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Wed May 16, 2007 3:46 pm  |
Hi all!
Today was my first visit to the derm. I'm glad I went. At first I felt pretty intimidated - he looked very stern and not too friendly. I don't think he smiled at all during the whole time (he was also running late with appointments so today might not be his day). Anyways he emphasized a lot on what "I" thought was the best for my skin instead of just TELLING me what I should or should not do, which is definitely a plus. I'm taking Diane 35 which seems to be working and I have gotten much less acne than before even though it certainly isn't a "cure". He recommended that I should use a precription topical as well - tazorac. I told him I was using a glycolic product (JM Bioclear) and he told me I shouldn't use them together, just one or the other or it will be too much for my skin. He also said that if the AHA product is working well then it does not matter whether I use the tazorac or not - it's completely my choice. He stressed that he could not know which would lead to better results as it really depends on how my skin reacts to the products.
So I decided to ask my friends here on EDS - should I stick with JM or should I give Taz a try? Honestly I experienced irritation from a previous Vit A topical where the mild formula did nothing and the regular made me raw, red and peeling. But Taz seems to work for a lot of people - the derm prescribed the 0.1% cream for me. JM is working wonders in conjunction with Diane 35 but I still do get acne here and there, more so during the time of the month so I certainly don't mind trying something that MIGHT give me better results. I would really appreciate any opinions on this, esp. those who have used both AHAs and Taz, or either.
Thanks so much! |
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Wed May 16, 2007 5:41 pm |
I switched from retin-A to the taz gel about a year ago and I have been very happy.
I have never experienced irritation with retin-a or taz. You may want to get a sample from him. start with the .05% cream and then move up to the .1% Each little sample tube is supposed to last for about a month, so you will have plenty of time to see if it will work for you or not before buying a whole tube.
Liz |
_________________
JOIN ME IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER...http://www.the3day.org/dallas07/maryaguirre |
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Wed May 16, 2007 5:44 pm |
sormuimui, which dermatologist did u see? I wanna see one too for my occasional breakouts. Is he good? Thanks!  |
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Wed May 16, 2007 6:49 pm |
| stardusty: I went to see the ones at the Skin Care Center beside VGH. You need a referral from your doctor. I've seen 2 (one wasn't for a mole my mom wanted to get rid of) so wasn't exactly for my "skin" and both were good doctors imo. I went to see Dr.Lui today, although intimidating and scary-looking he really did take the time to answer all my questions. He was in a big rush but didn't skim through me or my problems as nothing (he was running very late, I waited an hour from my appointment time before I got to see him). |
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Wed May 16, 2007 7:30 pm |
| sormuimui--- I used taz and I LOVE it. I would definitely see if you can't start with .05% first and then work up to the .1, because I definitely had some dryness and peeling at first. It's so worth it though--- I love this stuff! |
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27, sensitive/reactive/acne prone skin, dark brown hair, blue eyes, possibly the palest woman alive... |
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Wed May 16, 2007 9:02 pm |
| I love taz 0.1% cream. There is some dryness, but to me it was managable (I've tried retin-A & had too much peeling)- the cream base helps counteract the dryness. It makes your skin really soft right away,which is a nice plus since its mainly a long term thing to see consistent results. |
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Wed May 16, 2007 9:55 pm |
Has any of you taz users used any other AHA leave-on products?
I asked the derm whether I should start with the .05% but he says he prefers to start with 0.1% but only leave on for 15min then wash it off at the beginning and work my way up that way rather than using a lower percentage.
I'm still wondering whether it would work for me, better than JM anyways. |
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Wed May 16, 2007 10:01 pm |
| Yes, I was using an AHA product before I went on Taz, but hit a point where I was breaking out badly. I tried 0.5% and didn't even get dry from it - they switched me right away. My skin is pretty tough though. I wouldn't give up my Taz for anything now. I would try it if I were you - you can ease into it, and if you really can't tolerate it you can lower the dose or go back to your AHA. Then you will at least know if it works for you. |
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Thu May 17, 2007 12:44 am |
oh Dr. Lui...I seen him b4...
well, keep us posted about the Taz cream if u finally decide to use it =) |
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Thu May 17, 2007 7:19 am |
HI sormuimui  ,
First of all, well-done for going to see the derm! I am in a similar position where I have to choose between the Bioclear and a Retin A. Fortunately (?), my insurance is dragging its feet and I haven't received the retin a yet, so I've been sticking with the JM for the last two and a half weeks. Like you it's been good but not perfect. I'd like to use it longer (perhaps 6 weeks) before taking a little break and then the retin a. That wasy I'll have a good idea. I think that, in my case, 6 weeks is a good time to determine if something works or not. Good luck with your choice.
