Accutane Before and After: 9 Women on Their Isotretinoin Side Effects - Acne dermatologist in Birmingham and London

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Accutane month 8 -

Out of all of the months of taking Accutane, month 8 was definitely the hardest month for me. My dose had been increased by another 20mg during month 7 making. Most patients who receive oral isotretinoin or Accutane will be free of acne by the end of 4–6 months of treatment depending on the dose. localhost › Beauty.

- Accutane month 8

Celia: As many of you know, I've been struggling with a really bad hormonal acne breakout for a year and a half. In recent videos, I let you know that I was on Accutane, and I actually was on it for eight months. And now I have been off for a little bit over a month.

In November ofmy skin got really bad, and I could not figure out why. It was the worst it had ever been, so I eventually decided to go on Accutane. It was hormonal, so there were deep, painful cysts on the sides of my cheeks. It hurt to wash my face, to put on makeup, and it was really taking a toll on my mental health. My Accutane experience started in October of I found a dermatologist in my area that I knew prescribed it. What makes me a good candidate for Accutane?

Holly Dimura: So the fact that you have moderate to severe cystics, the fact that you're getting cysts. I don't jump to Accutane when someone comes in with just a few little pimples here and there. So we have more cystic acne right here. Those are going to be the harder ones to clear because there's more contents in there.

These little pustules here will probably clear up first. And then even the comedones, which are these, they're a little white. And if you look at it close, you can see they have like little black dots in them as well. Those are open and closed pores. And those take, I would say, a little bit longer as well, because they really have to dry those oil glands up. Celia: Something to note about being on Accutane is that you need to get a blood test every month.

If you are a person with a uterus, it's really important that you don't get pregnant while on it. So you also need to get a pregnancy test every month and be on two forms of birth control. It's time to take the first pill. Directions for opening. Child-resistant package. There we go. I felt like I started seeing a difference in my skin within a month or two of starting. Obviously it wasn't drastic like the difference I see now, but I could definitely tell that some of my cysts were starting to heal.

While on Accutane, I used a very simple skincare routine, which was recommended by my dermatologist. I used Cetaphil gentle cleanser and Cerave moisturizer.

I would say my worst side effects were dryness, sweating, and body soreness. I got eczema for the first time. I had dry itchy patches all over my body. I actually had to be prescribed a cream for it. I got terrible sores on the sides of my lips that hurt when I ate or opened my mouth at all.

I always said to have ChapStick on me, and it had to be Aquaphor or Vaseline, or it didn't work. I had multiple nosebleeds a month because my nose was so dry. I would groan getting up from a chair or a couch.

I had constant lower back pain and it was really hard for me to work out. One of the most terrible symptoms that I had never heard of before was sweating.

I swear I have never sweat more than I did on Accutane in my entire life. My upper lip sweat, my eyebrows sweat. Even though I was having all of these symptoms, I was seeing results. So that made it worth it for me. I actually haven't had a pimple in about three months. My skin is doing great. I was just so happy. Like, if you've had acne before, you know that it really is a struggle, and it definitely takes a huge toll on your mental health.

So I'm just really happy that I saw a difference with something. And I feel, I just feel really good. Since I still do have scarring and redness, I'm going to talk to Dr. Fatima Fahs about my results and what I can do to help reduce them. Fatima Fahs: Well, first of all, congrats on being done with Accutane. It is a journey, and I always tell my patients like, Accutane is no joke. But clearly your results speak for themselves. So it looks like in your after photos, I can see that your acne has definitely cleared up significant.

I do see a combination of different types of scarring, both post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is just the surface dark marks on top of the skin, as well as the combination of those rolling scars along your cheeks, and a few little tiny ice pick scars towards the inner part of your cheek.

So the very first thing, especially when you're fresh off Accutane and you're like, "OK, let me think about my routine and what am I going to get into place? And probably the No. So in terms of in-office treatments, one would be in-office microneedling, which is an amazing treatment.

