Hello.

Had a derm appointment at the end of next month. got really annoyed and tired of waiting, so i decided to go private and got in the see the derm a few days ago

It's been 3 days since i saw my derm and she's agreed to give me roaccutane, which made me really happy cause i've seen the outcome of most people and it really sorts your skin out...

The very same day i went to get my blood tests done, and got a letter through the door to see the derm again at the hospital to get my roaccutane tabs on "FRIDAY THE 13th" of October <-- (hope this isn't a sign of things to come?)

Ever since i was told i could have roaccutane i've been reading the logs & looking at the photos more to see peoples experiences with the drug and one thing and one thing only is on my mind... THE INITIAL BREAKOUT!

My questions are:

1 - Does everyone on accutane get an Initial Breakout?

And

2 - Is the Breakout always quite bad? (I mean does it bring out all the spots you're ever going to have out at once?)

Since i went to see the derm my skin has got alot better (with the CSR - In to around week 4 or 5 with that) and if i go on Roaccutane and get a IB & my skin gets worse it'll make me pretty depressed to be honest. I know people say "It gets worse before it gets better" and i believe that but i'm just very worried about the IB right now...

Thanks for reading & await replys

I stopped accutane august 12th. Now I have noticed that my skin has become less of what it was a month ago, which was to be expected. Blackheads somewhat forming on the nose, a few very small pimples here and there. This is to be expected, isn't it? Or should I be worried that after a month and a half off the drug I could be relapsing?

I was on tane for 8 months. Why so long - tane made my acne worse first not too bad but I was getting 2-3 ugly big cysts a month, I only used to get those like every 3-4 months and only one at a time and my acne didn't start to clear good until my 5th month! My dose was 40mg for the first 2 months and then 80mg/40mg a day alternating so that's like 60mg a day and my cumulative dose is like 170+mg/kg so I'm good with that.

For the past 2 weeks I lowered my dose back to 40mg a day and wanted to see what's up, well guess what I already got several outbreaks like 2 on my neck and 4 on my shoulders and 2 on my face. All of those were minor outbreaks though. On my face they were small and on my shoulder just clogged pores small red-bumps, but on my neck a real zit. Does this sound bad what I'm describing or am I just being too worried? Oh and even till now I almost everyday get extremely tiny pimples on my face but I can live with those since they are virtually invisible.

Of course I read here on forums on and websites that accutane continues to work up to 6 months to clear any acne, but I dunno what to say and not everybody is fortunate to see that benefit.

I can't go through all this again, I had almost no side effects on tane but getting these ugly cysts and leaving bad red marks from them, I can't bear to use accutane again.

I'm going to have an operation and I know you shouldn't have procedures to the skin while on accutane (laser resurfacing, dermabrasion etc.) but what about internal surgical procedures? I've only been on 10 mg per day but I'm seriously considering getting off it because of this surgery (I'm also paranoid about hair loss but that's a story for another thread ).

So while I haven't taken very much accutane, I am still worried that the incision line will scar and keloid or be hyper/hypopigmented. And do you think the internal tissues would have a better chance of scarring too or is it just the skin that is affected?

Anyone have any experience with this? This is my shoulder btw and I am very fair skinned. I'm going to ask my doctor but sometimes I think it's more helpful to hear from people who have experienced it themselves.

Thanks everyone.

This is a process cancer patients do when they've lost all of their hair due to chemo therapy & have grown their hair back quick and healthy. I got this from another board & I figured since there's alot of "hair loss" threads i'd paste this on here for you guys. Now, I don't know what you can or can't take while on Accutane so look up what you can take in the meantime....if not, I guess wait til you're done with the meds. I hope this works for you all.
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Bargello's Famous Vitamin Routine

I start with GNC's Ultra Nourishair. It is a great hair vitamin. In addition I take the following:

500mg Silica
500mg Evening Primrose
500mg Flax Seed
1000mg MSM
5000mcg Biotin

I take it all with a protein drink.

I increased my biotin dosage to the additional 5000mcg (for a total of 7200) and added in the Natrol about 3 1/2 weeks ago. In the last 2 weeks my hair has grown an inch! YEA! I believe this is due to the increase in biotin. I am not sure that it is due to the Natrol prenatal. I added it as I have so many friends who swear that their hair grows like a weed when they take it.

Vitamins are very important for not just the growth of hair but for overall health. After doing years of research on vitamins, I have found what vitamins work and what ones don't. My overall health has improved 200% since starting my vitamin program. And healthy body means healthy nails, skin, and hair.

Multivitamin: I believe everyone needs to be on a good multivitamin. You need a vitamin that contains at least 100% of the most of the recommended daily nutrients. I am very partial to Vitaminshoppe's One A Day vitamin. This is an excellent vitamin for overall health. Note that it does not contain iron. This might be a concern and might not be. Most menstruating women can benefit from extra iron in their diets. If you happen to be a woman that becomes iron deficient easily, you might just wish to add in an extra iron supplement. By not having iron, this makes a good supplement for men, teens, and post-menopausal women.

