Littleflower

Hello I've just started taking roaccutane in the UK, and being female I am obligated to be on some form of birth control during the course. At the moment I'm on Dianette.

I'm really worried that coming off the pill after taking roaccutane may worsen my skin, so I'm considering coming off it asap after putting my case to the derm next month. I'm not using it for birth control and my family has a history of thrombosis and high blood pressure so I don't really see the point in taking it- obviously if the occasion rose I would make sure I had protected sex, but I'm a Christian so I'm 99.9% sure it won't happen Did anyone see a change in their skin when they came off birth control during/ after their course?

Hello!

I've lurked around this site for a few months now and thought that it would be a good idea to do what a lot of other people have done and (hopefully!) track my final battle against acne, aged 18.

So here's my story...

I remember getting my first spot aged 11, sitting in my primary school classroom. Neither of my parents nor my brothers or sisters had spots, so I wasn't really too sure what it was. I picked and picked at it and it lingered for weeks, it was all a downwards spiral from there...

My first encounter with the serious business was when I started to get huge, painful bumps under my skin on my forehead, mostly on my hairline. At the time I had no idea what these were but they caused me a lot of distress and there were often times when my forehead was a bloody swollen mess due to me messing with my skin and reaching for the foundation straight after. My confidence hit an all time low, and my main source of exersise, swimming, ceased immediately. Though these spots only recurred over a period of two or so years, this wasn't the end of the 'phase I would just grow out of'.

Clusters of recurring whiteheads and painful nodules started to appear on my chin and upper back when I was about 14. Stupidly I got into the habit of squeezing these before they could have possibly been squeezed and my chin still remains very red and filled with clogged pores due to covering the broken skin with makeup. Changing in front of classmates for PE became very embarrassing and I had even worked out a way of taking my shirt off and putting my polo sweater on without revealing my back to anyone. I didn't want to leave the house without makeup on and it started to take hold over my social life. At this point I went to see the doctor, and useless antibiotic after useless topical I am now at the point where in a week's time and after a long wait, hopefully I will be going on the 'miracle drug' that gives people's lives back. I often think about the life I would have led as a teenager if I didn't have acne.

I'm currently taking Dianette, and though my skin does seem to improve on the pill as it isn't particularly severe, it only masks the disease. As soon as I come off hormonal contreception it immediately worsens; after attempting to come off late last year, I now get acne all the way down my back as well as on the top of it and clusters of breakouts and small lumps and bumps on my chin like I've never had before. It pains me to take my makeup off in front of my boyfriend, friends, and even family. I rarely stay at other people's houses or go out at night with my friends because it's all I think about. Though my boyfriend tells me it doesn't matter and he still thinks I'm beautiful, I almost find this insulting due to my view of my skin. My forehead rarely breaks out and my cheeks, chest and neck are mostly clear apart from the odd one or two spots. Luckily I don't scar but since my skin is very pale I have a lot of hyperpigmentation that takes a long time to fade. I bought 5% BP today too just to tide me over until next week but I'm aware that I should probably stop using it once I start Roaccutane.

I realise I've started this a week early, but I was hoping that experienced Roaccutane users could give me any advice or things to buy/ be ready to use in preparation? Or any warning signs they've experienced that has meant they've had to come off the medication? Success stories are welcome too, of course!

I'm hopefully starting at a Drama School in September; my aim is for clear skin the first day I walk through that door!