Brown Spots, to clarify, a good diet absolutely will help your body handle accutane. If you're putting detoxifying foods such as leafy greens, and really fruits and vegetables in general, your body will function much better, and you'll especially want your liver to be in tip top shape. Ask for the results of your blood tests, check for elevated liver enzymes (forget the specific test), and it could give you some peace of mind as well as quantifying what is happening on the inside. Also, the higher the dose, the likelier the side effects. Don't go out drinking and stuff, don't have a bunch of sugary drinks.

Brown Spots - You seem to of tried literally everything in terms of what the doctor/dermatologist can give you, but you are missing the point. You need to go the natural way. You said you tried to eat healthy during the summer, but you didn't go into any detail. Sometimes it's not always about adding some fruit and vegetables to your diet, but also eliminating permanently some of the other foods you eat. The whole dairy thing makes sense to me as to causing acne, because all diary contins cow hormones which add to your already high level of hormones, plus the growth hormones they pump into the cows. Take a look at this link:

http://www.naturalne...acne_blood.html

Cutting dairy or other foods completely out of your diet may seem extreme, but it's nothing compared to Accutane. We talked about it a bit before about allergy testing, why don't you see if you are allergic to any foods, as they foods could be causing your acne. Look up about the healing power of the raw food diet in regards to acne. You need to go the natural way though - and your whole health will improve, not just your acne. Stop looking for excuses to take the Accutane just because the doctor's got it on order. Either tell him you don't want it, or if it's too late to cancel, just throw the pills in the bin. Also, rosacea and seb derm have both been mentioned in this forum, both are side effects of Accutane and these skin conditions are a hundred times worse then acne and they definately don't go away in adulthood.

To answer your original question, I would never of taken Accutane and no one else here would of if you could go back in time, because it's screwed our lives up. We've all been in your situation and know how desperate you feel to get rid of the acne, but it's called the "controversial" drug for a reason. The long list of side effects on the leaflet given with this drug don't lie and back up how dangerous we are saying this drug is. The original maker of Accutane Roche pulled Accutane from the market in 2009. They are constantly fighting and losing lawsuits all the time now, costing them millions. I think they've lost the last 6 lawsuits filed agaisnt them. This should tell you something - the signs are there. End of the day, you would be mad to take this drug knowing all this - you should instead eat, sleep and breathe Googleing natural ways to curing your acne. In the words of IndigoRush (and I admit it is a great line), fire your doctor and hire yourself!

Rant over.

Insertname - I also took the drug in 2002 and took it at 16. Welcome to the forum.

Indigo - I've have been taking Dr Schulze's Superfood for over 2 years now, and I don't how much Niacin it contains, but I think it's a lot because I get the Niacin Flush most days. So although what you've found sounds like it makes complete sense, it may only be a small piece in the jigsaw..........................

Jmsil is 100% right. You would be more than foolish to take this drug knowing full well that it is a chemotherapy drug with long-term side effects that may be permanently.

I'm staying as hopeful as I can, but the guys in this forum (and me) may be looking for answers that aren't there.

This drug may cause un-reversible damage.

You may think you'll get girls when you have clear skin, but you might not be able to enjoy one of life's blessings (sex).

We cannot say anything more, except follow logic.

Healthy food will not just help your acne, it will help to give you good health forever.

It may be hard to start off, but it's worth it.

I barely have junk food anymore, and when I do I just feel shitty afterwards.

If you're still not convinced you can read my ebook (which will be up shortly).

It pretty much explains what happened to me while taking this drug, what I've been trying to do in order to heal myself from the damage, and how unjustified the whole situation is. The Roche guys should be in prison for what they have done, but they're doing okay.

Sure, they have to pay out a few lawsuits, but they're still billionnaires.

I plan to change that. Hardly anyone (without acne) knows what this drug is.

That needs to change.

People need to know we need help right now.