I love lasers or microneedling for this type of rolling scarring that we're talking about. For the little ice pick scarring, there's a procedure we do in the office oftentimes called TCA Cross. This is a specific type of chemical peel where we drop a very high percentage of an acid directly into those tiny little ice pick scars. And it, again, helps to slough that layer off and almost fill it in over time. So isotretinoin, or Accutane, is pretty much the closest thing we have to a cure for acne.

But it's really not a one-size-fits-all treatment. And a lot of patients do end up needing topical, or sometimes even oral acne treatment after they've completed their course. Read next. Celia Skvaril. Facebook Icon The letter F. Email icon An envelope.

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My 8-Month Accutane Journey With Side Effects and Results - A definitive guide to Isotretinoin (Roaccutane / Accutane) by a Dermatologist

These are the costs to consider when embarking on a course of Isotretinoin. In fact, it can severely shrink sebaceous glands and damage the stem cells so that it takes many months or years to recover sebaceous gland activity.

This can be treated with steroids. You may also be advised to temporarily stop or cut down the dose of Isotretinoin for severe flares. The other time is if you have a lot of untreated macrocomedones. It is best to get these dealt with before starting Isotretinoin treatment.

It is generally best to avoid any procedure that causes trauma to the skin while taking Isotretinoin. Therefore it is best to wait at least 3 to 6 months after you have completed the course.

Ear piercing and body piercing are best avoided for 6 months until after completing your Isotretinoin course. This is because of a possible increased risk of getting thickened, raised or keloid scars. You would be advised to avoid eyelash extensions and false eyelashes while taking Isotretinoin. There is a possibility that the glue which is used may cause irritation that can lead to blepharitis.

Please contact the office so that you can be referred to a local specialist Eye clinic that is familiar with our patients on Isotretinoin for further evaluation. Following evaluation by an eye specialist, you will be advised if you have additional reasons for your dry eyes, such as blepharitis, eyelashes irritating the eye, an unstable tear film and Meibomian gland dysfunction.

You will be advised whether you require medicated eye drops, punctum plugs to help tear retention or other eye treatments. It is important to have this symptom addressed sooner rather than later in order that you may remain on Isotretinoin.

If you are interested in discussing Isotretinoin as a treatment for acne, then please contact us on to organise an appointment or click here to make an enquiry. Medications are only prescribed during a consultation once your doctor has adequate knowledge of your health and condition. A particular medication is only prescribed if the medication is suitable for a person in their current situation. We ask that you do not assume that a particular medication will be prescribed at a consultation, as this will be down to the medical assessment made by your doctor.

Further, we also do not necessarily continue prescriptions for medications you may have been prescribed elsewhere, including from overseas or from online providers, as the same criteria for prescribing are applied.

Make an appointment. Making the decision to go on a course of Isotretinoin can be difficult, especially as there is a lot of opinion about this medication on the internet and on the media. It is important to consider the benefits of this medication, along side the risks and the costs. If you have had a consultation with one of our acne specialist doctors and have been advised to consider Isotretinoin, then you will be asked to read this information page before reaching the decision to take Isotretinoin so that you are fully informed.

Make an appointment Call us now. Whilst all dermatologists will be familiar with the conventional Isotretinoin doses, we have a specialist interest in all aspects of acne management. Because of this, patients are offered highly bespoke treatment regimes and combinations of therapy. Isotretinoin is a prescription medication used for acne.

It can only be prescribed by doctors who are experienced in using this drug, usually a Consultant Dermatologist. Roaccutane is the brand name for the drug Isotretinoin in tablet form. Roaccutane is made by Roche and has been available in the UK since Many other companies make Isotretinoin in capsules using exactly the same recipe as for Roaccutane. This is called a generic version of the medication and is identical in every way to the branded versions of Roaccutane and Accutane.

Isotretinoin is also available as a cream and gel. This article does not include further information on the cream or gel version of Isotretinoin. Isotretinoin is the most effective treatment available for acne. Isotretinoin is very good for:. Isotretinoin works by reducing grease sebum production in the skin by shrinking the sebaceous glands. This is why dry skin is the main side effect. Grease in the hair follicles causes overgrowth of Cutibacterium acnes bacteria formerly known as Propionibacterium acnes.

