Hey, everybody. 
I've been a member on Acne.org's forums since 2012, and have been a patient on Claravis (isotretinoin, a.k.a, Accutane) since November 8th, 2013. My dermatologist started me out on 30 mg a day during the first month, and increased my dosage to 60 mg per day for the second month. I am a week into my second month's treatment, and am currently taking 60 mg a day.
You can read about my experiences with acne and its scarring effects on my skin on the thread I've been maintaining since June, 2012;
Accutane is my last resort in clearing my face of the acne that has continued to scar my cheeks since I was 21 years old. Seven years since acquiring cystic acne, I've tried literally every from of topical and hormonal treatment suggested to me by my physicians. This includes antibiotics, two types of hormonal birth control, and countless topicals. You can read about my (ultimately failed) attempts to clear my acne with the last hormonal medication I took (spironolactone) here;
While I'm very hopeful about the effects that Accutane can produce, I also have concerns about the medication's side effects. This is why I've begun a thread on the Prescription Acne Medication forums here on the 'Org; it is a way for me to detail the side effects I've experienced so far, and might experience in the future. I also plan on asking plenty of questions about the meds to any members on here that are kind enough to take the time to answer.
As an aside, this article by Jean-Paul Marat was a great starting point for me in my research on Accutane; http://health.tipsdiscover.com/skin-care-solutions-for-acne-accutane-only-side-effects-or-a-possible-cure/
It also helped motivate me begin a course of the medication, knowing that the author himself struggled with other treatments for his acne for years before taking Accutane. I highly recommend it to any of those who might be reading, and wondering if they should talk to their physician about Accutane.
Finally, I have included a group of pictures showing my acne scarring and the condition of my skin about a month into the course of Accutane that I'm currently taking. Now that I'm 9.5 weeks in, I honestly don't think that my face looks any different. I plan on posting more pics throughout this course, probably every other month or so.
I'm looking forward to discussing my Accutane journey with y'all. More updates coming soon!
Hi! I went on Roaccutane (I am from the UK) in November last year as well. I am on 10mg a day. For me it was the constant 1 to 2 cysts (that scarred) that I got every month that tipped me over the edge to accutane! I am 40 and damn well sick of it! Its working fab for me. How is it going for you? I scared myself silly reading the horror stories but I am glad to report that I am not bald or crippled or depressed.. yet! Note to self.. do NOT google medications!
I have the dry lips though! I love only having to wash my usual oil slick of a hairdo twice a week instead of daily. Lets go for it hon and be clear skinned beauts!
If you need any support or want to swap accutane stories I am happy to lend an ear
p.s have all your blackheads popped up and dropped out yet.. that was interesting! x
I forgot to mention.. I read the article you posted. I was scared of accutane too but I have seen 2 docs and both told me the only way to knock cystic acne on the head is accutane. No topical can get deep enough and antibiotics will work for a bit but then the skin learns immunity.. Its the way forward. I told my doctor my fears and he said he referred his own daughter to a colleague to be put on it on ten years ago and he was happy to report she was clear skinned and happy and he would do it again in a heartbeat for his kids.That's what convinced me. Also there was no financial incentive for him to say this because this is the UK and on the NHS..x
On 1/16/2014 at 1:48 AM, Nicolacat said:Hi! I went on Roaccutane (I am from the UK) in November last year as well. I am on 10mg a day. For me it was the constant 1 to 2 cysts (that scarred) that I got every month that tipped me over the edge to accutane! I am 40 and damn well sick of it! Its working fab for me. How is it going for you? I scared myself silly reading the horror stories but I am glad to report that I am not bald or crippled or depressed.. yet! Note to self.. do NOT google medications!