Cat |
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Thu May 17, 2007 7:47 am |
I would give the Taz a try. It's much better for anti-aging too if you can handle it. I can't handle Retin A, but I recently gingerly started using Taz every third day. I use my milder retinoids (Ystheal and Differin) on the other days. So far no peeling or irritation. Soon I will move to using Taz every other day.
If you wanted to go this route you could use your Bioclear every other day or for two days in a row, then use the Taz. I would say start very slowly like that. There is no rush! Then one day, eventually, you may be able to use the Bioclear in the morning and the Taz at night. |
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Thu May 17, 2007 10:51 am |
| Does anyone know if tazorac is available in the UK? Does it have another name? |
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Thu May 17, 2007 11:27 am |
| Go with the Tazorac. I think Retin A products will do WONDERS for your skin besides just your acne, but you have to be prepared to go through the redness, peeling and slight burning. That is part of your skins adjustment to it. Personally, I would start with the mildest .025 then after a few months move to the .05 then eventually to the .01 *It may take a long time before you are ready for the strongest. This is a great time to start Taz too, since there is more moisture in the air in the summer. In the winter I have to back off on the strength and frequency because of increased dryness. Go for it! |
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Thu May 17, 2007 1:12 pm |
| Sorry to hijack this thread, but Liz, how is Taz on hormonal acne? Is it good for the cystic type? Any purging when you first started using, other than the dryness and peeling? |
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Thu May 17, 2007 1:57 pm |
Agent OO-CAT: Please update when you do get your Retin-A. I've been using Bioclear for about 3 months now, started around the same as I started Diane 35 and my skin is getting even better as time goes on as Diane has started to work (it usually takes 2-3 months before it starts working) so I think I might wait another month and see how things go. Because if Diane 35 can clear me up pretty well then I don't need to start with Taz at all and continue to use my Bioclear since with Taz I'll always have to continuously get prescriptions.
seabliss: how is Taz better for anti-aging? Just curious as this doesn't really apply to me. Also I have thought about using one in the AM and the other in the PM but I really don't want to use any acids in the AM as from all the SS threads I'll have to find a very good ss to give me enough protection and honestly to find a good ss with a texture I like it's too hard. I don't want to risk speeding up my aging process by becoming sun-sensitive with acids in the daytime. But your ideal about starting with Taz only a few times a week is a good one - just wondering - how long would it take for it to work in that case? The derm told me usually you'll have to use a topical for 8 weeks before you can accurately say whether it's effective or not.
Thanks for all your info girls! I'm more confident about the Taz now. I might get the prescription filled to have it lying around and start on it when I feel the time is right. |
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Thu May 17, 2007 3:31 pm |
| dollbird wrote: |
| Sorry to hijack this thread, but Liz, how is Taz on hormonal acne? Is it good for the cystic type? Any purging when you first started using, other than the dryness and peeling? |
dollbird, taz is AWESOME for cystic acne! If you dab a little extra taz right onto the offending blemish, it usually knocks it right out in a couple of days. Also, I didn't experience any purging per se when I started using it, HOWEVER, when I first used it my face was covered in HUNDREDS of hard white bumps thanks to Dr. H, so slowly but surely it brought those hard plugs to the surface where I then extracted them. |
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27, sensitive/reactive/acne prone skin, dark brown hair, blue eyes, possibly the palest woman alive... |
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Thu May 17, 2007 4:04 pm |
I know that you weren't asking this Liz, LOL, but I'll throw in my 2 cents. My main acne issue is cystic acne and the retin-a and taz has worked wonders for it.
I'll have try the spot treatment next time I have a spot working itself up.
