14-02-2016, 00:20
Accutane
August 3 2007 at 10:04 PM Jen (Login blitz1228)
My dermatologist wants me to go on accutane. *sigh*
I have to be on birth control for a month before I start taking it. I think I'll be given the 40 mg. I was just wondering if anyone else on the forum has to take this crap. The side effects make my stomache turn. I'm also wondering how much it will effect my program. Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Black Sheep
(Login PinkNika)
I have taken it!
August 4 2007, 1:00 AM
Hi!!
Warning: this will be long!
Yes, I have taken that stupid crap, if you don't mind me asking, have you taken anything else prior?? For me, it was the last hope. I was on a bunch of different antibiotics, topicals, you name it, I tried it all.
My mother was really hesitant about it, she hated the sound of what the side effects would be, she really didn't want me to go on it but since I really really thought it would help, and as a last resort, I gave it a shot.
I went through 2 rounds of it within a year and a half. Which is extremley dangerous. My derm said it was fine, however later on things weren't.
My skin was really clear after about a year taking it. Then after that year, it slowly started coming back...only on my face. I did have really horribel cysts on my chest, neck and back and face, and accutane had seemed to help everything but my face. I no longer have cystic acne on those parts and I still have bad acne on my face and a little on my chest.
I did not have to go on birth control because at the time I was not active, and my mom didn't want me to do that either, which was okayed by my derm.
Side Effects:
I do have a few...I have some really weird night blindness that I have never had before. I also have some kind of blurred vision occasionally, and apparetnly since I did go to a doctor he told me that it does chromosomal damage as well, so if I do have kids later in the future, it will be a big risk because of all the damage. (this has not been proved, it was more of a warning)
A few of my friends I have known throughout highschool has also taken the medication, one of my friends has kidney problems now, also she has an immune system disorder, she was out of school for 2 months my senior year because of it, and I haven't heard if she has gotten better or not. My other friend, had some fungus issues with her toes and fingernails, also she has some muscular skeletal damage, where her back hurts a lot. All these girls were about 15-16 when they started, and I was about 17. There is no way that they could have gotten all these side effects by something else.
I am NOT trying to freak you out in any way. Obviously you have already made the decision to do this, just take care of yourself. You will have to do the monthly blood tests they told you about, to make sure your liver is okay. All my tests came out really good, in fact the whole office was shocked at how low my triglicerides were (which is a really good thing)
I am getting to your question:
NBE and accutane taken together... since your liver will be working overtime, I do not think its the best idea to be taking a lot of things as well. You probably will overload your liver since you are taking BC and herbs too and honestly, your liver is an important organ, you only have one and you should really take care of it. Drink lots of water and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, do not drink alchohol, or take anything that might affect your liver in a negative way.
I saw your starting pics, if you don't mind me saying, you have really nice boobs already, so I mean, if you can wait long enough until your done, it would be the best idea. But in the meantime, appreciate what you got girl!! A lot of girls on here would kill to even have an A cup.
I hope I helped somewhat...feel free to ask me any more questions if you like, I think the journey through accutane was a crazy one too, lots of things were going through my mind...and my body....I am here to help if you need it. Good Luck!
Firefly
(Login FireflyGirl)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Accutane
August 4 2007, 4:06 PM
I was on Accutane for a couple of years back when I first started college, and I had one pretty bad side effect. The medicine caused me to have depression, which I had never experienced before in my life. In fact, for the longest time I didn't know it was the Accutane that was causing it, and I thought there was something wrong with me. I went to see psychologists and counselors, but because it was a chemical issue in my body, rather than something that I could talk through, it never helped. There were a couple of times when I wanted to commit suicide, and I can definitely tell you that this was NOT like me at all! I had always been a generally happy person, and there were no crises going on in my life at the time that would have led me to feel despair. I could not pinpoint why I wanted to kill myself, I just did. Everything seemed so hopeless to me. Finally, my doctor took me off the Accutane because it had pretty much done its job to clear up the cystic acne on my face. It wasn't until I got off the stuff and began to feel better that I realized it was the Accutane that had caused my depression. I still had one of the label inserts from the package, and I saw that depression was one of the side effects. Shortly thereafter, I saw a talk show on TV with several parents of teenagers on Accutane that had committed suicide while on the medication.