If you need any support or want to swap accutane stories I am happy to lend an ear
p.s have all your blackheads popped up and dropped out yet.. that was interesting! x
I forgot to mention.. I read the article you posted. I was scared of accutane too but I have seen 2 docs and both told me the only way to knock cystic acne on the head is accutane. No topical can get deep enough and antibiotics will work for a bit but then the skin learns immunity.. Its the way forward. I told my doctor my fears and he said he referred his own daughter to a colleague to be put on it on ten years ago and he was happy to report she was clear skinned and happy and he would do it again in a heartbeat for his kids.That's what convinced me. Also there was no financial incentive for him to say this because this is the UK and on the NHS..x
"For me it was the constant 1 to 2 cysts (that scarred) that I got every month that tipped me over the edge to accutane!"
Hey there, Nicolacat! This is EXACTLY why I'm taking Accutane right now.
"How is it going for you?"
Well, right now it's a little rough for me with the eczema on my forearms and the soreness I'm experiencing in my knees and lower back. I already had lower-back issues, though, so I'm not surprised that they've intensified since I've been on the meds. Another thing that bothers me is that although I don't see any (significant) hair-loss, I have noticed that my fine-textured hair seems so lifeless and limp. How about yourself?
" I have the dry lips though!"
I did, too. Majorly dry lips. It was awful until I started applying Vaseline (petroleum jelly)---gobs of it--- on my lips at home. I also use it on my cheeks, forehead, and outer eye area when I spend the day at home in order to prevent my face from getting so dry. This product keeps my lips very well moisturized. When I go out (to class, or with friends), I always keep a tube of Dr. Dan's Corti Balm in my bag. Not quite as moisturizing as Vaseline, but it is convenient to carry and functions better than any other lip balm or gloss I've tried so far. It was recommended to me by an aesthetician at my derm's office. You can check it out on Amazon here; https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Dans-CortiBalm-Balm-Chapped/dp/B0013JE6K2/
"If you need any support or want to swap accutane stories I am happy to lend an ear"
Thank you so much! I'm really glad to hear that, and I would love the support/Accutane story-swapping.
"have all your blackheads popped up and dropped out yet.. that was interesting!"
Yes, they have. How weird was that?! I was really surprised to see ALL of those blackhead cropping up on my face. Why does the medication cause that to happen, anyway?
I'm glad you read the article I posted. Did you think it was helpful?
" ...and antibiotics will work for a bit but then the skin learns immunity"
Sadly, I learned this the hard way. 
Thanks again for your input, hon! Looking forward to talking more with you about our Accutane experiences.
Yes the hair loss!! I worried about that too. Although I spoke to two people who had been on accutane pre internet and they looked at my like I was stupid when I said about hair loss/ condition, they were not aware of it? Which makes me wonder how much we hone in on it because we know about it! I also wonder how much is caused by body image problems, i:e the acne has gone what can I focus on now? This is not to say it doesn't affect the hair but it certainly does not affect everybody. I know all about hair loss. Years ago I was seriously ill and when I started to recover my hair shed like mad, probably a combination of drugs, weight loss and illness, God it was like a kitten coming off my head everyday but it did stop and my hair regained its original thickness although it was wispy at the ends for a good.Weirdly nobody else noticed but me..! My hair is actually doing better because I stopped flat ironing it and actually have started looking at it.. so we shall see! If we become slap heads we can swap tips on wigs!!
Cysts are the absolute worst on they?? When you have something on your face that has its own heartbeat its time to take action!!
It is really good to talk to someone who has the same issue and is going through the same thing! My advice to myself and to you is that we know our bodies better than anyone and if problems do start to occur we know if its not normal for us and if it is a manageable problem or not. We have to listen to ourselves... oh and God damn moisturise!! Dr Dan's is great stuff !!
Get some coconut for your hair..amazing stuff!! It really does help. Also can you get sudocrem in the US?? Brilliant for helping to heal active and healing spots!
Let me know how you are doing!
xx
...
