Acne and oily hair solutions?

It strikes me as really strange that they aren't running those tests, because it’s actually mandatory!!! Accutane is basically a derivative of Vitamin A. Please, just tell them you need your levels checked...
It's standard procedure here, since if your triglyceride or cholesterol levels spike, they'll have to dial back the dosage or even stop the treatment entirely! Don't take any risks with this...

A friend of mine was on Accutane last year, and they had her getting blood work done every three or four weeks at her doctor's office in Chicago.

So, I’m wondering about getting blood work done... honestly, they haven't even bothered to bug me about it yet. But everything seems fine—I had surgery about two or three weeks ago, and if anything were actually wrong, I’m pretty sure they would have noticed by now.
I was just down at the beach, catching a little sun (you gotta pay for it after all, right $6.75!), and nothing happened. Not even a hint of redness, just a slight tan...
I went back and re-read the Accutane instructions again: apparently, the heavy complications usually kick in when you're taking higher doses than your body can handle. They suggest around 0.5mg/kg, and since I'm on 30mg a day at my weight of 47kg, it feels totally manageable. Even my dry lips aren't a huge deal anymore; I just slather them with some local balm or aloe vera before bed and call it a night...
Can someone please explain this to me: the manual says you shouldn't be out in the sun, but then it says UV therapy is okay...

Just bumping this thread so the folks here who actually know their stuff might be able to weigh in and help me out.

So, do topical Vitamin A derivatives actually get absorbed into your bloodstream? Basically, is using an Accutane-based cream just as risky as taking the actual pills?

Thanks!

Sophia Miller5 said:I’m just bumping this thread because I want to get some input from the people here who actually know what they’re talking about. Maybe then someone can finally help me out.

So, here's my question: do topical Vitamin A derivatives actually get absorbed into your bloodstream? Basically, is using a cream with the same active ingredients just as risky as taking Accutane in pill form?

Thanks!

quoting:
Absorption of adapalene through human skin is low. Only trace amounts (<0.25 ng/mL) of parent substance have been found in the plasma of acne patients following chronic topical application of adapalene in controlled clinical trials. Excretion appears to be primarily by the biliary route.

Is it just me, or are women the only ones constantly complaining about acne? Why am I the only guy here actually sharing what happened to me? 😕

After dealing with a bunch of terrible doctors and useless advice, I finally stumbled onto some semi-alternative solutions.

One of them actually involved black radish.
Yeah, that ugly, lumpy, bitter thing that grows in the spring and fall.

Just grate it up, add some salt, and eat it once a day.
At least in my case, I felt all those deep, cystic breakouts and stuff start to clear up within a week or two.
I’d say stick with it for at least a month to be safe.

Give it a shot—it doesn't cost anything, and if it actually works for you, you can buy me a six-pack of Budweiser.
🙂

My brother is breaking out like crazy
and he’s got a mountain of face washes, lotions, tonics, creams, spot treatments, soothing gels, peeling masks... the whole works.
I mean, I have all this stuff, but it’s not like he can’t get to it.
He uses one of those things maybe once every two months.

And honestly? I wouldn't touch any of that drugstore nonsense ever again.
When I was younger—like 11, 12, 13 years old—my face looked like a literal minefield.
Back then, I was using stuff like benzoyl peroxide.
And right when my mom bought these blue pillowcases and duvet covers with little bird patterns on them,
the color actually bleached right off the fabric where my face touched it after applying the gel.
(Look, I know you're only supposed to apply it to the affected spots, but I wasn't exactly picking and choosing just the area around my eyes.)
So you tell me—what kind of heavy-duty chemicals are in that stuff?

Now that my hormones have leveled out, I discovered Clear+, and even though I still get some breakouts during PMS, compared to how bad it used to be, this is amazing.

I was actually asking questions on this forum just a few months back—and honestly, I really appreciate everyone here who helped me find a decent dermatologist. Much appreciated.
Things have taken a MASSIVE turn for the better after, I think, about a week? I can't quite remember the exact day, but the improvement has been night and day.
My doctor put me on two specific topical treatments (one of them is Cleocin T 👍), which I apply every morning and evening—it’s pretty much become part of my daily routine by now.
All those fancy creams and lotions I tried before didn't do a thing for me; this is what actually works.

I honestly don't get why everyone is so terrified of Accutane. I'm starting my first dose tomorrow and all those horror stories aren't really doing anything to spook me. It’s not like doctors are just handing this stuff out like candy if it was actually as dangerous as people claim...
Let's be real, none of those fancy creams or lotions are going to touch a serious breakout...
I've already cycled through antibiotics and Yasmin... now my dermatologist has me on Accutane paired with Yasmin.

Look, Sarah Murphy8, it clearly works—that’s why they sell it—but you better watch out so you don't end up with cerebral palsy.
The way I see it, about a third of patients see a massive improvement, another third see absolutely nothing change, and then that final third ends up facing cerebral palsy and infertility. Is being that pretty really worth the risk?
🙄

Gary Johnson7... oh please, stop bullshitting me.

Honestly, using a cream with the same base isn't really that big of a deal.
Anyway, I’m actually starting Accutane in a few months! I’m not quite 16 yet, so I can't start just yet because of the stuff regarding bone growth (from what I've gathered, those pills can cause your bones to stop growing prematurely). I've been doing a ton of reading on the medication, and honestly, if you just stick to the exact dosage your doctor prescribes, there shouldn't be any massive issues, right?

Terry Martinez5 said:I honestly don't get why everyone is freaking out over Accutane. I’m starting my course tomorrow and all those horror stories aren't really doing anything to scare me—I mean, doctors aren't just handing this stuff out like candy if it was actually that dangerous... they wouldn't keep it on the shelves if it was...
all those fancy creams, lotions, and whatever else can't touch a serious breakout...
I've tried antibiotics and Yasmin... now my dermatologist has me on Accutane along with Yasmin

I'm on the exact same regimen—been at it for four months now.
Things started off fine, though my skin never truly cleared up completely, and then about two weeks ago everything just went south again... so now I'm running every test under the sun to figure out what's going on.
My OBGYN mentioned that my cycle is totally regular despite being on Yasmin, so maybe that's what triggered the flare-up.
The only thing that's got me confused is that the Accutane hasn't really been doing much to help yet...

I’m curious—what kind of products would you suggest for someone who doesn't have severe acne but just wants to clear up their complexion and get that glow back?