LauraHadley.co.uk: acne

acne

A Roaccutane Update

I began my Roaccutane journey in March and have since only made one update post as the whole situation ended up a bit more complicated than I would have anticipated. The appointments are only available to go to between 9am and 5pm so my partner has to take a half day off work in order for me to attend, but he had sorted it out with work. I was told that Roaccutane will stay in the system for a while, so after I'd had one appointment at the end of April cancelled and move to the middle of May, my acne all of a sudden started to come back despite me being told it wouldn't.

I found it hard to write updates as every appointment has been difficult in the sense of finding parking and paying for it, as up until recently I've not had a disabled blue badge. We've had to only use the hospital pharmacy which shuts at 5 and I've been given 4pm appointments sometimes so we've had to go back the following day to pick the medicine up. I've been seeing a few different Dermatologists and Nurse Specialists so I've not had consistent appointments; some have wanted to know a lot about what has been going on with my skin and mental health, and others have wanted me to be in and out and it's very confusing. I was hoping to start this journey and document it to help others but I genuinely wouldn't want someone to take everything I've said with the idea that that's how their own appointments would go, because it will differ from hospital to hospital. If I had the money I would have gone to a private Dermatologist but that isn't the case when as a couple we're living off one income that soon won't be enough to sustain us efficiently.

Unfortunately, I was supposed to attend my appointment yesterday but the battery in Andy's car went and we had to call recovery so I missed it. Now there's a two-week wait and I had been taking half dose of Roaccutane already as I keep getting scheduled appointments that are longer than 28 days apart. With a few months until the wedding day I am concerned, given that my spots have already started to come back with a half dose, never mind going cold turkey for a fortnight and then going back on the medicine. I wish I could increase my dosage too as the slight change in dosage and my spots just come back. I'm worried that I'll still end up having acne on my wedding day. There isn't much I can do aside from trying to request a specific Dermatologist appointment and hope Andy's work allows him to take me because I don't have anyone else to help and the hospital is too far away. I'm crossing my fingers that it all works out okay.

Roaccutane Month 1 Diary

In the middle of February, I saw my Dermatologist and she agreed to start my Roaccutane journey. I signed the form to agree I wouldn't get pregnant (a bit like this one) and we spoke about my dosage. I was going to start on 20mg for 7 days, then go onto 40mg. I had to do fasting blood tests once before I was signed off for the medication and once two weeks later to look at my lipids. I was warned that if my lipids went up too much I could be taken off the medicine as it alone can cause it, as can your diet.

My first fasting blood test was not pleasant. I am absolutely fine with regular blood tests and always make sure I eat and I usually have an electrolyte drink beforehand because of my POTS. Having a fasting blood test with POTS is bound to be a disaster, as no amount of water I drank beforehand actually hydrated me, and the nurse struggled to take blood as I was dehydrated. No salt that day and water not going into my blood flow meant I was in the worst possible state. I managed to get through the bloods, went around the corner in my wheelchair and I started to get vision problems. I tried to raise my legs in case of blood pooling but it's a bit hard when you can only put them out straight in front of you. We wheeled to the front of the shop inside the hospital and I started to feel really sick. I passed out, sat down. My head was rolling and I was so certain I'd be sick. My partner got some salty snacks and an electrolyte drink for me but it was too late. I just did not anticipate this happening. Once I'd got home I realised I had to do something about going for the next round of bloods as I couldn't keep doing this.
My GP prescribed me salt tablets to have a short while before having my bloods done and I took these just before leaving the house, about 40 minutes before the bloods were taken. I wore my compression socks to attempt to prevent blood pooling in my legs and feet. I made up a salty electrolyte drink to have immediately after the bloods were taken and on advice from my GP I brought along some salty crisps too. This time they used the smallest needle so I barely felt a thing, I wheeled back to the waiting room and ate my crisps and drank some of my drink. I went to the disabled loo and then wheeled to the shop. I was absolutely fine and it clearly showed how important salt is to POTS patients.
Yesterday I had my first follow up appointment where I did the urine sample (read my previous post to find out why I'm doing it differently) and they said after the second blood test my lipids were up and I had to remain on 40mg for the next month and then we will see what to do. I have to do another blood test and if the lipids are still up I have to drop back down to 20mg which I really don't want to do. The Dermatologist went through my symptoms: is my skin dry and sensitive, did I have headaches, have I had nose bleeds and so on. My lips have been the biggest problem so far, they sting and I need to apply Vaseline multiple times a day. I recently bought another product that I'm trying out so if it works I'll do a skincare post recommending what is currently working for me. The other big problem is my scalp. Before starting Roaccutane I often washed my hair once a week and this was mainly to refresh my curly hair. In January I got to 2 weeks before washing it and it didn't look greasy at all. I have washed my hair once since starting Roaccutane (I washed it the day I picked up the prescription) and my scalp went super dry and huge flakes appeared. I've bought a specialist shampoo by Eucerin to try to help so I can report back on that too. It's currently been 2 weeks since I've washed it and will wash it this week with the new shampoo, and a bond treatment to help repair my hair. Since the oil is depleting in my body I think I will try to oil my hair and scalp more often.
Spots wise, I had some nasty ones pop up every now and then on my face, and for some reason my shoulders too? I have acne on my face, neck, chest, back and thighs but have never really had spots on my shoulders. I've tried my best not to pick at all which has been going well. I have some blackheads that seem a bit raised but they've not changed since they came up. The texture of my skin has massively reduced and it's so odd touching my skin and it being smooth? I have been getting random flare-ups of hives (which I've already been diagnosed with, along with random red patches on my face. My skin also becomes warm where these patches are. I've been wearing SPF when leaving the house including SPF in lip balm as that's super important. I've bought some hats as well to give more protection from the sun by helping to shade my face and cover my scalp.
I've been watching Katie Snooks discuss her Roaccutane journey, both when her YouTube series came out and when the BBC Doc came out but also rewatching the series as now it's super relevant to me. I would highly recommend reading her blog posts about acne and Roaccutane if you're struggling like me too. I'm not going to be posting any photos until I've completed by Roaccutance journey. I know everyone's journey is different so I'd rather show a range of photos at the end to show a range of what my skin was like across the period.

