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PREFACE

This isn't the first webpage I've made, but I won't pretend that I'm any good at it, or that I even know what I'm doing!

I remember my first pimple. I was on the sixth grade and I suddenly noticed it as my mom and I were walking into a Drugs-for-Less store. Initially, I thought it was some kind of bug bite. When my mom set me straight, I remember feeling kind of excited, to be honest. Puberty!

I'm 21 now, and pustules have long since lost their novelty. And neither was I thrilled to welcome the parade of nodules and cysts and scars that marched onto my face during late high school (which has worsened throughout the beginning of my college career).

I began seeing a dermatologist in the 9th grade. Since then, I've been prescribed all kinds of topical gels, soaps, antibiotics. To name a few: differin gel, erythromycin, doxycycline, doryx, even Ortho Tri-cyclen. I've been on and off of them for the last decade, eventually flaking out on every treatment after a few months because I never saw much improvement. My complexion, as it is accustomed to doing, recently took another turn for the worse. Both of my cheeks and my chin are covered in red splotches and scars from past zits, small pits from cystic acne and nodules, and so many comedos that I can literally squeeze any area on my face and get multiple eruptions from several pores. (Disgusting, I know). I also have moderate "backne"; I'm too embarrassed to wear certain shirts, any bathing suit, or any other kind of clothing that would expose my shoulders. I have mild acne and several plugs on my chest as well.

I began researching MORE treatment options out of desperation and stumbled across Accutane on the internet. From what people were writing, it sounds like a miracle drug, and I have yet to find someone for whom it did not work for. However, the side effects are potentially severe, and I assumed my dermatologist would not deem my acne bad enough for such a treatment.

Nevertheless, I went and expressed my interest in Accutane. She made a few marks on my chart about the severity of my scars, cysts, pustules and whatnot (grading my acne a 3 on a scale of 1-4). She sadly said that I was young, but she was willing to prescribe it - whatever that means. I wanted to hug her! As per Accutane Protocol, I had to take a pregnancy test that day. In addition, I would have to have blood-work done, and another pregnancy test during the first five days of my period before I can get the prescription. All of that's been done, and I'm just waiting for them to get the results of my blood test to start my course. With all of the side effects, I feel like I'm about to start chemotherapy. I'm scared, but mostly excited. I can't imagine what it would be like not to have skin like brail all over my face and back!