Some background--I am a 25 year old female, and have been dealing with acne since I was 13. As a teenager, my acne was mostly in my T-Zone, but in college, I began developing pimples on my cheeks. For a while it was nothing major, but by age 21, my pimples had turned into full-blown, cystic acne covering my cheeks and my jawline. I tried everything--topicals, changing my diet,  birth control, but nothing seemed to work. 
 

A few months after my 21^st  birthday, I began taking Accutane.  I was amazed by the results--after 3 months, my skin was almost entirely clear. I finished up the course and had pretty much perfect skin for two years. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, things went haywire again. My cheek acne came back with a vengeance, and I decided to go on Accutane a second time.  I went through the whole process again, finished my second course, and everything was fine and dandy, until I experienced another relapse. This time my acne came back after only 6 months of being off it 

Though my skin is NOWHERE near as bad as it was 4 years ago, it's still noticeable, and a source of discomfort for me. I recently went to a new dermatologist who told me that Accutane is less effective for my type of acne-- adult female, hormonal acne. She said that oral contraceptive pills plus Spironolactone would be a better choice. 

Regarding side effects, I experienced all the usual ones while I was on the 'Tane--chapped lips, sensitive skin, etc. However, the most uncomfortable one (which I'm still dealing with to this day) is the chronic constipation. Sorry if this is TMI, but I think it's important to know. The drug essentially dries out EVERY part of your body, internal and external. 

I certainly do not regret my decision to take Accutane--I think my acne has improved significantly. However,  I wish I'd read more about post-Accutane relapses beforehand, so that I could have managed my expectations accordingly.  J