I would strongly advise taking something else if you possibly can. I know how difficult it can be to live with acne, but looking back on how severe my depression was at the time and how easily I could have done something to hurt myself -- I would take acne over depression any day. And the Accutane never totally "cured" my acne, either. The acne definitely got a lot better, but I struggle even to this day with acne on my face. Ironically, the thing that I found to be most effective in treating my acne has been watching which foods I eat. A few months ago, I started praying about my acne (something I never thought about doing before), and asked the Lord to show me the cause of it and how it could be corrected. After all, I figured He knew my body better than anyone did. It occurred to me that I ate a lot of spicy foods, including jalepeno chips. So I stopped eating those things completely, and guess what? My acne went almost totally away! I've noticed that chocolate will do the same thing to me, so I try to stay away from that, too. I would suggest keeping a chart of the things you eat and drink each day (write down EVERYTHING), and then write down how your acne does -- whether it gets better or worse. I would suggest doing this for maybe a month or two, and I'll bet you will start to see a pattern. It's amazing how much the things we put in our bodies affect us in so many ways, and we don't even realize it.
Keep us posted on what you decide to do!
Take care,
Firefly
Firefly
(Login FireflyGirl)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Accutane
August 4 2007, 4:42 PM
Just as a side note, I was also on the 40 mg dosage. If I remember correctly, I took it 3-4 times a week, like every other day.
Jen
(Login blitz1228)
Re: Accutane
August 14 2007, 12:37 AM
Thank you both for your replies. I'm definitely having mixed thoughts on this one.
PinkNika - I took Accutane about six years ago (for around six months), when I had "severe" acne. And I have maintained semi-clear skin (haven't had completely clear skin since I was just over 12 years old) with proactiv. But now the proactiv has almost stopped working completely. My skin is really sensitive, so I've been scared to try other acne lotions/creams/gels. My dermatologist gave me some Differin cream, and I haven't tried that yet either. Have any products (for super sensitive skin) you could possibly recommend?
Oh and I don't wear any make up....I'm terrified to put almost any product onto my face (lol) because of my awful experiences when I was younger.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge. Your advice and kindness bring much comfort and enlightenment. I don't want to take this stuff for another six months, risking my health further than I already am (as a smoker), just for it to come back later.
I will find out what my other options are. I do have a few questions:
How is your skin now?
What products are you using now? Any make up?
Where on your face/body do you break out?
Do you have any products you would like to recommend for acne scars?
Thanks again.
Jen
(Login blitz1228)
Re: Accutane
August 14 2007, 12:54 AM
Hey Firefly. I think it's strange that so many dermatologists tell you that your diet doesn't effect acne. I definitely believe it does, though I have no proof.
I also remember having severe depression and suicidal tendencies. But I can't say what caused that for sure. It was so long ago.
So what products are you using now?
Do you have anything you would like to recommend for sensitive skin?
Thanks.
Kari
(Login PinkNika)
re: accutane
August 14 2007, 3:30 AM
Hi!
Well now that you ask, lol I had a horrible cystic breakout a few weeks earlier and I am now recovering from it. I haven't broken out like that in a LONG time, I no longer get cystic acne on my face...or so I thought. I believe the reason why I broke out is food related, this is my second time eating cheezits and days later I broke out terribly...I don't know if its an exact link but I find it kinda strange. But right now, my back is pretty clear, I get the occasional pimple here and there and also on my chest but I can't seem to get my face even 85% clear.
I do believe it has to do with diet and hormones, I was doing a lot of research today and I think changing my diet will be the best thing, I found this site to be very interesting:
http://www.absoluteacneinfo.com/guide.html
As of right now, I am trying to go for the natural approach. (honey masks, Apple cider vinegar toner, tea tree oil) I have done proactive, and it cleared me up a lot but it stopped working for some reason. I also tried Murad acne complex and it really cleared me up however, I never did repurchase it, something about the cost I think or where I was financially at the time.
I have been using this cleansor called Ayur-medic, it deals a lot with ayurveda and I don't know, it purged my face out really bad and I thought my acne would get better but it didn't. Someone recommended it to me who had a lot of cystic acne and it worked great for her, for some reason it didn't do so good with me, but you can give it a shot:
http://www.ayur-medic.com/retail_face_cleansers.html
I got the one for oily skin, thats what she used...
