My skin sucks. It has always sucked. My nickname in seventh grade given to me by the oh-so-sweet boys on my bus was pepperoni face because there wasn't a square centimeter on my face or neck that wasn't covered in disgusting red dots. That was almost ten years ago, and my face is STILL covered in acne, no matter what I do! I have tried any and every type of lotion available without prescription, and also Benzaclin and Clindamycin gel together for about a year.
Finally, sick of being the only senior in college with acne, my family doctor referred me to a dermatologist, and I have an appointment in a couple weeks to see what we can do. When my mom was in college/my age she had the same issues and took Accutane, and has yet to have a major breakout that I constantly experience since then. I would like to try it, but I'm not sure what to expect and I'm also a little scared of the risks. I intend to ask the doctor before starting, but I am on Seasonique birth control and I absolutely will not risk pregnancy.
If you have tried Accutane, let's hear about your opinion on it and your experience.. Or if you have any solutions to keep your acne in check, what do you do?
Comments (45)
I know a lot of people who have tried it. It really REALLY works. It dries out your skin, so you should take vitamin E, moisturize a lot, use chap stick & drink tons and tons of water... but doing that is worth it. Some of the people I know who have tried it really had BAD acne, and after using accutane it just went away.
But you CAN NOT get pregnant while taking this, it will cause birth defects. My friend Syd said she had to take a pledge to not get pregnant before they'd give her the prescription.
I heard the side-effects were horrendous. However, I cannot really offer you much advice. I had bad skin as well, but I found other solutions.
well i've never had like ACNE acne but i did have these weird little bumps on my forehead for a while >.< so i used stridex and they completely went away! i use clean and clear daily face wash every night and it keeps my skin clear and smooth :}
but! my boyfriend used to have really bad, really painful acne and he took accutane and it went away completely in about a month or so! his face is clear now except for a few little acne scars but that's pretty much inevitable.
good luck! :)
do it! its so worth it, it works REALLY well. I did it and my skin is perfect now.
My boyfriend used to take it. Even though he doesn't anymore, his skin is still really clear. However, his lips are permanently chapped because of it. I'd rather have chapped lips than acne though.
I know people who have had to go through more than one round, and that scares me. It would be really trippy to go from very oily skin (what I have now) to very dry skin (post-Accutane) for sure! And sometimes, you just have to try everything before you give up and go that route. I've literally tried everything for my acne and finally I found a routine that works.
Accutane is really harsh and I don't think I could handle it... especially during the Winter dry months!
Accutane did help my skin a bit but the side effects scared the hell out of me. I think you should try SkinID. Last year when I battled acne, I've tried a bunch of topical treatments that I despised because they made my skin peel. They didn't clear up my skin completely. There was always a huge stubborn cystic zit that would not go away. Only SkinID did the trick. I've been using it for almost a year now, and I cannot do without it.
It's a last resort. The doctor might have some other solutions...I think you should give them a try before taking Accutane.
My best friend takes it, and her lips are always super chapped cause it dries you out.
One of my friends' brother used to have terrible acne, he's taken Accutane and his skin cleared out on the first round and he doesn't need it anymore, he has great skin. I guess it depends on the person, he didn't get too many side effects, but I just wanted to share that little success story : he doesn't even have acne scars!
accutane was recently taken off the market...sooo...
Do it. I took it back in high school, and iit really works for years after you take it. I got a few pimples here and there every once in awhile, but nothing as bad as it used to be. It does dry your face out alot, so youll need lotion and sunscreen. I also had to get my blood taken every month, and go to a doctor visit before i could get my prescription refilled. They are careful to monitor that everything is ok in ur body, as well as mentally and emotionally (because its linked to suicide), and if youre a female they ask every visit what your form of pregnancy prevention is, because you CANNOT get pregnant on this pill, as it causes incredible birth defects. Theyre really careful! Its been 5 years since ive been off it and im still living with an acne free face.
So, all in all, i say: Do it!
i dont have severe acne but i do have bad skin with some acne. I have extremely oily skin, i've never used accutane or any prescription, but for the past year i've been using clinique's acne solution, it too dries skin out, (i doubt as bad as ppl have described accutane) but i use an oil free moistizure by clinique as well, and it helps and im in my senior year of college as well and it is embarrassing, im addicted to foundation because it makes my face look clear as bell but i totally wish i could be like the girls who dont wear any foundation and just eye make up....