This leads to inflammation and acne spots. Isotretinoin also stops the hair follicle cells from being so sticky. This means it stops hair follicles from getting clogged up by skin cells. Because cells are slightly less sticky, they are also prone to shearing with trauma.

Many people will find their skin is more fragile on Isotretinoin for this reason. This is also why waxing and threading must be avoided, as it could pull off the skin as well as hair. Isotretinoin also probably directly reduces inflammation in the skin too and helps control acne this way.

What does this actually mean? Well, someone who has 20 inflamed raised and red spots on their face at the beginning of treatment may expect to have 1 or 2 inflamed spots at the end of 5 months of treatment.

Or someone who gets 20 new spots per week can expect to get 1 or 2 new spots per week after 5 months of treatment. While some people will get complete control of their spots, many people will still develop occasional spots while on Isotretinoin — but these are far fewer in number and usually much smaller and shorter-lived.

Most dermatologists agree that Isotretinoin is one of the few medications that can give prolonged control of acne even after the treatment course for many years, and in some instances, it is a permanent cure. It is hard to have an exact figure as to how many people are cured as the very long term studies to show this are lacking. As a very general rule of thumb, in the long term, after a course of Isotretinoin in adults over the age of 18 our experience shows:.

Isotretinoin is able to damage sebaceous gland cells. In fact, it can severely shrink sebaceous glands and damage the stem cells so that it takes many months or years to recover sebaceous gland activity.

If you are able to reach a dose of 1mg of Isotretinoin per kg of body weight per day so if you weigh 60kgs, then a dose of 60mg of Isotretinoin per day by the 12th week, then the course will last about 5 to 7 months. The course can last longer than 7 months if:. There is a suggestion that reaching a total dose of Isotretinoin of at least mg per kg of body weight by the end of the course will reduce the chance of the acne reoccurring.

This broadly described the standard course, which is one that is licensed and officially advocated by the health care regulators in the UK and in Europe. While a standard course is very effective, the downside is that there can be more side effects compared to a low-dose course. Many studies have shown that lower doses of Isotretinoin per day can bring acne under good control as well.

Personal experience has shown that low dose Isotretinoin also causes fewer Isotretinoin-induced flares and possibly less hypertrophic scarring , especially in nodulocystic acne and acne with many macrocomedones. The big attraction for lower-dose Isotretinoin is that there are fewer side effects. Low dose Isotretinoin courses need to be longer in order to achieve enough sebaceous gland shrinkage that the chance of recurrence after stopping are reduced.

Piquero et al. Our Dermatologists are extremely experienced with Isotretinoin and understand the needs of patients who require improvement in their skin while balancing side effects.

We prefer to offer a flexible dosing approach for each patient based on their personal goals, other conditions they may have such as eczema, and their proneness to develop side effects.

The aim is to control the acne as best as possible whilst keeping the side effects to their lowest levels possible. For some, this will mean a dose of 10mg three times per week, and for others, this will mean more conventional dosing, with many variations in between. When using low-dose Isotretinoin, treatment is continued until the acne has become controlled and is extended to 3 or 4 months beyond that.

A flexible dosed course may last anywhere from 4 months to 18 months. It is important to note that low dose and personalised dosing is not in the product licence for Isotretinoin, and so it is provided for on a case-by-case basis after consultation with a doctor.

These are the costs to consider when embarking on a course of Isotretinoin. The following can provide a rough idea of the costings:. Blood tests can be done at the Clinic. We are unable to instruct your GP to carry out blood tests while you are receiving private care.

We let all our patients know that if there are interruptions in the monitoring plan that you have been given, then we cease treatment and further prescriptions of Isotretinoin are not offered. Isotretinoin can cause side effects and these are greater as the dose is increased. With our Personalised Dosing Plan, the goal is to keep side effects minimal and under control whilst improving acne.