Calcium: We all need calcium in our diet. This is something that is an absolute necessity. There is some calcium in the above multivitamin, but not enough. Remember that when taking calcium you also need Vitamin D and Magnesium for the calcium to be absorbed properly. Most multivitamins will contain Vitamin D and Magnesium.

Now for the vitamins which promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.

Hair Vitamins: I like a good hair vitamin to start my program. There are several out there. GNC's Ultra Nourishair is probably one of the best I have seen. It is what I take and is the absolute heart of my program. I am a firm believer in this vitamin. It contains all the necessary vitamins needed for healthy hair.

Note: I do not like the vitamins that state for Hair, Skin, and Nails. They generally have less than you really need of the necessary vitamins for healthy hair, skin, and nails. I am not sure why, but they do. If you take a good hair vitamin, your skin and nails will automatically benefit.

MSM: This vitamin is very important for healthy hair, muscles, and joints. It helps to decrease hair fall out. It does this by assisting in making the growth stage of the hair longer. The longer you are able to retain the root, the longer you hair will grow. You may take up to 2000mg/day. Note: Ultra Nourishair contains 500mg of MSM. I take an additional 1000mg/day.

Silica: Helps in the shine of hair. It is also a very valuable antioxidant. It assists in a lot of other areas other than just helping your hair be soft and shiny. There is silica in the Ultra Nourishair; I take an additional 500mg/day.

Evening Primrose: There is so much to say about this essential fatty acid. It contains Omega-6 Fatty Acid (Gamma-Linolenic Acid). This is a good Omega-6 Fatty Acid. It has several benefits of which I will only name a few. Some of the benefits are reducing PMS, clearing up eczema, helping your skin glow, minimize fine wrinkles, reduce cholesterol, help with your metabolism, and cure hair and nail problems. It helps nourish straw-like hair. You really only need 480-960 mg of GLA to reap wonderful benefits. I personally take 500mg/day. You should see results with Evening Primrose as early as 2 weeks of daily consumption. Your scalp should feel less dry and the hair growing in should feel softer and more nourished.

Flaxseed Oil: Now flaxseed Oil is wonderful in the sense that it contains both Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) and Gamma-Linolenic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid). Omega-3 is very important in our bodies too. We need both to help maintain a healthy body. Omega-3 has been know the help ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder). It is also essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails. It helps hair in the same way Omega-6 does. Why take both? Because the cells of the body need both to work properly. Our bodies do not make either of the Fatty Acids, we must supplement. Taking both will help the cells of the body work more efficiently and in return help growth of hair as well as health of hair and body. I take 500mg/day. I really don't think you need more than that, but experiment. You might find your body does need more.

Biotin: Now biotin is what really can boost your hair growth. Skin, nails, and hair rely on biotin to grow. So, if we feed our bodies more biotin, then our skin will look better, and our nails will be stronger, and our hair will grow faster and stronger. My hair vitamin contains 1200mcg of biotin. I take an additional 2400mcg/day. I have played with the dosage a little and have found that my hair definitely grows faster with the total biotin of 3600mcg/day. You might need to play with this too. You might need more or less than I do for results.

Protein: I can't scream enough about protein. We need it. I don't care if it plant or animal. Truthfully your body can absorb and utilize plant protein better than animal. This is why vegetarians are incredibly healthy. I drink a protein shake everyday with my vitamins. I drink it with milk (it tastes better and I get extra calcium and protein with the milk), vegans can make a protein drink with soymilk (get it with calcium added and you have the benefits of extra vegetable protein and calcium). Adding protein to your diet will help your body all the way around. It will function better and you will not be as hungry all the time. I suggest a protein drink of at least 22gr. of protein. I suggest at least one serving a day. If your diet is really bad, you can drink more. The extra protein will also help your hair grow. It is protein too, you know.

With all this said, everyone is DIFFERENT! You might need more of something than I do, or less. Vitamins are personal things. You need to play with them to get the correct dosage for you. They are not a cure all. They can help your body in ways you wouldn't think about. I have tried to keep the above information brief. I could write pages about each vitamin and why you should take it. The above program works very well for me. My hair grows at the speed of 1 ½" per month. One thing to always remember, when starting a vitamin program, don't expect results overnight. It will take your body 2-6 weeks to benefit from vitamins. This time period depends on how depleted your system is. The average time being 4 weeks. If you are recovering from a serious illness, it could take longer.

How much does accutane cost if you don't do it through your insurance company as in paid the entire perscription bills/ doctors appointments on your own for the full treatment? Any rough estimates would be helpful.