I took accutane about six years ago and I would recommend it. I never had horrible acne, just extremely stubborn acne that wouldn't go away with any treatment - and my dermatologist tried EVERYTHING. Any pill or cream out there - prescription or not, I tried it and it didn't work. It definitely sucked while I was on it. My skin was dry and peely - and not just on my face. My hands were raw all the time, I was constantly putting on lotion and lip balm. It was pretty tough. When they say it gets worse before it gets better, they mean it. The first two months of the four or five month treatment is basically hell on your skin - your entire epidermis will hate you. The third and fourth months get a bit better, and you don't see real results until the second or third month AFTER treatment. But after a year, it's like having a new face.
It is a little freaky to go on because of all the restrictions and regulations (ie: requirement for not one but TWO forms of birth control, monthly pregnancy tests and dispersements, one month, three month, six month, 12 month check up AFTER treatment), but it's totally worth it. In the last six years, I've had about ten pimples. My skin has completely changed. I get compliments all the time about how it "glows".
Now instead of buying benzoyl peroxide products, I buy actual skin care products - stuff to moisturize and pamper my skin. It's pretty incredible when you think that previously I was terrified to see the word "moisture" in anything I was putting on my face.
I take my good, clear skin for granted now. This is something I had always wanted to do. I don't worry if I've sweated off my makeup covering the small landmass on my chin. I don't search for full coverage foundation. I don't avoid mirrors. I don't pick at my face. I don't worry about it. But I do remember how self-conscious I was of my skin. If this is something that bothers you and causes you significant inner turmoil, I'd recommend taking the plunge, because you will not regret it once you see the results. When I look at pictures and remember how I felt during my high school years, I'm so glad I went on it.
Good luck! And, if you're so daring, take before and after pics without makeup to compare. I wish I had done that, then I'd have some concrete proof of this testimony.
I tried Accutane this year. It was wonderful while I was on it, but now that I am off, it seems that all of the same issues have come back (extremely oily skin, breakouts, blackheads, everything), so I guess it's different for everyone. I guess it's worth a shot because it could work better for you.
I would definitely try it. I was a senior in college when I tried my first round. While I was on it my skin cleared up for the first time ever! It was lovely, but a few months after I got off it, acne was back with vengeance. But it worked for my brother, and I think I'm in the minority for people it doesn't work for.
I used to have pretty bad acne that wouldn't go away for anything. For over ten years I have tried so many prescription topical treatments and antibiotics but nothing would work. About a year ago my dermatologist prescribed me Solodyn and Aczone which worked pretty well. But I was still breaking out along my jaw line so he prescribed Yaz. This combination has worked wonders for me! I still wash my face with cetaphil and moisturize with cetaphil also. If you don't already know, any prescription antibiotic or topical ointment will make your skin worse before it gets better. You just have to give it time, at least 3 months before you try something new. Good luck!
I would try a couple other prescriptions first and use Accutane as a last resort. Three major cons:
—It really dries out your skin while it's working. Like, visibly so.
—The rumor that it causes suicidal thoughts is TRUE (a doctor confirmed it for me), so avoid it if you've ever struggled with depression.
—Although it's worked wonders on some people, I know others who have been through multiple courses of Accutane and still have acne.
By the way, acne sucks. I've had it for years too and it really messes with my self confidence. Right now I'm on Epiduo, but I'm not sure it's working.
I have always been told that accutane is an absolute LAST resort.
My acne in high school was horrible and we were about to start accutane but I was terrified of it so my dermatologist suggested I mix 15-20 drops of GSE (grapefruit seed extract) and 5-7 drops of TTO (tea tree oil) in a 5oz bottle. After I washed my face morning and night I put this mixture on my face with a cotton ball. It worked really well for me. If you haven't tried it, give it a try --- you can get gse and tto at any kind of health food store. I also took vitamin A and E while doing the gse, tto to help.
Good luck. :)
my pastor wife tried this and actually you cant get pregnant on it becuase if you do you will have a wierd looking baby and it can harm the baby and second after she did the accuntane for 6 months she got pregnant and she started breaking out again so i dont know i mean you can try if you want to but i wouldnt
accutane did WONDERS for me...I had aweful acne and I had tried everything...now I am clean-skinned and I am soo glad that I took the plunge
My best friend took it, yah it did dry his skin out like crazy but he really had bad acne and now I hardly see any issues with it at all on him. I asked him if he would do it again, and he said in a heart beat. If you can deal with the side effects for the time your on it then Id say go for it. An good luck! :)
I did it. BEST DECISION IVE EVER MADE IN MY LIFE
Accutane worked wonders for me. I don't regert taking it at all and have no continuing side effects from it. I definitely recommend it.