Jmsil, that's a bit of a bummer. I had high hopes! I guess it could still help. It's meant to be good in combination with the rebounder.

Brown spots (why are they brown)... you are in such a good situation. I'd trade my position for yours.

I still get spots by the way, and my skin doesn't look great. If I shave, I get some kind of rash/bumps. It doesn't matter how I shave, my skin is just sensitive.

That is all for now.

*Moderator edit - NO ADVERTISING - Read the board rules!*

Stef

Well tell you the truth I really do appreciate what you guys are trying to do. I already chose this path when my derm said this will be about my last option. Also the first time I saw him, he right of way was like oh maybe you should consider accutane. He didn't push it (and I didn't want to pursue it) so he presrcibed retin-a and clinidmycin. And to answer your question on my healthy eating, I can't exactly remember but I was obcessed with getting in shape. So I probably am eating healthier now because I try to cut out dairy. Well I sorry to tell you but I am starting Accutane today. To Tim12- I never drink (I'm only 14 and in the USA) and I try not to drink sugary things. Every now and then I might have some juice but it usually is 100% real juice. And I have to eat more veggies, maybe for breakfast even. Thanks for your guys support!

We tried guys...

Looking at the pictures you posted Brown Spots, I'm extremely surprised you qualify for Accutane. Even more so that your dermatologist is willing to give you it when your only 14. This is not what Accutane is for.

I realise you said your acne is persistent and sometimes worse than what you posted but still, your skin seems pretty normal for someone your age. At your age your hormones are probably all over the place, I would not bat at eyelid at someone your age with your skin, I would expect it.

I'm in my twenties, I took Accutane, had a bad reaction, got side effects and I still get acne worse than what you posted.

The impression I get is your feeling somewhat pressured into trying this drug. Your derm/mom thinks you should try it, the Accutane is already here, you can't just say 'no' etc At the end of the day your the one who is putting this drug inside you and you are the one that is going to have to live with the consequences, good or bad.

I can only hope it turns out well for you. Good luck.

I feel fucking suicidal to the point where I don't see any reason not to drive my car 70mph into a building.

What if there's no way out of this?

I'm running out of money.

I don't see the point in getting a job.

If possible, it'll make me even more depressed.

I need a FUCKING miracle, and it's not coming is it?

What a fucking shame.

What the hell!? What happened to all of your optimism in the last couple of pages, Indigo? You've just written a bloody book! Be proud of yourself for that fact and get networking to pull in the readers / sales!

Be specific about what you're doing on a day-to-day basis--what you're eating, what you're thinking, how you feel at different times of day, what activities you participate in--we'll see what can be improved in a very specific manner. I'll get back to you as soon as possible if I can offer any advice once I've seen your reply.

The miracle isn't just going to happen one day. Recovery won't be linear and it certainly won't be fast, but it will happen. I'm not asking you to be patient because that implies idleness, but I am asking you to really think--and I mean really think--about what you're doing in your efforts. Give us the full scoop, because generalisations won't cut it.

Brown Spots; your acne is nowhere near severe. Seriously. I truly don't think that you need it, and I'm wondering what you consider "healthy" to be in terms of food. It's too late for us to change your decision at this point, but be sure to ask this forum any questions if you have any concerns, yeah? Best of luck to you; just be careful!

On 11/5/2011 at 8:05 PM, IndigoRush said:

[Edited out]

I feel fucking suicidal to the point where I don't see any reason not to drive my car 70mph into a building.

What if there's no way out of this?

I'm running out of money.

I don't see the point in getting a job.

If possible, it'll make me even more depressed.

I need a FUCKING miracle, and it's not coming is it?

What a fucking shame.

I will say it one more last time: Your main problem, regardless of how you feel physical, is a psychological/emotional problem. I'm not saying this judgementally, because I am (or was, at least, before treatment) the same way. But you need to stop trying to save yourself and seek help from someone who is knowledgeable about how to help you.

