I'm 20 years old/ Female and I've had acne since I was 12. I had tried almost everything, from natural home remedies, to tying back my bangs, topical cremes, proactive, medicated face pad wipes, Retin-A for my hyper pigmentation and in short nothing worked. I remember making another optometrist appt completely mortified that at 19 my face had a cluster of acne on my forehead and chin. Nothing I did worked, I almost started crying at the drs office from the frustration. He looked at me and I remember him saying: ' Do you want to get rid of your acne nicole?' I of course was like 'hell yes anything please!' And he said my answer was accutane. I'd never heard of it before and got pretty scared when the nurse had me signing all of these forms and was told I'd be monitored by this

Ipledge program. I was told of the possible side affects id experience and what the pill is/does.

It essentially dries and shrinks your oil glands so your skin isn't oily. Hence why your skin is so dry during the duration.

DOSAGE:

My first month I was put on a 20mg dose of accutane. It wasn't until about the third week in that I noticed the dryness of my lips. Aquaphor was a lifesaver!!!! I honestly recommend this instead of regular lip balm. They kept me on the same dosage amount into my second month. My third month they up'd it to 40mg, with this increase I was hit with 'tiredness' I was a bit more tired than usual but i eventually grew accustomed to the dose. My fourth month and fifth month the dose was again increased to 60mg.

SIDE EFFECTS:

I personally experienced dry lips the worst! I had three lip infections from my lips being raw most of the time but my dr gave me this lip creme that took it away painlessly each time, nothing major.

Fatigue. I was really tired when I got a new dosage each time. But it eventually faded

***back pain. Now I'm not one to complain but during the last week of my third month, fourth month and continuing into my fifth I have had lower back pain. I told my dr about it and he said it might not be attributed to the tane but they kept an eye on me and that's the main reason they wouldn't up my dosage during month 5 to 120mg.

Itchy skin, I only experienced this during month 5 most severely.

Nose bleeds. I've had nose bleeds all my life. But the accutane didn't help since it dries up everything so dry nose for me=nosebleeds

Dry eyes. This was during the end of month 2. Minor irritation barely noticed most of the time.

Dry skin on face flaking a bit. Not severe but noticeable if it's super dry outside.

Redness: my skin is really red and flushed on my face but it's probably because of the high vitamin A dosage in the accutane

Makeup during accurate.

Ok so while on accutane I DID WEAR makeup. It doesn't exactly break you out since the accutane is working from the inside out. I do recommend not wearing a liquid or powder foundation though lol

MY CHEATS for accutane:

Dry lips: Aquaphor

My moisturizer: EXTRA VIRGIN Olive oil. People may be like what why are you putting oil on your face! Ok so hear me out here. My skin was VERY dry during this experience and evoo was the only thing that tamed it and hydrated my skin. I didn't put a whole bottle I put a DIME sized amount (alter to your face size) in my hands and dotted it on my face and rubbed it in. It worked for me but again these are just SUGGESTIONS of what worked for me.

Dry eyes: genteal eye drops is what I used. GEL liquid eye drops will help,

I asked my dr and said I didn't want prescription drops he recommended these and they worked like a charm.

Makeup: ok for foundation I highly recommend a cream foundation in my experience it covers a bit better on dry skin. Foundation primer helps too

I'm on the end of my fifth month I go back to the drs next week to see if I'm done or get extended one more month. I'm incredibly happy with my results I have one pimple on my jaw but the rest of my face is clear and soft.

If you guys have questions I didn't cover feel free to ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability