GOOD LUCK! keep at it - at times you may lose a bit of hope - but in the end you will be happy. I had very very moderate acne that was hard to treat because of sensitive skin & rosacea. So for me personally- accutane didn't rid me of my problem as a whole- just the acne part -but made it so i could treat my rosacea in the end. But i am very very happy i went on it.

This june its will mark a year when i started the course - it was rough - dry lips/skin - felt kinda odd at times mentally. but it was all good.

Another thing- be as plain as possible with the skincare. Use a very light cream cleanser (cerave) and use moisturizers sparingly (only spot apply it in the dry areas) I found my acne never stopped on accutane till i stopped using moisturizers and creams on my face -

anyways good luck

Thanks for the response! so far I only moisturize as needed. which hasn't been too often surprisingly.

That's what I worry about when I have my dermatologist appointment in July. I'll be adamant that I want to go on accutane but 20mg sounds so low. It's great if you want to take it over a long period, but I want it gone in 4-5 months.

My Doc actually said I would be on a 5 month course. which is pretty typical or a shorter one if anything. I believe I'll be doubling to 40mg after a month,

My acne isn't severe. I would say it's mild with flare ups to moderate a few times a month. I've just been on a ton of different scripts so I want to be done with acne once and for all.

Good luck hope it all goes well!

PS- great username!

Why thank you!

i was on 60 mg- for 8 months.... i dont even have severe acne! It just the type that doesnt want to go away! hah

Hey guys, so I'm on day 9 right now so wanted to give an update.

UPDATE: Basically what's happening is anything that was potentially going to pop up on my face has come out and turned into a whitehead pretty fast. So I guess that's good news? I'm trying not to pick at them. I typically don't get too many white heads like these, some are fairly large. theres maybe about 5 or 6 of them, but overall I'm pleased with the progress.

Side effects: honestly, not really any. my lips haven't even been that dry to be honest. *knocks on wood*

Also, question for you guys, Is it safe to work out on the tane? because I work out 3 days a week and have been for a while and have had great progress and I don't wan't to lose that progress. I usually do a full body workout (lifting) any info would be greatly appreciated!

Hey guys, so I'm on day 9 right now so wanted to give an update.

UPDATE: Basically what's happening is anything that was potentially going to pop up on my face has come out and turned into a whitehead pretty fast. So I guess that's good news? I'm trying not to pick at them. I typically don't get too many white heads like these, some are fairly large. theres maybe about 5 or 6 of them, but overall I'm pleased with the progress.

Side effects: honestly, not really any. my lips haven't even been that dry to be honest. *knocks on wood*

Also, question for you guys, Is it safe to work out on the tane? because I work out 3 days a week and have been for a while and have had great progress and I don't wan't to lose that progress. I usually do a full body workout (lifting) any info would be greatly appreciated!

I also agree with Lyanna, great name! So I weigh 131lbs which is pretty small for a 20 year old male, however I also started on 20mg, which I didn't think was particularly much for my weight, so you may be wondering the same thing. Chances are the derm will up your dose next month to 40mg. You can workout, however, keep an eye on yourself because your muscles will be more tender and within my first month I experienced a lot of muscle aches and pains.. So maybe limit the amount you do, and if things are going south... You know.

Just keep moisturising and using lip balm, because the dry lips will hit you out of the blue, so it's better to limit it before it gets bad.

Hope everything goes well!

Thanks kylenixon12! as far as supplements go. Happen to know which supplements are good to take while on accutane in general? but also more specifically for joint health

edit:: also guys, the white heads that I have are like so ready to go and be popped. i could probably look at them funny and they would pop. is it okay to pop them, if so, how, if not, why?

Thanks kylenixon12! as far as supplements go. Happen to know which supplements are good to take while on accutane in general? but also more specifically for joint health

edit:: also guys, the white heads that I have are like so ready to go and be popped. i could probably look at them funny and they would pop. is it okay to pop them, if so, how, if not, why?

I personally take Omega 3 for inflammation, Zinc for a range of things, though i do read it is good for Cardiovascular means, and Vitamin C because its the go to vitamin haha. I do think fish oils in general are good for joint health, along with Calcium and Vitamin D.

