Accutane

[angeldreamz]

Thanks alot for your comments FrockRadar8. I guess Im just really nervous about the side affects of the treatment, but Its a risk Im willing to take for better looking skin

 

[prettyjuice]

so i have another dermatologist appointment in less than a week. did anyone here have bad skin, but not the worst and you wanted to try a strong pill like accutane or birth control? i think it would clear my blotchy blemished cheeks up and prevent it from getting even worse. should i ask my dermatologist? if she says no, im most likely going to visit a different one who will understand that my condition is getting worse and worse

 

[angeldreamz]

Okay, so I picked up my supply of accutane today. Im going to take my first dose tonight. My mom is freaked out about all the side effects. She thinks my acne isnt that bad,but for me it is. Especially in the last couple of weeks cuz i havent used any antibiotics or cleansers. Im getting these big whiteheads that really hurt like hell. Im kinda getting anxious. I really hope this works. Im waiting to see what type of side effects i get, and hopefully they are not that severe.

 

[FrockRadar8]

Best of luck Angeldreamz, keep us updated!

 

[prettyjuice]

i went to the dermatologist today and she prescribed more topical medications and pills, but she also is sending me to the doctor for birth control! which is in preparation for accutane if my new medications dont work effectively. i have to say, im excited

 

[victoriandoll]

Okay, so I picked up my supply of accutane today. Im going to take my first dose tonight. My mom is freaked out about all the side effects. She thinks my acne isnt that bad,but for me it is. Especially in the last couple of weeks cuz i havent used any antibiotics or cleansers. Im getting these big whiteheads that really hurt like hell. Im kinda getting anxious. I really hope this works. Im waiting to see what type of side effects i get, and hopefully they are not that severe.

I don't really see the big deal about the side effects, my mom was worried too. But LOTS of pills have bad side effects and "can cause depression". But for myself (so far, it's been about 3 weeks) and for pretty much everyone I've talked to about accutane the worst side effect they experienced was chapped lips. Seriously..chapped lips..ohh so deadly! The biggest problem of course is that it causes major birth defects so don't get pregnant...plus you have to have blood tests all the time to make sure it's not affecting you in a bad way and that you're not pregnant.

The thing is that you WILL eventually clear up when on accutane it's pretty much guarenteed..but you can't tell if you will clear up for good until after you've been off it for a while. You can always go on it again if it doesn't. The hardest part for me so far was getting past the initial breakout but it's almost over and I just got put on a higher dosage.

Good luck! I hope it works well and works fast for you. Make sure you use lots of moisturizer and lip balm.

 

[victoriandoll]

oh also, is anyone else as annoyed with the packaging? I hate it, why can't they just put it in a bottle?

 

[FrockRadar8]

As for side effects, i experienced really strong sun sensitivity and backaches. So instead of taking the pill twice a day, as directed, i took it only once a day. I was on the medication for a longer duration, but the effectiveness was the same and the side effects were slim to minimal.

 

[goldilocks]

my accutane experience

hey guys, i have had what some people term mild-moderate acne since i was 11 (im now 21) i tried a variety of lotions and prescriptions including mynocycline (2 cycles of blue and orange coated antibiotics) and Stiemycin (which is another antibiotic) neither of these did anything for my acne which was and still is a major problem round that time of the month

My v. nice female dermatologist immediatly put me on 10mg of roaccutance for 4 months in my first year of college and like many ppl say i did break out badly for the first coupla weeks, but after that my skin was amazing! not one blemish or any redness! (for me this was excellent as im v. v. fair, and was always self concious about my skin)

about 2 yrs has passed since iv been on it and my skin has gone back to being its usual disgusting self, so have made another appointment to see if i can go back on it & possibly for a longer time - i dont think 4 months was long enough to keep it in my system - what do you think?

as for side effects i had mildly dry skin and i just applied a special cream (called lipobase in NZ) to my lips and the crevice of my nose which got a lil dry. as for the depression warning i was completly happy and normal while on the drug - i think b/c my skin was so great for that time period i was more confident and had a brighter outlook - but its definitly a case by case issue.

good luck to everyone else in their quest for great skin!

 

[FrockRadar8]

Goldilocks - "as for side effects i had mildly dry skin and i just applied a special cream (called lipobase in NZ) to my lips and the crevice of my nose which got a lil dry. as for the depression warning i was completly happy and normal while on the drug - i think b/c my skin was so great for that time period i was more confident and had a brighter outlook - but its definitly a case by case issue."



Taking a course of accutane does NOT promise clean skin forever. It's great for clearing up serious acne and also does well for moderate. It is, however, not uncommon for some individuals to need two courses to eliminate acne on a more permanent basis. My sister and my dad needed two. I only needed one. You're right, It varies from person to person.

I'm glad it helped you though!

 

[angeldreamz]

Hey everyone. It has been about 4 months since I have started the treatment and let me tell u.....my skin looks amazing!! I dont have any pimples and my skin feels sooooo soft. I reduced the amount of makeup i wear. Now all i wear is tinted moisturizer for some of the marks left by old acne. It feels amazing to not want to hide your skin anymore. I have an appointment on thursday to get my 5th month supply of accutane, but my dermatologist says i may not need it. I hope i wont because I'm going to bartending school next month, and i will have to taste alcohol a bit, but then again, im scared that if i had only 4 months of treatment, my acne may come back sooner? As for side effects, all i had was mild dry skin and extremely dry lips. nothing too serious. Accutane works like a miracle. I love my skin now.

 

[Katarina]

I am now on accutane (called here Roaccutane) a bit more than Three weeks,the first two weeks I was on 30mg daily,and this week on 40mg daily,the only side effect that I'd noticed are chapped lips and dry skin,I am using a moisturizing cream and as the sunny days are coming here,I don't go out without using a sunscreen.

