Hello,
I have extremely oily skin and a nose full of blackheads. I have tried all the regular stuff like BP, BHA, Epiduo, Differin, Nose strips, Clay masks, Megadosing vitamin B5, etc etc.
Everything seems to be absolutely useless at getting rid of my blackheads and oily skin.
My question is, would a low dose of Accutane help my situation? Sensible answers only, please.
My nose looks exactly like another Acne.org poster (mikeh26) who posted a picture of his condition:
i talked to my doc about my blackheads on my nose and to be honest - i wouldnt take accutane for this. She advised me to ge them extracted every 3 months or so and to stop looking in those magnifying mirrors...
I took accutane and for the amount you have to take to get the results you want and to stop the oil production your blackheads will go away but as soon as you stop taking them, they will come right back... blackheads are not the type of acne that accuane use has the potential to prevent forever....
get them extracted then when you wash your face use COLD water at the end so your pores tighten up and see if that helps - i know it sucks, trust me, but im sure not a lot of people notice it at all!!
Thanks for your answer. However, I don't see the point in extracting every 3 months? Surely they'd come back a day or two after your extraction if you don't keep the oil at bay? And how do you get them extracted anyway? My nose is sensitive to pretty much anything so I'm guessing I'd look like Rudolph for the next couple of weeks after an extraction..
just telling you what she suggested - she said if you are prone to black heads and have oily skin you dont have a lot of answers out there... and this was her only suggestion - black heads do not go away until you extract them - there is nothing that can be done and thery dont go away over time unfortunately. maybe a type of laser? id talk to a professional and maybe get a few suggestions!
I don't really trust dermatologists' views on things anymore to be honest. They told me differin would work, it didn't. They told me Epiduo would work, it didn't. The list goes on, I've tried so many things that just haven't had any positive effect whatsoever.
That's why I'm looking to get rid of them through accutane..
At the end of the day, you'll probably do what you want to do inspite of what anyone else has to say but my opinion is this:
If your nose is the ONLY problem area (oily skin is actually healthy skin) and you don't get acne anywhere else, accutane is overkill. This is a drug that can leave you with potentially life changing side effects that may or may not go away after treatment so if you choose to take it, at least make sure you have tried less invasive stuff (i've been on accutane before and i am currently on a third course AFTER having tried diet changes, natural skin care, topicals, BC, etc).
Only you can decide if acne on your nose is worth taking this drug.
As another poster stated, accutane is not meant for non inflamed acne like blackheads
Good Luck with your choice.
.. Thanks a lot for the replies. It's good to get the opinion of others before you make up your own.
At the end of the day, you'll probably do what you want to do inspite of what anyone else has to say but my opinion is this:
If your nose is the ONLY problem area (oily skin is actually healthy skin) and you don't get acne anywhere else, accutane is overkill. This is a drug that can leave you with potentially life changing side effects that may or may not go away after treatment so if you choose to take it, at least make sure you have tried less invasive stuff (i've been on accutane before and i am currently on a third course AFTER having tried diet changes, natural skin care, topicals, BC, etc).
Only you can decide if acne on your nose is worth taking this drug.
As another poster stated, accutane is not meant for non inflamed acne like blackheads
Good Luck with your choice.
Is there a derm willing to give you a perscription? Its a long process to start so the sooner you make the appointment the easier it will be for you - call someone today if thats the choice you feel is the best one....
my side effects were pretty mild but lots od drying, big time scarring, and joint pain is what ive dealt with since - not drying of the skin, its possibly more oily now than it was before but on the lips and hair....
Readytosmileagain is right, you should make an appointment right away, and then you'll have weeks before your appointment to decide if you want it. I'm most likely gonna start low dose accutane on my next appointment in six weeks. My oil on my skin is really thick and sticky(gross) and it clogs my pores every day. I also have acne though, so my derm decided to let me try low dose accutane on my next appointment. If you only have blackheads and no acne, then accutane might not be worth it, even at a low dose. And derms aren't supposed to prescribe it just for oily skin and blackheads.
If you do take it, I was thinking that long term low dose is the best way for getting rid of oil. When people take a full dose for a few months, their oil sometimes comes right back after they stop taking it. But that's the thing - they stop taking it. If your dose is low enough, you should be able to safely take it for years, and avoid having the oil come back for a long time. Plus a low dose should limit side effects and keep your skin at a normal amount of oil, instead of overly dry.
