Hi, sorry to hear your acne is coming back. I don't know if using harsh products could cause your acne to come back as you describe but I agree that it is important to use gentle skincare products. For a while before accutane I didn't use moisturiser and didn't feel I needed it. It was someone at a cosmetics counter that seemed shocked at this and told me I should always use one before makeup and at night. Perhaps she had an alterior motive for telling me this! But she said that if I didn't use moisturiser my skin would produce more oil which seemed plausible and I've heard that elsewhere too and Dan's regimen includes one and I have alot of respect for the regimen because it is the only thing that touched my acne other than roaccutane. Since roaccutane my skin looks a bit dry if I don't use one so it's an easy decision for me now.

I tend to use dermatological skincare brands as the products were developed with dermatologists. My morning and night moisturisers (see sig) are designed specifically for people on or following acne treatments like roaccutane. They are a bit pricey though (£9.50) so if that is a bit much I'd recommend the brand "Simple." They do gentle moisturisers and a good foaming gel cleanser which is suitable for acne prone skin. I actually wonder if the cleanser I am currently using is a bit harsh as it has salicylic acid in it but it is one of the last ingredients. The other cleanser I sometimes use is La Roche Posay Effaclar. I think that is not too harsh but still leaves me feeling clean! I have tried some gentler cleansers and I still felt like I had a film of oil/dirt after using them.

The other thing I use on my face is AHA on Dan's recommendation, to try and fade my red marks and exfoliate as I find I do get a bit flaky if I don't use it as I stay absolutely clear of scrub cleansers.

Hope that helps and good luck with your second course

Hey! Sorry to hear about your breakouts i have been in roaccutane for 28 days so far due to really bad acne on my back since i was 15 (im now 25). My face is never without a spot but i wouldn't have described it as acne. Im currently taking 60mg daily and my dermatologists hope i will be on them for 3 months

Before i started roaccutaine i would baby wipe my face then put foundation straight on (no mouisturiser) and would have to powder my face throughout the day to keep it from looking shiney & greasey. I was really shocked at how sore and red my fave went after the first week and realised i couldnt use my lucury creams, lotions & potions anymore!! So here is my regieme and it has worked really well so far for me

In shower =

simple soap for face and body. If i need to exfoliate i wet a flannel with warm water & gently exfoliate in small circular motions with lots and lots of soap foamed. I apply baby oil straight out of the shower all over my body and rub in. Or i will use just aqueous cream (like £5 for a huge tub from pharmacy). At night i literally lather my fave in aqueous cream (something i never thought i would ever do!!)

Mornings =

Im a nurse and shower the night before, so i wake up, babywipe my face then apply a layer of mouisturiser (im using a No.7 one currently) then as that still feels quite wet on my fave mix half foundation & half No.7 and apply.

This has helped with the dryness and soreness (which i suffered a lot in the first two weeks!)

I swear by aqueous cream and defo mouisturise lots & lots whilst on these!

Hope this helps

Xoxoxox