Hey in my opinion your a candidate for accutane cause you suffer from adult acne and it really affect your life, and that is something that won't change in most cases and people don't understand.But the advice I can give you that I make about having acne is that nobody cared about it if it isnt cystic. Yea It might look better without but also with you can be an attractive women. I would really look for an good derm if you start the treatment. From statictivs i would recommend accutane, cause kt migbt helf good and go right for most people.From my personal experience I would say don't take a chance cause for me it doesn't clear my mild to moderate acne in the long run , it dries out my skin and I develop scarring skin( my skin doesn't heal without scarring on my whole body)..... I got some more side effects that really effected my whole life for the bad.im only 18 :/.. you can read up in a thread I open if you want to. But if you decide to take the chance don't read it it will only scare you and that would be bad while on the drug.In the end it's your choice.Many people do recommend and it is life changing for them; some people get damaged by it and get serious health problems and wish their acne back. I wished me acne back and yeah it comes back but my sides get worser with day to day. Living with acne sucks, but living with bad health and acne( or even wothout)is not worth it....

hi, i have had mild/moderate acne since I was 12, I have tried all the antibiotics, topical creams, everything! I'm now 16 and I have just started accutane. I think you should go for it, the physcological side effects of having acne are so damaging, the reason I went on it was because I was so self conscious about my skin and I felt I was ugly, unattractive and people hated me from the way I looked. I mostly every night because my skin was depressing me. I started my treatment in December and currently my skin is extremely bad but getting better, it's called the initial breakout (IB), slowly I can see parts of my face clearing up and it's making me feel so good . the side effects I'm experiencing are dry skin/lips, I have maybe had slight mood swings but like I said I had bad moods before I started my treatment. I think that's pretty much it but it's worth it if you want clear skin

Its a hard call

I am 10 weeks in now and I cant say I haven't regretted my decision during the bad breakout phases

BUT Im trying to stay positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel

MOST people that take tane are happy with the end results (check out youtube as well for some before and afters as well as the gallery ear)

I think each person handles their breakouts differently

If you think u can stick it out through dry skin, peeling lips, possible aches and pains as well as worse skin than you had before (at times!)

than go for it!!!!

any questions just lmk

kim

I am 36 and had what anyone would call mild acne. I had it but it wasn't bad and usually covered well with make-up. HOWEVER...I still had it all the way into my adult years and I couldn't take it anymore. My derm is awesome and said who is he to judge how I feel...if I wanted to try it he would support me. So I did.

Started in May 2014 and ended in Oct 2014. I've been off it for almost 4 months and I have to say it is one of the best things I've done.

I started clearing after the first month and then was clear for the remaining cycles. Since then I've stayed clear aside from a few tiny tiny (I mean tiny) little bumps that come near my jawline. I have just popped out the tiny tiny pimple and the next day I have no clue it was even there. If that is all I have to deal with then it's fine with me.

I don't look bad without make up anymore which causes me to wear less.

Only side effects I delt with was dry lips and the dry face with minimal flaking. At first my skin was tight on my face but it got better over time. Otherwise, aside from a tiny patch of eczema on my stomach (which is slowing going away) - that is all I got.

I did 40mgs for the first month or two months then went to 80mg the rest of the months.

Everyone's body is diff - you really don't know how you are going to react to it until you try it.

Good luck.

Have you tried spiro? I'd try that before accutane.

Thanks so much for your responses - hearing others' experiences really helps!

Have you tried spiro? I'd try that before accutane.

I have not tried spiro yet. I asked my dermatologist if I could. My acne is heavily focused on my lower cheeks, neck, and jawline, which I read is often related to hormones. However, my acne is bad all the time, I don't really notice a difference at my periods. My derm said that means my acne is probably not hormonal and that spiro won't help (though he was still willing to write a script for me if I wanted it)

Do you think it's still worth trying?

I agree with paige...I would try the spiro first. It may very well work for you. If you are hesitant to take the accutane (and I dont blame you, I would be too) it would certainly be a good idea to try one more thing before resorting to that. Best of luck in whatever decision you make!

Thanks so much for your responses - hearing others' experiences really helps!

Have you tried spiro? I'd try that before accutane.

I have not tried spiro yet. I asked my dermatologist if I could. My acne is heavily focused on my lower cheeks, neck, and jawline, which I read is often related to hormones. However, my acne is bad all the time, I don't really notice a difference at my periods. My derm said that means my acne is probably not hormonal and that spiro won't help (though he was still willing to write a script for me if I wanted it)

Do you think it's still worth trying?

Yes, I think it's still worth trying. My acne is hormonal and it does not have the typical jawline/chin look. Spiro helps me a lot, but I get too many side effects from it. I know many people who don't get side effects from it, though.