I do normally squeeze if I have a whitehead.. Though I hold off until they are good and ready, to minimize marking. They will gradually reduce, though you will likely have a couple of break outs each time they up your dose. I was upped to 40mg a month ago now, and I had a huge break out, but now they are almost all gone. Just hang in there

Day 12 update!

UPDATE: Hey everyone. Went to a wedding last night and got pretty drunk. I know It's bad to mix the tane and alcohol, but It was my cousins wedding so a pretty special event. To be fair I didn't drink THAT much and plus I'm only on 20mg claravis currently. anyway on to the skin update... so basically the pimples that I did have all quickly have started to go away, unfortunately a couple new ones popped up and possibly a small cyst on my jawline. I would say overall my skin looks a bit better than it did a few days ago *knock on wood*

Side Effects: . I'm just now starting to have annoyingly dry lips. I constantly pick at them and need to learn to not. However I use this honey burt's bees chapstick that works very well with very little.

I'm thinking about incorporating daily doses of fish oil, vitamin D, and perhaps a probiotic of some sort.

also I don't believe I've told you guys where my acne is. I'm fortunate to have no acne on my chest and very very little on my back if any at all. My main problem areas are both sides of my lower cheeks and my mustache area (I don't have a mustache) and then i usually have a couple on my forehead. about half of what I have are bumps that hurt to touch which i presume to be cysts. these are located on my lower cheeks and sometimes they pop up mid cheek area.

Damn I am just so ready to be done with acne. Sadly I still have about 18 weeks to go. but I'm not complaining at all. In the grand scheme of things 18 weeks is such little time. We are all incredibly fortunate to live in a time where drugs like accutane even exist.

Wanted to give another update! I think my IB is here . I definitely keep popping up with a lot of blemishes. Most of them aren't anything major but some are. The problem is that there is a lot more than usual. I'm sad but also excited because I'd rather get the IB out of the way as soon as possible. Perhaps it from my lack of sleep? who knows. I had trouble sleeping last night and only slept for about 4 hours. but to be fair I slept for like 11 hours the night before. so that averages to about 7.5 hours a night. whatevs. wish me luck guys!

Hey Tyrionlannister, I'm happy for you hopefully getting the IB out of the way quickly. I'm looking forward to hearing about your progress, good luck!

Thanks Haileybear!

day 14 update!!!!

UPDATE: so my IB that i said started has definitely fully started now. i got like a cluster of 3 pimples around my chin that turned into 1 big one. fuckin' sucks. and I've been getting a lot of little ones around my mouth that come and go pretty quickly. I'm trying to stay positive and look at it as a good thing. I also noted a few pimples ( i don't know the difference between postule, pimple, or whatever other kinds) on my neck that I usually never get any there.

I incorporated zinc, vitamin D, vitamin E, and fish oil into my daily diet. I go to the gym often so I'm especially concerned with joint pain. I wash with crave foaming cleanser morning and night but nothing more than that.

Side Effects: So I've noted my lips have started to become very chapped. So i began applying aquafor before bed and in the morning, Also my face has been getting pretty dry, but I actually like the dryness I feel it makes my acne look better and go away faster.

I can't wait to have clear skin everywhere. Certain sections of my face are almost always 100% clear and looking good I just have persistent problem zones that haven't responded to other medications.

well, until next update!

day 16 update

UPDATE: this is starting to get pretty awful. I have large painful 3 cysts on my lower left chin several tiny ones on the right side. A tiny pimple right in the middle below my lower lip, a few right above the lip. one on the eyebrow. painful ones on the neck.

yup, pretty sure I got the IB.

I'm trying extraordinarily hard to look at this as a good thing. Get it over with quickly. I took some vitamin E as i hear it helps with skin repair.

how long does the IB last for? please don't say a while. Also did you guys notice while you were/are on the tane that your acne seems to come and then heal faster than normal? and last question, All the ones i mentioned that I had all had white heads and were ready to pop so I popped them. is this okay? I just couldn't stand them anymore..

aw man, i went through a pretty shitty IB phase on 20mg. i'm left with a lot of scarring, unfortunately, and i didn't even pop any of them whiteheads or anything. but once i got over the IB, lasted for about three weeks i think, the texture of my skin was so much smoother. i don't know if there's more potential breakouts like on the scale of the IB but fingers crossed that shit doesn't happen again because it was pretty devastating.

