Review: Curology (formerly Pocketderm)

In my last post I introduced Curology and rambled a bit on how the online telemedicine service works (read here if you're interested) so that this one could dive straight into the details (and gory pictures).

Each Curology lotion has 3 actives that the prescriber chooses and some inactives that stay the same.  With the first formula I received my NP took into account my general dryness and possible allergy to retinol so I ended up with 4% Azelaic Acid, 1% Clindamycin and 4% Niacinamide.

Azelaic acid was a new ingredient I hadn't encountered but was supposed to lighten hyperpigmentation and have "antibacterial, antifungal and pore-unclogging properties."  Clindamycin is an "antibiotic & anti-inflammatory with powerful effects against acne-causing bacteria" and the ever popular niacinamide was chosen to counter "acne, inflammation and hyperpigmentation."  I was iffy on the efficacy of the clindamycin given my previous lukewarm results but figured the azelaic acid sounded promising.  Plus, I was too scared to request anything with tretinoin and the NP let me know this formula was one of the mildest she could prescribe.  (She also recommended benzoyl peroxide facial wash, zinc pyrithione soap and spearmint but I only used those sporadically so this review won't cover them.)


The sturdy pump bottles housing the Curology lotions are hygienic (although lamentably opaque so hard to tell when nearly out) and dispense the creamy white lotion easily.  My 2nd bottle was defective so I had to scoop things out with a Q-tip until they sent me a replacement but the customer service was excellent throughout and every other pump since has been fine.  There's no smell and the absorption is fast (yay!) so my skincare routine puts the Curology lotion after my essence and before my heaviest night cream at bedtime.

I started slow and applied only every other night but it was clear from the start my skin had no trouble adapting to Formula #1.  I had zero side effects (no dryness, redness, stinging, flaking, etc) so after a week I applied it every single night.  Again, I didn't notice any adverse effects.  By the end of week 2 I added back my beloved BHA/AHA actives into my routine without issue.  This should have been a major clue this formula wouldn't be the cure I was seeking.  All the spectacular results I read about online also warned of the initial peeling/drying effects and that it would take time to adjust but I never encountered anything similar with this Formula #1.

In the pictures below it's obvious neither cheek really benefited from this first formula.  After nearly 4 months you can see the old spots clear up but new ones continuing to appear.  (Please ignore the white tint in some of the pictures... it's only acne cream I forgot to wipe off =)

 

I'm not the best photographer and there are lighting differences from pic to pic (apologies!) but you can see I kept deluding myself that maybe... just maybe I just needed another month for things to start improving.  The nice thing is that I kept my NP updated throughout and she was supportive of my switching to a stronger formula whenever I felt ready.  Come end of last year I asked her to change my formula and the next one in the mail was 0.009% Tretinoin, 1% Clindamycin and 9% Azelaic Acid.  

Formula #2 more than doubled the azelaic acid and added in the lowest possible concentration of tretinoin (for unclogging pores).  The NP felt such a low amount would minimize potential side effects and I'm glad we went with this 0.009% because many bloggers that started with 0.01% or higher all mentioned horrible peeling and dryness as a side effect! O_O

Within days of starting Formula #2 I knew something was finally happening.  After application my face would tingle/itch for 5-10 minutes and I quickly cut out all of my usual BHA/AHA/Vitamin C serum to give my skin time to adjust.  I dropped back down to a every-other-night schedule for a week and later increased the lotion to nightly.  The tingling remains annoying but it's improved over the last month.  At one point even other products (essence, creams, toners) would burn a bit and I remember each night feeling awfully itchy & sorry for myself while lying in bed trying to fall asleep. ^_^

After a month of usage only my jawline itches after application and this lasts about 10 min before subsiding.  I've added my BHA back into my morning skincare routine but only use AHA and Vitamin C once a week because they still burn like heck.  I get some mild dry flakes between my nose/mouth and some trace amounts at the corners of my mouth but nothing unbearable.  By moisturizing those places a bit more I can compensate and since I always have on BB cream the flaking areas aren't too obvious if I don't touch or disturb them.  I've also noticed my healing blemishes are mildly drier so foundation over them tend to look kind of cakey but it's not a deal-breaker.

As to performance...

I was hard-pressed to see a large difference in the first 2 weeks but by week 3 I noticed a few nice things:

a) Less/smaller breakouts: Rather than having 5-10 active blemishes at any time that number reduced to 1-3 smaller ones

b) Faster healing: Spots cleared up more rapidly and were more responsive to OTC acne products (pink spot serum, scar cream, etc); the leftover hyperpigmentation is now fading faster compared to older scars

c) Smoother make-up application:  It's easier to hide my acne because my jawline is much smoother compared to the textured mess from last year (see pics below)

Sorry for the lighting differences but you can see Formula #1 didn't really help too much and that my progress is all from Formula #2 (0.009% Tretinoin, 1% Clindamycin and 9% Azelaic Acid).  Most of the dark spots in the last photo are healed blemishes with leftover hyperpigmentation.  When I apply BB cream over my face it's so much less noticeable that I've even received compliments on my skin!  (Those poor souls don't realize the power of make-up BAHAHAH!)  I'm not sure if the tretinoin or the increased azelaic acid is doing the trick but my game plan is to continue with Formula #2 until I feel my progress plateaus and then decide whether to request a stronger formula at that point.  I'm pleased as punch these days and only wish I asked for the ingredient changes earlier!

I'll keep updating with new pictures over time but if you're interested in trying out Curology you can use my referral link for a free first month (includes a 3 month supply of lotion).   The link gives me a $10 credit if you choose to sign up. =)

Summary

• Packaging:      4/5 (hygienic; hard to gauge volume leftover product)
• Smell:             5/5 (no real smell so perfect for a sensitive nose)
• Performance:  4/5 (need to get right formula & results take time; mild side effects)
• Value/Price:    5/5 ($19.99/month for accessible medical professionals & Rx meds)
• Recommend? Yes (feel free to use my referral link for a free first month!)
  
• Continue subscription? Definitely!