OK so I am 6 days in - I'm unsure how long it takes until you get the supposed initial breakout with Dianette, but since I have been taking it I have come up in a few spots. One huge spot next to my nose (which is so large and cystic I don't even think it notices) and a few smaller spots near my jawline/lower side of face. Also some near my eyebrow which is strange. To be fair, I have been a bit naughty in my diet recently and have indulged in some sugar/treats - so that could be contributing to my recent breakout.

OK so I am now 2 weeks into taking Dianette. Even though I feel like I am breaking out at the moment, it seems like different types of spots than before. For the past year, whenever I have broken out, it has been in quite large & painful spots, whereas now they are much smaller spots. My mum commented on my skin today, saying how 'great' it looked, but I definitely wouldn't call it great. Still.only 2 weeks in, don't have many expectations right now. I also have been feeling quite sick lately - it started off as every couple of nights, although over the past few days I feel like I have felt a little sick non-stop. Certain foods really turn my stomach, I kinda feel like I'm pregnant (which I'm not!), similar to how I imagine morning sickness can be. Maybe my hormones are just adjusting to the pill. Anyway, I will carry on checking into this diary for anybody who just wants to see, as I myself have combed the internet for Dianette stories.

Oh, also, I have noticed a dramatic change in the oiliness of my skin - it seems MUCH less oily right now and like I said in the first entry, my skin had been SO oily recently.

Am now currently on the 7 day break after taking the pill for 21 days. I still have spots and can't say I've noticed much of an improvement so far, but hopefully I'll start to see an improvement after 3 months, like I've read. Not too much to report on currently. I'll post again in a week or two

UPDATE:

Today I experienced emotional HELL. I felt as though I was having a breakdown, so many tears and feelings of major depression. Am not sure if this is due to the pill but it does seem likely. Also, my skin seems to be quite bad at the moment, lots of little spots all over the place, which is really irritating. Like I said though, I am currently on the 7 day break, which I have read can make you break out.

So the 7 day break is up and I started taking a new pack of pills today. I have had a slight breakout of a few new spots, one cystic spot on my cheek.

Feels as though I have been on this medication for a year, time is going so so slowly.

Hi Palegreeneyes,

Good luck with your journey.

I've been taking dianette (or the genetic version of) for a little over 3 months. Nothing to report as of yet. Perhaps a 15% improvement (?) but it's difficult to tell... I have so many raised marks and bumps from previous outbreaks.

I've got a derm referral for Roaccutane in a couple of months. If there's no significant improvement by then I will be going down that route instead.

Everything about my acne screams hormonal, so I'm still hopeful that the BCP will kick in. From what I understand, only 30% of people experience clearance at 3 months. The majority will find it at 6.

I know this seems like a ridiculously long time to wait, but personally, I would be happy with a gradual improvement from this point onwards. I've been living with acne for so many years now, a couple more months really won't make a difference!

Loz

Hi Palegreeneyes,

Good luck with your journey.

I've been taking dianette (or the genetic version of) for a little over 3 months. Nothing to report as of yet. Perhaps a 15% improvement (?) but it's difficult to tell... I have so many raised marks and bumps from previous outbreaks.

I've got a derm referral for Roaccutane in a couple of months. If there's no significant improvement by then I will be going down that route instead.

Everything about my acne screams hormonal, so I'm still hopeful that the BCP will kick in. From what I understand, only 30% of people experience clearance at 3 months. The majority will find it at 6.

I know this seems like a ridiculously long time to wait, but personally, I would be happy with a gradual improvement from this point onwards. I've been living with acne for so many years now, a couple more months really won't make a difference!