I do wear A LOT of makeup...probably not the best idea but I use the clear skin formula liquid foundation by clinique, I did an experiment though, I wore absolutley no makeup for 5 days did the usual routine and for some reason, my face got worse...during the weekend, I work and wear a lot of heavy makeup, after those two days, and my makeup all washed off my mom complemented how clearer my face looked. Weird?? Yes I do think so, anyways, I did also try mineral makeup and it worked really really well, however be careful of brands because Bare Minerals made me break out, because of the Bismuth Oxychloride and when I went to a bare mineral store and complained about this, the sales girls were so rude that I said screw this, lol. I did try a more natural mineral makeup and my face was doing good.
Something I love for scars, is Vit E oil. You can break the capsule and smear it on your face or buy vit E oil w/coconut oil at Walmart. I find it really helpful, if you would like to read reviews on this:
http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showr...Treatments
I really hope you can view those reviews, if not you might have to register, I find a lot of what I buy is based on the recommemdations from that site
Anyways, well hopefully this helps, I am still trying to find something that works for my skin, its been really hard but I am not giving up.
*~Viva la Cleavage!!~*
Lost Sheep
(no login)
Clinique
August 14 2007, 7:07 AM
Cliniques anti-acne program really worked well for me. It all cleared up. I combined it with Zinc pills from the health food store and it worked wonders together.
Kari
(Login PinkNika)
you know...
August 14 2007, 9:57 PM
I have never tried zinc, that was the ONLY thing I have never tried. I reaserched the recommended dosages for acne and they said about 60 mg, I looked on the back of my multivitamin and it only has 15 mg! Granted, its 100% DV but still...I might try that!! Thanks sheep!
*~Viva la Cleavage!!~*
Firefly
(Login FireflyGirl)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Accutane
August 15 2007, 6:21 AM
Jen -
My face is pretty clear now, for the most part - ever since I started really watching what I eat a few months ago. When I do have occasional flair-ups, it's usually my cheeks and chin and right around my nose. Right now, my dermatologist has me using several topical medications, as well as one oral medication. The first topical med is a lotion that my doc has concocted himself -- the bottle says it contains "Sod.Sulfa.Hydro.Moist 1%" (whatever THAT means!). I then use Metrogel, which contains metronidazole gel. Lastly I use Finacea (only on my chin, which for me is the area most prone to cystic acne), which contains azelaic acid. These last two topical gels are prescription meds made by drug companies. The oral medication I take is called Nicomide, and I think it's mostly vitamin A. Last year when I experienced a bad breakout, my doc also put me on a mild antibiotic to try and kill the infection on my face, and that seemed to help a bit. I can't recall now which antibiotic I used. I know this sounds like a lot of medicine, and I really don't know for sure if I still need to be using everything, but I'm afraid to stop for fear of another breakout. Hopefully soon I'll get up the nerve to start weaning myself off of some of these...
For makeup, I use Maquicontrole foundation by Lancome. I have used this since high school, because it covers scars and breakouts really well without irritating my skin and causing further breakouts. Unfortunately, though, the company has decided to stop making this one and I'm on my next to last bottle! So I'm still deciding what I'm going to try next.
One other thing I've found that helps is using Cetaphyl moisturizer/sunscreen on my face in the mornings before I put on my makeup (this is just an over-the-counter product -- no prescription needed). It almost sounds counterintuitive to use a moisturizer on oily skin, but surprisingly, it seems to help a lot. I think it tricks my skin into producing less oil during the day, because my skin's already moisturized. I also wash my face with Cetaphyl anti-bacterial soap in the morning and at night.
My scars are slowly healing over time, but I think maybe the chicken feet soup that I'm eating every night for boobie-growing purposes is actually smoothing out my skin as well. I have quite a few of those lovely pitted scars that look like craters on my face, but I can see that even they are slowly smoothing out as time goes by. I think drinking lots of water helps, too, since it hydrates the skin and naturally makes it more "plump" looking.
And by the way, Kari, I totally hear you on the Cheezits -- they majorly break me out too!! I've learned to steer clear of those, even though I love the way they taste.
