I've been suffering from extremely oily skin since middle school. My acne has never been severe, but I would get cystic acne the size of a quarter and would get so red and inflamed with so much pus on my chin and forehead. I had embarrassing lip acne from time to time too. My cheeks remained relatively clear, but was extremely oily. I suffered from major confidence issues for years.

I tried everything. I tried all retinoids. My morning and night routine used to take 40 minutes each day as I applied product after product. I must have wasted thousands and thousands of dollars and hours and days of not wanting to go out and do things. I used to take time off of work and school because of a big pimple. I would pray for a week where I wouldn't get a break out and to be clear for a week and then just randomly break out again was heart breaking.I was sick and tired of having pimples control my life.

I was just fed up with it and started isotretinoin 10 mg for the first month. Nothing much happened. Towards the end of the first month, I started taking 20 mg a day and my oily skin significantly decreased by 75%. I didn't have much of an initial breakout because I never had that much acne to begin with. The breakouts that came up seem to either last really long or lasted a day and popped. There was definitely changes. But nothing major. Nothing more than normal. I am now finishing up three months moving onto my fourth month. Side affects seem to be dried lips and dried eyes especially in the morning. I also feel thirsty more often now than before. I have some minor back pain and soreness but it's mostly from being a lazy inactive person than anything. The only major downside is this drug makes me feel sleepy. So I just take it once before I go to bed after dinner. If I take 20 mg in the morning or afternoon, I would have to nap.

After the second month I got a blood test and all levels were normal. My uric acid was high because I consume a low carb diet rich in seafood and beef and didn't drink much water the morning off. I will cut back on that and exercise and drink more water. Hopefully the levels go down. I've had high uric acid levels for years prior to isotreninoin. I'm 27 years old. 5'6 130 lb male.

To this very day, my oil isn't completely gone, but has reduced drastically. I might have to blot once a day. Before I would blot and get oily again within 30 minutes. It was so disgusting. I never wanted to go out past 8 o clock because I would feel so slimy and disgusting. I would buy boxes of toilet paper lining because that's how oily I was. I never ate pizza because I was more oily than the pizza. Now, I can wake up and not feel gross anymore. I really have tried everything for oily skin. You name it, and I've tried it. My skin isn't cracking or never peeled or anything. I'm so happy to wake up to begin a new day. I don't have to run to the mirror to check my face or have that feeling of feeling a new pimple come up when I wash my face.

Now, I just cleanse with cerave cream and foaming cleanser. I still apply a thin layer of BP and the cerave lotion at night and only cerave lotion or origins zero oil moistourizer if i go out.

I wish I started this sooner. I wouldn't have horrible scars. I have my confidence back now. I don't have to look down when I walk hoping that people don't see that big mountain on my face. The pores on my nose are also 50% smaller and not as noticeable as before. Every time i washed before, I could see chunks of gunk coming out of my nose pores. It was disgusting.

For those of you considering accutane, I say go for it. Take a low dosage. No more than 20mg a day though. Isotretinoin is prescribed and even bought over the counter quite readily in Asia and Europe. Many companies still develop and sell it. It's a worthwhile alternative than living like a hermit. I recommend it. Thanks for reading my story.