Loz

Hi Loz! Thanks so much for sharing with me. Yeah, I definitely don't really expect results until at least month 3, if not month 6. Just completely wishing away the time now! My skin is currently going through a pretty bad break out, which is really annoying - most of all because I don't want scars. Good luck on the rest of your journey with this pill - really hope you see a bigger and bigger improvement as the weeks go by and eventually clear up totally. I dread the thought of taking Accutane again myself, so I really hope it doesn't come to it for you. I'm sure it won't though as I have heard mostly great success stories from this medication and witnessed it on a few of my friends.

You're very welcome. A problem shared and all that jazz Thanks for your words of encouragement also.

For me the initial breakout came at about week three, and if I'm honest, lasted all the way up to week 10(ish). My acne is pretty bad though, so I was expecting as much. Thankfully, I'm pretty regimented when it comes to not picking / squeezing, so should of escaped scarring. My skin takes so long to heal though, and being fair skinned, every red mark stands out like a sore thumb!

I'm borderline PCOS, so I assumed dianette would work for me. (Fingers crossed it might still). I was on it as a teen when I was prescribed it rather irresponsibility by my GP. I'm sure I had perhaps two or three pimples at the time! Anyway, I can't remember ever having issues with acne until I came off of it in my early twenties. At the time I never spotted the association, but looking back at it I'm starting to wonder.

Was your experience on Accutane awful? How long were you clear for?

The doc thinks I have a pretty good chance if my skin doesn't respond to the BCP.

I've literally tried about everything else, so accutance really is the last bullet left! lol.

Loz you sound so similar to me! I am really really good at not picking my skin at all, I never ever do it. Even when one is screaming out for me to pick it, I always leave it alone as I want to escape as many scars as I can - but, like you, I am very fair, therefore markings on my face take forever to disappear and show up really red against my pale skin, which is so annoying.

My acne is pretty bad too, so I was expecting a pretty nasty breakout. I'm in week 4 (week 5 if you include the 7 day break) and have just started the breakout this past week, but I can tell it's pretty much here to stay for a while - oh joy. I'm not handling the break out well at all actually, it's stressing me out so much, I feel like I've had 2 breakdowns in the past week!

If I get to month 6 of taking Dianette and haven't seen any great improvement, I will probably try Accutane again and hope that a second time will do the trick. The worst thing I remember about Accutane is how dry my skin got. My lips and eyes were so painfully dry it was awful. Also, the initial break out from it was so nasty - not too many spots, but the spots I did get were absolutely huge and painful and felt like they went so deep beneath my skin. I do not relish the thought of going back on that medication if I ever have to. Not to mention, even though it did clear my skin, it wasn't for very long at all, 6 months at the absolute most - I got such better results after using Duac/Differin topical cream combo. But, all skin is different, so many people out there say that Accutane cleared them for life, or years and years at least - it all just depends on you really, I guess.

Wishing you the best of luck!

My heart goes out to anybody who suffers from acne, it is so unfair and frustrating and unless you have it or have had it at some point, it's just impossible to understand the damage it can do to people.

Just an update for anybody else interested:

It's been just over a month since I started Dianette and I am currently experiencing quite a nasty break out. Annoying spots popping up in different areas of my face - I hate it.

Update: Skin is still breaking outpretty bad. So many lumps and bumps over my cheeks /lower part of my face. Really hope I don't have to wait too long for it to start kicking in - this is driving me crazy!

UPDATE:

5 days later I am still breaking out like crazy. THIS SUCKS! Some cystic spots too, which are obviously just the worst. Most of them though feel like the types of spots that you could so easily 'pop' - but I would never. Also have 1-2 spots come up on my forehead too, which is strange, as my forehead is usually crystal clear.

To be fair, I am under a lot of stress lately and have been eating like crap. Hardly eating any fruit or vegetables (so naughty I know), which could obviously be contributing to this horrible breakout. But I know one thing, so far Dianette has absolutely made no positive difference in my skin - but only at a month and a half, so still have hope...

UPDATE:

Skin is still quite bad. Big, painful lumps on my cheeks/lower half of my face - which is strange as these are not typically the type of spots I usually get. Have been applying Sudocrem to the areas each night to try and calm them. Nearly 7 weeks into this medication now - feels like I have been taking this pill for so much longer!