I'm Starting Roaccutane For My Acne

I'm finally starting Roaccutane! I've had spots since I was 11 and they remained mostly on my forehead through my teenage years. By the time I went to University they were anywhere on my face and since I graduated I had acne on my face, particularly on my jawline, cheeks and neck, but also on my chest, thighs and back. It feels like it's everywhere and sometimes it's really quite sore. It particularly gets in the way when I get my partner to massage my back due to Fibromyalgia pain and these cystic spots hurt when you touch them. I have tried multiple different medications and creams/gels but nothing has worked so far. February 10th is the date I get my pills and I really hope it works. They have allowed me to do same-day urine sample tests instead of day-before blood tests due to me needing someone to bring me to the hospital and back. I've been watching content online and doing some reading so I'm going to write down things I can expect and things I'm going to do to prepare my skin.

Dry skin

I know it's going to dry my skin out, including my scalp which will affect my hair too. My GP has prescribed my Aquaderm to keep my skin moisturised and I've bought a big tub of Vaseline for my lips. My hair is naturally curly and dry so I only wash my hair once a week anyway. I don't wash it because it's greasy I wash it because I have product in my hair that needs rinsing out so I can start my curl routine again. I don't think this will change anything, aside from me looking at a shampoo with oil in to help my scalp.

Sun exposure

Your skin is more sensitive on Roaccutane so you must wear an SPF of at least 15. I plan on buying the La Roche Posay SPF 50 for when I'm outside and wearing an SPF 30 inside. At least I start my treatment in February so I have some time until the sun is high in the sky and really warm. I don't tend to go out in the sun a lot anyway as it's not good for my POTS.

Knowing things will get worse first

I have watched Katie Snooks' videos and she said multiple times to prepare for your skin to get worse before it gets better. I know that I need to be kind to myself and to my skin and a bit of patience and moisturiser is what I need. She also said not to pick your skin when on Roaccutane as it can make it worse so I'm going to try my hardest not to as hopefully I will only have to be on one course of it so I need to make every day count.

Mental Health

Another side effect of Roaccutane changes to your mental health. You can get "anxiety, aggression and violence, changes in mood or suicidal thoughts". I have already been diagnosed with depression and anxiety since I was 16 due to problems at my previous home and I have been managing well for the last few years. I still have bouts of both depression and anxiety, as you would because they don't ever fully go away. I am expecting for some changes in my mental health and I am being fully honest and open with my partner and my lovely future Father-in-law and Stepmum-in-law. I will promise to update my best friend and my favourite online friend Kirstie as both of them know my history well too.

Sunglasses are a must

With the effects of the medicine kicking in, my eyes will most likely be dry and sensitive to the sunlight. Well, with Fibromyalgia they are already sensitive to both sunlight and artificial lights, so I am fully expecting this to get worse. Along with my glasses, I'll bring sunglasses everywhere with me to try to prevent migraines.

i think the next thing I need to do is buy other skincare including SPF so I am fully prepared. If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear about it on my Twitter on Instagram. The more I read people's experiences the more I understand what I should and shouldn't do.

