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Hey y'all! So I am currently in the waiting process to get on accutane since I am a female and they require two negative pregnancy tests, and of course the pledge system and all that. I just wanted to know what anyone's experience has been with this medication as far as side effects, initial break out, success with it? Things like that. Currently I am taking 150 mg of doxy that was just bumped up from 75 mg daily, and I use epiduo forte, not really seeing any success.
One of of my main concerns is the initial breakout and how long it will last, I have a Vegas trip planned and I will have barely been on accutane a month. I'm worried I might have to postpone my trip if my skin is too bad, but if I have too that's fine, because I'm desperate for clear skin.
So anyway, sorry for the long book I typed and thanks for reading! Please provide any advice or experience or suggestions!! Thanks so much!!!
Hi!! I'll be starting accutane in March...I'm so scared of that initial breakout too!!! I've been on so many topicals, latest ones being aczone and tazorac...I'm still getting cystic acne. Ive been waiting to get started as well...just got about 2 weeks left. I sure hope it clears you up in time for Vegas!! That sounds like a lot of fun:)
Hey there,
Personally, my breakouts lasted for a couple months and halfway through the third. Of course you'll still get occasional pimples here and there but they should go away soon. Everyone reacts differently, so depending on how to react, I can't give you a sure answer as to if you'll be a mess when it comes to your trip. My best suggestion for you is to stop using retinoids completely, or any other acne medication for that matter. As you will regret it, trust me on this one! If you're gonna go out into the sun make sure you have a great facial sunscreen. The dryness is a pain, so I suggest that you use a moisturizing cleanser which is free of alcohols and fragrances. My favorite is aveeno moisturizing cleanser with colloidal oatmeal, there's the baby version and the regular version, both the same. They both help out with the dryness and redness significantly. Load up on Vaseline and Chapstick. I suggest using Vaseline on your face every other night about 3 weeks into the medication. It might feel gross but your skin will thank you for it in the morning! It's noncomedogenic and helps lock in all of your moisture and calms down redness from the medication. There shouldn't be any greasiness in the morning, I hope this helps!
- Jacob
My advice is to ignore everyone's advice..!!
Everyone reacts differently and there is no way of knowing how you will react before you start. You must remember that people start on different doses and like anything bodies just react differently.
I got completely scared off by a friend who had a pretty bad time on Accutane but my experiencing has been pretty OK and most of the stuff I worried about didn't happen! I delayed tretment for so long due to fears which I now regret as I could have sorted my acne out years ago!
I got an IB but it was very manageable. Just like a any bad breakout but at least you are comforted by the fact that it's probably the last time your skin will be breaking out. It's frustrating at times but you wont look like Shrek all of a sudden!!
Just take precautions like moisturizing from the beginning, using a good lip balm etc. I am 4 month in and still not that dry but skin has improved lots.There is nothing you can do to prevent the IB so not much point worrying. It's very unlikely to be so bad you will have to cancel plans but cross that bridge if you come to it.
Good luck 
Hey there! I just started accutane (Absorica) 10 days ago. I thought I was gonna get away with not having an initial breakout, because my skin started drying up and my zits started going away literally on day 1, but then about 48 hrs ago, what little zits I had turned into full-blown, painful cysts, so I guess this is the infamous breakout (but I'm also a few days away from getting my period, so who knows). I just figure that my skin has been so bad for so long that I'm willing to deal with whatever it takes for a couple of months if it will be gone FOR REAL when I'm done with accutane. I've gotten pretty good at makeup to cover the big cysts, so that's what I'm doing now, and hoping that I only have to do that for a few more months.
Good luck to you!
Hi There , I started accutane on the 12 th of January & was on 30 mg a day untill the 12th of February when I went up to 70 mg , I noticed no side effects within the first month , but since I have started on the 70 mg I have noticed a few , I have a rash on both hands & my lower back is always sore ! Maybe the job I'm in doesn't help that but even just the simplest things will cause my bones to be sore .. I've had a few headaches but nothing extreme .. Very dry lips could go through a small tub of Vaseline in two days , Infact my whole body is very dry , I am always tired .. Wasted last Saturday having on & off naps , Can't see any changes in my acne as off yet but have been told it could get worse before it gets better which is fine aslong as at the end of this 4 months I see results 
Hi, I did not have any breakout while taking Accutane, but did get SERIOUSLY dry skin and my lips were the worst. Wherever you go, make sure you have some lip balm based on beeswax - don't use medicated Blistex as they recommend, it will work at first but eventually you will become resistant to it and your lips will get even worse. Beeswax-based lip balm all the way! Hope this helps you
Also, definitely continue taking contraceptives because Accutane is very dangerous for an unborn baby, which is why they required me (in the UK) to show a pregnancy test every month when I was taking it.
Jennifer
p.s. The first course I took totally cleared my skin and it was amazingly perfect for about 4 months until the acne started coming back again. I really recommend to you that if you finish this course and your acne starts coming back again, don't take it again. I have been on 3 courses of Accutane, and my acne is back again. So if the first course doesn't work it will be time to look for the real cause of your acne (diet, hormone imbalance, polycystic ovaries). It turns out I have polycystic ovaries (so I could continue with Accutane, which is the only tablet that's ever worked, for the rest of my life), but I'm tired of medicines and gels and creams that don't work, so I have just made an appointment with a dietitian to see if she can help me without giving me any more nasty medicine.
well i have been taking accutane 40mg a day for 40 days now. and i am damn sure that everyone reacts differently to accutane. some get an IB and others don't. Unfortunately i woke up this morning with a face full of acne. But i am trying my best to have more patience. Accutane is a journey .
On March 17, 2016 at 2:50 PM, CDR1990 said:I'm on my second week and my skin has been GROSS! I've had so many whiteheads and cyst and ITS SOOOOO RED. I'm washing with Citaphil but think I need something to calm my skin, has anyone tried the aveeno ultra- calming products?
THNX
Hey, I suggest aveeno naturals baby eczema cleanser with corrodial oatmeal. And just plain Vaseline. Use the wash twice a day, and use a dime ONLY A DIME, of Vaseline on your face after cleansing and drying. The greasiness will go away and both of these things together used at least every other day should clear your skin extremely fast in terms of redness and dryness. Breakouts will lessen as the irritation is minimalised so work on that first. Don't use the ultra calming stuff, I've tried it after having similar side affects as yours. The Vaseline won't clog your pores just make sure to use it only at night, and as I said before only a *dime* size amount for your face.
Jacob 🙂