This is how the box and the packaging looks like. I wasn't able to take a picture of the actual pill since I stopped using it for now.
Exact price in Mercury Drug is P 1,508.75
A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT MY FACE AND MY ACNE BEFORE TAKING THIS:
My face started to be oily when I was in 4th grade. (Currently, I am a 3rd year college student, 19 years old). And I started touching my face, particularly my nose every freaking time. Like it was already my hobby. And this is because of the tiny particles that I tend to feel whenever I touch my nose. I started removing this "tiny particles" without knowing that this would cause the proliferation of my cystic acne. I remove these "particles" which by now, I think are whiteheads/backheads back then, with the use of my fingernails. Since then, from 4th grade until 1st year college, my face was full of cystic acne. Hence this popular saying in the Philippines, "Tigyawat na tinubuan ng mukha." Well mine's "Tigyawat na tinubuan ng ilong". Because of my acne, I lost confidence and I think lack of confidence completely ate up all of me that I forgot how to be happy and enjoy my life in high school. Well, this is of course I do not have any confidence in talking to people. I wasn't really the "outcast" but I dont usually go out during my hs days because I'm shy of my face.
I went to different dermatologists, I also get facials, have my cystic acne be injected with some kind of medicine that would lessen its redness and would help it to shrink faster, I even had like 2 or 3 sessions of Facial Laser. All of these still didn't stop my acne that I started to lose hope and accepted the fact that I will forever be the super acne girl for the rest of my life (still can remember these days and still feel the feels okay). But then...
HERE COMES MY LIFE SAVER!!!! (well, not really)
A family friend told us about this certain dermatologist in Makati and I told my mom that I want to try this certain derma, because hell yeah! My face is already ugly and damaged, what will I lose if it will work or not? So the derma took a look at my acne and he said that having pimples are normal blah blah... ofcourse same old same lines (Haha!) So my first treatment there was having my pimples to be pricked. It is not called "facial" because I know facials are done mostly by nurses or assistants in a dermatological clin. But a treatment is different. The dermatologist is the only person allowed to have it done. The pricking was the most painful thing in my life. Maybe if I were to give birth, having my pimples pricked would be the 2nd most painful. Also, I had Glycolic Peel. Which is the next painful thing after the pricking. Because it stings, it's itchy and excruciating pain would really be felt once it is applied. After this treatment, another painful 5 days of peeling will occur. The peeling part was not really painful though, what I meant was it's really uncomfortable walking outside with your face peeling like you are a freaking snake. At first I thought that this treatment would just be another normal, painful treatment that would not control my acne. It did control my oily face and somehow my pimples, but still acne kept on attacking and residing on my face, particularly my nose.
OKAY THE REAL LIFE SAVER...
ACNETREX / ISOTRETINOIN
A box of Acnetrex contains 3 strips with 10 tablets each. My dermatologist's medication for me was taking 2 tablets a day. So basically, one box would last for half a month / 15 days.
I started taking Acnetrex in 2012 but the effects started to show after finishing 1 box and a half. As far as I can remember, I had to finish 12-16 boxes during my first session (I'm not sure if session is the right word but yeah). 16 boxes means I took it for 8 months. Also, while I'm taking this tablet, I had to go back to my dermatologist every 2 weeks to have my glycolic peel, so that my acne would really be controlled. Every 2 months, my dermatologist would ask me to have my liver function be checked. Because as you all know, the liver is the organ of "FIRST PASS" therefore it should be checked regularly to know if the drug I'm taking is stressing or affecting my liver.
About ACNETREX,
So along with the box the indicationsstated that Isotretinoin is a retinoid for systemic treatment of acne. It is indicated for severe forms of cystic acne.
After a month or two, I stopped having glycolic peels because the acnetrex literally stopped my face from being oily and I think what it does is it kills and inhibits my sebaceous glands to produce sebum/oil. That is how strong this drug is. That is why this is not just an over the counter drug and it should have a doctor's prescrption. I was so glad because it was my first time not to have an oily face, although my skin went literally dry all over my body (but is not literally flaking) and my lips were always chapped. Also the thing is, just after 2 months my face was super clear. Even my pimple marks were gone, no cystic acne, black heads, white heads you name it, it did not appear. I had a flawless face while I was taking this.
This blog post is too long already and I don't even know if someone would care to read this but if you have plans of taking Acnetrex and if you are already under this medication, tell me if you want me to continue telling my story about my experience in taking this drug.
CIAO!
HAVEAMUSTACHEPARTY