Take care,
Firefly
August 3 2007 at 10:04 PM Jen (Login blitz1228)
My dermatologist wants me to go on accutane. *sigh*
I have to be on birth control for a month before I start taking it. I think I'll be given the 40 mg. I was just wondering if anyone else on the forum has to take this crap. The side effects make my stomache turn. I'm also wondering how much it will effect my program. Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Black Sheep
(Login PinkNika)
I have taken it!
August 4 2007, 1:00 AM
Hi!!
Warning: this will be long!
Yes, I have taken that stupid crap, if you don't mind me asking, have you taken anything else prior?? For me, it was the last hope. I was on a bunch of different antibiotics, topicals, you name it, I tried it all.
My mother was really hesitant about it, she hated the sound of what the side effects would be, she really didn't want me to go on it but since I really really thought it would help, and as a last resort, I gave it a shot.
I went through 2 rounds of it within a year and a half. Which is extremley dangerous. My derm said it was fine, however later on things weren't.
My skin was really clear after about a year taking it. Then after that year, it slowly started coming back...only on my face. I did have really horribel cysts on my chest, neck and back and face, and accutane had seemed to help everything but my face. I no longer have cystic acne on those parts and I still have bad acne on my face and a little on my chest.
I did not have to go on birth control because at the time I was not active, and my mom didn't want me to do that either, which was okayed by my derm.
Side Effects:
I do have a few...I have some really weird night blindness that I have never had before. I also have some kind of blurred vision occasionally, and apparetnly since I did go to a doctor he told me that it does chromosomal damage as well, so if I do have kids later in the future, it will be a big risk because of all the damage. (this has not been proved, it was more of a warning)
A few of my friends I have known throughout highschool has also taken the medication, one of my friends has kidney problems now, also she has an immune system disorder, she was out of school for 2 months my senior year because of it, and I haven't heard if she has gotten better or not. My other friend, had some fungus issues with her toes and fingernails, also she has some muscular skeletal damage, where her back hurts a lot. All these girls were about 15-16 when they started, and I was about 17. There is no way that they could have gotten all these side effects by something else.
I am NOT trying to freak you out in any way. Obviously you have already made the decision to do this, just take care of yourself. You will have to do the monthly blood tests they told you about, to make sure your liver is okay. All my tests came out really good, in fact the whole office was shocked at how low my triglicerides were (which is a really good thing)
I am getting to your question:
NBE and accutane taken together... since your liver will be working overtime, I do not think its the best idea to be taking a lot of things as well. You probably will overload your liver since you are taking BC and herbs too and honestly, your liver is an important organ, you only have one and you should really take care of it. Drink lots of water and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, do not drink alchohol, or take anything that might affect your liver in a negative way.
I saw your starting pics, if you don't mind me saying, you have really nice boobs already, so I mean, if you can wait long enough until your done, it would be the best idea. But in the meantime, appreciate what you got girl!! A lot of girls on here would kill to even have an A cup.
I hope I helped somewhat...feel free to ask me any more questions if you like, I think the journey through accutane was a crazy one too, lots of things were going through my mind...and my body....I am here to help if you need it. Good Luck!
Firefly
(Login FireflyGirl)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Accutane
August 4 2007, 4:06 PM
I was on Accutane for a couple of years back when I first started college, and I had one pretty bad side effect. The medicine caused me to have depression, which I had never experienced before in my life. In fact, for the longest time I didn't know it was the Accutane that was causing it, and I thought there was something wrong with me. I went to see psychologists and counselors, but because it was a chemical issue in my body, rather than something that I could talk through, it never helped. There were a couple of times when I wanted to commit suicide, and I can definitely tell you that this was NOT like me at all! I had always been a generally happy person, and there were no crises going on in my life at the time that would have led me to feel despair. I could not pinpoint why I wanted to kill myself, I just did. Everything seemed so hopeless to me. Finally, my doctor took me off the Accutane because it had pretty much done its job to clear up the cystic acne on my face. It wasn't until I got off the stuff and began to feel better that I realized it was the Accutane that had caused my depression. I still had one of the label inserts from the package, and I saw that depression was one of the side effects. Shortly thereafter, I saw a talk show on TV with several parents of teenagers on Accutane that had committed suicide while on the medication.