How come my derm gave me accutane, but my friend who has big cystic breakouts had to beg for it?? I guess it just totally depends on the derm. I have mild acne with the occasion cyst, he said he could tell the breakouts are deep, and yes they are deep because they seem to scar and leave red marks, but I just dont understand why some people with severe cases have to go through so much shit to get accuatane and my derm was the one that suggested it for me, it's not like I begged. Will accutane clear up mild acne? It just doesnt seem fair that some people have to go through so much crap before they get accutane... yes I went through alot of crap as well, but not YEARS of of. I used benzyl peroxide, retin-a (for a very short time though), pro-active (worst mistake EVER), crazy medicated cleansers, birth control... they only thing I never tried was anitbiotics because I refused to use them!!!! Anyway I was just confused about this, but I guess it all depends on your derm. I'm just worried abotu how accutane will affect me, hopefully it clears me up.

Hey guys,

Well I really need some encouragement right now. I'm beginning my fourth week of accutane and my acne is worse than ever. I'm so freakin upset. My skin was beauitful two weeks ago. NOT ONE pimple in sight. Just really oily and sore. Then all of a sudden about four days ago I woke up and BAMMMM!! There they were. Those little white bumps that I always got right before a bad breakout. Now my chin and right side of my face are covered in zits and I don't want to go anywhere. Why the hell is this happening to me!!!!! I look awful and I was so excited last week about the instant results I saw. Has this happened to anyone else? Please give me some words of encouragement. I am so thankful for this website, because some days I feel like you guys are the only ones who really understand how this feels

ok i know youre supposed to take accutane with a fatty food cuz it will absorb better or something like that. well iv been making sure i always take it with something i consider fatty. so my question is how many grams fat should you take the pill with?

right now im taking a 40g in the morning and night.

does accutane make the healing process slower??? i have heard of people getting zits and they heal fast when on it... how come i have had the same ones for ever now, and they dont show any signs of leaving?

I just started accutane. I'm on day 4. It seems like most people get their IB all of a sudden after about a month of Accutane. I have cystic acne. I get hard swollen quarter size bumps on my chin. I'm petrified of my IB but I know it will come. I will be sure to get my injections, but I'm afraid I'll be in there a few times a week. Anyone with bad IB's, did you practically live at the derm???

I have had mild acne (I'de say) since I was in the 6th grade and now I am a Junior and almost 17 years old. Now I have been to two doctors already and now just started with another last month. I have used many things Retinol,Differin,B. Peroxide, Tazorac, about 3 different Anti Biotics (forget exactly which ones Mino,Dino I think are two of them) and these are just the ones off the top of my head. I've also tried some natural things. I go back to the Derm in about 2 weeks and am seriously considering asking to be put on Accutane. Its just i hear so many bad things about it, so is it time for it?

PS. I also Lift Weights 5 times a week and will be starting football in a few months, how will Accutane effect this?

Inside there's the yellow sheet with directions and it says to take it twice a day. On my box it says to take it once a day!


???

Hello,
I'm just finishing month one of Accutane (Clarivis) and will see my derm for my next prescription pick-up on exactly the 30 day mark. To keep with the 30 or 31 day schedule for my next visit, that day happens to be a Saturday or Sunday. If I see her on Monday (day 32) will that screw me up for getting my prescription for the following month? I mean, how exactly does this work?

I'll ask my derm tomorrow, but just curious if anyone has had to deal with this in the past.

Thanks!

I was just wondering, if anyone experienced any longer lasting side effects, even after their accutane treatment. My cheeks still get red, which apparently is normal if you were on accutane. But i have little bumps, that look like tiny pimples, they're not that visible from far thank god. But when i take a closer look in a mirror i notice it. I was wondering if any of you out there experienced the same, and if yeah, how long did it last?? Or does anyone who has been off accutane for a long time still recall certain side effects being present?? I sure hope what i have doesn't last, i sooo want more clear skin. (that was the whole point of me being on this treatment)

I have exhausted all my options. I have mild/moderate presistant acne that has seen minimal results with topicals and all the cyclin anitbiotics. I am thinking that accutane is probably my last hope for ever getting clear skin again. What do you guys think i should do? are the results worth it? do you think it will work? and would a antibiotic like cephlexin help reduce the IB?

I am about to give up on this. any thoughts are appreciated

how did you get accutane? I have tried just about everything and I can't get clear fully. Redmarks from the regimen take forever and scars from retin a suck. I hope i can get on tane.

Finished about a month ago, no acne yet but the oil is back

I have my last dermo appointment next week. What can i ask for to get rid of the oil?? Many thanks.

Aquaphor, Aquaphor you are the best,
I love you more than all the rest.
You quench my dry accutane lips,
You moisturize my cracked fingertips.

I LOVE YOU!