Readytosmileagain is right, you should make an appointment right away, and then you'll have weeks before your appointment to decide if you want it. I'm most likely gonna start low dose accutane on my next appointment in six weeks. My oil on my skin is really thick and sticky(gross) and it clogs my pores every day. I also have acne though, so my derm decided to let me try low dose accutane on my next appointment. If you only have blackheads and no acne, then accutane might not be worth it, even at a low dose. And derms aren't supposed to prescribe it just for oily skin and blackheads.
If you do take it, I was thinking that long term low dose is the best way for getting rid of oil. When people take a full dose for a few months, their oil sometimes comes right back after they stop taking it. But that's the thing - they stop taking it. If your dose is low enough, you should be able to safely take it for years, and avoid having the oil come back for a long time. Plus a low dose should limit side effects and keep your skin at a normal amount of oil, instead of overly dry.
First of all thank you and readytosmileagain for your replies, I appreciate it.
Omnivium, I seem to have the same skin as you in regards to oily skin, it's extremely oily and I have loads of clogged pores and blackheads.. I don't really have any acne or zits normally, but that's only because I do not eat the foods that make me break out (fast food, candy, pizza, chips, crisps, etc). As soon as I eat any of those, all hell breaks lose.
Anyway, I wish you the best of luck on your Accutane journey. I hope you can live an oil-free life and have clear skin.
How long does it take for a low dose of Accutane take to work for blackheads?
Well I have been on Accutane for going on 14 weeks now. 10 weeks at 20mg then these last 3 and a bit weeks at 40mg. Most of my acne is on my back so it is hard for me to actually see / assess the situation accurately, but I'm told there is some improvement although I still have new (painful) nodules forming.
To answer the question about blackheads..... well (*checks mirror*) I am seeing not a whole lot of difference in the blackheads on my nose and face. My skin is much less oily and feels dry to touch, but my "T-zone" still looks a bit shiny....... However I have stopped washing my face with acne lotion/soap twice every day, so I guess it must be a lot less oily really because before I started Accutane I just HAD to wash my face regularly or else it felt like I had been bathing in oil all day.
Side effects? Dry eyes (that look red at times, so people think you are drunk or high....) dry mouth, peeling lips, achy muscles (tho I had this before accutane..). I would not recommend Accutane for anything other than severe acne OR persistent moderate acne with scarring. This is not a medication to start taking to cure "just" a few blackheads......well that is my opinion anyway, but I'm not medically qualified.
How long does it take for a low dose of Accutane take to work for blackheads?
Well I have been on Accutane for going on 14 weeks now. 10 weeks at 20mg then these last 3 and a bit weeks at 40mg. Most of my acne is on my back so it is hard for me to actually see / assess the situation accurately, but I'm told there is some improvement although I still have new (painful) nodules forming.
To answer the question about blackheads..... well (*checks mirror*) I am seeing not a whole lot of difference in the blackheads on my nose and face. My skin is much less oily and feels dry to touch, but my "T-zone" still looks a bit shiny.......However I have stopped washing my face with acne lotion/soap twice every day, so I guess it must be a lot less oily really because before I started Accutane I just HAD to wash my face regularly or else it felt like I had been bathing in oil all day.
Side effects? Dry eyes (that look red at times, so people think you are drunk or high....) dry mouth, peeling lips, achy muscles (tho I had this before accutane..). I would not recommend Accutane for anything other than severe acne OR persistent moderate acne with scarring. This is not a medication to start taking to cure "just" a few blackheads......well that is my opinion anyway, but I'm not medically qualified.
Thanks for your post. Nice to hear your skin has stopped being so oily. I'm looking to get rid of my extremely oily skin and blackheads, hoping a low dose can do this for me..
My blackheads went completely away - my skin was so "pretty" as far as the texture and the color during accutane but as soon as you stop and the oil comes back, so does the blackheads.... i wish there was an easy cure for them, especially if that is all you have to deal with!
That's not even noticeable, no one is looking at your nose that closely besides you. The benefits don't outweigh the risks, accutane could potentially decrease oil production by 10% but I will bet those blackheads will come back even though in my opinion they just look like sebaceous filaments and your nose just looks irritated from whatever you're putting on it to be honest.