Saying Yes To Accepting Your Skin*

It's taken quite a while for me to accept my skin, and I've realised that it is okay to have spots and it's okay to go out without having a full face of makeup. Everyone is different and we all have our own priorities when it comes to skin care depending on your skin type. I have combination skin and I like trying out products that will help unclog my skin and fix the worst blemishes that I sometimes get when I'm having a low self-confidence day. I've been lucky enough to try out some of the skincare products from Yes to and take some different pictures than I'd usually take for the blog. I'd heard of Yes to before but never tried anything out, as I've had a bit of a weird journey when it comes to skincare. My skin changes throughout the year, and right now it's in-between seasons so my skin is really struggling. It's great to try out some of their charcoal and tomatoes products to see if they make a difference.

Yes to have been around since 2006 and have been developing beauty products made from fruit and vegetables. The brand has experienced rapid growth in the US and has been the fastest growing natural beauty brand. Every one of the Yes to products has at least 95% natural ingredients and contain no parabens. None of their products includes any chemical sunscreens or any other harmful ingredients as well as the brand being cruelty-free and a certified member of the Leaping Bunny Program.

I have tried a number of face masks and enjoy using them as a soothing and relaxing way to cleanse your skin. The single-use Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask (£2.99) is designed for combination & blemish prone skin. It contains charcoal and salicylic acid to get rid of the impurities and also helping to maintain clear skin. Another one of their masks is the Detoxifying Charcoal Sleeping Mask (£2.99) which is suitable for all skin types. This single-use mask is designed to be used after one of their other masks, or even on its own and should result in your skin feeling clean, soft and super smooth. You won't have to worry about wearing it to bed as it will not transfer onto your pillow. The last full face single-use mask I received is the Blemish Fighting Paper Mask (£2.99) for those with combination & blemish prone skin. Created using salicylic acid and tomato extracts and works in two ways. Firstly to eliminate any current blemishes, and secondly to help prevent any new ones.

One of the products that I was keen to try was the 2-Step Nose Kit: Buh-Bye Clogged Pores! (£4.99). Any skin types can use this product and helps to clean out those pores to leave you with a clean nose. You apply the charcoal cleanser with the large bud applicator to help detox the area and rinse when you are done. While the nose area is still wet, you apply the nose strip which helps to remove blackheads, as well as oil and dirt to give a deep clean. You get that strange satisfaction when peeling off the nose strips and I'd love if they had some larger area ones of these. I've seen targetted spot treatments before but I haven't come across is the Blemish Fighting Zit Zapping Dots (£7.99) which come in a pack of 24 and will work for combination & acne prone skin. They are small adhesive pads that you apply to individual spots so that you can target the problem area which I really like the idea of.

Sometimes you may not have time to sit down and apply one of the other products, so having something like the Blemish Clearing Facial Wipes (£3.99) would be ideal. Designed more for those with combination & blemish prone skin, these wipes can help clear and heal your skin while targetting issues such as acne as well as assisting with controlling oil. I appreciate a good mud mask as I feel like they are the most authentic type of mask. The Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask (£11.99) can be used for all skin types and is designed to give you the most luxurious experience to cleanse your skin. Helping with impurities and preventing blemishes, this creamy mask will help you to relax. Another product for any skin type is the Detoxifying Charcoal 2-in-1 Scrub & Cleanser Stick (£9.99). If you want something that can exfoliate and cleanse at the same time, this stick could be for you. The charcoal powder will help to remove any excess oil and impurities while the tomato extract ensures your skin if left naturally clear.

If you have acne prone skin then this cleanser may be perfect for you. The Detoxifying Charcoal Cleanser (£8.99) contains jojoba spheres which allow for a gentle exfoliation, with the purifying ingredients helping to clear your skin without drying it out. Something that you can quickly pop on and then carry on with your day is the Daily Repair Treatment (£11.99). This product absorbs quickly into your skin, doesn't contain and oil and won't clog the skin. It's so light that you will barely notice you are wearing it and can be worn alone or with a light layer of moisturiser such as the Daily Balancing Moisturiser (£11.99). It is packed full of antioxidants to help nourish and even out your skin. It's a great way to ensure your skin stays hydrated and can be applied to both your skin and neck on a regular basis.

As I mentioned before, it's okay to be comfortable with the skin you have but sometimes you may want to tackle particular problem areas. If you want to try out natural skincare products then you can check out the Zit Zapping Dots or the Blemish Clearing Facial Wipes in Sainsbury's or any of the other products in Boots.

This is a sponsored post

Post contains press samples