To go from how you were feeling a couple days ago to these types of posts alone are proof that you are struggling with an emotional disorder... give yourself a break and get help. It could be the best thing you ever do.

You've got to stop spinning your wheels hyper-analyzing an array of little physical issues and recognize that the reason you are not able to handle them is a psychological/emotional problem.

You CAN get better. You are NOT beyond help. Without a DOUBT you can get better, and without a DOUBT you can be happy and feel fulfilled by your life again. But without recognizing that you likely have an anxiety/depressive (or related) disorder, and that you need outside help, you won't be able to get to that point.

Hey guys.

I know that was unexpected.

I think I've been 'coping' for a while, and was due another suicidal day.

I just woke up today, looked in the mirror at my patchy hair, red eyes and worn-out face and thought 'It's still like this, is it?'

It's hard not to get desperate after so many months of torture.

It's just so difficult to take it.

I think I got my hopes up about my book.

I know I only put it up yesterday, but it's like nobody cares about it.

It's hard to think positively when things aren't getting any better, despite trying my best with improving diet etc.

It's just no way to live really.

I feel a bit better now.

I did go fucking insane earlier though. Screaming. I knew I looked crazy (my Mum was watching me) but I couldn't stop.

It felt as ifI had demons inside of me, that needed releasing.

I do recognise I am depressed though.

I fear it's because my brain has been damaged by this drug.

There are studies that prove that right?

I just stopped to think 'I have NO job. I'm running out of money. I've tried so many supplements. None of them have made ANY difference, at least as far as I can tell'.

That's scary. After days and days of this shit, I'm bound to break down. When I let myself think about what my life should be, it's painful to know I might never have a normal life.

I also feel terribly achy, just from jumping up and down on a rebounder.

If I jump, my groin and back hurt.

Surely that shouldn't happen?

I want to be fucking able to get my fitness up again.

I just feel incapable.

I think about applying for another job that I don't really want, and I think I can't do it. My brain doesn't function too well. I stutter upon words and lose concentration, to the point that it's noticable.

fuck, fuck, fuck.

Stop worrying about WHY.

It doesn't matter if Accutane caused your depression/anxiety or not. What matters is that it's there.

You can get better if you seek the right help. Find a GOOD counselor and good psychiatrist for a start. There are also alternative therapies for helping you get better.

I am seeing someone here in Toronto who a friend of mine who was suffering all sorts of mysterious illnesses and terrible physical pain went to. It's already helping, and what he does is very fringe/ "out of the ordinary" but it has worked for my friend and others like a charm. I am doing it in addition to my counseling and medication at the moment, but... yeah... find what works for you! Don't give up just because you went to a counselor once upon a time and it didn't work for you. If you can put as much energy into supplements and health research as you have, you can surely put the same effort into getting your mind/emotions cleared up and learn how to deal with them effectively. You can learn how to deal with the physical stuff too... and in fact, maybe the pain will dissipate over time or you won't focus your attention on it anymore.

Anyways, you can ignore my posts if you want but I think you aren't giving a fair chance to anything but these physical treatments and tests and supplements which are, as you can see, not effective at all on their own.

Thanks Andrew

Andrew is right my friend, there is always hope . Don't get too excited and its too early to tell if I am getting better or not , I think I seen some improvement with my mood and concentration by doing the water fasting , I am on my 5th day , even though I feel extremely hungry and tired , I noticed that my mood has been lifted up, I believe I will completely recover by the 30RD day. Well this is if I don't pass out before

P.s I am starving for some poutine dudeeee!! Its like being pregnant , its weird cuz I always hate putine "lol

Keep it real Stefan ,

OMGosh this post makes me so sad.

I feel for all of you guys, I really do! I hope everyone gets the help they need.

