Hey everyone.

I'm writing this as a summary of my Accutane experience. I'm a 34 yo Male who's suffered from moderate to severe acne since my mid-teens.

I know it's cliche, but I've done everything under the sun (basically all products) and very expensive food sensitivity tests and monthly esthetician visits. My acne would go through brief periods of clarity (although there was always a little acne) and then breakout quite regularly. About once a year i would have a MAJOR breakout where white heads would pile up on top of each other. It would last about a few weeks and then go back to my regular (but steady) breakouts.

Early this year I decided I wanted to FINALLY do Accutane. I had previously abstained from doing it mainly because of the initial breakout (i had heard horror stories) and some of the side effects. I ultimately decided to bite the bullet, as the breakouts were causing me to be antisocial and really affecting my quality of life.

In short (and so far), it's been the best decision I've ever made. The initial breakout was minimal- no more than a normal breakout- and lasted only a week or so. I had all of the usual side effects: rushed face, dry skin, bloody nose in the morning, very dry lips, a few sporadic rashes on my hands and arms... nothing crazy. I will say a rather odd side effect i got was sweating in places I wouldn't normally sweat: my eyebrows and the tip of my nose. I never had any major side effects or experienced any change in mood.

In terms of the acne and breakouts, I started seeing results almost immediately. I'm now on my sixth month and haven't had a single pimple in over 2 months. My doctor put me on Absorica, which is better absorbed into your system and doesn't require you to take the pill with a meal (although i always tried to take it with a meal or snack for better absorption)...My doses were:

Month 1: 40mg/day
Month 2: 60mg/day
Month 3-5: 70mg/day
Month 6: 40mg/day

I'm really excited (and anxious) to see what happens after I stop taking the medication. I can say (even with the annoying side effects) that my quality of life have greatly improved- I don't have to worry about waking up to a new breakout or constantly checking for new zits or dreading pictures or mirrors.

I remember reading these forums all throughout my early adulthood and finding comfort and support in people's stories. I hope this might encourage someone who's on the fence to make a decision or at least consult a doctor about taking Accutane. I will post a few months after i complete my treatment and let you guys know how I'm doing.

Best,
D