Hello all! I decided to start an accutane diary so that I could help myself and others. First off, a little background:
- 22 years old, female
- suffered from acne for about 9 years (it's genetics..ugh..WHYYY DAD WHYYYY)
- 110lbs, currently 30th day on 30mg/day
- skin: very oily, with main problem being blackheads and moderate/severe acne (I started to get cystic acne here and there about a year ago), and very scar-prone
Since starting accutane, there have been a lot of changes in my skin. About 2 weeks in, I had a pretty bad breakout along my jawline...worse than usual. I'm guessing that was my initial breakout? OH, and my skin became so bumpy because all my pores were purging = blackheads everywhere. I'm still broken out, but the pimples heal so much faster than usual. My face is also smoother as the blackheads are slowly disappearing. Before accutane I would extract the blackheads regularly...DO NOT TRY TO EXTRACT ANYTHING WHILE TAKING ACCUTANE. It just irritates it even more and becomes more inflamed. Even the blackheads i tried to extract became active pimples. Just leave your face alone...it's going through a lot already lol
Side Effects
So far, the side effects that I am experiencing are dry lips, dry flaky skin...basically dry everything. Looking at the bright side, i actually enjoy some of the dryness! My skin was so oily before I would have to blot every 3-4 hours...but now i never blot...ever. Even though my skin is flaky, I control the dry skin and flakes with products (which I will note down below). Also, I am loving the dry scalp. Daily shampooing was a must for me before accutane, but now my hair stays oil-free for days. The dryness doesn't even bother me that much, and I feel like it's totally manageable. My skin is also sensitive and red, which is common. DO NOT EXFOLIATE. I used a light exfoliant to try to get rid of the flakes, and boy was that a bad idea. My face was irritated, bumpy, and red...took a couple days to calm down. The skin on the rest of my body is also dry. It's so weird for me because I NEVER had dry skin...my knuckles started flaking. Moisturize Moisturize Moisturize. So far, not too bad!
Products
- cleanser: clean and clear makeup dissolving foaming cleanser ( i've always used this stuff...awesome makeup remover and cleanser)
- moisturizer: a couple drops of jojoba oil mixed with favorite facial lotion (I switch up my lotions all the time. Jojoba oil is FREAKING amazing. Whatever skin type you have, try it if you haven't already. I've been using jojoba oil for about 2 years now and it's a holy grail in my books)
- lips: carmex (stick form)
- Acne fighting products: Clindoxyl Gel (spot treatment. It's drying and may cause more flakiness...but it does help with active pimples). ******OKAY PEOPLE, now for a product that I have been absolutely obsessed with since I found it. HYDROCOLLOID DRESSING. I'm not sure what it's made of or how it works (look it up!), but it's basically a wound dressing. I buy -johnson&johnson first aid advanced healing hydrocolloid adhesive pads- and just cut them up into little squares, stick it on to any pimples that are punctured/open (before bed), and in the morning the dressing is more opaque because of all the puss and gunk it sucked up. The pimple is flatter and definitely more healed. I've been using this method to get rid of my pimples even before accutane. Actually...i used it more before accutane because I popped my pimples (I KNOW I KNOW). It actually speeds up the healing and flattens the pimple drastically. If i'm not being thorough enough here are reviews --> http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=112871/. I don't buy that brand, I just buy sheets from my local pharmacy and cut them up myself.
- LOTS OF WATER!!!!!
To wrap my first log up, I just want to let those of you who are suffering know that you are not the only one! I'm trying to be as positive as possible because I know how depressing acne can be. I'm extremely self-conscious and dealing with acne has disrupted my social life for so many years. Going into details about how it's affected my life would just lengthen this log even more than it already is. No need to dwell on the past. I'm just looking forward to the day when I can go out without makeup on and feel good about my skin. Plus, my acne is not who I am. I have so much more to be proud and confident about! AND YOU ALL SHOULD TOO! Everyone is different, and everyone is going to have different experiences with their accutane treatment...and this is the beginning of mine!
Day 33
Broke out with 4 new pimples on my cheek 
and I was dealing with small pin-sized bumps along my jawline ever since I started accutane...but they seem to be a little irritated/worse today. My forehead is pretty clear...which is great because I usually have a broken out forehead.
