I am due to begin a long awaited 6 month course of Roaccutane/Accutane! I have waited 4-5 months to finally get an appointment with a dermatologist, as they keep cancelling my appointments and rearranging them
However, I have been put onto Roaccutane, and I will be on 30mg a day for the first month alongside steroids too to prevent flare up of cystic acne.
I havent seen many threads or blogs or videos on Youtube about which products to use whilst on Accutane and which products help.
So i have decided to list below products I will be using to help dry flaky skin when the time comes.
FACIAL SKIN CARE =
1) CERAVE GENTLE SKIN CLEANSER.
I was debating between the cetaphil and cerave gentle skin cleanser, However, seeing as though these two were recommended the most on the few posts i saw of other accutane users product recommendations, I decided to settle for CERAVE as i've already used cetaphil before and found it pretty useless, although they are very similar products.
Its essential NOT to use a foaming face wash or a product which already contains acne fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide as you definitely do not want to over dry your skin or aggravate it further than the medication will.
2) CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF BALM
I will use this product before the cerave cleanser to take off all my make-up. its a very gentle formula, dosen't smell artificial, in fact it dosen't have a smell at all. I love this stuff and know it wont aggravate my acne. I have just ordered my 3rd tub of it, it also lasts a long time.
I wont be planning on using my clarisonic during the first few month or so on accutane, as it is reccomended not to exfoliate your skin. So, I will be using a muslin cloth to wipe off the clinique balm and all my makeup residue gently, then i will carry on with the cerave gentle skin cleanser to ensure my skin is makeup free.
3) BOOTS DERMACARE DAILY MOISTURISING CREAM
i have had a difficult time looking for a moisturiser which is suitable. I also do have at home the cetaphil moisturiser, but I dont feel it will be enough to hydrate my skin and take care of the dry patches.. I decided to go for this moisturiser as it is simple, non comdeogenic, hypoallergenic, and wont clog my skin. I havent tried it out yet, but will definitely update below with my thoughts about it. I have been looking at plenty of moisturisers such as avene, clarins, hope in a jar, kiehls, eucerin, but nothing takes my fancy.
I know the benzyl peroxide dries out my skin within 1 day of usage. My skin is very reactive to any type of products. So I know I will have dry patches everywhere. I dont want my foundation to look awful, as foundation is my camoflage and comfort item. Therefore i need a moisturiser which will work from day 1. Anybody have any reccomendations?
my skincare routine is simple, just a makeup remover, cleanser and moisturiser. no toner. I dont want to over complicate things. I am just allowing the medication to do its job.
LIP CARE =
1) ELIZABETH ARDEN 8 HOUR CREAM
This item has amazing reviews and I am aware of loads of people using this for dry lips. it is kind of pricey, but I wanted to give it a shot due to the amount of raves and good reviews it has got. I know Lisa Eldrige the celebrity makeup artist loves this product, so I definitely wanted to give this a shot. I will be using this from day 1.
2) EUCERIN AQUAPHOR LIP REPAIR
this is a well known common product for really dry dehydrated lips. I had to purchase this off amazon as I cant find it in the UK anywhere. its around 5-6 for 10ml, but im sure it will last a while. And i dont want a crackly dry mouth either so i dont mind paying a little bit more than i would for lip balms. I am aware thepersianbabe and other youtubers have raved about this during their accutane course, do I grabbed my hands on this.
HAIRCARE =
1) 100% COCONUT OIL
I will definitely be needing this to nourish my hair and scalp and prevent it from getting dry and flaky. The last thing I want, especially as a female is dry white dandruff type of skin falling off my hair and scalp sitting on my shoulders. No thank you.
I will be doing these treatments overnight and before I have a shower. Just taking the pure oil and putting it on my scalp all the way to the ends of my hair.
2) E45 DRY SCALP SHAMPOO
if i do end up getting a really dry flaky scalp, I am fully prepared as i will be armed with this product. The reviews on Boots website are pretty decent, and It dosent include 101 ingredients which i like. I will then follow with my regular shampoo and conditioner.
3) NEUTROGENA THERAPEUTIC T GEL SHAMPOO
I have also got this product in my supplies to cope with accutane and dry scalp. (ive thought of everything!) The reviews for this product are good, and I have seen this once or twice being mentioned on other peoples accutane product reviews.
4) BOOTS INGREDIENTS COCONUT AND ALMOND LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER
I will be using this product as an extra treatment for the mids and ends of my hair so they stay healthy and not as dry. This product is only 1.49 and has amazing reviews. So for the price, its worth a shot I think!
BODYCARE =
1) BOOTS DERMACARE DAILY MOISTURING CREAM
This is the only product I have looked up so far for body care. I believe I will get dry legs and arms so deffo need something to combat this problem. Its a cream formula which I really like as opposed to lotions. This is the same as my facial moisturiser. It hasent got any artificial fragrances, and its just there to do its job!
These are all the products I will be using/have brought before I begin my accutane course.
I am not sure how many people will actually read this blog post, But if any of you do have your own product reccomendations, please leave them below and share for other accutane users to see too.
I will keep this post updated with how I am getting on and any side effects i have during my time on this Medication!
Well, no matter what products you use accutane will thin your skin permanently and you will look a lot older and sick for the rest of your life, good luck and stay safe! I wish I knew this when I was young and eager to get accutane, I would have never ever taken that shyt.
i began my first course on thursday 9th october. took it with a big meal, a burger and fries. took the 30mg alongside 15mg of steroids.
