contact with your doctor and pharmacist if you notice something has changed. take the medication at the same time every day and take with a high fat meal to aid digestion. it has a scary and daunting list of potential side effects but people have had wonderful results with the treatment and it has been a cure for many. there are a lot of accutane resources available online (youtube, reddit) along with people documenting their journey. i would recommend watching/reading those before you decide to start therapy.

tldr; typically, if you are treatment naive (never used any acne treatment before) your doc will start you out with OTC treatments and lifestyle/dietary changes. if that doesn't work, they can prescribe antibiotics (unsure if people still do), birth control, or spironolactone. you can use a topical retinoid along with these medications (as per your doc's choice) accutane is considered to be the big guns and not used until other therapies have failed since its a serious medication that requires the patient to be responsible. i'm pretty sure accutane (brand name) isn't available anymore but the generic is isotretinoin. all treatments have a risk of purging so your acne can get way worse before it gets better. it's important to give it 3 months (full skin cell cycle turnover) to see if its working for you.

DISCLAIMER:

i am not your healthcare provider. i don't know anything about you or your health/medication history. everything i wrote is just a general overview of medications/treatments available and is a inclusive but not exhaustive list. your doc and pharmacist will go over all side effects/directions/precautions with you. if your doc tells you something different, LISTEN TO YOUR DOC. do your own research on top of this, do not use as a tool to diagnose; it is only intended to give general information. this list is only relevant to those in the US with providers who follow FDA guidelines/recommendations. i hope this helps; lmk if i can clarify anything. <3

[quimitjudgsynd1973-blog]

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[formerlyanon]

Skincare thoughts

Skincare has been my self care for the past two years - it’s been fun taking the time to see what works, I do not want or expect instant results. Stuff that claims that is almost always a lying scam, unless you don’t take care of your skin and start doing basic cleansers or a moisturizer for your skintype.

I didn’t take care of myself at all until I was almost 20. Nothing worked on my face from the time I was 9 years old due to horrific hormones. I already didn’t brush my hair most days, I tried a million acne solutions and NOTHING WORKED. Admittedly many of them were just plain bad, shoved on me by a million relatives who didn’t know better but were competing amongst themselves to get the one available young AFAB relative under their wing. The products thankfully didn’t make things worse, and it’s amazing I came through with no heavy scarring due to this period because SURPRISE as a result of scrutiny and anxiety I developed severe skinpicking issues that remain to this day - I’m still tackling that.

I’ve found a routine that works for me and I have clear skin now. I’m fading the last of my old marks and hope this will continue as we switch seasons in the spring - I need a very light morning moisturizer before my sunscreen in the winter, which I did not need last winter or over the summer. Adding Differin a month ago hasn’t made things worse or unbearable, there’s skin flaking but the morning moisturizer largely keeps that in check. I’m slowly reintroducing the AHA that I know my skin loves to tackle it as well.

AM routine - splash with water, cosrx snail 96 serum, sunscreen (am currently using a Nivea gel, will go back to my biore standard once it is used up)

PM routine - cerave hydrating cleanser, differin, cosrx AHA (every other day), cosrx snail 96, a sheet mask on the nights I feel like it, hada labo gel cream moisturizer (on the days I use the aha), cerave pm moisturizer

I’ve been on the differin a month since it went OTC instead of prescription. It’s been the final push to keep my cheeks clear and I’ve had no breakouts since it began, I expected a small purge but nothing yet. The three month mark will be what makes it or breaks it but dear god so far it is a godsend. 

I never expected to have clear skin. Working towards it is surreal and my routine helps keep me grounded. We’re going through crazy shit right now but I have this to rely on.

[bacardis-leghair]

going to start using differin this summer i think so i can go through the purging phase before school starts