The key here is to prevent side effects as much as possible right from the beginning. With good management, out of people starting Isotretinoin, only 1 or 2 may need to discontinue it. I was eventually diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, a hormonal disorder that can cause—among other things—persistent acne. I knew then that I had to take the leap and try isotretinoin. A post shared by bare faced femme barefacedfemme.

I was on it for eight months total: For the first three months, I took 40mg, then 60mg for the last five months. I had dry everything —face, lips, eyes, scalp, body—and my hair started shedding a bit, too. It was all an emotional roller coaster for me. About two months after I finished Accutane, I saw the severity of my migraines, dry eyes, and dry scalp decrease.

After four months, my emotional health evened out and I felt back to my old self. It sounds weird, but I really think I was meant to get severe acne. My journey taught me so much about myself: to love myself and be confident, no matter the condition of my skin.

And I would percent consider going back on isotretinoin again if I needed to. Belle Hubbard barefacedbelle. I suffered with severe acne for three years before deciding to try isotretinoin. My breakouts were super oily, sore, and red no matter what I put on them, and kids at school would call me Braille face. The first two times, my acne slowly got worse over six months, then came back as bad as before.

My dermatologist even switched up the dosing each time: My first course, I slowly reached 60mg a day; my second course, we took the approach of 10mg a day for a longer period of time; and my third course, I slowly reached 60mg again. But after my third round, my skin was still incredibly oily and broken out.

He apologized and said there was nothing else he could offer me. I cried the whole way home. But then, strangely, my skin began to clear up a few months later, almost like a delayed effect. A post shared by Belle all things positivity barefacedbelle. I honestly had almost every side effect in the book: dryness, eczema, rashes, body soreness, fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, nosebleeds, stomach problems, hair loss, irritability, and brain fog. Even my vision was still a little blurry until this past summer.

If you do decide to go on isotretinoin, I have two words of advice: 1 Take progress pictures! I tried to push myself over and over again, and I ended up worse off in the end. Use this 2 percent salicylic acid serum all over or as a spot treatment to keep pores clear of acne-causing sebum and dead skin cells. This retinoid gel treats acne in two ways: 1.

It boosts cell turnover to keep pores clear and 2. It reduces inflammation associated with breakouts. It's strong though, so use it only every three days for the first few months.

For best results, apply it on clean skin for 10 minutes twice a week. BP is gold when it comes to killing acne-causing bacteria. It's used here in a 2. Sofia Grahn isotretinoinwiths. Before Accutane, I used to have severe acne—mostly concentrated on my cheeks and forehead, but also along my neck, chest, and back.

For the first month of treatment, my skin also went through the initial purging period, meaning my acne got significantly worse like, it doubled in severity before it started to calm down again. Those first few months were percent the hardest to endure, but I look back at it all with gratitude. When my acne was at its peak severity, my mental health truly suffered in all ways imaginable. So if my skin ever came to affect me the way it did prior to isotretinoin, I would probably go on it again.

Before isotretinoin, I had severe cystic acne on my face, chest, arms, and back. Every time my skin bumped against something, it felt like somebody had poked the most sensitive blister. My acne would then form keloid scars , which I still have all over my shoulders and back. I decided to go on Accutane in the fall of I started with a low dosage twice a day, then was upped to a stronger dose once a day after a few months.

The strongest side effect I had was dry skin: My scalp and nose were always dry and itchy, and my lips were constantly cracked.

Thankfully, these were my only two big side effects, and they went away on their own within two months after treatment. Because my body tolerated Accutane so well and the results were so excellent, I finished after six months rather than the anticipated nine. I'm so happy I did it, and I wish I hadn't been so scared in the first place.

The best part is that my skin isn't constantly inflamed anymore—I can wear makeup, bras, and whatever clothes I want without being in constant pain. And now, whenever I do get the occasional pimple, I'm not worried that I'm about to face clusters of inflammation for months. Not only does Accutane already put a bunch of stress on your liver which is the same organ responsible for processing all those White Claws you drink , but it also dries your body out. I grew up in a beach town and would wear a full face of makeup to the beach, or beg not to go to school because I was having a particularly bad skin day.

