Oiliest Skin In The World

[Patti66]

I believe I have the oiliest skin in the entire world.  I'm 43 now and have had oily skin since I was 11.  I have severe cystic acne especially on my back, arms and shoulders.  My skin is just one big oil pit.  I wash my face and within 20 minutes, I could fry eggs on it it's so greasy.  

I'm starting Accutane next week and I'm wondering if it will FINALLY take care of this oil?  I just can't keep up anymore - makeup doesn't stay on, and I constantly feel like my skin is suffocating because of all the oil clogging my pores.  

Will it REALLY stop the oil????

[dadmonson]

I bet you I got you beat.  In strong light my face looks freakin horrible  From what I hear accutane usualy works for acne and more than likely will puts the acne in remission but the oil does come back.  Yes oiliness sucks big time.

[loiloi]

Hi. Yes, accutane is the drug which is most likely to offer long term remission from oil and acne, because it shrinks your grease glands. Most patients only need one course lasting between 16 and 24 weeks. I have had to take two courses. Because of your age it is unlikely you will relapse, if you had taken it as a teenager you may have needed a second course later in life if your tendancy to oily skin persisted.
Your lips will become very dry on accutane so use vaseline or Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream. Your skin will become sensitive so i recommend using Eucerin's cleanser for impure skin which is compatible with acne medication. It is widely available in stores. Good luck and get back to me with any questions. Loiloi xx

[Patti66]

Thanks for the replies.  I honestly can't wait for the Accutane - I'm one of those people that is SO oily, I welcome dryness.  I don't even KNOW what dry skin feels like.  I hear people complain about dry skin and I get jealous - I would do anything to have dry over oily.  

I was looking at my skin today and thinking, it's just so greasy.  I washed my face when I woke up, and less than 20 minutes later, it was very oily.  I could literally wash my face 20 times a day and it wouldn't matter much.  I am one of the people that doesn't buy into the "don't wash your face too much because your skin will produce more oil".  It honestly doesn't matter to my oil glands - they will produce tons of oil whether I wash my face twice a day, ten times a day, or not at all.

I think the people that really believe in that simply don't have REALLY oily skin.  They have no idea what it feels like to suffocate in your own skin's oil.

[loiloi]

Hi again. Just wanted to let you know that topical and oral retinoids often result in an "initial outbreak"- a worsening of the acne in the first two weeks of treatment. This is a normal side effect and shows your medicine is working.
Patients using Differin or Accutane should not stop their treatment because of this. Improvement can be seen as early as 4 weeks into the course and by about 12 weeks no new lesions should be seen.
Loiloi xx