Hi I dont have enough time to read your entire diary, I just wanted to say I've taken Dianette for 8 months and it's worked great. My skin is no longer oily, I still have the occasional spot but it's totally manageable. Results can take ages though, I started dianette at the end of September 2013 and didn't see real results until around January. Good luck!

Hi I dont have enough time to read your entire diary, I just wanted to say I've taken Dianette for 8 months and it's worked great. My skin is no longer oily, I still have the occasional spot but it's totally manageable. Results can take ages though, I started dianette at the end of September 2013 and didn't see real results until around January. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing with me. Good to know! So wish I could hurry it up though, my break outs are so so annoying

Hang on in there. My skin broke out like crazy in the second month.

Things seem to be slightly better for me at the minute (just passed month 4) but still nowhere near where I'd hoped I'd be.

I suppose the 'Oh my god, my skin is clearing' moments are coming more and more frequently, but then I break out, and am straight back to square one.

Everything about acne is unfair. It's a constant uphill struggle. Some of my spots take over a month to heal, and with a handful of new ones to contend with each and every week, it's hard to see the progress.

I have about 5 weeks until my accutane appointment, so fingers crossed things will have progressed by then.

L x

Hang on in there. My skin broke out like crazy in the second month.

Things seem to be slightly better for me at the minute (just passed month 4) but still nowhere near where I'd hoped I'd be.

I suppose the 'Oh my god, my skin is clearing' moments are coming more and more frequently, but then I break out, and am straight back to square one.

Everything about acne is unfair. It's a constant uphill struggle. Some of my spots take over a month to heal, and with a handful of new ones to contend with each and every week, it's hard to see the progress.

I have about 5 weeks until my accutane appointment, so fingers crossed things will have progressed by then.

L x

Thanks so much for sharing - your situation sounds similar to mind and I could not agree more - ADULT ACNE IS SO UNFAIR! Obviously any acne is unfair, but at least you grow out of 'teenage acne', I can't believe that at my age I'm still waiting for my skin to clear. My spots also take so long to heal too, it's ridiculous. I dream about having no bumps or marks on my face, God it would be such heaven.

I am days away from being on Dianette for 2 months, it is going so unbelievable slowly I can't believe it. For the past couple of days I thought my skin was clearing - spots were shrinking and I was getting far less breakouts, but tonight, I feel as though I currently have breakouts coming my way - joy!

Wishing you the best of luck with the rest of your Dianette journey - really hope it starts to completely clear you like most people say!

If you ever need to vent, or wanna talk about Dianette - I'm here! I feel like I'm desperate for a Dianette buddy!

Well you certainly have one in me!

It's strange really, but I always find I can't really vent to friends and family. They offer kind words and encouragement, but at the end of the day they just can't understand what it's like. I also get a bit untrusting at times, so when my boyfriend says for example.... 'Oh I think it's looking better today,' or 'you really can't see it,' I know he's probably just trying to save my feelings!

Sweet yes. But unhelpful at the same time.

I'm currently experiencing the same rollercoaster that I've been on for the last two months, and the one which it sounds like your just in the line for.... constant false hopes. Had wonderfully clear skin (which is a subjective measure) last week, but then boom. About 5 under-the-skin spots which just won't shift.

I don't know whether I imagine it, but I can also feel parts of my face aching. I've never worked out whether this is a sign of an upcoming breakout or not.

Just another cruelty of acne I guess.

If I look critically at my face, perhaps there is a really (really, really, really) slow yet gradual improvement. But since I'm comparing that to how bad it was during the initial breakout, it's difficult to be objective!

Are you using anything else for your acne? I'm back on the BP as of last week, and almost 11 weeks into a course of doxycycline.

I hate being on so many meds at once (can't be good for the body), but like most of us, am so desperate to be clear... I've just passed caring!

