I just wanted to post as an encouragement to some of the moms I see on here. My son's acne started when he was only 9 and by the time he was 13 it was getting out of control. Poor kid. His dermatologist suggested accutane, and I'm so glad he did it.

He's finishing his 5th month now, and has no more acne whatsoever. None. His skin actually looks beautiful. (He'd kill me if he knew I was writing that!)

He did have an initial breakout that looked pretty bad -- it lasted about a month. Poor guy. Lots more whiteheads that formed and then healed very quickly. They were in spots he hadn't had breakouts before.

Side effects have been moderate to mild. Dry eyes for about a week. Dry scalp, but dandruff only lasted a few weeks. Dry skin that reddens easily when scratched or rubbed. Now his hair is dry and quite coarse, but no one would notice that but his mama, really. He says he's had some muscle aches, but not worth taking advil or anything. I think he seems sleepy, but that may just be ordinary 14 year-old boy stuff.

The worst side effect has been his dry lips. That's really been something. He even wound up with some kind of fungal infection in the corners of his mouth, but that was treated easily enough with some OTC creams. He has used lots of aquaphor, and that helps with the dry lips, but they still look pretty chapped.

No moodiness worth mentioning. No behavior changes. No stomach issues or bloody noses. No worries about growth here -- he's already very tall for his age (5' 10").

We are both thankful that there is such an effective drug available. Thankful too for insurance so we could afford it. He was on his way toward what the doctor said could have been 20 years of severe acne. And it's gone!

Just wanted to share.