I ended up doing two rounds of isotretinoin about four years apart. Over time, though, my acne came back even worse and more painful than before, so I ended up doing a second round of treatment. I have no residual effects from the medication, and all of my deep acne scars have gone away, too.

For me, the biggest side effects I dealt with were an extremely dry nose and lips, and I had large patches of cracked and scaly skin. But all of it started to go away within a few weeks after I finished the medication. As Dr. Gohara said, very few five percent, if she had to guess of her patients go on Accutane a second time, while the vast majority never see a major breakout again.

Again, your results will vary, but rest assured most patients see life-changing improvements with a course of isotretinoin. Kali Kushner myfacestory. The bumps under my skin were so large and sore that I ended up going on 60mg of Accutane in Throughout my six-month dose, everything was dry—my eyes, the insides of my nose to the point of occasional nosebleeds —and my joints were super stiff and achy, especially in the morning and at night.

Even bending down and picking something up was harder on Accutane; I had to move slower because of how stiff I felt. A post shared by Kali acne neutrality myfacestory. Thankfully, all of my side effects ended quickly, just a few weeks after I stopped taking the pill, but my acne started to come back six months later. In the end, I decided not to go on another dose of Accutane, though, since my acne is so hormonally driven that I feel like it wouldn't have helped. Gohara and many others disagrees.

Jamie Grace Adams jamiegrace. The best way I could describe my skin prior to isotretinoin is There was a period of at least five years where I don't remember waking up without my face hurting.

It is important to appreciate that there are limitations to Isotretinoin. Isotretinoin does not work for:. Isotretinoin can make you much more sensitive to the sun, and you may find that you burn very easily. It is best to stay out of bright sunlight. If you must go out, wear a hat and long sleeves, and apply a factor 50 sunscreen to the exposed areas.

It is perfectly OK to apply make-up while undergoing a course of Isotretinoin. A non-comedogenic make-up is better for your skin. Try and select a mineral-based product if possible. To remove makeup, you can consider using Micellar water and once all the make-up is off, washing the face with a moisturising lotion such as Cerave Moisturising Lotion for Dry Skin, as described above.

This two-step process is sometimes called a double cleanse but it will ensure your skin remains hydrated. A mild flare in the first few weeks is very common and this is usually because your previous acne treatments have been stopped, and Isotretinoin has not yet kicked in.

Severe flares in acne are also possible from Roaccutane. One theory is that the sebaceous glands all shrink at once, causing the immune system to act strangely and start causing inflammation against them.

It is generally best to avoid any procedure that causes trauma to the skin while taking Isotretinoin. Therefore it is best to wait at least 3 to 6 months after you have completed the course. Ear piercing and body piercing are best avoided for 6 months until after completing your Isotretinoin course. This is because of a possible increased risk of getting thickened, raised or keloid scars.

You would be advised to avoid eyelash extensions and false eyelashes while taking Isotretinoin. There is a possibility that the glue which is used may cause irritation that can lead to blepharitis. Please contact the office so that you can be referred to a local specialist Eye clinic that is familiar with our patients on Isotretinoin for further evaluation. Following evaluation by an eye specialist, you will be advised if you have additional reasons for your dry eyes, such as blepharitis, eyelashes irritating the eye, an unstable tear film and Meibomian gland dysfunction.

A particular medication is only prescribed if the medication is suitable for a person in their current situation. We ask that you do not assume that a particular medication will be prescribed at a consultation, as this will be down to the medical assessment made by your doctor. Further, we also do not necessarily continue prescriptions for medications you may have been prescribed elsewhere, including from overseas or from online providers, as the same criteria for prescribing are applied.

Make an appointment Call us now. Whilst all dermatologists will be familiar with the conventional Isotretinoin doses, we have a specialist interest in all aspects of acne management.

