Alright today I took my 20th pill out of the 30, and so far everything is going good! I haven’t broken out, not even with one pimple since the last time I updated, which is a super good feeling by itself! I must say though my skin defiantly is definitely drying up more and more each day, and my chin and the area around it is starting to peel. I have to start putting on two layers of moisturizer everyday now otherwise my skin gets too dry, and I’m putting on Chap Stick for my lips every couple of hours. Other than that the only other thing I’m noticing is that I’m getting headaches a lot; I have had a headache every afternoon since this Friday. They’re not super bad are anything, just annoying, and I’m not sure if it’s actually from the Accutane or just drinking too much water. I’ve been drinking so much water to make sure that I stay hydrated that I’m peeing about 3-4 times every hour, and I read that drinking too much water can give you headaches. So I’m going to lay off the water a little bit and see if that helps. Also I noticed my lower back gets sore whenever I bend over to pick something up, or whenever I’m doing certain exercises, so I’m thinking of getting a lifting belt to support my back some while I’m lifting. Other than that everything is going smoothly and my skin is changing significantly for the better, which I’m surprised because I heard it takes months for Accutane to work! Just the fact that I haven’t had a new pimple in 8 days is a great feeling in itself and I’m glad that I decided to finally start Accutane!


I’m actually going to have my monthly blood-test tomorrow, and then I’m having my first dermatologist appointing since starting the Tane a couple of days after that. I really think my dermatologist is going to be surprised at how well my skin is doing in such a short amount of time, but I’ll update you guys in a couple of days!



-jpc

Some Acne History For Ya!

Thought it would be cool to read up on a little bit of Acne history, read this article real quick from: articlealley.com, it’s interesting!

Acne is known to affect people even before humans could write. Some Egypt writings mention that Pharaohs used to suffer with Acne. It seems that the word ‘Acne’ was invented in ancient Greece as people from there were also affected by this disorder.

Here are some of the ways people used to treat Acne depending on the period they lived in:

In ancient Rome, Acne was treated with baths. They used hot mineral water, combined with sulfur. Celsius on of the writers of Rome mentioned of this treatment in the book called ‘De Medicina’.

Until 1800, the people did not discover any more useful treatments against Acne and have continuously used sulfur as they saw it can dry and exfoliate the skin.

In 1920, people began to use Benzoyl Peroxide which is still used nowadays. We can find it in the composition of the anti-Acne cream called ‘Brevoxyl’ in a concentration of 4%.

In 1930, Laxatives were being used for treating the affection called ‘Chastity pustules’. People thought that virgins could not eliminate toxins from their body as they did not have any sexual contact so they generally used laxatives against Acne. Still, they were not far from the truth as nowadays doctors know that constipation can be a cause of Acne as toxins accumulate in the body but sex has nothing to do with eliminating toxins.

In 1950, antibiotics were finally used in treating Acne caused by germs. Most of all, tetracycline was used with great results, but nowadays it is no longer used as it has lost her effect against some skin germs and her place was taken by more powerful antibiotics.

1960 is the year when ‘Tretionine’, also known as ‘Retin A’ was discovered to have a benefic effect against Acne. Later on the oral Isotretionine was made and the battle against Acne became easier. These products are still used nowadays with the same great effects on Acne. They are mostly used by US people.

In 1980, a famous anti-Acne product called ‘Accutane’ appeared in the American market. Its results on an Acne skin are astonishing and that is why it is still used in 2007.

In 1990, Laser Therapy made its first steps in treating Acne and now it has perfected in such a way that it does not only cure Acne but it can clear the skin from recent and even old scars left by Acne. Of course the process if quite expensive but the result of laser therapy is a perfectly normal skin which all people suffering of Acne are dreaming of. Further more, it does not hurt at all and you are not obliged to hide in the house for a few days as you have to do after chemical peeling procedures.

In 2000, the blue/red therapy has developed along with laser therapy and Acne can be treated easily.

Seeing what our ancestors did to cure Acne shows us how the humanity has evolved and also makes people suffering of Acne hope, that in a few years they will not have to deal with this infection any more.

Everything else is going alright, I’ll update you on the Accutane in a couple of days.