Liz |
_________________
JOIN ME IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER...http://www.the3day.org/dallas07/maryaguirre |
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Fri May 18, 2007 6:56 am |
sormuimui, one more thing I thought about (lying sleepless as I did the mistake of taking an anti-histamine before going to bed - but that's another story) was that the JM Bioclear and the retin A/taz shouldn't necessarily be incompatible. JM even has some sort of retin a that they recommend using under the Bioclear and Patty also uses retin a (She said so in the thread on the reviews section). The thing though is that with retin As, seems to be a hit and miss - where you have to find the one that works for you. I had tried differin in the past and it didn;t do much for me. It may be a long process finding the right retin a and eventually working it together with the Bioclear. I like the Bioclear because it's more of an instant gratification thing whereas the retin a shounds like an arduous process!  |
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Fri May 18, 2007 8:03 am |
sormuimui,
Retinoids are great for anti-aging, not just for removing signs of aging, but for slowing them happening. So they are great for people in their twenties to use (not sure how old you are) before signs of aging even appear. I recommend you read the section: "Question: Why should I use retinoids? Am I too young to use retinoids? Should a person in their 20s use retinoids? Will using a retinoid now help prevent aging, or are they only for 'mature' skin?"
from the link below (you will need to scroll down on the page):
http://makeupalley.com/user/notepad/tetrakis
There is also info on that page for using retinoids less times a week than every night as well as Short Term Contact Therapy (leaving Taz on for 5-10 minutes, then washing it off).
As far as using acids in the morning, I don't do it because it's too much for my skin, but I am pretty sure the Obagi regimin uses acids in the morning and the retinoid at night. So it may help with your acne issues to do this. You definitely need a great sunscreen either way! |
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Fri May 18, 2007 4:28 pm |
| Agent OO-Cat: I know they are not incompatible, it's just it might be too much for my skin if I use one after the other. Maybe I will alternate but if I do so not sure if I will get the full benefits of Taz plus I won't know which is really clearing my skin up. But then again Taz would be a lot cheaper for me as I'm covered by my insurance so I'd be paying next to nothing for it. |
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Thu May 24, 2007 12:36 am |
| Wanted to update - started on Taz tonight so fingers crossed. I think I might use this thread as a little journal to see how my skin likes the Taz. I put a thin layer on after toner and then followed with my usual PSF berry beneficial (which I use in place of HA normally following my AHA products) then Zenbiotics O2 to dampen my face for my Osea APC. Didn't wash it off as doctor suggested because I felt no stinging, no redness, nothing, it just felt like any other cream. I like the texture, it mattifies and makes my skin soft like silicones does but this is actually good for my skin. My skin is also pretty normal right now (not dry nor oily) except had some breakouts this week due to exam stress. Will update if I see any significant changes good or bad. |
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Thu May 24, 2007 3:42 am |
how bad should ur skin be when using these retinoids? cos iv just been doing a search and u need prescriptions for them, but for differin, u can get it online
sormuimui i do hope the taz is working for u and keep us all updated, i love hearing how ppl get amazing results from using specific things |
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Thu May 24, 2007 4:15 am |
yeahyeah: I'm not sure either but I find that if you go to a derm, most likely they'll prescribe something for you, whether it's retinoids or some topical. I used to be prescribed an antibiotic topical which uses retinoid and erythromycin but they didn't work for me so I gave up on prescriptive stuff.
But I want something to keep me more clear than Bioclear (which I was already quite satisfied with) so I'm hoping Taz will be the answer. Differin is the same as Taz except a lighter dose so perhaps that is why you don't need a prescription for it. |
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Thu May 24, 2007 4:38 am |
oh right, so differin is not as strong... maybe when i go to my GP for some prescriptions, i could get him to write me some differin to use. although i can see that some online stores sells them quite cheaply and for free shipping too...but if i get them on prescription its absolutely free 
im using J.M too, but only been using them for a few days...hopefully it will help with my hormonal breakouts too
thanks sormuimui, ur so quick to reply! and ur soooo helpful and detailed with ur answers  |
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Thu May 24, 2007 7:17 am |
Hi sormuimui,
Just wanted to wish you all the best with taz. My retin a should finally come through on Monday and I may try keeping the JM bioclear in the am and the taz a few times a week at night - might be too much but we'll see. |
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