Because of this, patients are offered highly bespoke treatment regimes and combinations of therapy. Isotretinoin is a prescription medication used for acne. It can only be prescribed by doctors who are experienced in using this drug, usually a Consultant Dermatologist. Roaccutane is the brand name for the drug Isotretinoin in tablet form. Roaccutane is made by Roche and has been available in the UK since Many other companies make Isotretinoin in capsules using exactly the same recipe as for Roaccutane.

This is called a generic version of the medication and is identical in every way to the branded versions of Roaccutane and Accutane. Isotretinoin is also available as a cream and gel. This article does not include further information on the cream or gel version of Isotretinoin.

Isotretinoin is the most effective treatment available for acne. Isotretinoin is very good for:. Isotretinoin works by reducing grease sebum production in the skin by shrinking the sebaceous glands. This is why dry skin is the main side effect.

Grease in the hair follicles causes overgrowth of Cutibacterium acnes bacteria formerly known as Propionibacterium acnes. This leads to inflammation and acne spots. Isotretinoin also stops the hair follicle cells from being so sticky.

This means it stops hair follicles from getting clogged up by skin cells. Because cells are slightly less sticky, they are also prone to shearing with trauma.

Many people will find their skin is more fragile on Isotretinoin for this reason. This is also why waxing and threading must be avoided, as it could pull off the skin as well as hair.

Isotretinoin also probably directly reduces inflammation in the skin too and helps control acne this way. What does this actually mean? Well, someone who has 20 inflamed raised and red spots on their face at the beginning of treatment may expect to have 1 or 2 inflamed spots at the end of 5 months of treatment.

This is thought to be the main mechanism of how Isotretinoin produces long term relief from acne. A standard course of Isotretinoin will last between 5 to 7 months. We usually start on a low dose to get your body used to the medication. The dose is increased every 4 weeks until the maximum dose you can manage for your body weight is reached. If you are able to reach a dose of 1mg of Isotretinoin per kg of body weight per day so if you weigh 60kgs, then a dose of 60mg of Isotretinoin per day by the 12th week, then the course will last about 5 to 7 months.

The course can last longer than 7 months if:. There is a suggestion that reaching a total dose of Isotretinoin of at least mg per kg of body weight by the end of the course will reduce the chance of the acne reoccurring. This broadly described the standard course, which is one that is licensed and officially advocated by the health care regulators in the UK and in Europe. While a standard course is very effective, the downside is that there can be more side effects compared to a low-dose course.

Many studies have shown that lower doses of Isotretinoin per day can bring acne under good control as well. Personal experience has shown that low dose Isotretinoin also causes fewer Isotretinoin-induced flares and possibly less hypertrophic scarringespecially in nodulocystic acne and acne with many macrocomedones. The big attraction for lower-dose Isotretinoin is that there are fewer side effects.

Low dose Isotretinoin courses need to be longer in order to achieve enough sebaceous gland shrinkage that the chance of recurrence after stopping are reduced. Piquero et al. Our Dermatologists are extremely experienced with Isotretinoin and understand the needs of patients who require improvement in their skin while balancing side effects.

We prefer to offer a flexible dosing approach for each patient based on their personal goals, other conditions they may have such as eczema, and their proneness to develop side effects. The aim is to control the acne as best as possible whilst keeping the side effects to their lowest levels possible. For some, this will mean a dose of 10mg three times per week, and for others, this will mean more conventional dosing, with many variations in between.

When using low-dose Isotretinoin, treatment is continued until the acne has become controlled and is extended to 3 or 4 months beyond that. A flexible dosed course may last anywhere from 4 months to 18 months.

It is important to note that low dose and personalised dosing is not in the product licence for Isotretinoin, and so it is provided for on a case-by-case basis after consultation with a doctor. These are the costs to consider when embarking on a course of Isotretinoin. The following can provide a rough idea of the costings:. Blood tests can be done at the Clinic. We are unable to instruct your GP to carry out blood tests while you are receiving private care.

localhost › Beauty. Accutane is the closest there is to a cure for acne, but it comes with a lot of side effects. The side effects include extreme dryness. The closest thing to a cure there is available right now is controversial drug Isotretinoin (AKA Roaccutane), but four years of antibiotics. Out of all of the months of taking Accutane, month 8 was definitely the hardest month for me. My dose had been increased by another 20mg during month 7 making. Most patients who receive oral isotretinoin or Accutane will be free of acne by the end of 4–6 months of treatment depending on the dose. As for my acne, I do get the occasional cyst or whitehead now, though nowhere near as severely as before. I had dry everything —face, lips, eyes, scalp, body—and my hair started shedding a bit, too.