-Jpc

Ance and Pimples In Dogs and Other Pets

Did you know that common household pets can get pimples and acne just like humans can? Here read this article from petcare.suite101.com its interesting!

"Acne can affect pets of all species and ages, and diagnosing and treating these skin lesions in a timely manner can promote healing, while lessening the chance for the formation of serious and painful infections like abscesses.

According to Dr. Michael Levine, DVM, acne comes in two common forms. The more traditional pimple forms when dirt, bacteria or dead skin cells block a pore, leading to inflammation and infection. The sebaceous cyst forms when a skin pore or hair follicle is blocked, leading to the accumulation of sebum, an oil that keeps the skin moist and supple. The sebum cannot escape, so it builds up beneath the skin’s surface.

Pimples are often seen alongside blackheads in pets, which occur when oils accumulate inside a pore. Oxidation occurs when the oils come in contact with the air, resulting in a “black” appearance in the pore.

Common locations for pimples in pets include the face, muzzle and under on the cat or dog's chin. Oils from foods and dirt from sniffing and exploring the world can clog pores, leading to a bout of acne. Plastic food bowls are also notorious for triggering break-outs in pets, as minute scratches in the plastic’s surface harbor bacteria which is then transferred to the pet’s face during meal time.

The stomach and chest are also common areas for the formation of pimples and cysts in dogs, cats and other pets, as the thin fur in these areas, combined with the close proximity to the ground, allows for easy contamination of the skin’s surface which in turn leads to pore and follicular blockages. Pimples are often more easily noticed on the chest and stomach due to the thinner fur in these regions.

Puppies and other juvenile animals are often more prone to developing acne than adults, as hormones are also believed to play a factor.

Frequent bathing is another common cause of cysts and pimples in pets. The shampoo strips the skin of its natural oils, triggering an increase in oil production, which results in clogged pores, follicles and infection.

Cysts and pimples in pets vary in terms of their treatment. Pimples are generally small pockets of infection that will develop and begin draining relatively quickly and without much intervention, aside from daily washings and disinfecting. Redness and swelling is common at the site.

Cysts, on the other hand, can grow quite large and do not always drain on their own. Many require repeated lancing and draining, and during this process, infection is common, only compounding the situation. If infection is not present, the vicinity of the cyst – filled with a thick paste the consistency of toothpaste – will not necessarily be red or swollen.

Once a large cyst drains and heals, the site will be prone to cyst formation again in the future due to the pore/follicle damage that resulted from the initial cyst. So removal of the damaged tissue is often necessary to avoid repeated cyst formation problems in pets."

Another cool thing about the article is that is explains that puppies and other juvenile animals are often more prone to developing acne than adults, because hormones are believed to be a factor! This is cool because it is the same way with humans and puberty!

Anyways hope you guys enjoyed!

-Jpc

Accutane Update: Day 10

Hey guys just a quick Accutane update! Today took my 10th pill out of the original 30 for the first moth. I still haven’t experienced any of the side-effects yet except for maybe a few pimples on my chin and upper lip, and a couple that hurt like crazy on the side of my nose! The only other thing I can say side-effect wise is that my chin is peeling very lightly; like if you look at it close up you can see a bunch of dead skin, but it doesn’t feel dry at all. Other than that my lips get a little bit dry if I don’t put on some chap stick, and my scalp is still a little dry, but none of these things are serious or concerning at all.

I’m still washing with Cetaphil every morning, and sometimes at night, if not just splashing it with some water. In the mornings I apply some SPF 30 called BurnOut (Which I definitely recommend) to my face that does a really good job of keeping my skin moisturized without getting it greasy at all; the only thing though because I’m tan it makes my face look a little pale and weird like I’m sick or dying. At night I’ll just apply some Cetaphil moisturizer or even just more BurnOut because it makes my skin feel good.

So far in these very early stages I can say that I am very pleased with how things are going! My skin definitely looks a lot tighter, firm, and even but in a very good healthy way. Believe me though it still has a long way to go, but my skin definitely looks like it has a lot less texture than it did 10 days ago so I am very happy with that! Also one more thing that I noticed since I started taking the Tane, was that I feel a lot colder in places where I used to feel normal or even warm. Whether it’s the Tane or not it’s nothing serious just a little weird I guess. So I hope you all are having a good one, and I’ll update you in a week or so!

