36 replies to this topic

[Shannon Louise]

Post Accutane:

mm where do i start? i am a 17 year old female from the uk who has battled with acne from the age of 11. it didnt bother me so much until about 3 years ago when i started getting cysts that stayed for months at a time, eventually they would vanish and come back up somewhere else.
docs started off by putting me on the pill, this made no difference to my acne whatsoever, i struggled for years trying to get some kind of treatment, meaning i was on tetracycline for around 2 years, (defiantly bad for your body to be on antibiotics for a long time!)
for months on end i was told to go on holiday, get some sun and use baby oil on my skin daily (ironic for somebody who has stupidly oily skin... ) so after 6 years of struggling i am finally starting my accutane journey and i have started this to get some support from people that actually understand what i and alot of other people are going through!
Hopefully if my bloods come back a-okay i will start my treatment on Tuesday. Fingers Crossed!

[poptartie]

Welcome Shannon Louise!
I am also 17 and I am on my 3rd month of Accutane. I was terrified before beginning, but so far it has been FAR less scary than I feared. I am so happy with my results at this point. There are some side effects, of course, but most people tolerate them fairly well. We all start out looking for any little change, good or bad, so everything seems amplified.
I don't have cystic but I did have a face FULL of every other type of acne which stopped responding to any other treatments. You are definitely not alone here. Good luck and contact me if you have any questions. I also have a log if you are interested but I warn you, I babble a lot. haha

Take care!
~Celia

[Shannon Louise]

hi! oo is it going well for you so far? the side effects do sound off putting but im hoping its worth it in the long run! its the worst then other treatments worked for a period of time then just stopped out of no where, so frustrating, and aw thankyou ill be sure to have a look at your log!
you take care also

[PaulH85]

Welcome aboard! Sounds like your persistence in getting through the medication minefield is going to pay off. Fingers crossed the Accutane brings you the results you're no doubt hoping for.

[Sasch83]

Hi Shannon and welcome! I just took my third set of pills tonight s you are definitely not alone one your journey. Good Luck with everything!

[Shannon Louise]

The day has arrived! bloods come back all okay except my liver function was a little high probably due to the fact i have a cold and i had glandular fever last year. gotta have another test in 3 weeks to keep an eye on it.

a little more about me, im a qualified makeup artist, and am also at college studdying my 2nd year, the products we use are going to irritate my skin for a fact. peeling liquid latex off is exactly like waxing, eeep.

also wondering if anyone knows if i can have a tattoo whilst on accutane?

[andrewbleah]

The day has arrived! bloods come back all okay except my liver function was a little high probably due to the fact i have a cold and i had glandular fever last year. gotta have another test in 3 weeks to keep an eye on it.

a little more about me, im a qualified makeup artist, and am also at college studdying my 2nd year, the products we use are going to irritate my skin for a fact. peeling liquid latex off is exactly like waxing, eeep.

also wondering if anyone knows if i can have a tattoo whilst on accutane?

No , not really, I was dissapointed too,wanted to make one on the chest:(, but I think 2 months post accutane it's ok.

[Shannon Louise]

does anyone now roughly how long it takes for the side effects to kick in, (dryness etc) just so i can be prepared?

[aed2712]

I am on day 6 and I am starting to notice dryness on my lips, face, and scalp. Of course everyone is different, but I think around a week is common to see dryness.

[poptartie]

Hey,
Don't get a tattoo while on accutane. I had one done about 2 weeks before I started and I didn't have problems but come to find out, I could have. I understand that healing takes much longer and you may be more prone to infection. Might as well wait for a couple months after your treatment ends so you don't have some wonkey tattoo in the end. I wanted to get another body piercing done but I have been advised to wait...So wait I shall.
Side effects can start to kick in after the first couple days but there are SO MANY possible side effects it's hard to say what order they might arrive. I noticed dry lips after the first 4 days or so, but my skin actually got oilier first...then I had weird breakouts, then backache and sooo onnnnnn....I didn't start drying out until month 2 but it's still not as dry as when I was using Ziana.
No worries, you will see the effects soon enough. I promise!

[Shannon Louise]

Hey,
Don't get a tattoo while on accutane. I had one done about 2 weeks before I started and I didn't have problems but come to find out, I could have. I understand that healing takes much longer and you may be more prone to infection. Might as well wait for a couple months after your treatment ends so you don't have some wonkey tattoo in the end. I wanted to get another body piercing done but I have been advised to wait...So wait I shall.
Side effects can start to kick in after the first couple days but there are SO MANY possible side effects it's hard to say what order they might arrive. I noticed dry lips after the first 4 days or so, but my skin actually got oilier first...then I had weird breakouts, then backache and sooo onnnnnn....I didn't start drying out until month 2 but it's still not as dry as when I was using Ziana.
No worries, you will see the effects soon enough. I promise!