i feel like the acne is healing faster than normal but i wasn't paying too much attention since whenever one went away, two popped up in its place and left a bigger, redder scar and i was just fed up with counting it. so i can't really remember the time frames they were going away but i have a feeling it was faster.

idk about the popping thing. i never pop pimples if i can help it, if they pop if i'm not gentle enough cleansing my face i'm like meh whatever but i don't go out of my way to pop them at all. i would feel sorry for the people who have to look at this big pus filled thing but then again it's on my face and not theirs so..i don't haha

day 16 update

UPDATE: this is starting to get pretty awful. I have large painful 3 cysts on my lower left chin several tiny ones on the right side. A tiny pimple right in the middle below my lower lip, a few right above the lip. one on the eyebrow. painful ones on the neck.

yup, pretty sure I got the IB.

I'm trying extraordinarily hard to look at this as a good thing. Get it over with quickly. I took some vitamin E as i hear it helps with skin repair.

how long does the IB last for? please don't say a while. Also did you guys notice while you were/are on the tane that your acne seems to come and then heal faster than normal? and last question, All the ones i mentioned that I had all had white heads and were ready to pop so I popped them. is this okay? I just couldn't stand them anymore..

My IB lasted a couple of weeks at 20mg.. Then it calmed down, though I did get occasional flare ups. When they pushed me up to 40mg, I didn't get them till about a month in.. Though this one trumps the one I had at 20mg, and I'm still dealing with it.

If you want to pop them, I'd do it while you're on the 20mg because your skin will get a lot more sensitive as your dose increases. Also, yeah they do heal quicker, but if you do get cysts or any other form of lump, I'd say it takes about the same. However, ones with heads do heal a lot quicker, maybe in a day.

Thanks for the replies guys. Yeah this sucks... My lips are becoming increasingly more chapped. At least I know the Accutane is working.

I started taking Fish oil, vitamin D, E, and zinc every day. I work out 3 days a week so I'm trying to avoid joint pain

Day 17 update!

UPDATE: So the new pimples/cysts I got from my IB seem to be less inflamed and are drying up rather quickly. My lips continue to be very chapped, specifically my bottom lip. My skin in general has been peeling. Overall I'm pleased with the progress so far. I think my deem plans on upping my dose so I'm hoping when that happens I don't get another breakout.

crossing my fingers. Good luck to all you guys on the Tane as well!

Day 20 update!!

Hey guys,

So I'm still recovering from the IB, skins been drying up and flaky. Lips still very chapped. I still get a few small pimples forming that go away quickly.

also. sorry if this is TMI but I've noticed that when I go to the bathroom and go to wipe there is a very very very small amount of blood on the toilet paper. its bright red almost pink. anyone every experience this? I hear talk that dark blood is what you need to worry about.

anyway, until next time, PEACE.

quick update:: The breakout of cysts that I had have all pretty much died down, however, some of them will turn into reoccurring white heads. I personally think popping them makes them heal faster. Generally when I pop them they will be healed by the next day. It could be because i'm only on 20mg/day because If i were on more I'd be fearful of scarring.

So not really sure if anyone reads this anymore... but I'll keep updating for the sake of updating.

It's now day 23. I continue to get small white heads that I usually pop as soon as they come to a head. I know some people say I shouldn't, but I can tell they are the kind that won't scar and I feel they heal quicker if I pop them and get the gunk out. I always wash my hands before hand and I don't squeeze too hard or too long.

I've been fortunate enough to not get anymore cysts so far since the IB (crossing fingers) (knocks on wood).

I'm wondering if I should stay on 20mg because so far I'm happy with the results. I didn't expect my skin to clear within 3 weeks and the progress it's made so far is impressive. My skin is no longer super oily every few hours. and My skin seems to be continuously healing aside from the few small pimples I'll get daily that go away quickly.

I believe my doctors plan is to up my dose to 40mg but I'm wondering if 30mg would be the better option for me..

I read it! I enjoy seeing your progress seeing that you're only a few days ahead of me, though a much lower dose, still nice to see the same schedule.

If the lower dose is working for you and not having any severe side effects they should probably leave you at the lower dose, unless you're trying to get the course done quicker that is lol

Anyway, I'll still be following your log hoping to hear great results for you soon!