-Jpc

Boozing and Acne

Here’s a good subject for just about anyone who suffers from very light, to mild, to severe acne. Let’s face it people of all ages like to drink! Especially if you’re in your teens growing up and experiencing new things and such dranking is fun! As a matter of fact it’s about what 95% of all teens and college kids I know do it every weekend if not during week as well (Even though it is illegal if under the age 21). Some people booze to relax after a stressful day, or it can open someone up if they’re shy (hence the name liquid confidence) and so on and so forth, but for younger people I think we simply booze because we think it’s fun, and exciting, and so on.

Though whenever I have more than a few drinks one night I wake up in the morning with my face dripping oil, and I’ll breakout throughout the next couple of days. I don’t know why, but I know that staying up to the break of dawn mixed with drinking cannot be good for you skin or any other part of your body for that matter. Do any of you have this happen to you? I have personally been told a couple of time that beer is actually good for your acne because it flushes out your system. Well if this is true is that why I breakout after a night of drinking because my body is detoxifying? Maybe it does indeed detoxify your body somewhat and that is why I break out after drinking, but then again too much beer or any other alcohol can’t be good you know.

I posted a pretty cool article from: http://jrapaport.com/blog/?p=505 check it out if you like the subject!

“Ok ok, we all like to have a drink every now and then. When I found out that frozen margaritas contained close to 1,000 calories I almost hit the treadmill for 6 hours to counteract my Cancun getaway turned cellulite building marathon. Learning that really curbed any future hankering I may have for frozen margaritas and taught me to think before you drink. When I read that beer my one frozen margarita alternative may cause acne I was ready to book a facial and go on a juice detox considering I had three of the evil little bottles last night with friends. Now I did a little bit of research and though I did find that beer can in fact cause acne there is also an ingredient in beer used to treat it as well. Talk about mixed information.

More often than not, many people have complained of breaking out after a night out of heavy drinking and the biggest question that’s been asked is. Does beer cause Acne ?. While studies have shown no direct link between beer and acne it certain Indivisuals have developed pimples a day o two after drinking beer. One line of thought is that certain people may have an allergy to all the yeast in beer. This allergy could lead to a number of things, including your skin drying out and therefore developing acne or some other sort of blemish. The yeast isn’t going to directly cause acne, but the toxicity of it relative to your body will since you are allergic to it and therefore your body views it as a toxin.

Yeast is used in beer to cause fermentation, which produces alcohol as it consumes the sugars from the other ingredients. So how exactly does this make you break out? Well, if your body is allergic to yeast, consuming beer will introduce yeast into your body and it will be viewed as a toxin. This toxicity can cause a number of things to happen depending on the severity of your allergy and acne developing is one of them. The only way to know if beer will cause you to develop acne is by actually drinking beer, but even then it can vary greatly from person to person depending on your body’s sensitivity to yeast.

Oddly enough even though many people claim that beer causes breakouts there is a cure for acne found within Brewer’s yeast. Brewer’s yeast is an inactive yeast, meaning the yeasts have been killed and have no leavening power. It is the yeast grown on foods such as sugar beets, or the yeast that remains after beer making. It is used as a nutrient supplement to increase the intake of amino acids, minerals, B vitamins, and other chemicals beneficial to skin repair. Brewer’s yeast comes powdered (the most potent form), in flakes (best for health shakes), and in tablets. Brewers Yeast is a nonleavening agent that provides the body with vitamin B, proteins, and minerals. Taking it as a food supplement is beneficial to the body as it brings many benefits as it helps people who have sleeping problems, those with chronic fatigue syndrome, and many others. Recent research reveals an added benefit of brewer’s yeast. A leading skin care range in Germany, Dayenne promises to effectively cure acne because of the product’s special ingredient…brewers yeast. Dayenne is available as a day cream, night cream, cover stick, toner, cleanser, soap and sun cream. The new acne product is considered a a cosmeceutical as it contain essential vitamins like B1, B2, B6, nucleic acid, amino acids and biotin and in away serves a skin food and medicine. Dayenne, which was a hit in Germany is now also available in the United Kingdom (UK).After only days of applying Dayenne, one will notice positive improvements on skin. Dayene should be applied everyday for 15 minutes during the first week and before menstruation.”