When I first began Accutane I was really depressed. The only thing that got me out of it was finding something I was really passionate about and putting 100% of my time and energy into it. I am a Special Educator so I work with kids who have disabilities. I literally spend day and night doing things for them; planning fun lessons, volunteering at disibility events, researching new ways/technologies in order to better reach these children, meeting with their parents...

I suggest that you guys try to find something that you love doing and focus on that. This really has been what has gotten me through the hard times.

If you can't, I recommend doing atleast ONE thing for yourself each week- One thing that you love doing. It could be going to the gym, volunteering, getting your hair/nails done, playing a sport, hanging out with friends, etc.

I hope this helps and was not too preachy! Good luck to you all!

I was given Roaccutane twice in my teens. I've been incredibly depressed in the past, still have days of mild depression, bowel problems, dry skin etc almost 15 yrs on. Something in my character sees the light at the end of the tunnel though and lifts me out of the depression. I live my life seeing humour in almost everything, it's the best way really, it really is one big joke.

Find some sort of contentedness within yourself if possible. I'm not saying go out into the streets singing "I am, what I am" or anything, but take stock of where you are, be happy that the sun has risen on a new day, keep up with a good diet, rebound to your favourite 80's cheese, I know I do...

DaniPaskor is speaking a whole lot of sense above, especially hanging out with friends, surround yourself with people that don't judge.

Finally, and it's a bit backwards, but in some small way be great-full of Acne. It may be the bane of our lives, but it's made us better people.

Thanks for the positive comments you guys.

I went on the rebounder again today.. I friggin' love it

just so you know guys i'm still reading this thread from time to time. keep it up. don't ever stop (unless stopping means the cure is found then we wouldn't have to come back on this thread again [Edited imageout]. that would be more than anything anyone in this thread could wish for). i really like how there is a lot of good people in here who are concerned for each others health and not a bunch of ignorant ones going pro accutane just because they think it works, or because they think it won't happen to them as long as they're being monitored closely with blood tests monthly. i think the message needs to be heard. that accutane is NOT to be taken lightly. it's hard to believe "brown spots" will continue to take it despite your guys warning.

but i guess when you're a young teenager especially being 14, it's hard not to be stubborn and to so easily disregard one's health. i think many of us were like that at some point in our youth so maybe we shouldn't judge. we are more likely to be stupid in our teenage years (no offense) than in our adult life. we become smarter as we age. so to "brown spots" if you are still keeping up with this thread, this may be a last warning. don't turn a blind eye to what this drug is capable of. be that smart teenager. show it and girls will flock to you (maybe not now with severe acne but look for alternative medicine and the right diet and you will clear your acne rather than resort to this screwed up drug). trust me, if you are unfortunate enough to suffer serious side effects in the future, you won't have much success in attracting girls anymore. besides, in the future you're likely to outgrow your acne anyways. i'd say avoid accutane at all cost.

if it sounds too good to be true that a supposedly miracle pill "cures" your acne then obviously IT IS too good sounding to be true. just because you hear success stories from so many others doesn't mean it is safe, doesn't mean you won't get those serious side effects. and who knows how many of those success stories are only reported for the duration the treatment is being taken (for many people, they find it does clear acne, and they find the typical dry skin and dry lips are easy to bear. but not many know that soon after stopping the treatment, the serious side effects will start to show up and there's nothing you can do about it. its like a demon just took away everything away from you, your health, your happiness, your freedom, and could possibly your life...meaning suicide). anyways you dont know what serious problems could show up in the future. it's better to make the safe choice now (dont take it) than to regret it later in life.

insertname, jmsil, indigorush, i only wish you guys were there to warn me like you did for "brown spots". hell if you guys told the same thing to me, i'd surely be off accutane without a second thought! i did come on this forum for advice asking if i should go for a third round but the only hint of a warning was somone said "if it didn't get rid of your acne during the first round and second round, what good would a 3rd round do?" and i did hear something about it being banned in some countries but i didn't think too much about it. i thought it was overexaggerated a bit. ya not much else for warnings. besides, my doctor told me i'd be safe as long as i'm taking blood tests monthly and that the accutane should flush out my system within a month. boy how misguided i was.