But, hey, I get it—you want details. Which is why I chatted with nine women about their before-and-after experiences with isotretinoin, from a few who finished their doses just a year ago, to some who finished theirs a decade ago, along with expert commentary from dermatologists. Isotretinoin, commonly referred to as Accutane note: Accutane was a brand name for isotretinoin and is no longer manufactured , is a vitamin-A derivative that, when taken orally, minimizes the oil production in your skin.

Basically, isotretinoin slowly shuts down the party in your pores, so acne has a hard time setting up shop on your face. That being said, many patients tend to take mg of Accutane a day for six months —though, again, how many milligrams you take each day and for how long is based on your weight and health.

For people with adult female acne AFA , i. Again, it all super depends. Ideally, yes, Accutane is a permanent fix to major acne breakouts. But in reality, even the best-adhering patients can still get the occasional tiny zit because we're all human, and humans sometimes accidentally sleep in their makeup , or stress out too much, or partake in a bit too many cocktails , though they'll rarely experience acne as severely as before.

But does isotretinoin deserve the scary reputation you see on the internet? Definitely not except, of course, when we talk about its known risk of causing birth defects , which is why regular blood tests, pregnancy tests, and birth control is required while taking the drug.

But in terms of the other out-there side effects you hear about, I once polled a handful of dermatologists who, collectively, had written more than 2, isotretinoin prescriptions in their careers.

They said out of all their patients, fewer than 15 of them had serious problems while taking Accutane—the effects of which were resolved with a lower dose or stopping treatment altogether. Now, ready to get into those before-and-after photos and first-person stories?

Thought so. Let's get into it:. Mariah Pearson mariah. A few months before I decided to start isotretinoin, I developed a very rare, very severe type of acne called acne conglobata , which left my face covered in deep, itchy, leaky, and incredibly painful cysts.

It affected every aspect of my life, and I honestly felt like a victim to my own skin. I ended up going on isotretinoin for a little over eight months, and for the majority of that time, I was on 30mg: a lower dose than the usual mg, but the perfect dose for me.

Thankfully, all of my side effects started to subside a month after I finished Accutane , and I noticed my energy levels rising after about two weeks. I still have dry eyes nine months later, and I still break out before my period. Still, all of the side effects were so worth it to me, because isotretinoin saved my skin—it genuinely changed my life. Another common, yet annoying side effect. My dermatologist ended up starting my Accutane dosage at 20mg the first month, then bumped me up to 40mg for three months, then had me on 60mg for the last two months.

The only remaining side effect I have nine months after stopping Accutane is the eczema. As for my acne, I do get the occasional cyst or whitehead now, though nowhere near as severely as before.

I do feel really proud of myself for going on it despite my fears, though, and if I needed to, I would probably do it all over again. Infused with hyaluronic acid a humectant that draws moisture to the skin , this non-stripping face wash helps hydrate skin while you cleanse.

Slather on this moisturizing cream both morning and night to minimize dryness and flaking. The gentle formula is free from potential irritants, like synthetic fragrance and dyes. Any sunscreen is better than no sunscreen, but if your skin is red or sensitive, opt for a broad-spectrum mineral formula made with zinc like this one —it's less likely to irritate your skin. When your lips are chapped and cracking, only Aquaphor will do.

The combo of petroleum jelly, shea butter, and chamomile is intensely moisturizing and soothing. Christina Yannello barefacedfemme. I got my first breakout when I was 12 years old, and for the next five years, I was in a constant battle with my skin. I tried everything under the sun to treat it: antibiotics, topical creams, chemical peels, veganism, hormonal pills, spironolactone , cortisone shots, lasers—everything.