Also note this every one: Always drink responsibly, Never drink and drive, Never get in a car with someone who has been drinking, and Don’t drink if your under 21 in the States, because it’s illegal and getting busted sucks!

Take it easy guys!

-JPC

The Best Drink for Clearing Your Acne... WATER!

If you have acne one of the biggest things you can do for yourself is to cut out all of the sody-pop, sugary juices, energy drinks, etc. and replace them with water! I can’t believe how many people I’ve seen have their skin get quite better from just cutting most if not all other beverages and just drinking water! These days all I drink is water, sometimes I’ll have a cup of green tea, and very rarely will I have any soda or anything similar; one because they’re actually pretty bad for you, and two because I just simply like water a lot. I started drinking plenty of water as my main beverage of choice a couple of years back and never stopped short of about 8 glasses or more of it. Although not a whole lot changed with my skin, I knew it was an easy step forward in a healthy direction and all I had to give up was soda pop and what not. You never know though if you’re one of the people who rarely or even occasionally drinks water maybe that’s what is causing your acne, because buddies of mine who cut out all the crap and replaced it with water cleared up a lot! Also exercising regularly to the point where you sweat pretty good combined with all of the water you are drinking is a killer way to get a clearer complexion! So check out this article from: ezinearticles.com it’s pretty cool…

“You probably don't know this yet but product wastes and toxic build up in your system is one of the main reasons why you have acne or why your skin breaks out.
You see, your body has 4 channels of elimination...your bowels, kidneys, lungs, and your skin. Your bowels and kidneys are the primary channels that your body expels product wastes and toxics through.
The only time that your body expels product wastes through your lungs and skin is when your bowels and kidneys are overloaded with product wastes and toxics.
This can happen when you're not drinking enough water.
You see, water is the main carrier of nutrients throughout your body and is quite possibly the single most important contributor to healing and preventing acne flare-ups.
Drinking enough water will dissolve waste products in your system so it can be easily remove and flush out. Without enough water, there won't be much to dissolve these product wastes and toxics...causing it to build up in your system and causing your body to expel these product wastes and toxics through your lungs and skin.
And this can and will result in acne breakout.
How much water should you be drinking each day to dissolve product waste and flush out toxins from your body?
Although some would say you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and some would say 3 liters a day or half of your bodyweight in ounces a day.
I say, you should drink only enough to see that your urine is mostly clear, which is probably much more than what you're drinking now.
But I wouldn't recommend you going overboard because drinking too much water will also flush out electrolyte minerals out of your system (which is not good).
So how do you know how much water you should be drinking each day?
Test!
Start by drinking 7 glasses of water a day for the next 2 to 3 days. If you see that your urine is clear then 7 glasses of water a day is what you should be drinking.
But remember, you don't want to go overboard so you may want to try drinking 6 glasses of water a day. If you see that your urine is kind of yellow drinking 6 glasses of water a day then you should stick to 7 glasses of water a day. If not then you should stick with 6 glasses of water a day.
But if you find that 7 glasses of water a day is not enough. Then you should try drinking more glasses of water a day and see the results.
What you're trying to do here is make sure you're drinking enough water each day. Not too much or too little.
Another important thing you should know...
You can't just drink any type of water. There are certain types of water that's full of toxins (such as tap water). The 2 types of water I recommend you drink is distilled water and purified water. Distilled water has no minerals, which means if you drink it, it will leach out any unwanted non-organic minerals from your system.
But since distilled water has no minerals (it's just dead water), you will need to drink some purified water to oxygenate your system. However, you do need to drink them separately and drink it on an empty stomach for it to be effective.
While water alone will not eliminate your acne it will greatly assist your skin in remaining healthy and that will be one portion of the pie in fighting acne.”

START DRINKING!
-Jpc