That's not even noticeable, no one is looking at your nose that closely besides you. The benefits don't outweigh the risks, accutane could potentially decrease oil production by 10% but I will bet those blackheads will come back even though in my opinion they just look like sebaceous filaments and your nose just looks irritated from whatever you're putting on it to be honest.
It's pretty noticeable, even from a couple of feet away, tbh. I've heard a lot of low dose accutane courses where the oil production has been curbed by 90 to 100%, while on the drug, of course.
I haven't put anything on my nose for almost 2 years now, and my nose is in the exact same state. Maybe the epiduo and differin did permanent damage and caused the redness?
Vincevega, The picture is almost identical to my nose prior to Accutane. The condition made me very self conscious and only gets worse with age. My personal opinion is yes, do the Accutane. Find a good doc that will work with you and appreciate the things you have tried and that this is a very important issue for you. Start with the LOWEST possible because you are not trying to blast out acne, rather you are just trying to slow or shut down the hyperactive sebaceous glans. It takes weeks to start to see results so be patient. I too have tried everything from topical remedies to expensive lasers for very similar clogged pores and nothing besides Accutane (isotretinoin) worked. I wasted a lot of time and money with magical machines that had no hope of working. I used Accutane twice in my 20's and 30's and was very pleased with the results. Then there were all the lawsuits and it was nearly impossible to get. Now, I am back on it again and loving the results. My nose looks like a normal health patch of skin instead of hundreds of clogged dark pores. My pores are smaller now and unclogged but had I been on low dose Accutane earlier I might have avoided the enlarged pores altogether. I'm in my 50's now and plan to stay on a low dose of Accutane for as long as possible. Start with the lowest possible dose (give it time - at least a month) see how you do. If you are starting to get dry lips and tight, dry skin you are at a good level (in my experience) that the nose sebaceous glands will start slowing down. No need to get really dry and cracked because you aren't trying to cure severe acne. For me it took about a two months for the black dots to disappear and pores to shrink some. Now at 4 months my skin looks great and the pores are empty of the dark gunk. Listen to your doc and get all the testing. Use spf 55 sun screen every day! I use Neutrogena "Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock" spf 55 in the morning to moisturize and protect the skin all day. For the lips I use Burts Bees lip balm and vaselene. Don't (do not) scrub your face or you will regret it, and end up with a damaged area of skin that is both uncomfortable and unattractive. I recommend washing only with your hands. I only use Eucerin "Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser" on my face. If you really need to remove some dry skin or other, gently use a wash cloth but don't scrub. Overall, my skin looks the best it has in twenty years. The routine and minor side effects are well worth the results in my opinion.
Vincevega, The picture is almost identical to my nose prior to Accutane. The condition made me very self conscious and only gets worse with age. My personal opinion is yes, do the Accutane. Find a good doc that will work with you and appreciate the things you have tried and that this is a very important issue for you. Start with the LOWEST possible because you are not trying to blast out acne, rather you are just trying to slow or shut down the hyperactive sebaceous glans. It takes weeks to start to see results so be patient. I too have tried everything from topical remedies to expensive lasers for very similar clogged pores and nothing besides Accutane (isotretinoin) worked. I wasted a lot of time and money with magical machines that had no hope of working. I used Accutane twice in my 20's and 30's and was very pleased with the results. Then there were all the lawsuits and it was nearly impossible to get. Now, I am back on it again and loving the results. My nose looks like a normal health patch of skin instead of hundreds of clogged dark pores. My pores are smaller now and unclogged but had I been on low dose Accutane earlier I might have avoided the enlarged pores altogether. I'm in my 50's now and plan to stay on a low dose of Accutane for as long as possible. Start with the lowest possible dose (give it time - at least a month) see how you do. If you are starting to get dry lips and tight, dry skin you are at a good level (in my experience) that the nose sebaceous glands will start slowing down. No need to get really dry and cracked because you aren't trying to cure severe acne. For me it took about a two months for the black dots to disappear and pores to shrink some. Now at 4 months my skin looks great and the pores are empty of the dark gunk. Listen to your doc and get all the testing. Use spf 55 sun screen every day! I use Neutrogena "Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock" spf 55 in the morning to moisturize and protect the skin all day. For the lips I use Burts Bees lip balm and vaselene. Don't (do not) scrub your face or you will regret it, and end up with a damaged area of skin that is both uncomfortable and unattractive. I recommend washing only with your hands. I only use Eucerin "Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser" on my face. If you really need to remove some dry skin or other, gently use a wash cloth but don't scrub. Overall, my skin looks the best it has in twenty years. The routine and minor side effects are well worth the results in my opinion.