Hey all,

Well...I'm one month into accutane and ZERO results....I know it could take longer, but I'm really getting depressed now as I'm becoming pessimistic on the whole thing. I just have this feeling that the longer it takes for the accutane to work, the less chance it has of "curing" me. I have been getting a whitehead a day for the past 2-3 weeks.....just brutal. I see the derm next week - anything specific maybe I should ask him? Should I not be eating certain things on Accutane?

One more note - I'm using a generic version (Aristeem)....that shouldn't make a difference, right?

Any insight is helpful....or just your support......I know one month is early, but I was hoping to see some results after dealing with this dry flaky skin and very dry lips for a month. Just need some cheering up and I know you guys have been there for me in the past. Help!

first off, GRRRRR to the fact that my signature changed back to an old one from months ago. I update it for a reason, very annoying to change everything again.

Anyway, I'm now on 60mg a day Accutane. Was doing fine, got through 3 months, half done! Scarring wasn't coming yet, was starting to clear nicely, and drying wasn't too bad.

Then in September I moved. I lost my pills in the packing craziness and missed 5 days of pills.

Immediately I noticed my skin got oily, especially on my face and forehead, as did my hair and everything else seemed to go back to normal like I'd never been on accutane!!!!

I was really upset, still am. Now I'm afraid when my 6 months are up, within a week it will go back to like before and all I've done will be for nothing! I'm going crazy knowing that I'll have to go through all this crap AGAIN.

OH! AND, when I found my pills and started taking them again, I got the initial breakout again, so my whole cheek area looks like hell all over again.

This SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is my second month on tane.

I keep getting pins and needle itchyness mostly on my arms and neck. I'm avoiding scrathing, mostly. It feels like my skin is crawling.

I'm waiting from a call back from my derm. Is this a side effect of tane? If so, what can be done?

Do you think if i steam my face every other night for the 3 weeks before i start accutane, will less the initial break out since i will be deep cleanig my pores?
Yes, No, Maybe?

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: Two Tablets
Servings Per Container: 30
Amount per Serving % Daily Value
Vitamin A (100% as beta-Carotene) 1000 IU 20%
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) 60 mg 100%
Vitamin E (as natural d-alpha Tocopheryl succinate) 30 IU 100%
Thiamin (B1) (as Thiamin Mononitrate) 1.5 mg 100%
Riboflavin (B2) 1.7 mg 100%
Niacin (B3) (as Niacinamide) 20 mg 100%
Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) 4 mg 200%
Folate,Folic Acid,Folacin 200 mcg 50%
Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin) 6 mcg 100%
Biotin 1200 mcg 400%
Pantothenic acid (as Calcium d-Pantothenate) 20 mg 200%
Iodine (as Potassium Iodide) 50 mcg 33%
Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide) 40 mg 10%
Zinc (as Zinc Oxide) 30 mg 200%
Copper (as Copper Gluconate) 2 mg 100%
Boron (as Boron Citrate) 3 mg*
Silica (as Silicon Dioxide) 1 mg*
MSM (Methylsulfonyl-methane) 500 mg*
Natural Amino Complex (Lactalbumin) 500 mg*
L-Cysteine 200 mg*
L-Methionine 100 mg*
Choline (as Choline Bitartrate) 250 mg*
Inositol 50 mg*
* Daily Value not established.

Is that Vitamin A too much while on Accutane? It seems like less than one would get in a day of eating normal food.

I was on 160-180mg per day of accutane last year (yes you read that right) for five months.
My main problem areas were my nose and cheeks which would constantly get cysts and nodules, I gotta say, one year later and those areas haven't broken out at all.

HOWEVER, my forehead, which was actually never even a problem area, has been getting breakouts on a regular basis.
Why would the accutane only clear up a certain area, and not another?
This leads me to think that the breakouts on my forehead aren't even acne

Hey guys

I started roaccutane about 1 month ago, and since then I have found me cheeks to be rather sensitive to temp. changes etc... and go quite red and take a while to return to normaility, if at all.

My quetion is, is there anything I can do to get rid of the redness, or is it just a by product of the 'tane?

Dan

wtf is the diffrence are they the same shit i just got Claravis 2day my doc said to take 1 pill for the first 2 weeks than 2 pills a day after that should i just take 2 now? he said or else ill get severe lip dryness!

lol nvm i found the answer there the same shit cause diffrent names companies etc...l

2 40mg just seems to high of a dose for my situation.



Also, people with oily skin that went on tane, how did it affect that aspect of your skin?

Well peeps I've been on Accutane for around 4 months now and holy shit it's kicking in like mad lately hardly any new acne and if I do get a new one its gone in like one day. I gotta say it took a hell of a lot of patience but it was well worth it.

Tommorrow im going to wear my nicest outfit and get my mack on... lol

Hi,

Are there any home remedies that actually work?

Ron