Hey,
Don't get a tattoo while on accutane. I had one done about 2 weeks before I started and I didn't have problems but come to find out, I could have. I understand that healing takes much longer and you may be more prone to infection. Might as well wait for a couple months after your treatment ends so you don't have some wonkey tattoo in the end. I wanted to get another body piercing done but I have been advised to wait...So wait I shall.
Side effects can start to kick in after the first couple days but there are SO MANY possible side effects it's hard to say what order they might arrive. I noticed dry lips after the first 4 days or so, but my skin actually got oilier first...then I had weird breakouts, then backache and sooo onnnnnn....I didn't start drying out until month 2 but it's still not as dry as when I was using Ziana.
No worries, you will see the effects soon enough. I promise!

hmm i think im gonna wait, id rather wait a few months than jump into getting one and regret it when it looks crappy, thanks for the advise! mm im only on day 3 and made the mistake of rubbing my face hard with a face wipe. this lead to having to splash cold water onto my sore skin! hmm i now the side effects are going to me a burden but i suppose you know its working then right? How are you getting on with it?

[PatrickCampbell]

Hi ive also just started accutane recently. I started around a week ago im experiencing no side effects as of yet my lips are a little dry thats all. I hope all goes well for you. I also wanted a tattoo but im going to wait till ive finished with the drug. Good luck let me know how it goes

[Shannon Louise]

Hi ive also just started accutane recently. I started around a week ago im experiencing no side effects as of yet my lips are a little dry thats all. I hope all goes well for you. I also wanted a tattoo but im going to wait till ive finished with the drug. Good luck let me know how it goes

Hi ive also just started accutane recently. I started around a week ago im experiencing no side effects as of yet my lips are a little dry thats all. I hope all goes well for you. I also wanted a tattoo but im going to wait till ive finished with the drug. Good luck let me know how it goes

hey oh thats good, hope you dont get the side effects too bad, i already have one tattoo i had back in may but i wanted another soon, not gonna risk it though as i dont want it to be messed up haha, how are you getting on with the drug so far?

[Shannon Louise]

Day 8!

hmm a run up of my 1st week...
i pretty much broke out straight away and a cyst that i had only just managed to get rid of came back up and within half the day it had tripled in size was not happy atall, luckily it poped by its self 2 days after, still have new painful spots coming up but i have noticed that i dont have half as many blackheads on my nose yay, and my skin is getting ver dry around my eyebrows and my nose, to the point were the skin around my nose had split and bled lips are a nightmare bright bed and hot, vaseline has become my new best friend!

[chloelauraa]

Hey I'm in the UK also, I'll be following your log! Good luck!

[poptartie]

I'm loving what Accutane is doing for me! LOVIN IT! I know that during the first month my skin was so weird! Breaking out in places I never did before and healing strangely. My acne was not worse...just different. And things would go from better to worse and back to better withing a one day period.
What are you using to moisturize?
I am addicted to Aquaphor for my lips. I sleep with it under my pillow...

[Shannon Louise]

I'm loving what Accutane is doing for me! LOVIN IT! I know that during the first month my skin was so weird! Breaking out in places I never did before and healing strangely. My acne was not worse...just different. And things would go from better to worse and back to better withing a one day period.
What are you using to moisturize?
I am addicted to Aquaphor for my lips. I sleep with it under my pillow...

I'm loving what Accutane is doing for me! LOVIN IT! I know that during the first month my skin was so weird! Breaking out in places I never did before and healing strangely. My acne was not worse...just different. And things would go from better to worse and back to better withing a one day period.
What are you using to moisturize?
I am addicted to Aquaphor for my lips. I sleep with it under my pillow...

i know what you mean about difference in the acne, mines not any worse than usual but its very red and my makeup just slides off any pots hmm strange, glad its working out for you! on my face im using a simple cleanser, and just a nevea moisturiser for sensitive skin going pretty well, ive learnt not to scrub at my face though!

Hey I'm in the UK also, I'll be following your log! Good luck!

Hey I'm in the UK also, I'll be following your log! Good luck!

yay! its harder to find people in the uk! are you also on the drug?

[chloelauraa]

Yep, I'm very early on though, taking my 4th pill tonight!

[poptartie]

Yep, I'm very early on though, taking my 4th pill tonight!

Hang in there girls...You are not alone

[Shannon Louise]

day 10 now!
broke out so bad this morning and in so much pain, can anyone recommend anything i can put on my face to stop the pain? im too scared to use any BP products or anything