Hi all!

This is my first post ever, although I've spent hours reading this forum since years ago... Three years ago I thought that my nightmare with acne was over, and that I wouldn't come back here, but I was wrong. And this time I want to share my experience, I feel like I owe posting something. So if I can help feel better someone as I did reading other people's posts, I will be really really happy. 

I am 19 years old. My journey with acne started about 9 years ago, and I have had enough time to try almost all possible treatments; topic treatments, antibiotics, birth control pills, diets and exercises, food supplements (vitamins, zinc, etc), treatments in beauty salons... (I almost gave a try to acupuncture!) And Accutane (isotretinoin).

My acne has never been extremely bad, or really inflammatory, but has always been persistent; small spots all over my forehead and cheeks, most of the time, and occasionally some bigger pimple. Not very difficult to cover the little redness with makeup but always with a very rough texture.

My skin has always been my biggest insecurity, and there has not been a day that I haven't wished to have clear skin or worried about it. For me it's almost impossible to open up and talk about it with other people, and I have for sure stopped doing things because of how bad I felt.

So, 3 years ago, finally, I was prescribed with Accutane, after having tried anything else. I was a little scared because of the side effects, but as soon as I started to see my skin somehow clearer, I couldn't live without it. I was so so happy and started to feel better with myself. I suffered dryness (I had sore hands) and back pain the most, but my new skin compensated it a thousand times.

I finished the treatment and thought it was over, but 3 months later my acne came back. This time in a much more moderate way, but after having seen my skin so perfect, it was impossible not to get obsessed with it again.

For the following 3 years, I tried again all the other kind of treatments -nothing worked. However, this time I started to accept my skin a little bit more, and not to be that uncomfortable with it, but still had some emotional breakdowns. Since then, I have been wishing to be prescribed with Accutane again, and I have even felt bad for throwing away the pills left from the first course.

I also want to mention, that over all these years I have learnt not to judge a book by its cover and to empathize more with other people, you never know what others are struggling with...

Last week I got prescribed a second course of Isotretinoin and I can't wait to see the first results. For now I'm taking a 30mg/day dose (I weight 50kg).

I hope this time it will be the definitive one (hope is the last to die!) Here I will keep a personal log. Any advice, suggestion or comment will be welcome!