8 replies to this topic

[bobby12]

hello all!

I am in the middle of my 5th month on accutane, and my skin is extremely dry/flaky after I shower in the morning. I will be finished with my course of treatment on December 13th, but I would like to travel with some friends to NYC over winter break.

I am writing to ask how long it takes for the dryness from accutane to go away? I mean, how long will it take for me to be able to simply shower and rush out the door without having to worry about moisturizer and making sure my skin isn't flaky. I don't mind a little dryness, as long as it isn't flaking. I know this is a random question, but it's rather difficult to travel with others when you need the bathroom for a long time and when your skin gets quite flaky overnight!

Thanks for your help!

PS - how long after accutane can I drink alcohol in normal amounts? my college friends want to celebrate my birthday on the 16th of december? can I drink by then, if I finish on the 13th?

[AOEE]

i've heard the dryness goes away in a month or so, dry lips in a couple of weeks. this will differ from person to person however.

as far as drinking, u should ask ur doc.

[bobby12]

a month? oh god ... that sucks. does anyone else have any information?

[Hamburglar]

Yeah, I seem to remember it slowly improving over the course of a month or two. Don't worry about being around people with dry skin man, at least it'll be clear skin!

As for drinking, one night won't kill you, especially if you've finished the course. Just stay hydrated and try not to get loserpissed.

[Sheefa]

Dry skin will go away fairly soon, typically 6-8 weeks for me after end of course. Don't wash your skin as much if you are clear, once at night or in the morning will be good enough and prevent over-drying.

Coat your face in moisturiser the night before if you are too paranoid and half-lazy to dab a bit of moisturiser on your face in the morning! It's only a little dry skin, well worth it for clear skin right??

[kimk]

Wash with sorbolene cream or bath/shower oil - it is like moisturising and cleaning yourself of grime at the same time. Feels weird, sort of slimy, but it works and is gentler on your skin. I'm on accutane now and do this for my body (my face i just use warm water and then moisturise separately), and every now and then like maybe every couple of days I will put extra moisturiser on the parts that need it (feet, elbows etc).

[bobby12]

Thanks for the info!

I'm on day 131 of treatment ... usually, I wash my face at night when I shower (and my skin peels a ton in the shower) and then lather on moisturizer at night before bed. I like this system because my skin looks great, and not greasy, when I wake up in the morning. It just sucks because accutane has been taking so much out of me ... my skin peels so much and I am always worried that it'll start peeling when I go out.

But yay! for clear skin! I just really want to go visit friends at college and be able to sleep over their dorms without having to worry about the condition of my skin!

[tjd9109]

You weren't supposed to drink while on accutane???.... Woops It didnt kill me though and my skin looks great

[Beauty Bot]

You can end your course of accutane whenever you have a cumulative dose that is the right amount!
What is cumulative dosage?
Many people will tell you it’s the cumulative dose that counts for treatment, and 120-150mg/kg overall has been found to be the most successful. Here’s how to figure it out! (mg per day) X (days on med) / (weight in kg) = CD.

So lets assume you're a bigger dude, if you took 40mg per day for 1 month, plus 60mg for 6 months, and you weigh 85kg (185 lbs): (40 X 30) + (60 X 180) / 85 = 141mg/kg. Which is just fine!

The dryness & drug are out of your system in 2-3 weeks so you should notice a difference after this. If your face is TOO dry, get a lower dosage! There's no reason to suffer while on this drug.