Yes the hair loss!! I worried about that too. Although I spoke to two people who had been on accutane pre internet and they looked at my like I was stupid when I said about hair loss/ condition, they were not aware of it? Which makes me wonder how much we hone in on it because we know about it! I also wonder how much is caused by body image problems, i:e the acne has gone what can I focus on now? This is not to say it doesn't affect the hair but it certainly does not affect everybody. I know all about hair loss. Years ago I was seriously ill and when I started to recover my hair shed like mad, probably a combination of drugs, weight loss and illness, God it was like a kitten coming off my head everyday but it did stop and my hair regained its original thickness although it was wispy at the ends for a good.Weirdly nobody else noticed but me..! My hair is actually doing better because I stopped flat ironing it and actually have started looking at it.. so we shall see! If we become slap heads we can swap tips on wigs!!
Cysts are the absolute worst on they?? When you have something on your face that has its own heartbeat its time to take action!!
It is really good to talk to someone who has the same issue and is going through the same thing! My advice to myself and to you is that we know our bodies better than anyone and if problems do start to occur we know if its not normal for us and if it is a manageable problem or not. We have to listen to ourselves... oh and God damn moisturise!!
Get some coconut for your hair..amazing stuff!! It really does help. Also can you get sudocrem in the US?? Brilliant for helping to heal active and healing spots!
Let me know how you are doing!
xx
...
Awesome advice! Do you mean coconut oil for the hair?
I've never heard of Sudocrem before, but I just Googled it. I have never seen it in a pharmacy near my house (in north Atlanta), and I think the American version of it is CeraVe, which I have been using on my arms and legs for about a week. It has really helped the eczema on my forearms, near my wrists. It's already started to heal!
Yes the hair loss!! I worried about that too. Although I spoke to two people who had been on accutane pre internet and they looked at my like I was stupid when I said about hair loss/ condition, they were not aware of it? Which makes me wonder how much we hone in on it because we know about it! I also wonder how much is caused by body image problems, i:e the acne has gone what can I focus on now? This is not to say it doesn't affect the hair but it certainly does not affect everybody. I know all about hair loss. Years ago I was seriously ill and when I started to recover my hair shed like mad, probably a combination of drugs, weight loss and illness, God it was like a kitten coming off my head everyday but it did stop and my hair regained its original thickness although it was wispy at the ends for a good.Weirdly nobody else noticed but me..! My hair is actually doing better because I stopped flat ironing it and actually have started looking at it.. so we shall see! If we become slap heads we can swap tips on wigs!!
Cysts are the absolute worst on they?? When you have something on your face that has its own heartbeat its time to take action!!
It is really good to talk to someone who has the same issue and is going through the same thing! My advice to myself and to you is that we know our bodies better than anyone and if problems do start to occur we know if its not normal for us and if it is a manageable problem or not. We have to listen to ourselves... oh and God damn moisturise!!
Get some coconut for your hair..amazing stuff!! It really does help. Also can you get sudocrem in the US?? Brilliant for helping to heal active and healing spots!
Let me know how you are doing!
xx
...
Awesome advice! Do you mean coconut oil for the hair?
I've never heard of Sudocrem before, but I just Googled it. I have never seen it in a pharmacy near my house (in north Atlanta), and I think the American version of it is CeraVe, which I have been using on my arms and legs for about a week. It has really helped the eczema on my forearms, near my wrists. It's already started to heal!
I meant coconut oil!! Sorry about that, the cat was after his dinner when I was writing my post yesterday! He does not take no for an answer 🙂
Yes coconut oil overnight with a shower cap on once weekly has been amazingly good for my hair. What with my frilly cap and my white sudocremed chin.. its amazing my husband can keep his hands off me!! What a goddess I am..
I think Cerave is the US version of Sudocrem too.
How is it going for you today?
I got shouted at by my mother today..! I finish work early on a Friday and went for lunch with Mummy dearest, we were in the ladies and I was scrutinizing my face in the mirror and having a good old moan about a couple of spots when my Mum really snapped at me and said ' Well Nicola if we all stood 2 inches from the mirror under a bright light and had a good stare we would all find faults wouldn't we??' Thing is she is right. We are all our worst critic aren't we? So I shut my face and decided to be positive and felt a lot better for it actually..
