12 replies to this topic

[Arpazia]

Hi! I am on Accutane and Yasim plus a few other vitamins and supplements for my acne. There is a girl who posts here who was on Diane-35 for a few months before starting Accutane and that seemed to help her through her first few months. Her screen name is Guardedly Optimistic. You might want to communicate with her regarding her story.

Sure, there are a lot of side effects with Accutane but usually the more severe ones you read about don’t happen such as suicide, liver damage, brain swelling, etc. The most annoying side effect of Accutane has to be the initial breakout. This happens for most people within the first few weeks. Although no one really knows why it happens, I’d like to think that it’s because your oil glands are getting smaller and the oil has no other place to go but the surface. Everyone is different, however, and some people don’t experience this at all.

The other side effects that most people get are extremely chapped lips, dry eyes, joint pain, red face and dull headaches (red faces and headaches usually happen during the first two weeks and then go away).

The important thing to remember about Accutane is that you are not only drying out the skin on your face but every other part of your body so if you do go on Accutane, drink a lot of water. You might also want to take a supplement such as Vitamin E or Evening Primrose Oil to help keep your body hydrated.

You can wear make-up on Accutane but you might want to prepare yourself for a time period when you can’t. At one point during my first two months, my skin was peeling so badly that make-up just made it look worse. I learned to not wear make-up and only started wearing it again recently. I am using Revlon’s True Complexion. Other people say that M.A.C. works really well for them too. It is all a matter of what you prefer. You’ll find yourself playing around with a lot of different brands. Oh, and if you have active acne and need to conceal it, I recommend using Janet Satrin’s blemishfix. It helps dry out the acne while hiding it pretty well.

Most people see results from Accutane towards the end of the second or third months. Others improve immediately and others never improve till their treatment is over. It all depends on the person.

Personally, I would want to get the treatment over with during these months and then have the summertime to play and not worry about acne.

Good luck at your derm appointment. Keep us posted!

[snorklesnarf]

HI Jane,

I am on Dianette and Roaccutane. Imjust about finished on Roaccutane. I agree with everything Arpazia says (shes a knowledgable lady ) Makeup especially is hard for a while, because it just makes it look worse. It does depend on the severity and typ of acne you have. For full scale cystic acne (like my lucky self) makeup can make it look bad for the changover week, when your roaccutane is properly kicking in. I use NO 7 stuff, works really well and also a bit of a fan of the old clinique.
I would say go for the roaccutane because it does work wonders, and dianette also works well, but it takes time and you're right that once you come off the dianette, it can get bad again. You should ask, TMLgirl.. she was on Diane-35 (canadian version) and then came off it to suffer a really bad breakout and is now on her third course of accutane. I dont want to scare you though!!

ALl the best anyway!

Frankie

[Prettywords]

Everyone gave great advice. I will just chime in and say that I have had a great experience so far. I have almost no side effects. I am on a lower dose, so you may want to consider doing that.

[just_imagine82]

Hi hon! These ladies covered most of it already, but I thought I'd share my thoughts too I'm one of the ones that didn't experience much of an initial breakout. My "initial breakout" was during the first or second week, and all it really entailed were some cysts I had deep under my skin coming up a bit more so I was able to pop them. It actually made me happy to get rid of those lumps, if anything! So my breakout was very minor. For some people it is a lot worse, for others, nothing at all.

I'm just starting my third month and my skin is better than it was when I started, but I'm still looking for more improvement. I'm hoping that by the end of this month, I'll have stopped breaking out. As of right now I still get 2-3 new pimples a week, and more the week before my period. It's frustrating, but it's an improvement - so I know the Accutane must be doing something.

As for makeup, I've worn it throughout my treatment with no problems. The only difference for me is that I've been blending my foundation with my moisturizer a lot more, so when it is applied it is a lot creamier. This also consequently makes it more "sheer", but I find it looks better. My skin is a lot less oily now, so if I don't moisturize well before my makeup, my face looks dry and cakey. But don't worry, as long as you moisturize you should be able to wear whatever makeup you need to

As for the season to do it, I'd actually recommend going on it now.