I've just worked out that today is day 134 of dianette for me. Can't believe it's been that long. If it's going to work for me it looks like I'll be one of the slow clearers.

I hope you start to see much quicker results than me, and very soon!

x

Well you certainly have one in me!

It's strange really, but I always find I can't really vent to friends and family. They offer kind words and encouragement, but at the end of the day they just can't understand what it's like. I also get a bit untrusting at times, so when my boyfriend says for example.... 'Oh I think it's looking better today,' or 'you really can't see it,' I know he's probably just trying to save my feelings!

Sweet yes. But unhelpful at the same time.

I'm currently experiencing the same rollercoaster that I've been on for the last two months, and the one which it sounds like your just in the line for.... constant false hopes. Had wonderfully clear skin (which is a subjective measure) last week, but then boom. About 5 under-the-skin spots which just won't shift.

I don't know whether I imagine it, but I can also feel parts of my face aching. I've never worked out whether this is a sign of an upcoming breakout or not.

Just another cruelty of acne I guess.

If I look critically at my face, perhaps there is a really (really, really, really) slow yet gradual improvement. But since I'm comparing that to how bad it was during the initial breakout, it's difficult to be objective!

Are you using anything else for your acne? I'm back on the BP as of last week, and almost 11 weeks into a course of doxycycline.

I hate being on so many meds at once (can't be good for the body), but like most of us, am so desperate to be clear... I've just passed caring!

I've just worked out that today is day 134 of dianette for me. Can't believe it's been that long. If it's going to work for me it looks like I'll be one of the slow clearers.

I hope you start to see much quicker results than me, and very soon!

x

Ah thank you! I totally understand - sometimes I even feel embarrassed to discuss it.

I know - as if having acne isn't bad enough, the pain is sometimes so bad. Especially when you get a particularly bad spot and you can feel it there just aching.

I have my follow up appointment with my dermatologist in a few days, it would have been just over 2 months since I have started the pill and I'm so scared that he's going to say, "Oh, it doesn't really look like it's helping much, let's try something else" - there is absolutely no way I have endured the past 2 months for nothing!

If I'm completely honest, I avoid mirrors at all costs right now. Only just last year I had wonderfully clear skin, with just some marks from previous acne and I used to think to myself 'God, I'm so lucky to have gotten rid of that, I will never take this new skin for granted!' so having it again just upsets me so much. I like to pretend my skin doesn't look that bad - so naive but I just have to!

Years ago, my dermatologist prescribed my Duac & Differin, which worked absolute wonders for my skin - almost cleared me 100%. However, they eventually stopped having an effect on my acne and in the past two weeks I have stopped using both creams and now just use moisturiser daily and use Sudocrem at night (I don't want to tempt fate, but that seems to have made quite a positive difference). When my doctor prescribed me the Dianette pill, he also prescribed me a course of antibiotics (Tetralysal), but I didn't take them (I was so scared about taking the pill that I just couldn't handle anything else).

Day 134, wow you trooper! I really hope you start seeing an amazing difference soon - I have read so many reviews where people say it took at least 6 months for their acne to start clearing (and some other incredibly annoying reviews that say they're skin cleared in a month - so jealous).

Please keep me informed of your progress - I truly find it so interesting!

X

UPDATE: I am 2 days away from being on Dianette for 2 months. Over the past week, my skin has seemed to have begun 'clearing' - not greatly, I don't suspect this will last at all. I did get a new spot 2 days ago, but that's currently it. Have various red marks in areas though. Have ditched 'Duac' & 'Differin' and am instead using Sudocrem nightly as I feel it helps somewhat. Going to see my dermatologist in a few days, so I'll see what her says.

Hey girl,

How are things? I was waiting for your next update.... hoping that no news is good news?

I was going to post on here a few weeks ago, but didn't want to tempt faint. I'd started clearing at an unbelievable rate and had started envisaging a summer with trouble free skin.