I already noticed that my skin is clearing up,I didn't have that much of acné,but for my age (I'am 29),my dermatologist said that I shouldn't have any,with "accutane",it will be resolved but I have to use it at least for six months.

I was using before for two years ,birth control pills "Diane 35",specially made for this problem,my acne cleared up after 6months of use,but since the end of this year my acne was back.

 

[GreenTea3]

accutane experience

well, it worked. However, the worst part about the whole treatment was the insane dryness. The skin on my cheeks would become dry and flaky and my lips would crack a lot . Not an attractive thing to endure. After about a year of on and off again treatment (about 2 months each time), I stopped and the zits came back in a month or so. Not what I would recommend unless you have serious acne.

 

[Miss_A]

Well, after almost 6 years I am back on this medication, I am currently starting my 3rd month and I already look SOOO much better - actually almost all gone. I take 40mg a day and my dermatologist is not going to increase my dose because i am doing really good on this one. The only side effects I have are the dry lips really...occasionally when i don't moisturise enough i get a rash on my arms but that goes away within a few days. I feel good and I'm happier with the day!

 

[Arturo21]

Hi everyone, I haven't been here for a long time b/c of school and summer vacations, but i'll hopefully join the boards again soon.

I've had acne for a long time, and now I just can't take it anymore. I took the prescription topical medications, they didn't work, nor the anti-biotic - which broke my face out badly for the first two weeks, worked for a month after that, and then I built up resistance and it stopped working....

I am now on accutane, yesterday I took my first pill, I'm about to take my second.

First of all, i'd like to say that the side-affects are apparently very rare. My dermatologist told me that she's been using it for 6 years and has had no report of mental dilemmas. Of course, she made sure that the people she gives it to don't have a history of depression. If you have it, simply don't take it.

My only concern is, will my hair really dry out badly and become thin? I have really thick, nice hair, and I just bought the clear moisture shampoo from Redken to hopefully keep it moist - maybe I should also buy moisturizing hair masks? Anything to keep it from thinning? The permanent thinning is the only thing I'm scared about.

Also, I recently bought several products from the Shiseido Men range:
-hydrating lotion
-cleansing foam
-anti-shine refresher
are these OK to use with my drying skin? I have the Anti-Shine Refresher (Matifying Gel) - I guess I can't use that anymore?

Also, I've heard I should try not to eat vitamin-a rich foods, true?

 

[cric-croc]

hello everyone!

after years of acne, red skin and scars, i am finally on accutane for the first time.

today i took the second pill and i have already noticed how dry my skin is becoming.
i am on 20mg for a month and will then see my dermatologit to hopefully go on 40mg.

my only question is regarding my skin getting worse: does this happens to everyone? how soon does it start getting worse? how long does it last for? is there anything that i could do to prevent it (using a specific cleansder, cream...)?

thank you
;-)

 

[Louie]

I personally was never on accutane but my brother took it... his hair thinned during treatment and it never came back. He's only 22. I would say accutane should be a last resort treatment. I had similarily bad skin but I chose not to take accutane. It took a couple of years to figure out a skin regime that worked for me but now (at 20), I have perfect skin (except for the usual occasional problem spot!) and all my hair!

 

[Whitelinen]

hello everyone!

after years of acne, red skin and scars, i am finally on accutane for the first time.

today i took the second pill and i have already noticed how dry my skin is becoming.
i am on 20mg for a month and will then see my dermatologit to hopefully go on 40mg.

my only question is regarding my skin getting worse: does this happens to everyone? how soon does it start getting worse? how long does it last for? is there anything that i could do to prevent it (using a specific cleansder, cream...)?

thank you
;-)

I was on Accutane the last year, and yes, I think it is quite common for your skin to get dry. In my case, it got VERY dry, but I did have very sensitive skin before going on Accutane, and I don't know if that had an effect. I do not want to scare you, but the level of dryness my skin reached was unbelievable...for a couple weeks, my eyelids (!) dried so badly they got swollen and it hurt to keep my eyes open.

I would suggest getting a prescription from your doctor for extremely moisturizing body/face lotions/creams they sell at pharmacists. That stuff does help. Be very gentle with your skin, use mild products and don't exfoliate or use products containing alcohol. Avoid anything that has a drying effect or is for oily skin, even if you had oily skin in the first place. Use only products that are meant for dry or sensitive skin. Avoid any unnecessary "treatments", just wash your face in the morning and in the evening, wipe it with facial tonic and add lots of face lotion. Remember to use the creams/lotions on your body too, since Accutane does not only affect your face.

Accutane might feel difficult because of the side-effects, but keep in mind that it will help your skin

Arturo21: I might remember wrong, but when I read the product details that came with the meds, I remember reading that it might make your hair thicker, not thinner. I might remember wrong though, so check with your doctor. I have never heard of anyone losing all of their hair because of Accutane, but I do not know if the fact that I am a woman is a factor (isn't it more common for men to lose hair even without Accutane than women?).

Accutane does have side effects like the drying and redness of your skin, and I think these are quite common. I have no idea how common mental side effects are. It might also make your cholesterol levels rise, so remember to go to blood tests every month to get it monitored.

There are loads of horror stories floating about this drug, and while it is a very strong drug which should not be taken lightly, I wouldn't panic. Of course all of this post is only about my experiences with Accutane, so if you are not sure about something, do contact your doctor, that is the best advice.

 

[cric-croc]

ok, my skin is slightly getting worse, several huge spots are appearing on my forehead and cheeks. it was also very dry in the first few days but now its back to normal. cannot wait until things improve!!!

 

[lucy92]

ive never tried accutane. however, i was on differin for a year or so and it made a huge difference. i hardly ever broke out and my blackheads diminished.