Disclaimer: I'm only a little over a month in, but I would say yes! (Also, sorry in advance for the long post)

Back story: I never really had issues with acne until I was about 19. Then boom. Horrible cystic acne all over my cheeks. I went to a dermatologist and was able to get rid of the cystic acne with about two years of topical treatment, however, I still had lingering hormonal acne across my cheeks. I spent five years waiting to finally get rid of my acne for good. I was religious with my skin. I took better care of my skin than just about anyone I know. Nothing changed. I finally had enough in my last semester of graduate school. I didn't want to enter the workforce with the face of a hormonal teenager. I told my new dermatologist the whole story, and although my acne was skin mild he immediately offered Accutane treatment.

Price and Time (Con): Obviously, a major con is having to get a blood test and make a dermatology appointment every month. My local hospital does not charge for blood work. If you time it right, a blood test is a simple 20 minute pit stop. Although annoying, this really has yet to bother me. My health insurance also completely covers dermatology visits and the appointments are extremely quick once you start. Again, a minor inconvenience, but not really that big of a deal. I know price can be a major issue for some patients. If you have good health insurance, the cost is extremely reasonable. Mine is about 10 bucks a month. If you do not have insurance, the cost can be in the hundreds. This may be a very big factor to consider for uninsured individuals.

Side Effects: The side effect range is huge. That said, my side effects have been extremely manageable. The worst side effect is dry and cracking lips. I keep a chapstick in my car, house, backpack, and purse.Another side effect is dry skin, however, it really isn't much worse than how dry my skin would get with my previoustopical treatments. If anything, it might actually be a slight improvement. I admittedly love a healthy skin glow. I live in a very warm climate, spend my weekends on the beach, and feel super weird if I get too pale. I was really worried that Accutane would completely prevent me from going out and enjoying my time in the sun. I'm happy to report that my sunscreen moisturizer does a plenty good job of protecting my skin. I haven't had any issues with extreme sensitivity to the sun (I have naturally paler skin, but I tan extremely easily and rarely burn [thank you Italian genes]).One weird side effect that I got was an extremely itchy scalp, but only after my night dose. After I take the medicine at dinnertime, my head will randomly really start to itch and get flaky. Luckily, I have a very sweet significant other who scratches my head. That, and a quick shower, usually makes it go away immediately. My hair hasn't gotten nearly as dry as some other patients report, however, it has gotten straighter. I have super wild and wavy hair, so this side effect is actuallyawesome and welcome. I have noticed a bit of fatigue, but again this has actually been to my benefit. I have a lot of trouble falling and staying asleep, but after I started Accutane my sleep was immediately improved.I experience some sleepiness during the day, but not even to the point where I feel the need to nap (probably because I'm getting much better sleep at night now). One big concern I had was the potential for severe depression. I take medication for depression and was very nervous that I could have an emotional collapse. I'm happy to report that my mood hasn't changed much at all. At most I might be a tad more irritable (but, honestly, that could just be me haha). The most annoying side effect by far is the, "initial breakout." What's really weird is that my most stubborn acne was immediately improved. This is the acne that hasn't budged in 5 years. Literally within 2-3 days it was drastically improved. That said, I started getting all of these random pimples in places that I normally never did (forehead and chin). I should note that these are commonly considered the most oil prone areas of your face. It makes sense that early on into treatment they would be clogged up because I stopped using topical cream. I've started spot treating which is definitely helping. That's about all I can say in terms of con's. For me, the cons pale in comparison to the embarrassment and annoyance I suffer as a result of adultacne.

Like I mentioned above, Accutane almost immediately started clearing up my most stubborn acne. For years I've had these inverted nodules on my cheeks. Literally nothing I ever did mattered. They would not budge. A month in, those acne lesions are almost completely gone. What is so funny to me is that the only real acne I have left is from the IB. I also have some rosacea that is improved, but not gone.

Conclusion: If you're as OVER acne as I am....try it. The worst that can happen is you can't manage your side effects and discontinue the drug. The best that can happen is the immediate boost of happiness, hope, and confidence. Good luck with everything, and all I can say is my only regret was that I didn't do this years ago.