Alas, last week, I took my 7 day break from the pill, and bam, broke out. Nothing really bad, just enough to knock all the optimism out of me. I'm still drastically improved though, and I have to keep that in sight.

Looking back at my journey, it would seem that I have a few weeks of moderately good skin (as good as acne prone skin can be) and then around my period, it deteriorates. Those pesky hormones. I'm hoping the longer I stay on the BCP the less severe those breakouts might be.

So I went to the hospital this week for my derm appointment.

She wants me to go on a low does roccutane in September as dianette isn't a permanent cure. I also can't conceive whilst on it (duh) and that's something which seems ever more relevant.

She wanted me to keep on with the dianette, as the clearer I am by September, the less likely it is that the initial breakout will be unmanagable.

She said that at the minute, medically my acne is mild. That was so nice to hear considering I was sat there make-up-less with a face full of red marks.

What made the appointment worse was the fact that there were two medical students in my consultation, with beautiful and flawless skin. Oh the shame! Lol.

The derm said that if my acne is strongly hormonal, the roccutane won't put it fully into remission, and it will come back within 18 months. If that's the case, she'll refer me to the endocrinologist and look at alternative routes.

I really don't want to HAVE to take roccutane, but having had my appointment, I have to say, feel a lot less daunted by it.

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy post - please let me know how you are doing???? I have my fingers crossed for you.

Loz x

Hey Loz!

I haven't been able to access my account for ages for some reason, but I've fixed it now.

Also, I'm exactly the same as you - for the past month my skin has been really good. Only a few spots, nothing like before and generally much smoother skin. Although, I was too scared to post this news as I didn't want to tempt fate! I wanted to leave it a little longer before shouting this from the rooftops. I mean, I am still getting some spots, but mostly just small bumps and not many of them. I do however, have lots of red marks left on my face, that are heartbreaking to look at, especially as I didn't have them before I begun taking this pill.

I went to see my dermatologists a few weeks ago for a follow up appointment and he seemed very pleased with the progress and said it wasn't necessary to make another appointment and that he hopes I won't have to see him again - but I just can't help but be negative and think I'll most probably will be seeing him again!

Anyway, so happy to hear that you're skin is in a pretty good place and thank you so much for keeping me updated and asking how I'm getting on - makes this tumultuous journey feel much less lonely! I know exactly what you mean, I hate sitting there make-up less (which I almost always am) with people who have flawless glorious skin - so upsetting. You never know though, maybe you won't have to take Accutane - I've read so many people's reviews and a lot say it takes quite a long time until they're skin is fully cleared, but I know what you mean - it's only a temporary 'cure'. I am DREADING the day that I have to come off of this pill.

Please carry on with your updates, I really appreciate them!

Lots of love x

Hey girl,

How are things? I was waiting for your next update.... hoping that no news is good news?

I was going to post on here a few weeks ago, but didn't want to tempt faint. I'd started clearing at an unbelievable rate and had started envisaging a summer with trouble free skin.

Alas, last week, I took my 7 day break from the pill, and bam, broke out. Nothing really bad, just enough to knock all the optimism out of me. I'm still drastically improved though, and I have to keep that in sight.

Looking back at my journey, it would seem that I have a few weeks of moderately good skin (as good as acne prone skin can be) and then around my period, it deteriorates. Those pesky hormones. I'm hoping the longer I stay on the BCP the less severe those breakouts might be.

So I went to the hospital this week for my derm appointment.

She wants me to go on a low does roccutane in September as dianette isn't a permanent cure. I also can't conceive whilst on it (duh) and that's something which seems ever more relevant.

She wanted me to keep on with the dianette, as the clearer I am by September, the less likely it is that the initial breakout will be unmanagable.

She said that at the minute, medically my acne is mild. That was so nice to hear considering I was sat there make-up-less with a face full of red marks.