I would strongly advise taking something else if you possibly can. I know how difficult it can be to live with acne, but looking back on how severe my depression was at the time and how easily I could have done something to hurt myself -- I would take acne over depression any day. And the Accutane never totally "cured" my acne, either. The acne definitely got a lot better, but I struggle even to this day with acne on my face. Ironically, the thing that I found to be most effective in treating my acne has been watching which foods I eat. A few months ago, I started praying about my acne (something I never thought about doing before), and asked the Lord to show me the cause of it and how it could be corrected. After all, I figured He knew my body better than anyone did. It occurred to me that I ate a lot of spicy foods, including jalepeno chips. So I stopped eating those things completely, and guess what? My acne went almost totally away! I've noticed that chocolate will do the same thing to me, so I try to stay away from that, too. I would suggest keeping a chart of the things you eat and drink each day (write down EVERYTHING), and then write down how your acne does -- whether it gets better or worse. I would suggest doing this for maybe a month or two, and I'll bet you will start to see a pattern. It's amazing how much the things we put in our bodies affect us in so many ways, and we don't even realize it.
Keep us posted on what you decide to do!
Take care,
Firefly
Firefly
(Login FireflyGirl)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Accutane
August 4 2007, 4:42 PM
Just as a side note, I was also on the 40 mg dosage. If I remember correctly, I took it 3-4 times a week, like every other day.
Jen
(Login blitz1228)
Re: Accutane
August 14 2007, 12:37 AM
Thank you both for your replies. I'm definitely having mixed thoughts on this one.
PinkNika - I took Accutane about six years ago (for around six months), when I had "severe" acne. And I have maintained semi-clear skin (haven't had completely clear skin since I was just over 12 years old) with proactiv. But now the proactiv has almost stopped working completely. My skin is really sensitive, so I've been scared to try other acne lotions/creams/gels. My dermatologist gave me some Differin cream, and I haven't tried that yet either. Have any products (for super sensitive skin) you could possibly recommend?
Oh and I don't wear any make up....I'm terrified to put almost any product onto my face (lol) because of my awful experiences when I was younger.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge. Your advice and kindness bring much comfort and enlightenment. I don't want to take this stuff for another six months, risking my health further than I already am (as a smoker), just for it to come back later.
I will find out what my other options are. I do have a few questions:
How is your skin now?
What products are you using now? Any make up?
Where on your face/body do you break out?
Do you have any products you would like to recommend for acne scars?
Thanks again.
Jen
(Login blitz1228)
Re: Accutane
August 14 2007, 12:54 AM
Hey Firefly. I think it's strange that so many dermatologists tell you that your diet doesn't effect acne. I definitely believe it does, though I have no proof.
I also remember having severe depression and suicidal tendencies. But I can't say what caused that for sure. It was so long ago.
So what products are you using now?
Do you have anything you would like to recommend for sensitive skin?
Thanks.
Kari
(Login PinkNika)
re: accutane
August 14 2007, 3:30 AM
Hi!
Well now that you ask, lol I had a horrible cystic breakout a few weeks earlier and I am now recovering from it. I haven't broken out like that in a LONG time, I no longer get cystic acne on my face...or so I thought. I believe the reason why I broke out is food related, this is my second time eating cheezits and days later I broke out terribly...I don't know if its an exact link but I find it kinda strange. But right now, my back is pretty clear, I get the occasional pimple here and there and also on my chest but I can't seem to get my face even 85% clear.
I do believe it has to do with diet and hormones, I was doing a lot of research today and I think changing my diet will be the best thing, I found this site to be very interesting:
http://www.absoluteacneinfo.com/guide.html
As of right now, I am trying to go for the natural approach. (honey masks, Apple cider vinegar toner, tea tree oil) I have done proactive, and it cleared me up a lot but it stopped working for some reason. I also tried Murad acne complex and it really cleared me up however, I never did repurchase it, something about the cost I think or where I was financially at the time.
I have been using this cleansor called Ayur-medic, it deals a lot with ayurveda and I don't know, it purged my face out really bad and I thought my acne would get better but it didn't. Someone recommended it to me who had a lot of cystic acne and it worked great for her, for some reason it didn't do so good with me, but you can give it a shot:
http://www.ayur-medic.com/retail_face_cleansers.html
I got the one for oily skin, thats what she used...
