I started taking Accutane in July of 2011. I had moderate acne on my forehead and side-burn areas. I had done plenty of research and decided I would go with the Low-Dose course, to minimize side effects. I was 20 years old at the start. I'm now 22 years old weighing in at 160 pounds (5'10). A normal prescription dose for my size would be 70mg daily.
(MONTH 1-2) Started with 10mg daily. I wanted to get a feel for the drug, see how my body/skin reacted to a small dose. Skin clearing began within a week. Minor Fatigue, Dry Skin/Lips, Muscle Aches were noticed side effects. No initial breakout, but I was still getting occasional pimples.
(MONTH 3-7) I used 20mg daily. This was the highest I allowed myself to go for dosage. 20mg intensified the Dry Skin/Lips, Muscle Aches, and random waves of Fatigue. My face gained a slight red tint, but my acne and scars slowly began to fade. Around the 3rd month of this dosage my skin was pimple free, with only red spots and healing marks left to improve.
(MONTH 8-13) I switched up to 20mg 3 times per week. My skin had been clear for a few months. Only the occasional clogged pore would surface, but it was nothing to complain about. Side effects were minimal with this dose. Eyes and lips were dry. Bones/Muscles were more sore from long workouts than before accutane.
(Month 14- Present) Lowered the dose to 10mg twice a week. This has been my course for 10 months now. I take one pill Sunday and one pill Thursday. I have not had an actual pimple in almost a year. I do still get some clogged pores around the eyebrow area. With this ultra low weekly dose, I do not experience any noticeable side effects.
So I sit here today, with a pimple-less face. 2 years ago, this was what I was dreaming about, to rid myself of this cosmetic problem that most of us here suffer with. Today, It's hard to imagine all the time I used to spend obsessing over solving acne and what was causing it. I used to be afraid to look in the mirror every morning when I awakened, worried that my face had erupted overnight.
So why am I still on accutane? I haven't gotten a new pimple in about a year, right? I have a fear of stopping accutane at this point. I stopped for about 3 weeks six months ago to get Lasik Eye Surgery. After a couple weeks, my skins oil levels had increased, my complexion was starting to look worse, and I had an increase in clogged pores. Right when I started back on 20mg weekly, my skin returned back to normal. Maybe I was over reacting to my skin without accutane, but it honestly scared me.
So my original goal of ridding myself of Acne has been reached, thanks to accutane. But, my new goal is to live an acne-free life without the help of this dangerous drug. I don't know where the finish line is located down the road, but I'm hoping it can be soon.
I'm sorry for the long post. Truly this thread was made to possibly convince someone out there who is scared to take the leap ahead and try accutane. Low-Dose Accutane has worked perfectly for me, side effects were never an issue, because the benefit of clear skin has been marvelous. I'm just one of the many examples of people whom Low-Dose has worked wonders for.
did you suffer any initial breakouts?
Around the 3rd week I vaguely remember getting a few pimples, but it wasn't anything outrageous, and it went away pretty quickly. I wouldn't even call it an initial breakout because it was rather harmless. I responded extremely well to low-dose accutane, I got 95% clear within 6 weeks.
Most people who are scared to try accutane seem to fear the initial breakout, but you can't let that stop you. Chances are you still get occasional breakouts anyways if you need/want accutane, so why not take something that might cause an initial breakout to know that clearing is coming right afterwards, possibly forever.
I think when you want the effects of accutane to be permanent, you have no choice but to take a higher dosage. During your treatment your skin may then be way too dry but will be just right after you stop taking it.
I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions of accutane. People seem to think the high-dose of accutane will 'fry' off your oil glands and make acne disappear forever. There are no guarantees with accutane for permanent results. People have taken the full dose and had their acne return within months, while others are cured for life.
I will agree Vanessa that those with severe acne and extremely oily skin are best served with the full dose. My acne was more mild but persistent. Usually had about 3-5 active pimples at a time.
Those with Mild-Moderate Acne should respond well to a low-dose. Something like 10-20mg/day for 6 months, then decide where to go from there. Everyone is different so you'll have to see how it works for you.
I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions of accutane. People seem to think the high-dose of accutane will 'fry' off your oil glands and make acne disappear forever. There are no guarantees with accutane for permanent results. People have taken the full dose and had their acne return within months, while others are cured for life.
I will agree Vanessa that those with severe acne and extremely oily skin are best served with the full dose. My acne was more mild but persistent. Usually had about 3-5 active pimples at a time.
Those with Mild-Moderate Acne should respond well to a low-dose. Something like 10-20mg/day for 6 months, then decide where to go from there. Everyone is different so you'll have to see how it works for you.
That's good to know. Then I won't bother with taking a higher dosage, because I want to go on accutane, too. My acne sounds like yours, mild but persistent. At the moment I have 4 pimples in my face and lots of oil and sebum. Unfortunately in Germany it is not as common to prescribe low doses for mild acne as it is in the US.
I'm having a hard time at the moment trying to find a derm who will prescribe it to me. My old derm wouldn't discuss the topic with me and insisted that accutane was only for severe cases of acne. She just ignored it when I told her that there are many people who go on low doses. Now I have made appointments with 3 new derms. Hopefully they will believe me 
Gator,
I take these vitamins called niacinmide. My acne was mild when I was prescribed it; I would only have maybe one or two tiny peoples at a time, but since I've started taking them, I only get maybe 1 or 2 tiny pimples a month that are gone in like 2 days and thats honestly only because I rarely take them because I'm extremely forgetful and lazy when it comes to it lol. I'll see my face is pimple free and I won't take it for like a week, and then I'm like o crap! i should take one of the vitamins, so i'll take it for 2 days and then forget again. lol then i'll get a pimple and then religiously take it for like 5 days. My 3 month prescription has lasted me already 3 months, and I still am on the first bottle lol. Well sorry for the rambling, my point is, they work! I love them. If I wasn't so lazy I don't think I would ever have a pimple, so maybe you can ask your derm about taking them? It's much healthier (at least I would assume so) than being on accutane because they're vitamins.
did you suffer any initial breakouts?
Around the 3rd week I vaguely remember getting a few pimples, but it wasn't anything outrageous, and it went away pretty quickly. I wouldn't even call it an initial breakout because it was rather harmless. I responded extremely well to low-dose accutane, I got 95% clear within 6 weeks.
Most people who are scared to try accutane seem to fear the initial breakout, but you can't let that stop you. Chances are you still get occasional breakouts anyways if you need/want accutane, so why not take something that might cause an initial breakout to know that clearing is coming right afterwards, possibly forever.
>>>>>I think when you want the effects of accutane to be permanent, you have no choice but to take a higher dosage. During your treatment your skin may then be way too dry but will be just right after you stop taking it.
I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions of accutane. People seem to think the high-dose of accutane will 'fry' off your oil glands and make acne disappear forever. There are no guarantees with accutane for permanent results. People have taken the full dose and had their acne return within months, while others are cured for life.
I will agree Vanessa that those with severe acne and extremely oily skin are best served with the full dose. My acne was more mild but persistent. Usually had about 3-5 active pimples at a time.
Those with Mild-Moderate Acne should respond well to a low-dose. Something like 10-20mg/day for 6 months, then decide where to go from there. Everyone is different so you'll have to see how it works for you.
Given low-dose Accutane's unpredictable rates of remission for oily skin and acne, do you guys think it's worth it?