i too like everyone else feel the drug has taken a toll on my body. like indigorush, i wake up everyday feeling extremely tired. I NEVER wanted to live like this. i hate whats happening to me now. so sick of it. i too feel suicidal too often. but i tell myself that if i were to ever suicide (though 99% chance that won't happen because of so many reasons), i'd want to make it big so it gets put in headlines of news to warn others. or force feed (so not kill) any ignorant doctor (who's pompous or smug enough to say it's safe) the drug before making my exit so he eventually starts to believe everything a couple years down the road. i know hans peterson killed his own doctor, he made a last minute wrong decision. though he did kill his doctor i don't see him as just a murderer. he's a victim of accutane and he was angry and wanted justice. he's not the typical cold blooded murderer. so in that sense i have empathy for him. i dont think he deserves the negative criticism. I know im mentioning suicide so the mods may or may not edit this. do what you have to do mods and i'll change it.

Want to make a change??? Sign the Petition!!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-roche-pharmaceuticals-give-us-the-truth-about-accutane

Umm wow I wasn't expecting this, at all. I don't know what to think now. It's totally my choice but I'm unsure what to use as topicals. I have about zero natural stuff and the non-antibiotics don't exactly work. I see a derm the day before Thanksgiving for a blood test and check up (my derm isn't there that day). I've only been taking the drug since Friday so I don't think any side effects will occur from less than three days. If I stop now. Seriously right now I want to scream very loudly and maybe I should even show my parents your post. Really I don't how to approach a new acne treatment. I want you guys to know I do understand where you are coming from and get you point. I'm not trying to be stubborn, I just, I just... Don't know where to go from here, I started my course of Accutane but I don't want side effects. And I don't know if I will get any serious ones but there is anyways a chance. I will read up the odds of side effects and I know I'm over using the word "but" but still I'm very frustrate right now and confused a little. According to the site I just read the odds are:

Joint and muscle pains (15%), Temporary hair thinning (10%), Rash (7%), Intestinal symptoms (5%), Urinary symptoms (5%), Headache (5%), Increased sensitivity to sun (5%), Decreased night vision (<1%), Depression, thoughts of suicide (<1%)

http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/accutane.html

Thanks again!

Brown spots: It's important to realize that those seemingly low side effects percentages only show the cases that have been officially reported. Some people experience side effects and never report them to their doctor. Some do report them to their doctor, but the doctor doesnt officially report them to the FDA. Trust me, we all remember what it was like to be frustrated with seemingly no end to acne (and some still experience that even after Accutane), but we would ALL take our decision to pop the pill back if we could. The idea of having acne seems like such a small issue compared to dealing with the side effects we've experienced. I only wish I would have known this in my teens...if I had, my course of action to correct my acne would have been solid diet, exercise, and healthy life decisions in general. I thought Accutane was the easy way out, and it did cure my acne, but I thought it was a magic pill that just makes acne go away, so I could go on eating pizza and playing video games like I always did and no longer have acne. Now that I have almost another decade of life experience, one thing I have learned is that:

Nothing worth having in life comes easy. If it does; there are strings attached.

You're going to do what you're going to do, and if you want to take Accutane you have every right to. It's not against the law. Just know that it's not too late to stop. Don't take it just because you're afraid of your doctor or parents being annoyed that you are changing your mind. Talk to your parents...they obviously care very much about how you feel, or they wouldn't be trying to help you with your acne so much. If you explain your worries to them, they will understand.

As for alternative acne treatments, what exactly have you tried as far as diets go? Cutting out processed foods is well established as a good way to reduce or eliminate breakouts, as well as regular excercise. From what I understand, antibiotics can be counter-productive. They help for a bit, but also kill off the good bacteria that your system needs to fight off the bad bacteria that can contribute to acne. There are so many reported home treatments/cures for acne that there is ALWAYS something new to try.