I do wear A LOT of makeup...probably not the best idea but I use the clear skin formula liquid foundation by clinique, I did an experiment though, I wore absolutley no makeup for 5 days did the usual routine and for some reason, my face got worse...during the weekend, I work and wear a lot of heavy makeup, after those two days, and my makeup all washed off my mom complemented how clearer my face looked. Weird?? Yes I do think so, anyways, I did also try mineral makeup and it worked really really well, however be careful of brands because Bare Minerals made me break out, because of the Bismuth Oxychloride and when I went to a bare mineral store and complained about this, the sales girls were so rude that I said screw this, lol. I did try a more natural mineral makeup and my face was doing good.
Something I love for scars, is Vit E oil. You can break the capsule and smear it on your face or buy vit E oil w/coconut oil at Walmart. I find it really helpful, if you would like to read reviews on this:
http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showr...Treatments
I really hope you can view those reviews, if not you might have to register, I find a lot of what I buy is based on the recommemdations from that site
Anyways, well hopefully this helps, I am still trying to find something that works for my skin, its been really hard but I am not giving up.
*~Viva la Cleavage!!~*
Lost Sheep
(no login)
Clinique
August 14 2007, 7:07 AM
Cliniques anti-acne program really worked well for me. It all cleared up. I combined it with Zinc pills from the health food store and it worked wonders together.
Kari
(Login PinkNika)
you know...
August 14 2007, 9:57 PM
I have never tried zinc, that was the ONLY thing I have never tried. I reaserched the recommended dosages for acne and they said about 60 mg, I looked on the back of my multivitamin and it only has 15 mg! Granted, its 100% DV but still...I might try that!! Thanks sheep!
*~Viva la Cleavage!!~*
Firefly
(Login FireflyGirl)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Accutane
August 15 2007, 6:21 AM
Jen -
My face is pretty clear now, for the most part - ever since I started really watching what I eat a few months ago. When I do have occasional flair-ups, it's usually my cheeks and chin and right around my nose. Right now, my dermatologist has me using several topical medications, as well as one oral medication. The first topical med is a lotion that my doc has concocted himself -- the bottle says it contains "Sod.Sulfa.Hydro.Moist 1%" (whatever THAT means!). I then use Metrogel, which contains metronidazole gel. Lastly I use Finacea (only on my chin, which for me is the area most prone to cystic acne), which contains azelaic acid. These last two topical gels are prescription meds made by drug companies. The oral medication I take is called Nicomide, and I think it's mostly vitamin A. Last year when I experienced a bad breakout, my doc also put me on a mild antibiotic to try and kill the infection on my face, and that seemed to help a bit. I can't recall now which antibiotic I used. I know this sounds like a lot of medicine, and I really don't know for sure if I still need to be using everything, but I'm afraid to stop for fear of another breakout. Hopefully soon I'll get up the nerve to start weaning myself off of some of these...
For makeup, I use Maquicontrole foundation by Lancome. I have used this since high school, because it covers scars and breakouts really well without irritating my skin and causing further breakouts. Unfortunately, though, the company has decided to stop making this one and I'm on my next to last bottle! So I'm still deciding what I'm going to try next.
One other thing I've found that helps is using Cetaphyl moisturizer/sunscreen on my face in the mornings before I put on my makeup (this is just an over-the-counter product -- no prescription needed). It almost sounds counterintuitive to use a moisturizer on oily skin, but surprisingly, it seems to help a lot. I think it tricks my skin into producing less oil during the day, because my skin's already moisturized. I also wash my face with Cetaphyl anti-bacterial soap in the morning and at night.
My scars are slowly healing over time, but I think maybe the chicken feet soup that I'm eating every night for boobie-growing purposes is actually smoothing out my skin as well. I have quite a few of those lovely pitted scars that look like craters on my face, but I can see that even they are slowly smoothing out as time goes by. I think drinking lots of water helps, too, since it hydrates the skin and naturally makes it more "plump" looking.
And by the way, Kari, I totally hear you on the Cheezits -- they majorly break me out too!! I've learned to steer clear of those, even though I love the way they taste.
Take care,
Firefly