Adult Accutanees: Should I start taking it?

[scottw 0]

I've been going to a dermatologist for about a year and a half. I've gone through two oral antibiotics and a variety of topical medications. I'm currenly on Duac, Retin-A Micro, and Cleania. A few days ago, I asked my dermatologist about Accuntane, and she said I'm a good candidate.

I feel like my situation is probably a little different from most people who are prescribed Accutane. I'm 31, and my acne is not nearly as bad as it was in my early 20s. The medications I've been on have worked fairly well. In fact, the last time my skin looked this good was before puberty. I get about a whitehead or two per month. I'll get a big under-the-skin inflammation about twice per year. My skin is still very oily, which I don't like at all. I want to go on Accutane for the occasional break-outs and also to address my oily skin once and for all. I feel like my reasoning is more cosmetic than anything. If this were ten years ago, I'd be addressing a much more serious problem. I basically want to take my skin from pretty good to great. I want to stop using this cocktail of topical medications and be done with it (hopefully) forever.

I'd like to hear from the adults who have looked into Accuntane for similar reasons. Did you accomplish what you wanted? Are you happy with the results? Any comments/advice are appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[Platinum007 0]

I am not in your same situation, so I can't add any advice. However, my derm prescribes accutane for very oily skin all the time. She usually does an extended low dosage like 10mg or 20mg per day. She says it really helps. She also prescribes it for older men and women who get really oily on their nose. Again, low dose for an extended period.

I just finished my course and if my oil returns to it's original slick and greasiness, I'll definitely take more tane at the low dose.

Good luck,

Platinum

[dnoune 0]

i think my situation may be a little similar although it sounds like i may be more prone to break outs than you are. i never get white heads, but i'll get the inflamed hive-like bump a couple times a month, always leaves a mark (i'm hispanic/arab) for months and months. i too have pretty oily skin, mostly in my t-zone and that's why my derm said i was a good candidate. i've done a couple rounds of antibiotics too, and i'm still having break outs, so that makes me more 'eligible' i suppose. but when i first met my derm, and before we tried other routes, she said i may be a potential candidate if only due to the oiliness and in addition to the fact that i do break out from time to time. i haven't tried accutane yet, but i'm scheduled to start in april. i'll definitely post on how things work out, i'm very curious as to what it will do for me.

[ScoobyDoo 2]

I've been going to a dermatologist for about a year and a half. I've gone through two oral antibiotics and a variety of topical medications. I'm currenly on Duac, Retin-A Micro, and Cleania. A few days ago, I asked my dermatologist about Accuntane, and she said I'm a good candidate.

I feel like my situation is probably a little different from most people who are prescribed Accutane. I'm 31, and my acne is not nearly as bad as it was in my early 20s. The medications I've been on have worked fairly well. In fact, the last time my skin looked this good was before puberty. I get about a whitehead or two per month. I'll get a big under-the-skin inflammation about twice per year. My skin is still very oily, which I don't like at all. I want to go on Accutane for the occasional break-outs and also to address my oily skin once and for all. I feel like my reasoning is more cosmetic than anything. If this were ten years ago, I'd be addressing a much more serious problem. I basically want to take my skin from pretty good to great. I want to stop using this cocktail of topical medications and be done with it (hopefully) forever.

I'd like to hear from the adults who have looked into Accuntane for similar reasons. Did you accomplish what you wanted? Are you happy with the results? Any comments/advice are appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[thegoodlife 0]

IMO from what you describe you do not need accutane, and any derm worth his/her salt would not prescribe it for you. It should be a last resort for sever acne, when other medications have failed.

[dnoune 0]

I've been going to a dermatologist for about a year and a half. I've gone through two oral antibiotics and a variety of topical medications. I'm currenly on Duac, Retin-A Micro, and Cleania. A few days ago, I asked my dermatologist about Accuntane, and she said I'm a good candidate.

I feel like my situation is probably a little different from most people who are prescribed Accutane. I'm 31, and my acne is not nearly as bad as it was in my early 20s. The medications I've been on have worked fairly well. In fact, the last time my skin looked this good was before puberty. I get about a whitehead or two per month. I'll get a big under-the-skin inflammation about twice per year. My skin is still very oily, which I don't like at all. I want to go on Accutane for the occasional break-outs and also to address my oily skin once and for all. I feel like my reasoning is more cosmetic than anything. If this were ten years ago, I'd be addressing a much more serious problem. I basically want to take my skin from pretty good to great. I want to stop using this cocktail of topical medications and be done with it (hopefully) forever.

I'd like to hear from the adults who have looked into Accuntane for similar reasons. Did you accomplish what you wanted? Are you happy with the results? Any comments/advice are appreciated. Thanks everyone!

I'm very happy I took accutane. I finished on 2/9 of this year, so I still don't know what the long term results are going to be.

Prior to tane, when I'd make a comment about seeing a derm, my friends would react with surprise (saying my skin was not bad). My acne was not too bad, but I was taking a ton of medications...and sooo freaking tired of it. If I stopped the meds, I'd break out a lot more.

I had real oily skin too. I love not having to wash my hair the minute I get up in the morning. I feel cleaner.

[Vintage Modernity 0]

yes it will change with accutane, althought i wash my hair everyday cause i feel dirty if i don't. On accutane some people don't have to wash their hair for days (i've read up to 10 days lol)

[ScoobyDoo 2]

I've been going to a dermatologist for about a year and a half. I've gone through two oral antibiotics and a variety of topical medications. I'm currenly on Duac, Retin-A Micro, and Cleania. A few days ago, I asked my dermatologist about Accuntane, and she said I'm a good candidate.