I'm in the same boat. My derm has tried a few oral antibiotics with me because i have moderate acne on my cheeks, chest and back. The antibiotics and retin-a really dont do so much for me. He suggests that because I'm 23 now and have had acne since I was 11 that this will probably continue well into my 30s and that he recommends accutane to just get the acne over with. I'm scared of the side effects and never thought of myself as one of those accutane eligible people because my acne isn't awful, its just extremely persistent. I'll also be starting a new job soon as an RN and i'm worried about how side effects may interfere with work

I'm in the same boat. My derm has tried a few oral antibiotics with me because i have moderate acne on my cheeks, chest and back. The antibiotics and retin-a really dont do so much for me. He suggests that because I'm 23 now and have had acne since I was 11 that this will probably continue well into my 30s and that he recommends accutane to just get the acne over with. I'm scared of the side effects and never thought of myself as one of those accutane eligible people because my acne isn't awful, its just extremely persistent. I'll also be starting a new job soon as an RN and i'm worried about how side effects may interfere with work

Try birth control or spiro before accutane.

I'm in the same boat. My derm has tried a few oral antibiotics with me because i have moderate acne on my cheeks, chest and back. The antibiotics and retin-a really dont do so much for me. He suggests that because I'm 23 now and have had acne since I was 11 that this will probably continue well into my 30s and that he recommends accutane to just get the acne over with. I'm scared of the side effects and never thought of myself as one of those accutane eligible people because my acne isn't awful, its just extremely persistent. I'll also be starting a new job soon as an RN and i'm worried about how side effects may interfere with work

I am inclined to agree with paigems. I've read that a lot of adult female acne is hormonal, so BC and spironolactone are definitely worth a try. Just make sure you get a BC that does not have high androgenic activity.

I ultimately decided not to take accutane. While I know a lot of people who had good experiences with accutane, I also know a few who didn't, and I know one with a pretty sad story about accutane ruining his life. For me, I decided it wasn't worth the risk, especially since, like you, my acne is only moderate.

I am currently trying to treat my acne with birth control pills, spironolactone, and a very healthy diet (LOTS of vegetables and other nutrient dense foods like fruit, sweet potatoes, and protein, and avoiding sugar, dairy, nutrient-less carbs, and unhealthy fats like soybean oil), It takes a while to see results from these methods - and maybe I will see them, and maybe I won't. But I feel much more comfortable trying to get rid of my acne with a healthy diet and hormone stabilization than I do gambling with accutane.

Best of luck in your decision making!! I know I had many sleepless nights trying to decide myself.

I know i personally have been on birh control for years. Ortho tri cyclin kind of cleared me in the past . I did find I have some GI issues and started to clean up my diet and saw huge improvement. However in the past few years neither have worked quite the same any more I'm waiting to hear back about a blood test to see if I have high androgens and would be a candidate for spirt. In the mean time it feels like the derm makes it kind of hard

I know i personally have been on birh control for years. Ortho tri cyclin kind of cleared me in the past . I did find I have some GI issues and started to clean up my diet and saw huge improvement. However in the past few years neither have worked quite the same any more I'm waiting to hear back about a blood test to see if I have high androgens and would be a candidate for spirt. In the mean time it feels like the derm makes it kind of hard

Just be aware that some women with hormonal acne have normal levels of androgens, and they are just sensitive to them, A lot of women see clearance on spironolactone despite having normal levels of androgen in the blood.

I've been there. I had severe acne and all the dermatologists recommended Accutane. However, after researching online about the side effects and complaints, and being the sensitive person that I am (I have very dry skin, slightly underweight, prone to anxiety, and low tolerance to caffeine and alcohol) i just wasn't comfortable with taking such a potent drug. Of course I can't talk about the side effects because I never ended up taking it.

I told my doctor I wanted to wait one more month and try other things. I also quit my job that was very stressful. I know everyone will respond differently, but here's what worked for me. I've been maintaining clear skin, still have redness from scars. 50 mg spironolactone 1x/day, 250 mg ampicillin 2x/day, oral birth control and niacinamide 2x/day. It's a lot of medication and takes commitment but I am very happy that I didn't start Accutane.

Hope this helps and good luck!

I've been there. I had severe acne and all the dermatologists recommended Accutane. However, after researching online about the side effects and complaints, and being the sensitive person that I am (I have very dry skin, slightly underweight, prone to anxiety, and low tolerance to caffeine and alcohol) i just wasn't comfortable with taking such a potent drug. Of course I can't talk about the side effects because I never ended up taking it.

 

I told my doctor I wanted to wait one more month and try other things. I also quit my job that was very stressful. I know everyone will respond differently, but here's what worked for me. I've been maintaining clear skin, still have redness from scars. 50 mg spironolactone 1x/day, 250 mg ampicillin 2x/day, oral birth control and niacinamide 2x/day. It's a lot of medication and takes commitment but I am very happy that I didn't start Accutane.

 

Hope this helps and good luck!

I'm the same way with anxiety and low caffeine/alcohol tolerance.

Question - is your doctor okay with you being on ampicillin long term, or does he plan on eventually taking you off of it? (I know a lot of doctors don't think it's okay to take antibiotics long term. I understand that, but I still feel safer taking antibiotics long term than taking accutane)

Also, niacinamide is vitamin B3, right? How did you know you needed it? Did you test low on it or anything?