Brownspots, there is absolutely NO WAY that 1% of people get depression. All of those side effects' stats are way off mark.

I'm considered the 99% that's just fine and dandy, but as you know I am not.

I even tried to report to the FDA recently, but being from the UK it didn't appear I could do so.

Put that shit in the bin dude.

You need to work on loving yourself, despite the acne.

You do not want to have clear skin, along with all of these terrible side effects.

I mention in more detail in my book what happened to me, but I was told I was unlikely to get ANY side effects. It's not a coincidence I got most of them. I was also told that any I did get would be temporary. I trusted what I was told, because I had no reason not to. I now know how things work. We aren't considered as an individual by Roche, and the FDA are most likely in it for profit, rather than to protect us. It doesn't matter if we get ill, we're just a statistic. Unfortunately, are ill-health makes the medical industry rich and they want to keep it this way.

You must understand, my little friend, that you are 14. You don't know how the world works yet. I don't mean to patronise you, but you must realise that this is a huge decision. We aren't in the minority as much as you'd believe.

I expect at least half of the people who take this drug get side effects, and many of those people never live them down.

Do not take your health for granted.

This drug was only meant for severe and cystic acne, but it's given out to anyone who wants it it seems.

13+ million people have taken this drug, yet it's very rare that you see someone with severe, cystic acne.

You have no idea how much you'd hate yourself if you took this drug and ended up in our position.

You could regret that decision for the rest of your life.

Do you really want to play Russian Roulette with your health?

Throw that poison in the bin and be glad you avoided the hellish life some are given in return for clearer skin.

You have been given such a massive opportunity here.

You are 14 years old. Do you know people can have their growth stunted by taking this drug? No shit, it happens.

- Love yourself

- Accept that acne will be around for a while, but improve your diet and lifestyle to make things better

- Realise this isn't forever for you.

- If anyone judges you because you have spots, ignore them or tell them to piss off.

I think that's all I can say.

*Moderator edit - NO ADVERTISING - Read the board rules!*

Brownspots, there is absolutely NO WAY that 1% of people get depression. All of those side effects' stats are way off mark.

I'm considered the 99% that's just fine and dandy, but as you know I am not.

I even tried to report to the FDA recently, but being from the UK it didn't appear I could do so.

Put that shit in the bin dude.

You need to work on loving yourself, despite the acne.

You do not want to have clear skin, along with all of these terrible side effects.

I mention in more detail in my book what happened to me, but I was told I was unlikely to get ANY side effects. It's not a coincidence I got most of them. I was also told that any I did get would be temporary. I trusted what I was told, because I had no reason not to. I now know how things work. We aren't considered as an individual by Roche, and the FDA are most likely in it for profit, rather than to protect us. It doesn't matter if we get ill, we're just a statistic. Unfortunately, are ill-health makes the medical industry rich and they want to keep it this way.

You must understand, my little friend, that you are 14. You don't know how the world works yet. I don't mean to patronise you, but you must realise that this is a huge decision. We aren't in the minority as much as you'd believe.

I expect at least half of the people who take this drug get side effects, and many of those people never live them down.

Do not take your health for granted.

This drug was only meant for severe and cystic acne, but it's given out to anyone who wants it it seems.

13+ million people have taken this drug, yet it's very rare that you see someone with severe, cystic acne.

You have no idea how much you'd hate yourself if you took this drug and ended up in our position.

You could regret that decision for the rest of your life.

Do you really want to play Russian Roulette with your health?

Throw that poison in the bin and be glad you avoided the hellish life some are given in return for clearer skin.

You have been given such a massive opportunity here.

You are 14 years old. Do you know people can have their growth stunted by taking this drug? No shit, it happens.

- Love yourself

- Accept that acne will be around for a while, but improve your diet and lifestyle to make things better

- Realise this isn't forever for you.