Today I have itchy hands. That's new.. but then again I have had that in the past? I think the trouble with accutane that anything remotely different you start getting a bit paranoid..
Is your skin improving? I have had no cysts since end of November but a slight increase in what I would call normal spots. Overall though the skin texture is vastly improved. Your acne looks really mild to me..but I know its how you feel. People said to me, its only a few spots but when they are on your face its a different matter..
One last thing.. God I am rambling on.. I spoke to my friend who was on accutane 20 years ago last night and he told me that it probably saved his life. He had chronic and I mean seriously chronically bad acne. Cysts a couple of inches wide covered his face. He was a a bit of a guinea pig for his derm at the time with what was a relatively new drug. He told me he was feeling suicidal because of his acne. People who go on and on about banning this drug should think about that..He is doing well and his happy...oh and he has a full head of hair..I checked!!! 🙂
bye for now!! x
Yes the hair loss!! I worried about that too. Although I spoke to two people who had been on accutane pre internet and they looked at my like I was stupid when I said about hair loss/ condition, they were not aware of it? Which makes me wonder how much we hone in on it because we know about it! I also wonder how much is caused by body image problems, i:e the acne has gone what can I focus on now? This is not to say it doesn't affect the hair but it certainly does not affect everybody. I know all about hair loss. Years ago I was seriously ill and when I started to recover my hair shed like mad, probably a combination of drugs, weight loss and illness, God it was like a kitten coming off my head everyday but it did stop and my hair regained its original thickness although it was wispy at the ends for a good.Weirdly nobody else noticed but me..! My hair is actually doing better because I stopped flat ironing it and actually have started looking at it.. so we shall see! If we become slap heads we can swap tips on wigs!!
Cysts are the absolute worst on they?? When you have something on your face that has its own heartbeat its time to take action!!
It is really good to talk to someone who has the same issue and is going through the same thing! My advice to myself and to you is that we know our bodies better than anyone and if problems do start to occur we know if its not normal for us and if it is a manageable problem or not. We have to listen to ourselves... oh and God damn moisturise!!
Get some coconut for your hair..amazing stuff!! It really does help. Also can you get sudocrem in the US?? Brilliant for helping to heal active and healing spots!
Let me know how you are doing!
xx
...
Awesome advice! Do you mean coconut oil for the hair?
I've never heard of Sudocrem before, but I just Googled it. I have never seen it in a pharmacy near my house (in north Atlanta), and I think the American version of it is CeraVe, which I have been using on my arms and legs for about a week. It has really helped the eczema on my forearms, near my wrists. It's already started to heal!
I meant coconut oil!! Sorry about that, the cat was after his dinner when I was writing my post yesterday! He does not take no for an answer
Yes coconut oil overnight with a shower cap on once weekly has been amazingly good for my hair. What with my frilly cap and my white sudocremed chin.. its amazing my husband can keep his hands off me!! What a goddess I am..
I think Cerave is the US version of Sudocrem too.
How is it going for you today?
I got shouted at by my mother today..! I finish work early on a Friday and went for lunch with Mummy dearest, we were in the ladies and I was scrutinizing my face in the mirror and having a good old moan about a couple of spots when my Mum really snapped at me and said ' Well Nicola if we all stood 2 inches from the mirror under a bright light and had a good stare we would all find faults wouldn't we??' Thing is she is right. We are all our worst critic aren't we? So I shut my face and decided to be positive and felt a lot better for it actually..
Today I have itchy hands. That's new.. but then again I have had that in the past? I think the trouble with accutane that anything remotely different you start getting a bit paranoid..
Is your skin improving? I have had no cysts since end of November but a slight increase in what I would call normal spots. Overall though the skin texture is vastly improved. Your acne looks really mild to me..but I know its how you feel. People said to me, its only a few spots but when they are on your face its a different matter..
