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Hello all, I would prefer if only people who have taken accutane and have been off it for a while (at least a year), would chime in however I welcome all opinions. I am considering taking Accutane as my acne is severe. I'm not someone taking it just for a few blemishes, I don't have pustules and big bumps. I have like small pimples all over the place though and my face is ALWAYS red. With the scarring i've had, it just looks really disgusting. I've attached some photos. Anyways, I'm really concerned with developing crohns afterwards or prematurely losing my hair as so many people have reported. At the same time however, i'm a 19 year old whose confidence and self esteem has been crushed lifeless. It's a struggle everyday to get up and go out into the world. I hate people seeing me, it's the worst fucking shit. I don't know what else to do.. I could wait to outgrow my acne but how long will that take? (Don't answer that it's rhetorical) Simply put (to avoid going into detail), I want to enjoy college and be as social and confident as I can. Acne however, robs me of that. I've always been hesistant to take the plunge and take accutane but I think i've given up on my skin. It's at the point where I want to kill myself because of how miserable and hard it is for me to live. I feel like a burden to everyone even though i'm pretty well liked by people. I've seen derms and the whole package. Diet, laser, everything. I'm currently on Retin-A and erythromycin but it's not doing much.
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If you've taken accutane and been off it for a while, how have you been in terms of health. I'm scared because of the crohns/Ulcerative colitis but then again, so many people take Accutane EVERY YEAR that i mean... i don't know. It's hard to believe that such a commonly prescribed medicine does so much damage for sure. I've read all the reports and surveys which say it's not likely to cause UC/ Crohn's but still a bit hesistant.
Bottom line: What's your opinion on this controversial drug?
Oh gosh...I took accutane 3 years ago and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. It really did make my skin amazing while I was on it and for almost 2 years after, but most of my acne (except bad cysts) did come back. When I took it I did get side effects like dry lips, sore joints, and a little hair loss. By the end of my course I also felt a little socially withdrawn, like the accutane was effecting my mood. After stopping accutane all of these side effect went away. One side effect that I still have though is that my skin heals so poorly now. I used to get huge cysts and I could pop them and never get a scar. Now my skin scars from just about everything and it sucks. This is the reason that I'm not sure how I feel about accutane. My acne went away for a while, but then came back, and now I am left with skin that heals poorly.
I haven't finished my course (in my 3rd month atm) but I'd just like to say that Accutane affects people in so many different ways that in the end, the decision can only be between you and your dermatologist. Some people end up with a slew of life-changing complications, other people clear up permanently after one course with little to no side effects.
Also, it's been pointed out repeatedly that the opinion of the general Acne.org population, when it comes to Accutane, might be skewed in disfavor of the drug, simply because people who have had success with the drug have little reason or desire to return to the forums and discuss their past acne problems: they have probably moved on with their lives.
And Crohn's is really NOT a common Accutane side effect, although the risk of you developing it while on Accutane is higher if you have a family history of the disease.
I've had no prolonged side effects from accutane. It cleared my acne to 100%, although the spots returned, but no way as severe as before accutane.
I'd gladly take the drug again if my acne, again, becomes aggressive, but I doubt it.
I've also had friends who'm taken the drug (Derms prescribe it like candy in my country) and they experienced no side effects after end course.