- If anyone judges you because you have spots, ignore them or tell them to piss off.

I think that's all I can say.

*Moderator edit - NO ADVERTISING - Read the board rules!*

Brown Spots - It's very difficult now to give you advice now that you have started Accutane, because I'm guessing it will be a lot easier for you to get scared now you're on it - and I don't want to say anymore bad stuff aboutt his drug if you are going to continue with it anyway. I think everything has been said, so there's notmuch I can say anyway...

The only thing I will say is this, and maybe you did see this post a few pages back on here. But they said they got bad, life changing side effects after just 10 days on this drug.I'm not saying anything would happen to you after only 3 days.. I have no idea... but you need to be aware you don'tnessessarily have to be on this drug for very long for potential lasing side effects.

We keep saying Brown Spots that diet is the acne cure. Do not believe anyone who says diet doesn'tplay a part in acne - especially your doctor/dermatologist. I mentioned this before, but I strongly urege you to go on Google and type "raw food acne cure", "raw food diet healing" and other similar search words. Pleasse do this and learn about the power of raw, natural foods, and how damaging and unnatural foods like dairy and meat are to the human body. When I first read about the raw food diet, it immediately struck me just how much sense it makes, and how far removed we have become from how we used to live. Please just at least read about it...

Like I said at th start, now you've started it's very hard to tell you what to do, as you made the decision to start so it's up to you to decide to stop - and this is why this will be my last post on this. My advice will always be to stop Accutane, no matter how far someoneis through their course. There is no way I'm supporting a drug that has screwed my life up. I'm just going to say that the risk/reward factor is heavily against anyone on the drug. It's better have an oily face fully covered in acne then possibly having long term health issues TRUST ME.

I can tell by some of your posts that you are agonising over this, and this is where I feel for you... you are too young to be having to deal with this. You are agonising over an option that shouldn't be there to make. Some people will read this and think you are only agonising over this because indigo, chico, coolguy, insertname, myself etc.. have said this stuff about the drug but WE are only doing the job that the doctor/dermatoloist should be doing by informing you about this drug properly. We are real people with real life experiences with this drug. We were all in your situation once, we know exactly what it feels like to have acne. I felt having acne stopped me from doing a lot of things and lost my confidnece having it. Waking up in the morning to look in the mirror to see spots starting to form the night before now being massive, and seeing new ones form... going to school constantly touching my face to feel how my spots were, usually i could just feel them on my face "growing", feeling like i stood out in the class because of my acne.. there is no doubt that acne gives you a lot of mental crap. I think this is how most people feel. But you should listen to people like us who have been there and done it.

Acne is tough and it definitely affected my self-esteem. I've had bad acne on my face and back ever since I was 14. Many days I would wake up early just so I could look in the mirror hours before school -- sometimes my face looked so bad I would just scream. I waited a long time to see the dermatologist, my mom was smart, she did everything to try and keep me away. She had suffered bad acne for most of her early adult years, she went through all the 'dermatologically' recommended treatmenents and knew that many of them only led to more harm than good.

Finally, after turning 19 and noticing several scars on my face i decided to see a dermatologist. He put me on antibiotics, which helped for a few months, then my acne came back much worse. This cycle continued for the next 2 years until I became resistant to all the antibiotics. They killed all the good bacteria in my system, making my acne worse than ever before. We then tried retinoids, which gave me horrible break outs and increased scarring. Being a young ambitious pre-med student I decided I should have more trust in the conventional medical system---take my dermatologists advise and go on accutane. At the time, I was finishing up my degree in neuroscience, so I was fully aware of isotretinoin's affect on the brain and how it could cause different forms of depression. I read several studies that showed isotretinoin causing changes in pituitary, orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampal function. I brought these studies to my dermatologist---his usually bright bubbly smile slightly faded and a look of shock appeared on his face. I talked with him about my concerns and he couldn't give me any clear answers. He said he can't speak against the studies, but he assured me he has treated hundreds of patients with little to no severe, permanent side-effects.