One last thing.. God I am rambling on.. I spoke to my friend who was on accutane 20 years ago last night and he told me that it probably saved his life. He had chronic and I mean seriously chronically bad acne. Cysts a couple of inches wide covered his face. He was a a bit of a guinea pig for his derm at the time with what was a relatively new drug. He told me he was feeling suicidal because of his acne. People who go on and on about banning this drug should think about that..He is doing well and his happy...oh and he has a full head of hair..I checked!!!
bye for now!! x
Sorry I didn't reply sooner, hon. Busy weekend. My first weekend out in forever, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I thought you might have meant coconut oil, but I just wanted to make sure.
I visited my hairstylist this past Friday, and she recommended that I use Redken All Soft shampoo and conditioner. I have no idea if you can purchase Redken products in the U.K., but they really are amazing. My hair feels (obviously) soft, full, and voluminous after washing with the shampoo and conditioner. The problem I was having with my hair before buying the All Soft products wasn't so much hair loss, but that my hair had become lifeless and limp. My new shampoo and conditioner don't totally reverse these issues, but it definitely helps correct them. Plus, the fragrance is to die for.
I am doing okay, but I am noticing that I have begun to feel more fatigued during the day. I find it weird that I'm experiencing this a little over two months into my Accutane course, because a classmate from school who began the medication herself a few months before I started it told me she felt "tired all the time". I assumed that she meant she began feeling fatigue right away after starting 'Tane, but I didn't ask for further explanation. Looking back, I should have.
How long was it before you began to feel worn out/tired after taking Accutane? Or do you feel tired at all?
Also, I'm noticing more aches in my hips and knees. The soreness has seemed to become increasingly noticeable in the past couple of weeks. It's not terrible, but I realize that I have to be careful with exercise. My derm recommended that I do "light" yoga and use my elliptical machine for workouts. Do you have a workout regimen, or have you noticed that the Accutane has affected your movements at all?
Your mom is absolutely right, and I think it's amazing that you have a mom to dispense that kind of advice to you. Mine's the same way, although I think she sometimes enjoys handing out her motherly advice just a bit too much. Haha.
Glad you shared that story with me about your friend who took the Accutane 20 years ago. That was so helpful to read, and it also helped cement in my mind that I am making the right decision in taking this drug. Even if it is a huge pain in the butt while I'm taking it.
Hope to share more with you soon. Until next time!
Week 11 Update-
Dosage: 60 mg (30 mg/2 x daily)
I took those three pictures posted above last week while waiting on my hairstylist (the one who recommended that I use Redken All Soft shampoo and conditioner for my hair, due to it's now-dry texture). So really, they're week 10 pictures, but the overall texture and appearance of my scarring is the same. I don't plan on taking pics every week that I update this thread, however I thought I'd capture the scars and texture of my cheeks in different, brighter morning light.
The reason my face might appear a little shiny is because when I'm not out with friends, or dressed up a bit nicer to go someplace, I usually apply a thin coat of Vaseline to my cheeks, forehead, and outer eye area. These are the places that dry out the most on my face, and my cosmetic derm told me that if I feel that my face is too dry, then it's perfectly okay to wear petroleum jelly on my face since it's non-comedogenic. Also, I tend to use a generous amount on my lips, and save my Corti Balm lip balm for when I go out. Though I think the Vaseline is a better moisturizer for the lips, it's obviously not practical to tote around in a bag.
The only updates to report this week are that my knees and hips seem more stiff and sore. I volunteered a couple of half days at the nonprofit medical clinic near my house this past week, and by 5:00 P.M., my knees and hips were killing me. I love the work, but it makes me sad that even 4 hours on my feet makes my joints hurt.
Also, it seems that I have a few more cysts on both sides of my chin and lower jaw. They have been present for a little over a week, and I'm worried that they're appearing as a result of the Accutane not working. Does anyone know if I'm getting these new cysts because the Accutane isn't helping me, after all? Is it normal to have cystic acne nearly 3 months into my treatment?
