I had to stop using a medicated acne wash when I was on Accutane (or any anti-acne products at all) because my skin became so sensitive.

I washed with Aqueous Cream which worked well because it moisturised my skin while I washed.

Although, some people do say to just wash your face with water on Accutane, so if I were you I would just see how you get on.

Good luck

You don't need a face wash. I mean, why would you need a face wash? It isn't going to do anything soap and water can't do fine.

All it will do is just irritate your skin. You want to avoid irritation on Accutane, since the medication will make your skin more fragile.

Accutane will severely dry out your skin. You want to avoid anything that will further dry out your skin, such as Benzoyl Peroxide (which is what Proactiv is). I think you'll find it intolerable if you use both medications at once.

Cetaphil, the bar form, was the only thing that my skin could take while on acc. Purpose bar, Dove sensitive skin bar, Neutrogena sensitive skin face wash - all way too drying.

Awesome, thank you so much for all your replies! I really want to get off this dreaded Proactiv and am so ready to start Accutane. I wish I could start today, but have to wait.... Thanks again, I think cetaphil or CeraVa will be what I use.

I had to stop using a medicated acne wash when I was on Accutane (or any anti-acne products at all) because my skin became so sensitive.

I washed with Aqueous Cream which worked well because it moisturised my skin while I washed.

Although, some people do say to just wash your face with water on Accutane, so if I were you I would just see how you get on.

Good luck

ProActiv used to work well for me, too....until it stopped. ) I finished my Accutane course earlier this year and had good results, you likely will too. Like the others said, I wouldn't use ProActiv while on Accutane, it's too harsh. I had good results with Cetaphil and CeraVe cleansers. You will also need a good moisturizer....Cetaphil and CeraVe make great moisturizing creams and I also found shea butter to work well. Good luck!

I use the acne.org cleanser and moisturizer (+jojoba oil) twice a day. My skin is remarkably moist. I had oily skin before starting though.

Regular ol soap and water depending on the soap could really be too harsh. Soap has a drying effect.

I used CeraVe foaming face wash and love love loved it. It does amazing things to the skin has ingredients that are generally found in very expensive facial products but is only 10 bucks at target or Walgreens Walmart where ever. I use all thier products to this day and love them all.

This is so awesome, thank you guys so so much! I've decided on CeraVa as that's what my dermatologist recommended and will get some jojoba oil as well! I'm going to be all prepped and ready to go by the time I start, since I'm getting super antsy! I love hearing other stories and am so grateful for all the replies! LOVE this site!

I'm just using water for face wash. That's what my derm recommended me while being on accutane GL on your course, week 3 for me today

I'm just using water for face wash. That's what my derm recommended me while being on accutane GL on your course, week 3 for me today

Yay! Congrats! I've been following your log and it's been really helpful to read. I can't even imagine my life washing my face with just water, that seems to good to be true. So simple and cheap haha! I was always lugging my Proactiv everywhere, camping, vacations, even backpacking trips, it will be so nice to not have to worry about it. Were you using any special face wash before?

Accutane is often not a 'cure'. Many people continue to use different topicals to stay clear after, so I think it is risky to assume that Accutane means you can throw everything else out but the water. I stayed clear for almost 9 years after my first course of Accutane, but I used BC (Diane) and BP (Proactiv repairing lotion) to do it.

My acne returned after I went off the pill in hopes of pregnancy (it took about a year of no pill to happen). One of the things I did when my acne started to come back was stop using my proactiv (to try something else), and that is a regret now. What a mess!

So I wish you all the best that you might be a lucky person who never needs anything ever again, but a lot of people (esp. women) require hormone therapy or BP to maintain clarity after Accutane.

I feel like I'm being such a downer! I totally admit I am a little frustrated right now with my own situation. But I wonder sometimes if the reason many people have relapses is because they assume it is a cure and they will never have to do anything again. For me anyway, a little maintenance regime went a long way, and I fell apart without it. I just hope to have as good luck this time, and I fully intend to never throw my beautiful repairing lotion away again. Maybe I'll get a few extra wrinkles, but I will take that over the other option.