What made the appointment worse was the fact that there were two medical students in my consultation, with beautiful and flawless skin. Oh the shame! Lol.

The derm said that if my acne is strongly hormonal, the roccutane won't put it fully into remission, and it will come back within 18 months. If that's the case, she'll refer me to the endocrinologist and look at alternative routes.

I really don't want to HAVE to take roccutane, but having had my appointment, I have to say, feel a lot less daunted by it.

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy post - please let me know how you are doing???? I have my fingers crossed for you.

Loz x

Hi there. Not sure if you're still coming onto acne.org- but i'd love some advice! So nice that you two have managed to discuss the Dianette journey with eachother, it sure does feel very lonely when you've got a friendship group with beautiful clear skin.

I'm currently on month 3 of Dianette. Had some good spells. Month 2 I had about a week of clear (well, clear for me anyway) skin, this month (month 3) i've had nearly two. So i'm very grateful. Although i'm super upset and beyond disappointed today because i've woke up with a face full of red sore spots! So sad really thought I was past this now. However, trying to stay positive that its kicking in slowly but surely.

How long was it till your skin stopped doing this? And also were you still having little breakouts during the beginning of month 3. Would really really appreciate some encouraging feedback!

I just wanted to update anybody who's interested that I'm still on Dianette - 1 year and 3 months in from beginning this medication. I haven't updated this post for a year, which was when my skin began to clear up (around the 3 month mark) - well, it continued to clear further and further and I felt like my good old self again, making sure not to take it for granted and being so grateful every day for this great medication. Until Christmas. Just before Christmas my skin started to break out again - not terribly, but it wasn't ideal. I didn't pay too much attention because frankly, even though my skin and really cleared up, it wasn't perfect. So a few spots weren't really the end of the world to me - especially as it was around Christmas time - all those rich foods, etc etc. I also noticed that my actual skin seemed to be changing - going from really flakey & dry to really oily & greasy (lovely). Over the next few months my skin carried on breaking out and has done to this day. Some good days but nowhere near enough as I would expect from taking this strong medication.

If anybody wants any greater detail or more info I am more than happy to provide, but my overall opinion of my experience with this medication is not great. I would stop if I wasn't so terrified that I would break out horrible (like so many of the reviews I've read - we always think 'yeah but that might not happen to me - this could be MY cure!' - but I strongly urge anyone who is thinking about Dianette to hold off and try anything else.

Not impressed at all with this medication.

I just wanted to update anybody who's interested that I'm still on Dianette - 1 year and 3 months in from beginning this medication. I haven't updated this post for a year, which was when my skin began to clear up (around the 3 month mark) - well, it continued to clear further and further and I felt like my good old self again, making sure not to take it for granted and being so grateful every day for this great medication. Until Christmas. Just before Christmas my skin started to break out again - not terribly, but it wasn't ideal. I didn't pay too much attention because frankly, even though my skin and really cleared up, it wasn't perfect. So a few spots weren't really the end of the world to me - especially as it was around Christmas time - all those rich foods, etc etc. I also noticed that my actual skin seemed to be changing - going from really flakey & dry to really oily & greasy (lovely). Over the next few months my skin carried on breaking out and has done to this day. Some good days but nowhere near enough as I would expect from taking this strong medication.

 

If anybody wants any greater detail or more info I am more than happy to provide, but my overall opinion of my experience with this medication is not great. I would stop if I wasn't so terrified that I would break out horrible (like so many of the reviews I've read - we always think 'yeah but that might not happen to me - this could be MY cure!' - but I strongly urge anyone who is thinking about Dianette to hold off and try anything else.

 

Not impressed at all with this medication.

Hi there- just reading your post. I've been on Dianette for a year, i came off this pill 3 days ago and started on yasmin. and my skin has broken out so badly! whats your next plan?

I'm going to allow a while for my hormones to settle, then i want roaccutane! To put an end to it all (hopefully)