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Week 12 Update-
Dosage: 60mg (30 mg/2 x daily)
In case anyone following this thread is interested, I created a photo album with 9 pics that depict my acne scarring after 3 months on Accutane;
I probably won't post new pics again until I hit the 16 week (4 month) mark.
Not too many new symptoms to report this week other than 2 nights this past week in which I felt extreme aching and soreness. I had been out and about each of those days for several hours, and by the time it was evening, I could barely sit down in a chair without feeling pain. My lower back, knees, and hips are the areas that feel the worst at the end of the day. To combat the pain, I take a dose of 600 mg (3 capsules) of Advil liquigels once a day. It's my go-to pain reliever. Also, I apply extra large patches of my drugstore's brand of Icy Hot when I'm about to go to bed. Those patches have really been helping.
I told my former dermatologist about my nostrils drying out in the cold weather here, and she recommended that I buy Ayr saline nasal gel to rub inside the nostrils and at the base of each nostril. It's been a pretty good product so far, but I also like to use Ayr's saline nasal mist inside my nasal passages, as well. The gel itself doesn't really come into contact with the inside of the nasal membranes, and those are what seem to bother me more than anything else.
Finally, I still have around 3 cysts along my jawline, but they feel as if they've shrunk a bit. Also, it looks like I've acquired 7-8 whitish papules on my cheeks and near my temples. It makes me wonder if this new crop of papules is a part of the process of being on Accutane, or if it's because I've applied too much Vaseline to my face on my days off. Does anybody know if Vaseline can cause papules/whiteheads to appear on the face, even though it's non-comedogenic?
More details coming soon.
Week 13 Update-
Dosage: 60 mg (30/2x daily)
Short update today, because there's not much new to report. The only differences I've noticed in my side-effects have been increased anxiety and stress, My doctor told me to monitor my emotional state closely, and I believe the reasons for an increase in these side-effects have been because of a few unhappy events in my life recently. That, and because I started my menstrual period last week, which came 4 days early.
I've never had a period come that early before, and I'm wondering if it's because of the recent stressful events in my life combined with the medication. If anyone has an answer for that, I'd love to hear it.
Also, my doc didn't properly calculate out the amount of pills I'd have to take this month. So, over this weekend I have to cut my dosage in half in order to keep taking meds until Monday when I have my appointment. Not cool. Next time, I'll have to double check the physician's calculations to make sure I'll have enough for the rest of February.
That's all for now.
Hello Cherry soda!! So sorry I been missing. I have been away with work and them got the flu.. I have been in bed for a week feeling like death! Your skin looks amazing.. you are glowing!! Good for you girl!! I am clear bar 2 smallish but bloody well persistent cystic zits! One refuses to die. Seriously it has been there before xmas. It goes down then starts to raise again. I am unbelievably annoyed with it..However in the grand scheme of things I am doing good! My overall skin texture is massively improved.. and no blackheads!! Yaaay!! Its hard to say about the tiredness because I have been working really hard and have had the flu so I am really fatigued anyway. Also the weather here in the uk is not so good and I got my usual winter blues 
I tell you what is irritating me.. red marks from past spots. i don't if it is the accutane or my pale skin but they seem more pronounced. Do you have that issue?? I am wondering if they will finally fade post accutane.Anyway I should shut up with the moaning really because my skin generally looks good!
I love Redken products! I am currently transitioning from straight hair (Brazillian blowouts!) to my natural curls so I am trying take care of my hair.Weirdly my scalp feels a lot healthier with low dose accutane than it did before. I used to get greasy dandruff (lovely i know) and that has cleared up. No more itching! I am using argan oil as well and getting regular trims.
I will post some pics of skin if you would like..I am very similar to yourself. Actually looking at your skin has made me feel loads better because I look at you and think there is nothing wrong with cherry soda's skin. She has good skin, just the odd blemish which is normal! So I think it has made me re-evaluate myself and realize it is not a huge problem. Hope that make sense! You look good is what I am trying say! x
By the way I meant to say getting the cysts still is normal. I rang my derm yesterday for a new prescription and he assured me my progress is normal. The cysts will eventually die. It can take months for persistent cysts to go because they are so deep and it can take a 4-6 mths for accutane to work so new cysts are to be expected I guess.. We will get there!!