I'm just using water for face wash. That's what my derm recommended me while being on accutane GL on your course, week 3 for me today

Yay! Congrats! I've been following your log and it's been really helpful to read. I can't even imagine my life washing my face with just water, that seems to good to be true. So simple and cheap haha! I was always lugging my Proactiv everywhere, camping, vacations, even backpacking trips, it will be so nice to not have to worry about it. Were you using any special face wash before?

I did use a face wash from Vichy every morning and night: http://www.vichyusa.com/normaderm-deep-cleansing-gel.htm

It was alright I guess, but no need to use while being on accutane. I actually used it because of my oily skin, but now it's the opposite - I have dryyyyy skin! So I'm definetely not using it anymore But while being on accutane u need to carry moisturizer instead of face wash.... And lip balm, and I also need to carry eye drops.. But hey! It will be worth it in the end! You will definetely not regret accutane in the future Have a nice weekend

Accutane is often not a 'cure'. Many people continue to use different topicals to stay clear after, so I think it is risky to assume that Accutane means you can throw everything else out but the water. I stayed clear for almost 9 years after my first course of Accutane, but I used BC (Diane) and BP (Proactiv repairing lotion) to do it.

My acne returned after I went off the pill in hopes of pregnancy (it took about a year of no pill to happen). One of the things I did when my acne started to come back was stop using my proactiv (to try something else), and that is a regret now. What a mess!

So I wish you all the best that you might be a lucky person who never needs anything ever again, but a lot of people (esp. women) require hormone therapy or BP to maintain clarity after Accutane.

I feel like I'm being such a downer! I totally admit I am a little frustrated right now with my own situation. But I wonder sometimes if the reason many people have relapses is because they assume it is a cure and they will never have to do anything again. For me anyway, a little maintenance regime went a long way, and I fell apart without it. I just hope to have as good luck this time, and I fully intend to never throw my beautiful repairing lotion away again. Maybe I'll get a few extra wrinkles, but I will take that over the other option.

I don't think you're being a downer at all, I think you are being realistic! I hope that Accutane helps to get me back to clear skin, and then the maintenance is easy. But my face is so bad right now that it consumes all of my time, money, and emotions. I actually don't think I will be lucky and think I will still need assistance after Accutane. I am planning to start a family in about 3-4 years and am really nervous about that, because it seems like acne prone women just always struggle with pregnancy whether it's when they get off their BC or when they actually become pregnant, or even after breastfeeding it all seems so sensitive to our skin. But I hope that I am nearing the end on my acne (I only say that because my mom said her acne started to clear and fade at 26 (which I am now) but I know not to bank on it We will see I suppose, it's a LOOONG road ahead of me, but I am more than ready to take it and really appreciate any advice from those who have gone down this road before! It's so nice to think of Accutane as a permanent "cure" for acne but I know better than to think it will be. I have had acne for so long, and know how stubborn it is, ugh. Thanks everyone for your posts they are so helpful!

Thanks Emmy for not thinking I am evil! After 9 years of lovely, I am such a pisser to be back in a yucky place! But here's one happy thought - This attempt to get pregnant was a fail (that doesn't seem happy, but I'm totally fine with it). I just wish I had given up earlier. BUT, I do have one beautiful child post-1st round of accutane. Last time I was able to get pregnant pretty quickly after I went off the pill, so my acne was just barely starting to show up again. And then, miracle of miracles, I had PERFECT pregnant skin. I thought for sure I would be the one to have an awful time, and it was lovely! I went back on the pill right after with no problems at all. This time I was off the pill for a year, and I knew around 6 months that issues were on their way. We hadn't decided either way about more kids, so I tried to buy some time with a retinoid which made my face EXPLODE and landed me back on the 'tane.

Alas. I am hoping for the great results I had the last time. So far it has been crappy, but I still have a bit of hope from having been through this before.

We will both be feeling great soon!

Just wanted to share that pregnancy isn't always bad for us skin issue folks. I loved it. I think I'm actually a little more sad that I don't get to be pregnant again than that we won't have more kids. I can deal with that because the one I have is perfect.

Thanks for being understanding!