This was concerning to me, but I decided to trust my dermatologist. He is a very brilliant person---I mean he did survive 4 years of medical school and a 4 year dermatology residency. He has been prescribing accutane for over a decade to hundreds of people, who better to tell me the truth about the drug then him? (Man was I wrong!). I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful mom, despite the acne scars I'm left with,I'm so glad she kept me away from this drug as long as she could. The permanent side effects I experienced were devastating, but could have been much worse if I had taken the drug when I was younger---when my brain and body were still developing.

I don't want to scare brownspots or any other young person who is or plans to take accutane---It is important to recognize that my ideas are somewhat biased. My ideas are biased because I and several of my friends have severe permanent side effects after isotretinoin use. As a scientist, I want to be fair to isotretinoin---it is a very effective drug when it comes to acne and many people survive treatment with minimal side effects. I would estimate that about 20% of the people who take the drug never have serious acne again and can live a happy acne free life, with little to no side effects (This was my mom's case, she took accutane at 40 and had little to no permanent sides). However, around 10% to 50% of people get some form of severe side-effect(s) after use. Most of these side-effects will appear 2 months to ~5 years after use. They range in severity from auto-immune disorders (e.g. arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel syndrome, allergies) to neurological disorders (e.g. persistent cognitive problems, loss of emotions, loss of libido, sexuality and erectile function). Some people also suffer from minor sides such as permanent dry eyes and skin.

Nearly 50% of the people I have talked too, who have taken accutane in REAL LIFE (not online) have suffered some form of severe permanent side effect. I will give them each generic names to protect their identities.

Albert: Took isotretinoin when he was 14, he claims the drug works great and totally cleared up his acne. Something weird to note about Albert though---He stopped growing at around the time he started taking accutane. He is 5'2, while his brothers and dad are around 6 feet tall.

Sally: A girl I dated. She took accutane at 16. I told her about my horrible side effects after taking the drug. She mentioned to me that ever since taking accutane, intercourse has become unpleasurable and painful to her, to the point that she cries every-time she has sex.

Johnny: Took accutane at 16. He suffers from every side effect imaginable---complete loss of sexual function, neurological problems, joint paint, IBS, etc. He is now 19 years old and spends most of his days in bed suffering from excruciating pain.

Phil: Took accutane at 20. He had mental sides but mostly recovered. However, he still suffers from loss of libido and needs to use ED drugs every-time he has sex.

Bob: Suffers from IBS 2 years after isotretinoin use. He had to have his entire colon removed.

These are stories of a few of my friends who have opened up to me about the horrible side effects they have experienced after using isotretinoin.

In summary---Many people praise accutane as a miracle cure for acne and have had great success with it, but an equal amount of people regret they ever touched it. This includes THE LEADER OF ACNE.ORG, Dan Kern who openly says he regrets taking accutane so quickly and admits to suffering persistent, possible permanent side effects.

PS: I know its really hard when you have bad acne, especially when you are young. You're worried that girls wont like you because you have zits all over your face---it gets worse when those zits turn into scars---something permanent that you can't get rid of.

I'm just telling you now---that bullshit may matter in high school, but the older you get the less people care. I have ice-pick scars all over my cheeks and a few craters scattered across my face---let me tell you this now... most girls are so insecure about themselves that they could really give a fuck less. My acne scars have never stopped me from going out with any girl. In the past year alone I've probably gone out with at least 20 beautiful women, ranging from hot blondes to sassy little asian chicks. A couple of them were even professional models.

If you think acne and acne scars are bad... they are nothing compared to some of the accutane side-effects. If you have bad acne and get some scars... I say so what! Wear your scars with pride! Scars won't hold you back in life---the only thing that will is lacking confidence and not believing in yourself.