Kay we must be like the same person lol. I'm small too and have pretty high anxiety with a low tolerance for caffeine and alcohol which also makes me concerned about things as heavy as accutane. I'm also curious about the taking abx with spiro. How do you know which is working when you're taking them? I'd also like to know if your derm told anything about how long you can take the amp and even how long you can take spiro for. Do you need to have labs done when you're on spiro?

 

I've been there. I had severe acne and all the dermatologists recommended Accutane. However, after researching online about the side effects and complaints, and being the sensitive person that I am (I have very dry skin, slightly underweight, prone to anxiety, and low tolerance to caffeine and alcohol) i just wasn't comfortable with taking such a potent drug. Of course I can't talk about the side effects because I never ended up taking it.

 

I told my doctor I wanted to wait one more month and try other things. I also quit my job that was very stressful. I know everyone will respond differently, but here's what worked for me. I've been maintaining clear skin, still have redness from scars. 50 mg spironolactone 1x/day, 250 mg ampicillin 2x/day, oral birth control and niacinamide 2x/day. It's a lot of medication and takes commitment but I am very happy that I didn't start Accutane.

 

Hope this helps and good luck!

I'm the same way with anxiety and low caffeine/alcohol tolerance.

Question - is your doctor okay with you being on ampicillin long term, or does he plan on eventually taking you off of it? (I know a lot of doctors don't think it's okay to take antibiotics long term. I understand that, but I still feel safer taking antibiotics long term than taking accutane)

Also, niacinamide is vitamin B3, right? How did you know you needed it? Did you test low on it or anything?

Ampicillin: I took amplicillin from August 2012 to August 2014. I took it 3x/day for a 3-4 months then my derm lowered it to 2x/day then ultimately alternating 2x every other day. He told me he wanted to find the "floating point" which is the minimum effective dose. I knew the risks of taking anti-biotics long-term but my acne was so severe that I just stuck with it. And like you said, I would prefer taking antibiotics than accutane. My derm also told me to take probiotics everyday. I also stopped taking spironolactone August 2014. I was pretty much acne free for two years and wanted to phase out the medications. BUT THEN I broke out after I started grad school in the fall (and mind you, my acne don't look like normal cysts, they look like really bad skin infections). So my derm put me on ampicillin and spironolactone again. My acne is stress-induced for sure. My plan is to discontinue ampicillin in a couple months, just continue with spironolactone and birth control and find techniques to relieve mental and physical stress.

Niacinamide: Yup, it's a vitamin. My derm told me that it should help brighten my skin and help with fading the redness. My acne cleared, but I still have redness all over (mainly cheeks and chin). I don't know if the niacinamide really works, but it's not harmful so I just take it. My derm didn't do any blood tests for niacinamide.

Btw, I just read that you decided not to go on accutane. I'm happy that you were able to make a decision!

Kay we must be like the same person lol. I'm small too and have pretty high anxiety with a low tolerance for caffeine and alcohol which also makes me concerned about things as heavy as accutane. I'm also curious about the taking abx with spiro. How do you know which is working when you're taking them? I'd also like to know if your derm told anything about how long you can take the amp and even how long you can take spiro for. Do you need to have labs done when you're on spiro?

I have high anxiety and low tolerance for caffeine and I'm fine taking accutane. For whatever reason my mood seems to improve while on it. I think it's really an individual thing. Some people have mood disturbances, some people lose hair, etc. My main side effect is achey joints and some people don't have this issue at all. I still think spiro is a better option better option than accutane. Whether you'll need to have labs done will really depend on your doctor. Some doctors like to check potassium and some don't think it's necessary. Spiro can be taken indefinitely. It takes up to a year to get the full effects.

Kay we must be like the same person lol. I'm small too and have pretty high anxiety with a low tolerance for caffeine and alcohol which also makes me concerned about things as heavy as accutane. I'm also curious about the taking abx with spiro. How do you know which is working when you're taking them? I'd also like to know if your derm told anything about how long you can take the amp and even how long you can take spiro for. Do you need to have labs done when you're on spiro?

The knowing whether the spiro or antibiotics is helping is tricky. I am also taking spiro and antibiotics right now (minocycline). I have been on antibiotics almost continuously for the last 6 years (various antibiotics, my old derm kept switching the one I was taking when resistance started to occur).

My new derm says (and this is consistent with the now extensive research I have done) that antibiotics shouldn't be used to treat acne in the long term, but that spiro is actually very safe to take long term. (The only caveat being that you have to go off spiro if you want to get pregnant) It can take up to 4 months for you to see results from spiro (I've read people claiming it took up to 1 year to see full clearance on spiro), and it tends to cause an initial breakout, which is why my derm told me to stay on antibiotics when I started spiro. After 4 months, I am going to try to wean off antibiotics and see if the spiro can control my acne on its own (in addition to a clean diet and BCP).

My doctor isn't concerned about checking labs while I'm taking it, but like paigems said, some will check potassium.