Hey Nicolacat,
Glad to hear from you again! Don't worry about being MIA for a little while. It's that time of year, and people are getting sick, losing power, and getting snowbound over here in the southern U.S.. I totally understand having more pressing issues on your mind!
So annoying that I haven't been able to quote people's posts on the threads I participate in on Acne.org lately. What is the deal? The site has been screwy as of late, and I can't figure out if that's because they're trying to make changes to the Acne.org forums, or what. Whatever the case may be, I hope that you read this reply I've written to your latest post on this thread.
Thanks for the compliments about my skin. You are awesome. You have no idea how much it helps to hear that from someone who is experiencing the same things I am at the same time. While I do appreciate it when clear-skinned people notice my improvements, and compliment me on them, I think it means a little bit more to hear encouraging words from fellow acne-sufferers. Only they are truly capable of understanding what it's like to undergo the pain of acne itself, the frustration of trying different treatments, and the endless wondering of whether or not we'll finally find a "cure" for our condition and scarring.
And yes. Yay to no blackheads!
In regard to your question about the red spots (you mean hyperpigmentation, right?), I have not had such an issue. I'm fairly pale myself, Fitzpatrick skin type II, and what I've noticed is that my hyperpigmentation actually fades much more quickly than it used to while on Accutane. My dermatologist told me that this would happen. Maybe that's something you should ask your derm.
Oh yeah, I used to get grease + dandruff, too. Not pretty. I had to wash my hair every other day, or else it would look like I literally poured cooking oil in my hair. Now, I can go about 2-3 days in between washes. I did learn the hard way about not scrubbing my scalp, though. I was avoiding using my fingernails while shampooing, because I was afraid I'd somehow damage my scalp while on Accutane. I ended up with a nice, new batch of dandruff and had to shampoo my hair twice in a row with the medicated dandruff shampoo. Ugh. My P.A. told me that it's perfectly fine to scrub with fingernails from now on, as long as I don't tear at the scalp.
Please post pics of your skin, I would love that!
Also, what is your moisturizing routine? I watched this video yesterday, made by a guy from Australia who says that he wishes he had "bathed" in copper peptides while using Accutane;
Have you ever heard of an Accutane patient using something like copper peptides, or vitamins to moisturize while on the medication in order to prevent scarring? I haven't. I left him a question about it in the comment section of his video, so hopefully I will get an answer from him later on. I will most certainly report back here if I do.
Talk to you soon.
Hey, CherrySoda, have any more pictures for us? 
From what I've seen, your scarring doesn't look that bad! Actually, you're quite lucky! So glad you didn't get those "rabbit hole" scars! Your skin doesn't look that hyperpigmented, either, though it could be the lighting.
I've never heard of topical peptides specifically for preventing acne scars. I don't think they would anyway, because copper peptides are pretty weak for stimulating collagen. Not to mention peptides needing very specific formulation requirements.
Week 14 Update-
Dosage: 60 mg (30 mg/2 x daily)
A big chunk of my update for Week 14 was just included in my reply to Nicolacat above. If those following this thread, (or visiting it) are curious, please feel free to check out my post immediately preceding this one.
I visited my new P.A. for the first time on February 10th, and I already have a pretty good feeling about her. I like the fact that she observed a pesky cyst remaining on the left side of my jaw for the past month, and told me plainly that she did not like it being there going into the 4th month of my Accutane course. Gotta love forthright people. One way into my favor is through tactful honesty, and I certainly appreciated hers.
According to the new P.A., I will be on a 6th month course of Accutane, which I totally expected. I already discussed this probability with my former dermatologist, who has now moved on to bigger and better things. I will miss her terribly, even though I know that there is a season for everything.