I was eventually diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, a hormonal disorder that can cause—among other things—persistent acne. I knew then that I had to take the leap and try isotretinoin. A post shared by bare faced femme barefacedfemme. I was on it for eight months total: For the first three months, I took 40mg, then 60mg for the last five months. I had dry everything —face, lips, eyes, scalp, body—and my hair started shedding a bit, too.

It was all an emotional roller coaster for me. About two months after I finished Accutane, I saw the severity of my migraines, dry eyes, and dry scalp decrease. After four months, my emotional health evened out and I felt back to my old self.

It sounds weird, but I really think I was meant to get severe acne. My journey taught me so much about myself: to love myself and be confident, no matter the condition of my skin.

But after my third round, my skin was still incredibly oily and broken out. He apologized and said there was nothing else he could offer me. I cried the whole way home. But then, strangely, my skin began to clear up a few months later, almost like a delayed effect. A post shared by Belle all things positivity barefacedbelle. I honestly had almost every side effect in the book: dryness, eczema, rashes, body soreness, fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, nosebleeds, stomach problems, hair loss, irritability, and brain fog.

Even my vision was still a little blurry until this past summer. If you do decide to go on isotretinoin, I have two words of advice: 1 Take progress pictures! I tried to push myself over and over again, and I ended up worse off in the end.

Use this 2 percent salicylic acid serum all over or as a spot treatment to keep pores clear of acne-causing sebum and dead skin cells. This retinoid gel treats acne in two ways: 1. It boosts cell turnover to keep pores clear and 2.

It reduces inflammation associated with breakouts. It's strong though, so use it only every three days for the first few months. For best results, apply it on clean skin for 10 minutes twice a week.

BP is gold when it comes to killing acne-causing bacteria. It's used here in a 2. Sofia Grahn isotretinoinwiths. Before Accutane, I used to have severe acne—mostly concentrated on my cheeks and forehead, but also along my neck, chest, and back. For the first month of treatment, my skin also went through the initial purging period, meaning my acne got significantly worse like, it doubled in severity before it started to calm down again.

Those first few months were percent the hardest to endure, but I look back at it all with gratitude. When my acne was at its peak severity, my mental health truly suffered in all ways imaginable. So if my skin ever came to affect me the way it did prior to isotretinoin, I would probably go on it again. Before isotretinoin, I had severe cystic acne on my face, chest, arms, and back. Every time my skin bumped against something, it felt like somebody had poked the most sensitive blister.

My acne would then form keloid scars , which I still have all over my shoulders and back. I decided to go on Accutane in the fall of I started with a low dosage twice a day, then was upped to a stronger dose once a day after a few months. The strongest side effect I had was dry skin: My scalp and nose were always dry and itchy, and my lips were constantly cracked.

The second side effect was a lower alcohol tolerance. I remember going out with friends early on in my Accutane journey, drinking just a few drinks, and getting a terrible hangover and headache that lasted way longer than my usual hangovers. Thankfully, these were my only two big side effects, and they went away on their own within two months after treatment.

Because my body tolerated Accutane so well and the results were so excellent, I finished after six months rather than the anticipated nine. I'm so happy I did it, and I wish I hadn't been so scared in the first place. The best part is that my skin isn't constantly inflamed anymore—I can wear makeup, bras, and whatever clothes I want without being in constant pain.

And now, whenever I do get the occasional pimple, I'm not worried that I'm about to face clusters of inflammation for months. Not only does Accutane already put a bunch of stress on your liver which is the same organ responsible for processing all those White Claws you drink , but it also dries your body out.

I grew up in a beach town and would wear a full face of makeup to the beach, or beg not to go to school because I was having a particularly bad skin day. I ended up doing two rounds of isotretinoin about four years apart. Over time, though, my acne came back even worse and more painful than before, so I ended up doing a second round of treatment. I have no residual effects from the medication, and all of my deep acne scars have gone away, too.

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