Do you usually fluctuate between good skin days and bad skin days on accutane? When will I REALLY start clearing up? Please share your experiences!!!
Hi Fahn,
Really sorry because I have no experience with accutane, but i've been a skeptic for a while. I think tonight's the night that i'll finally give in and try it, but at a lower dosage because the initial breakout would kill my self confidence, I know it. It'd be great if you could keep posting your updates.
btw, I love how you don't let your emotions get in the way of your logs!
Tmrw marks the start of week 6! Since upping the dosage to 50mg, the dryness of my skin and lips have intensified. I can handle the flakiness by moisturizing super well, but the texture of my skin is just...bleh. Enlarged pores, redness, blotchiness, scars, small bumps along jawline, raised blackheads b/w eyebrows. No matter how well I moisturize, my skin doesn't look plump...especially with foundation on. I tried all kinds of techniques (wet sponge, stippling brush, fingers) but makeup just always seems to end up looking cakey! Definitely not used to this since I am originally super oily. I also developed dry patches on the back of my hands, no biggie. In terms of acne, i'm still breaking out. The worst part about it are the red marks that are left!!! I seriously hope that I'll start clearing up by next week. My doctor told me that most of her patients who took accutane start seeing results after 6 weeks. CROSSING MY FINGERS!!!
**Tip: I use an oatmeal facial mask when my skin really needs a boost. It soothes and moisturizes, so it's really good for people on accutane. Grind up dry oatmeal in a blender (make it as close to a powder form as possible), take a heaping tablespoon of the ground oatmeal and mix it with water/milk/plain yogurt...whatever you want! Mix it to a paste like consistency and slather all over your face! Wash off after 30 min and your skin will feel and look better 
I like to mix in raw organic honey with my mixture.
Anyone have other recommendations to soothe this dry/irritated skin that i'm dealing with?
For the dry patches on your hands, hydrocortisone cream from the pharmacy/chemist should work. Otherwise, you can get a stronger prescription strength steroid cream from your Dermatologist. Make sure to keep moisturising and drinking water to stay hydrated.
Once you stop breaking out and getting new pimples (usually around month 3-5 on Accutane), your body can focus on healing residual red marks. Although Accutane impairs wound healing, the red marks will eventually fade.
Good luck
I like your positive attitude, don't lose it!
I started to properly clear up around month 3 but as soon as your skin does start to get better, I promise you'll forget about the horrors of the first month or two.
Check out the photos on my log if you'd like to see how awesome this drug can be if you're patient. Good luck
Thanks for the replies! Yeah...it's definitely a rough process BUT i'm seeing proper results now 
Almost week 7 now. Yes, i'm still getting new acne but less, and where there is no acne it's pretty smooth. A drastic improvement in the little under the skin bumps and small whiteheads/blackheads. No new side effects..which is a relief. An amazing product that I found to help with facial dryness is Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It's in a beige and green bottle, and it's not specifically for the face. I was skeptical at first because it wasn't a facial moisturizer...but my friend who was on accutane raved about it so I gave it a shot. And i'm glad I did!! AMAZING. Better than cetaphil hands down. It doesn't leave a greesy film, easily absorbs, and most importantly moisturizes like a dream. REALLy..just try it, you can buy a big bottle with a pump for cheap and use it for face and body.
Will update again soon!
Today marks week 11. I started taking 60mg 2 weeks ago, and so far so good! The reason why I haven't been updating on a weekly basis is because there wasn't any significant changes or anything new I was adding into my routine. I think it's safe to say that I am finally starting to clear up. I have ONE pimple on my chin, a few tiny under the skin bumps on my forehead, and the rest are just scars and hyper-pigmentation (NO BLACKHEADS...amazing). I'm clearer than I ever was before...but I've also never had this many scars before. I saw my dermatologist today and voiced my concerns about the scaring and she reassured me that after the accutane treatment is over the red marks will subside substantially and that I have the option of laser treatment and fillers to deal with the pitted scars. In terms of side effects, nothing new. In fact, I would say that the side effects for me during this treatment has not been bad at all.
Ohhhh man I cannot wait till the day when I'll have CLEAR and smooth skin. I see that day getting closer and closer