Skin transformation - before vs after

[Rishi]

What I did -

* Azelaic acid 20% once a day
* Accutane (Sotret) 30 mg daily (used Dr Morepen micronised version - better absorption) - doing a full course to wipe out my sebaceous glands.

That gave me about 80% of the results.

The remaining 20% came from -

* Changing pillowcases regularly
* Stopping the use of towels to dry my face
* Diet - I already ate well, no junk, but I upped my protein, taking three scoops of whey concentrate instead of two, added more fibre. I kept my workout routine unchanged.
* Keep in mind that for most acne patients a drastic diet change won't make a noticeable difference clinically. Diet doesn't shrink sebaceous glands or boost cell turnover. Genetics play a bigger role, so acne is more about genes than food. Diet's impact is far less than people think.

Skincare routine -

* Dot & Key Barrier Repair face wash
* Dot & Key Barrier Repair moisturizer (day + night)
* Bioderma Atoderm Creme Ultra (night)
* La Roche-Posay Invisible Sunscreen (IMO the best sunscreen - stopped further tan on my neck and face)
* Aziderm 20% gel (day or night)

Blood test report (attached) -

* All lipid profile and liver function parameters are fine. In fact, my total cholesterol/HDL ratio and LDL/HDL ratio are better than average - nothing to worry about.

Thanks for reading. If you have any questions, just comment.

[Naman]

Wow, that's insane!

[Murali]

Good for you, OP!

[Dinesh]

How long did this take? At what point in the treatment did you start seeing visible changes?

[Tanya]

Amazing! How can I get a blood test for skin issues? I want to know which supplements I might need.

[Arpita]

Do you work out?

[Daksha]

I work out four times a week. No, I didn't exercise before the test because it would affect some of the parameters.

[Priya]

You mentioned you stopped using towels to dry your face. Could you explain that a bit? I wasn't aware of it. Thanks!

[Chirag]

Great results, mate! For azelaic acid and Accutane, is it advisable to get a dermatologist's opinion?

[Vinay]

Yes!! People need to realise that before blaming hygiene or diet, genetics are the biggest cause of acne. I've also started Isotret 10 days ago. Hoping for the best!

[Arvind]

Accutane is a godsend! No matter which products I use, my skin never breaks out. It feels oil-free, like a freshly washed face. I don't even have to worry much about skincare.