These are my reasons:

- I'm at the tail end of my University degree and I spend the winter months studying my bum off and cuddled up in warm clothes at coffee shops or libraries The summer time is when I'm much more social, and I go to the beach, on vacations, out with my boyfriend a lot, etc.
- In the winter I have no means to tan, unless I go to a tanning salon, which I haven't been. In the summer I am outside a lot and I love the beach, which isn't good for your skin, esp. while on Accutane.
- Summer is the time of year where for me, it feels more natural to wear less makeup.

SO, I would rather have better skin the summer, but again that's my personal preference.

The downside of taking Accutane right now is that of course, it is colder outside which doesn't help your skin to begin with (if you are in the Northern Hemisphere at least!).
It's -5C and snowing outside my window right now If you normally get chapped lips/dry skin/eczema in the winter, beware. This is my case, and my three worst side effects. But hey, decent price to pay for clear skin I think

I hope I've helped you out a bit, good luck with whatever you choose!

Mae

[TMLGirl]

Just like Frankie (Fronkalonk) said. During my second course of Accutane the doctor put me on Diane-35 and I just stayed on it after my course. Before that I was taking Ortho Tri-Cylen for a couple years (it sucked made me break out, but I digress). I was clear and I mean crystal clear for 5 glorious years Last May I decided to stop taking the pill because I had been on it for so long, wow big mistake! I was worried about breaking out but for the first couple months no breakouts, and I thought that I was in the clear. Well I was definitely wrong. Starting in July I started to slowly breakout. I thought that it was just stress but my skin kept progressively getting worse over the next couple of months. It got so bad especially on my chin and jawline, I went back on Diane to see if I could reverse the effects but nope my hormones were already screwed up. I had no other choice but to take the Accutane again. I really do recommend Accutane it has done wonders for me in the past and I expect the same results this time I'm just over 2 months in.

I would get it over with now, Arpazia is right Summer is party time and it would be great to be clear during that time. Good luck with whatever you decide and remember we're all here to support you!

[forum]

t nope my hormones were already screwed up.  I had no other choice but to take the Accutane again.  I really do recommend Accutane it has done wonders for me in the past and I expect the same results this time I'm just over 2 months in.

do you recommend she go off of diane-35 asap after roaccutane? or never go off? based on the way your skin reacted...? im just curiouse, cos i was consisdering going on diane after tane, or even during(ie;now)
thnx!

[jane5]

Thanks a mill for all ur advise really appreciate it.i am alot more confident to make my decision now.Think i will just go on it and u guys are right it b better to go on it now so i can enjoy my summer.
just imagine82, thanks a mill ur reasons made alot of sense and has conviced me, im the same age as u and weight so prob b on same dose as u so mayb i wont get such bad breakouts as my skin only has small pimplels not big cysts or anythin so hopefully wont b so bad.And like u i do suffer from dry lips in the winter months too as i live in ireland so its pretty cold alright.thanks for ur advice and ill keep u all posted.
Thanks everyone again u really have helped and il b letrtin u all know how i get on so fingers crossed wont b so bad.

[TMLGirl]

do you recommend she go off of diane-35 asap after roaccutane? or never go off? based on the way your skin reacted...? im just curiouse, cos i was consisdering going on diane after tane, or even during(ie;now)
thnx!

Hey forum,

That's the dilema that I am currently having. I'm back on Diane with the Accutane and I'm scared that if I stop taking it that I will break out again, so in some ways I'd like to stay on. But if I stay on I won't know for sure if Accutane has done it's job and finally cleared me for good. My derm says if I go off the pill and I start to break out again we can catch it early and take action right away. If I stay on I'd probably stay clear for a long time, but I risk the chance of breaking out later on after I get married and decide to start a family. I never want to go through this again.

I'm really not sure what to do. (sigh)

[Prettywords]

Oftentimes, stopping the pill will cause any woman to have an acne flare until her hormones go back to normal. It is a tough situation.

[forum]

I'm really not sure what to do.  (sigh)

indeed! *sigh*

[forum]

Oftentimes, stopping the pill will cause any woman to have an acne flare until her hormones go back to normal. It is a tough situation.

so then the post-diane flare is possibly temporary?

or maybe diane does such unique things with your chemistry that its harder fir your body to re-adjust?
hmmmmmm..... interesting info. thnx emmanuel