My acne is moderate, but so persistent that it seemed inevitable for me to be on Accutane for an entire 6 months. I'm not happy about this, but am willing to do whatever I need to in order to clear myself of this condition. I avoided taking this medication for as long as possible, but now that I am taking it, I have mentally prepared myself for being on Accutane for as long as I need to.
My P.A. and I discussed the idea of my taking 80 mg daily for the last 2 months of my being on the medication. I am completely on board with this. So, during my last 8 weeks of updating this thread while on Accutane, I anticipate that I'll describe increased soreness, achy joints, mood swings and anxiety and (maybe) blurry vision. What fun!
Last weekend, I was only able to take half my Accutane dosage. I talked about this in detail in my Week 13 Update. I worried that my body would respond to this in a negative way, and maybe I'd break out badly, or something along those lines. Fortunately, that wasn't the case. My skin is still continuing to respond the same way it has even here at the end of Week 14.
And those are all the new details I have for now. More next week.
Hi, Michelle
No new pictures yet. I don't plan on posting any more until Week 16, but you're welcome to check out all the photos I posted on January 31st. I made an album documenting my scarring and skin texture 3 months into my Accutane course;
Some of the photos I included in my Week 12 Update on this thread are in that album. Hopefully, you'll find it helpful.
Also, what's a rabbit hole scar? Do you have a link to a picture of that type of scarring? I'm curious now.
I didn't know that patients in the U.S. were allowed to be on a low-dose maintenance regimen after taking a higher-dose 6 month course. My former derm told me that once my 6 months was up, I will need to take a break from it. Then, I will monitor myself, or be monitored, for another 6 months in order to decide if I should be on a second course of Accutane.
Do you live in the U.S.? If so, how do you know about patients in the States taking low-dose maintenance courses?
Grrr. Can't upload anything. Yet another thing that's wrong with the forums.
You know how rabbit holes/burrows have one entry and one exit point, maybe even more? That's sometimes happens in the most severe cases. I can't remember the medical term for it, (my textbook has to be around here somewhere...) but the inflammation is so extensive and severe that the lesions wind up "digging" out space between two pores, sometimes even more pores! Hence, you get the "tunnel". It typically happens on the back, but sometimes on the face.
Whoops, I should've clarified earlier. Well, you can't take isotretinoin/Accutane every day (you still need a break, etc.), but sometimes dermatologists put a few patients on low doses for a while. Intermittent maintenance dosing is still in the experimental stage for moderate acne in particular. And yes, I do live in the U.S.
I know about these things because I talk to dermatologists a lot, I own quite a few medical textbooks, and I want to become a dermatologist one day!
Michelle,
Wow. I had never even heard of low-dose maintenance Accutane courses. Makes me want to talk to my P.A. about it. I'm so glad you mentioned them to me, because I probably never would have known about them otherwise.
I think I might have had a "rabbit hole" scar once on my left cheek, but I'm not sure. In any case, I don't anymore, because I've had punch excisions and grafts on my scarring.
"Maintenance" courses are actually quite rare, since most people don't need to go beyond 2-3 courses anyway--I mean, if your acne returns and can't be managed with topicals, they'll put you on another course, sure. That's how it usually goes.
I've heard of those with extremely oily skin go through (intermittent) low-dose courses, as well as some very severe acne-like conditions. Like I said before, the (intermittent) low-dose maintenance courses are being studied right now with patients having anywhere from mild to severe acne.
Like this one: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17710426 <--this one has full text available, if you want to read it.
It requires more study, of course, but it looks really promising!
Edit: Yay for your scar improvement! 
Michelle,
I will definitely have to check out that article when I have more time. I'm supposed to be concentrating on some algebra homework right now. No fun. Thanks so much, girl!
Also, Ashley James (guy from the YouTube vid I posted) responded to my question about moisturizing while on Accutane. He was really prompt at getting back to me, which is awesome;
"Hey! Wow good for you, glad you're on your way to clear skin. Vaseline is amazing for dry skin while on accutane! I'd stick to what your deem told you to do. You're going to love the results "