combination skin

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.




La Roche Posay Effaclar Skincare


I've been trying to look after my skin for a few years now and understanding it has been harder than I thought it would have been. I've got combination skin and sometimes the skincare I've used hasn't worked well with my makeup, so naturally, I only ended up favouring the makeup. Finding products that balance out dry patches and oily skin seems to be a mission in itself. La Roche Posay created the Effaclar skincare range that is designed for blemish and acne-prone skin that's naturally oily.


The Effaclar Duo (+) is a spot treatment that corrects and hydrates the skin for clearer skin in just four weeks. It's a dual-action daily gel moisturiser that reduces the appearance of blackheads and spots, controls shine and helps protect the skin from brown and red coloured marks that are often left behind after you've had a spot. It's gentle and is suitable for sensitive skin, and I've found that wearing it for a short while before applying makeup doesn't encourage excess oil by the end of the day which is revolutionary. It contains Niacinamide to reduce the appearance of spots, Lipo Hydroxy acid and Salicylic acid to unclog blocked pore, Zinc to control sebum, Procerad to help reduce the appearance of coloured marks, and finally, Glycerin to keep the skin nourished. I've been using for a while, and after a horrible outbreak of acne in October/November, my skin has improved a lot. Of course I'm still getting spots, but they're nowhere near as bad as they were. I was recommended this product years ago but didn't pick it up, and now I'll be replacing this when I've run out.


The Effaclar Purifying Clay Mask is a dermatological clay mask clinically proven to unclog pores, control shine and cleanse impurities that are caused by pollution. I love clay masks, especially when I feel like they actually do something to your skin. The Effaclar Purifying Clay Mask gently absorbs excess sebum to control shine making the skin feel fresh and reduces the appearance of blackheads overall. The ingredients include Argilla to absorb sebum without over-drying the skin, kaolin to target and remove sebum from deep inside the skin (which mattifies over time), Panthenol B to soothe the skin and Cellubeads to remove impurities for an in-depth cleansing action. La Roche Posay claims that it has a 'magnet-like ability' to absorb the smallest impurities. I've been using this once a week so far along with the Effaclar Duo (+) and my skin is a lot softer and clearer. I still have issues with my pores and occasional excess oil but this can be down to other factors.



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