Thanks for replying to my thread. Posts like yours are really encouraging. I already have the Accutane pills, but I'm too afraid of the side-effects, like rosacea or mental problems. But at some point I'm going to have to get my act together and bite the bullet, because my skin condition is putting a limit on my life.
I have a couple of questions, if you could please answer them:
How would you describe your skin, pale like mine?
Did you have uneven skin tone and redness?
How low is low? I have 10mg pills and I was thinking of starting with taking 1 x 10mg pill every 3 days. Is this too high? I'm really afraid of rosacea, because I'm already pretty red and my pale skin doesn't help.
I've pm'ed this to you, just in case you don't look into this thread anymore. Big thank you.
PS: coincidentally, that's almost the exact same moisturizer with SPF I already own!
I am just some middle-aged guy from the internet so take everything I say with a dose of caution. I speak only for myself. My "opinions" on your comments and questions:
Don't limit your life, it's a big mistake. Someday you will be old like me and everything you avoided because of your skin you will regret and it will amount to many missed opportunities to change your life in positive and fun ways. Yes, yes, people will say "Oh, just don't worry about it!" but that is very hard to do. There were times in my career when I would get all dressed up to go to an awards dinner, meeting, or party and just decide I looked too hideous to attend. I would sadly change back into regular clothes and if anyone asked I'd pretend like something important came up. Looking back it makes me kind of sad at the missed fun or meaningful occasions. In my case the time without Accutane allowed my pores to continue to expand to accommodate more material. By 50 I had had enough and doctor shopped until someone would prescribe Accutane. Glad I did. Now I don't back up from people when I'm talking to them and kids don't ask me why my nose is "dirty." I totally get this, it sucks. To me it was worth the risk.
I am light skinned and as I became older and with sun exposure my skin tone became uneven and just kind of tired looking. Accutane, especially the lower dose routine I'm on now, greatly improved the tone and texture of my skin. You must wear sun screen or don't even bother with the treatment. Don't scrub your face, don'. It doesn't help in any way and will do damage that looks and feels bad. SPF 55, don't scrub, use a gentle cleaner such as Eucerin Redness Relief (works great), use vaselene and/or Burts Bees lip balm. I find Burts Bees lasts longer than Chap Stick.
Dose depends on body weight, but 10mg per day is pretty low for anyone. 10mg every 3 days is way too low and likely won't help at all. If your doc told you to take one 10mg per day you should do it. Give it a month and if your lips aren't getting a little dry then consider going to 20mg with the guidance of your doc. Nobody gives a crap about pale skin if it looks good. If you aren't a dark person don't try to be, it's stupid. If you want to tan and not wear sun screen don't waste time with Accutane. Trust me, use the sun screen and resist the urge to tan. Far better to have nice looking skin. Keep wearing the sun screen every day!
My humble opinion: I was much more depressed by my acne when I was young than I can possibly imagine. When Accutane started working for me I was positively delighted and confident. Never felt bad and never got the least bit depressed. I read everything I could get my hands on about the side effects and lawsuits. Later research pretty much discounts the "metal effects." Statistics pretty much showed that the Accutane group didn't really have a higher suicide rate than a control group. Further more, low dose (which 10mg per day definitely is) has been shown to have almost no side effects other than dry skin and lips. There are rare exceptions in which people cannot tolerate isotretinoin either because of liver problems or other rare disorders. Life is full of risk, from driving down the highway to taking medications. I determined that for me the risk was low and I was sick and tired of dealing with magic potions and doctors trying to make payments on an expensive laser system that they purchased.
This is all just my opinion. You should do your own research, talk to doctors, and make your own decision. Don't listen to me.
