Hi, we are parents (u may not want to listen to us-we are mid 50's ) of 2 girls (our first is age 20) and our youngest is 14. Some background first, my husband's side of the family has a history of acne; moderate to severe. My wife's side has very mild acne. We are both hispanic so the hyper-pygmintation is an issue b/c we have darker skin. As to us as adults and for our children, we tried EVERYTHING out there for our acne. Ointments/antibiotics/home remedies, i mean everything! Nothing worked. With that being said, here is what we can tell you about our experiences for our children who took and are currently taking acutane: IT WORKS! But, you and your PARENTS NEED to educate yourself about this drug and the range of possible side effects.
1. Research this post and get facts about what to expect. here is the link to the page to read first before taking acutane. i wish we would have had this web site when my oldest took acutane. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT LINK! READ IT! UNDERSTAND THE CALCULATIONS! If this link doesn't work, search " acutane dosage".
2. After you read the do's and dont's figure out what is the best time period to start. Duh, my 14 yr old just started her 5 month course in Nov 2012 and this is really important. For example, she had to take a private school entrance exam and we never figured the acutane could affect her ability to focus. So make a 5-6 month plan.
3. Make sure your dermatologist, not a regular DR, knows their stuff! Acutane is based on the cumulative intake; your body weight is what determines how much you can take. KNOW WHAT YOUR INTAKE SHOULD BE! If your derm doesn't discuss this in length with you plus any possible increase or decrease in dosage that you can take during a course of acutane, FIND A NEW DERM!
4. SIDE EFFECTS. Each person varies. For our girls, my 14 yr old is in good health, weighs 50 kilgrams (you need to know how to convert) and is on 40mg of acutane for a 5 month course. She is very athletic; she plays club volleyball and this is intense! Here is what she is experiencing: Extremely sore knee joint pain; back pain; initial headaches which went away; on going rashes on elbows and hands; and we believe an inability to focus like she could before starting acutane (hence, time it with your school plans). Dry lips and eyes (she wears contacts), dry body. Nobody tells you this, but your skin becomes really tender and sensitive; like baby-skin so be extremely gentle: FOLLOW THE REGIMEN for washing; 10 seconds to wash and no more; very gentle foam cleanser AND USE NO OTHER ACNE PRODUCTS! Your skin cannot handle it.