I feel like my situation is probably a little different from most people who are prescribed Accutane. I'm 31, and my acne is not nearly as bad as it was in my early 20s. The medications I've been on have worked fairly well. In fact, the last time my skin looked this good was before puberty. I get about a whitehead or two per month. I'll get a big under-the-skin inflammation about twice per year. My skin is still very oily, which I don't like at all. I want to go on Accutane for the occasional break-outs and also to address my oily skin once and for all. I feel like my reasoning is more cosmetic than anything. If this were ten years ago, I'd be addressing a much more serious problem. I basically want to take my skin from pretty good to great. I want to stop using this cocktail of topical medications and be done with it (hopefully) forever.

I'd like to hear from the adults who have looked into Accuntane for similar reasons. Did you accomplish what you wanted? Are you happy with the results? Any comments/advice are appreciated. Thanks everyone!

I'm very happy I took accutane. I finished on 2/9 of this year, so I still don't know what the long term results are going to be.

Prior to tane, when I'd make a comment about seeing a derm, my friends would react with surprise (saying my skin was not bad). My acne was not too bad, but I was taking a ton of medications...and sooo freaking tired of it. If I stopped the meds, I'd break out a lot more.

I had real oily skin too. I love not having to wash my hair the minute I get up in the morning. I feel cleaner.

[ScoobyDoo 2]

IMO from what you describe you do not need accutane, and any derm worth his/her salt would not prescribe it for you. It should be a last resort for sever acne, when other medications have failed.

[Sotret99 0]

Hey.....I completely understand what you are saying. Even if ur medicated cocktail is working to ween off the acne, who wants to go to the derm every month and get a new prescription and keep dealing with putting it all on your face everday especially when the stuff is not 100% effective. Go on accutane. This is an easy decision. I just started taking it again. I took it in my teen years when my acne was bad and it totally destroyed all of it. I didnt worry about zits for years. Eventually, it started to come back. But years later and much lighter. In your case, it very well could be the complete end of your acne for good. If not you will still get miraculous results. And you wont have to deal with all the other medicated crap all the time. The side effects are not that bad. And since you have such mild acne, you will get a lower dose and see even less side effects. Just feel lucky you are a candidate and get it!

[Zoilo 1]

IMO from what you describe you do not need accutane, and any derm worth his/her salt would not prescribe it for you. It should be a last resort for sever acne, when other medications have failed.

[benne237 0]

I've been going to a dermatologist for about a year and a half. I've gone through two oral antibiotics and a variety of topical medications. I'm currenly on Duac, Retin-A Micro, and Cleania. A few days ago, I asked my dermatologist about Accuntane, and she said I'm a good candidate.

I feel like my situation is probably a little different from most people who are prescribed Accutane. I'm 31, and my acne is not nearly as bad as it was in my early 20s. The medications I've been on have worked fairly well. In fact, the last time my skin looked this good was before puberty. I get about a whitehead or two per month. I'll get a big under-the-skin inflammation about twice per year. My skin is still very oily, which I don't like at all. I want to go on Accutane for the occasional break-outs and also to address my oily skin once and for all. I feel like my reasoning is more cosmetic than anything. If this were ten years ago, I'd be addressing a much more serious problem. I basically want to take my skin from pretty good to great. I want to stop using this cocktail of topical medications and be done with it (hopefully) forever.

I'd like to hear from the adults who have looked into Accuntane for similar reasons. Did you accomplish what you wanted? Are you happy with the results? Any comments/advice are appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[thegoodlife 0]

IMO from what you describe you do not need accutane, and any derm worth his/her salt would not prescribe it for you. It should be a last resort for sever acne, when other medications have failed.

These comments make me laugh.

I never had severe acne, and I never really scarred either. So...after dealing with acne for 20 years and using antibiotics for years and years....I NEVER should have been prescribed accutane?

[thegoodlife 0]

IMO from what you describe you do not need accutane, and any derm worth his/her salt would not prescribe it for you. It should be a last resort for sever acne, when other medications have failed.

This is wrong. It is often used for more moderate or milder cases that are not effectively treated by other means and in situations where the condition is causing personal, social or professional problems. I'm wondering what credentials you have to judge whether a trained physician specializing in dermatology is "worth his/her salt"?

[ScoobyDoo 2]

this is what both my derm. and my family physician told me, the derm is a doctor and my family physican is a doctor as well, so those are pretty good credentials

[scottw 0]

Thanks everyone for all the great replies (pro and con)! I was leaning toward taking it, and this thread has convinced me. The possibility of putting all my oil/acne problems behind me is too appealing, and it was good to hear so many positive responses.

[thegoodlife 0]

hey thanks ScoobyDoo that really opened my eyes a lot, I have had my doubts before about my physician and his "circle of physician friends" he seems to refer us to when we have to go outside the care his office provides

[Platinum007 0]

It should be a last resort for sever acne, when other medications have failed.

[Platinum007 0]

so this is a dumb question...but i was curious, i get oily hair the day after i wash it. meaning i have to wash my hair every day. that will change with the accutane?

[ScoobyDoo 2]

hey thanks ScoobyDoo that really opened my eyes a lot, I have had my doubts before about my physician and his "circle of physician friends" he seems to refer us to when we have to go outside the care his office provides