Dont know if this side effect is related but my body hurted, like when it does when the Air Con is on and its too cold.
took 1 ibuprofen 200mg and this kicked in and helped.
also felt like i needed the bathroom in the morning. however this may be due to what i ate
but my hands are currently feeling cold.
will take my 2nd dose today in the evening and keep a picture log.
Not sure if what i have mentioned above are side effects but i will see if this carries on.
officially have been on accutane for 1 week.
my skin has cleared up alot, and i know it has only been 1 week but all the cysts have shrunk and the pictures are immense. the acne went my sunday/monday, and i started on thursday 9th. i feel that however now, the skin has started breaking out very very little and i might see spots within the next week.
its Thursday 16th today, no real side effects, maybe some sensitivity of the skin, very little tho.
reduced my steroid intake, to two tablets today, with 30mg of roaccutane.
Lips felt really dry and chapped today, nothing uncomfortable tho, just like how they feel when ive been biting them for ages.
will slap on the arden 8 hour cream on my lips.
same skincare routine, no added products.
no other side effects.
it is now monday the 20th of October. I am 11 days into my treatment. currently on 2 steroids until Wednesday.
I have not used any haircare products that i mentioned as i have not had a flaky scalp or anything yet. I havent been moisturising my body like mentioned either.
side effects i have noticed are really dry lips. Not fully painful, but they are chapped/feel like they have been bitten and skin taken off. i forgot to take lip balm with me today which was not a good idea.
Lack of concentration today. a full 9-4:15 day at college. Very tired and sleepy. however I didnt have any breakfast.
I feel as if this medicine makes me feel sleepy, but then i cant sleep at times either.
I have began to change the time i take my medicine now, taking it earlier, so right after collegr around 4/5 as opposed to 7/8 at night.
I feel tired with this medicine.
skin for the most part has cleared but spots under the skin have appeared where i have removed baby hair e.g eyebrows tweezing. this however is normal for me to see spots like this as a reaction to removing hair, so i am guessing my skin is still sensitive.
not many new spots developing.
still the same greasy skin. dryness a little bit in the ears tho, and very little my nose feels a little bit dry.
my around mouth area feels the most delicate/raw/dry.
skincare routine has stayed the same.
love the elizabeth areden 8 hour over the aquaphor for lips.
I feel dehydrated/thirsty alot more too than usual.
my eyes also feel tired too.
26th of october now, and this is day 17 on roaccutane, still 30mg, my appointment for my first month check up is november 1st saturday.
i have 3 more days left of taking 5mg/1 tablet of steriods left too.
my steroids course has nearly finished woo!
still really dry chapped lips,the best thing is 8 hour cream hands down by elizabeth arden. it makes your lips look plumper too.
I have been using my clarisonic mia to help remove my makeup at night too, and my skin feels squeaky clean after using it. i feel that sometimes it may be a little bit too harsh or maybe its my brush head.
My skin on my face has definitely dried up now, and i dont think i get oily as much on my face.
I havent fully been observing this or looking out to see if my skin gets oily, but i believe my face has become dry.
i have a few dry patches which dont look good.
my skin soaks up the boots derma care moisturiser, and i even wear it under makeup. something i wouldnt dream of doing before i started accutane 3 weeks ago as my skin would get greasy incredibly easily.
i have 2 chin spots, apart from that no new spots have developed as of yet. my skin is just uneven in texture and dosent look amazing in makeup but looks just ok.
havent been eating really clean recently, too much junk food/fried and pop and crisps.
although i aim to increase my water intake and have ordered 2 water bottles to motivate me!
so today is wednesday the 5th of november. and i am on day 27, and i am nearly on the end of my first ever prescription given to me.
I had my first month checkup on saturday the 1st of novemeber. the dermatologist didnt check my blood as at that time it hadnt been 4 weeks/above.
therefore he printed me off some forms and gave them to me to bring in next week to get my blood tests done.
he prescribed me some more medication, still 30mg, and this is a 6 week course.
he also as my sterioids finished, saw me and prescribed me 5mg more for a whole week. and today is 4/7 5mg steriod course for 1 week again.
side effects are more spots appearing now, and definitley no oily face skin anymore, i cant remember the last time my face was oily.
i have definitly developed more spots, one on my nose, a few on my forhead, and my skin is dry, but now peeling flaking and itching dry, just dry, but it requires alot of moisturising.
i think what made me breakout even more is not all down to the steriod course being over, but me incorporating my clarisonic into my skincare routine. I always see a correlation of more spots everytime i use my clarisonic, even before i began roaccutane. or it also may be a combination of hair removal and bad unhealthy diet. I havent been eating great recently, loads of junk food and sugar and artificial food.
Sleep seems to be fine, i think my body has adjusted, and maybe the cause of me not sleeping well in the beginning was down to the high steroid mg?
or it may be down to sleeping during the day, therefore less sleep at night.
my lips are chapped, not cracked. I noticed if i dont lick them, they dont feel as dry.
8 hour cream is what i use for my lips still, and my eucerin remains untouched.
I also have incorporated the clinique moisture extended thirst relief moisturiser into my routine, not sure if its doing much. I began using this on sunday, and stopped with the boots dermacare, but i believe i will need both as this isnt efficient enough and i need something thicker.
also inside my ears and nose are now dry - when my ears used to be oily.
that is the only changes i have noticed so far.
also just to add, on my stomach area, where i never ever ever ever have got acne before, i saw some small spots appear, about 15, very small, they may even be a rash, but they were very small inflamed red bumps before.I believe this is a side effect of roaccutane possibly.
I am just allowing my body to get rid of all the junk from it, and allow all the spots to go.
I have stopped using my clarisonic now, so hopefully less acne will appear, also, i plan on drinking more water - i always say this but it never happens.