I am just some middle-aged guy from the internet so take everything I say with a dose of caution. I speak only for myself. My "opinions" on your comments and questions:
Don't limit your life, it's a big mistake. Someday you will be old like me and everything you avoided because of your skin you will regret and it will amount to many missed opportunities to change your life in positive and fun ways. Yes, yes, people will say "Oh, just don't worry about it!" but that is very hard to do. There were times in my career when I would get all dressed up to go to an awards dinner, meeting, or party and just decide I looked too hideous to attend. I would sadly change back into regular clothes and if anyone asked I'd pretend like something important came up. Looking back it makes me kind of sad at the missed fun or meaningful occasions. In my case the time without Accutane allowed my pores to continue to expand to accommodate more material. By 50 I had had enough and doctor shopped until someone would prescribe Accutane. Glad I did. Now I don't back up from people when I'm talking to them and kids don't ask me why my nose is "dirty." I totally get this, it sucks. To me it was worth the risk.
I am light skinned and as I became older and with sun exposure my skin tone became uneven and just kind of tired looking. Accutane, especially the lower dose routine I'm on now, greatly improved the tone and texture of my skin. You must wear sun screen or don't even bother with the treatment. Don't scrub your face, don'. It doesn't help in any way and will do damage that looks and feels bad. SPF 55, don't scrub, use a gentle cleaner such as Eucerin Redness Relief (works great), use vaselene and/or Burts Bees lip balm. I find Burts Bees lasts longer than Chap Stick.
Dose depends on body weight, but 10mg per day is pretty low for anyone. 10mg every 3 days is way too low and likely won't help at all. If your doc told you to take one 10mg per day you should do it. Give it a month and if your lips aren't getting a little dry then consider going to 20mg with the guidance of your doc. Nobody gives a crap about pale skin if it looks good. If you aren't a dark person don't try to be, it's stupid. If you want to tan and not wear sun screen don't waste time with Accutane. Trust me, use the sun screen and resist the urge to tan. Far better to have nice looking skin. Keep wearing the sun screen every day!
My humble opinion: I was much more depressed by my acne when I was young than I can possibly imagine. When Accutane started working for me I was positively delighted and confident. Never felt bad and never got the least bit depressed. I read everything I could get my hands on about the side effects and lawsuits. Later research pretty much discounts the "metal effects." Statistics pretty much showed that the Accutane group didn't really have a higher suicide rate than a control group. Further more, low dose (which 10mg per day definitely is) has been shown to have almost no side effects other than dry skin and lips. There are rare exceptions in which people cannot tolerate isotretinoin either because of liver problems or other rare disorders. Life is full of risk, from driving down the highway to taking medications. I determined that for me the risk was low and I was sick and tired of dealing with magic potions and doctors trying to make payments on an expensive laser system that they purchased.
This is all just my opinion. You should do your own research, talk to doctors, and make your own decision. Don't listen to me.
Hey there acne 2000 - so how long are you planning to stay on accutane and whats your weekly dosage?
mickaoh I'm on 40mg/day and according to my doc it will be about 6 months. This is a low to medium dose for my 160 lbs weight. It's the only thing I have found that almost completely eliminates the hundreds of black dots on my nose due to sebaceous hyperplasia. This doctor, and most, is very conservative and will not put me on a low dose (10mg - 20mg/day) long term maintenance dose to keep the hyperplasia way. So, I am currently seeking a doctor who is familiar with very long term low dose routines. I really like the overall effect of the oral isotretinoin. It almost completely eliminates sebaceous hyperplasia, builds collagen, and evens out skin coloration. My skin looks great and aside from the dryness the regime is fairly easy to maintain with sunscreen and lip balm. I want to stay on it as long as possible.
Hello,I have extremely oily skin and a nose full of blackheads. I have tried all the regular stuff like BP, BHA, Epiduo, Differin, Nose strips, Clay masks, Megadosing vitamin B5, etc etc.Everything seems to be absolutely useless at getting rid of my blackheads and oily skin.My question is, would a low dose of Accutane help my situation? Sensible answers only, please. My nose looks exactly like another Acne.org poster (mikeh26) who posted a picture of his condition:
I am a huge fan of chemical peels. I also have oily, blackhead prone skin. Biweekly salicylic acid peels applied only to your nose would help enormously. You can get them in many places, but I trust Makeup Artists' Choice most.