Hey cdog!

I just finished my first month on 10 mg/day of accutane (epuris to be exact). I'm 25, never had acne before but then when I hit 24 my face decided to go nuts. I tried a bunch of topical creams and pretty radical diets for a year, none of that worked. So gave in and started on accutane a month ago.

Being completely honest, the side effects suck. I'm only on 10 mg/day but I have severe bloating, digestion problems, extremely dry lips and skin, redness, my skin went nuts for a week and purged terribly, I have terrible joint pain, really dry eyes, my hair has been falling out, headaches, the list goes on. It seems like every day that I'm taking the medication the more side effects pop up and the more severe they get. It's not pleasant, and I've had to make quite a few lifestyle changes in the last month.

But on the other hand dealing with my crap skin has been worse....in a sense.

I'm sticking it out for another month, the dry skin and lips can be dealt with somewhat easily. It's just the issues with my stomach and joints that are really driving me nuts. It's also a bit frustrating not being able to exercise properly anymore (I used to run about 25 km a week), and not being able to drink socially. I know it's a small sacrifice in return for nice skin. But it can get annoying at times.

Have you tried any prescription topical creams?

If you haven't, maybe look into:

-Tazorac - It does take about 12 weeks to start working, but it is a lot less harsh that accutane, I am actually still using this as my topical while I'm on accutane. You will still experience some redness and a bit of peeling at the start, and the dreaded purging. But it seems to work quite well, it also helps fade scars!

-Tactuo - It's essentially really really strong benzoyl peroxide. It bleaches everything and anything it comes in contact with so be careful! But I know a lot of people with severe cystic acne have had a lot of luck with this product. I was unfortunately allergic to benzoyl peroxide so I didn't have much luck with it.

Have you tried any changes in your diet, like cutting out dairy? I know that some people have had luck with that.

Another thing I would try is using apple cider vinegar as your toner. Mix 1 part ACV with 3 parts water.

I know some people also swear by drinking it (diluted with water) every day. Maybe look into this as well?

I think since you're still so young (I would kill to be 18 again, best age ever!), I would recommend trying few other options like the topical creams before turning to something so harsh like accutane.

But since I know how difficult it is to deal with crappy skin and I can understand that you may just want to go all in and start on the accutane. Just keep in mind the everyone's body reacts so differently to the drug.

If the side effects are too severe you can always stop. Just remember that the side effects really dont start showing until week 2. Also remember that your skin will purge and get worse before it gets better. Some people have an intense purging period, and some have it for only a few days. It really depends on your dosage, your body reaction to the drug, if you use any topicals etc.

Hopefully that helps!

Hey cdog!

I just finished my first month on 10 mg/day of accutane (epuris to be exact). I'm 25, never had acne before but then when I hit 24 my face decided to go nuts. I tried a bunch of topical creams and pretty radical diets for a year, none of that worked. So gave in and started on accutane a month ago.

Being completely honest, the side effects suck. I'm only on 10 mg/day but I have severe bloating, digestion problems, extremely dry lips and skin, redness, my skin went nuts for a week and purged terribly, I have terrible joint pain, really dry eyes, my hair has been falling out, headaches, the list goes on. It seems like every day that I'm taking the medication the more side effects pop up and the more severe they get. It's not pleasant, and I've had to make quite a few lifestyle changes in the last month.

But on the other hand dealing with my crap skin has been worse....in a sense.

I'm sticking it out for another month, the dry skin and lips can be dealt with somewhat easily. It's just the issues with my stomach and joints that are really driving me nuts. It's also a bit frustrating not being able to exercise properly anymore (I used to run about 25 km a week), and not being able to drink socially. I know it's a small sacrifice in return for nice skin. But it can get annoying at times.

Have you tried any prescription topical creams?

If you haven't, maybe look into:

-Tazorac - It does take about 12 weeks to start working, but it is a lot less harsh that accutane, I am actually still using this as my topical while I'm on accutane. You will still experience some redness and a bit of peeling at the start, and the dreaded purging. But it seems to work quite well, it also helps fade scars!

-Tactuo - It's essentially really really strong benzoyl peroxide. It bleaches everything and anything it comes in contact with so be careful! But I know a lot of people with severe cystic acne have had a lot of luck with this product. I was unfortunately allergic to benzoyl peroxide so I didn't have much luck with it.

Have you tried any changes in your diet, like cutting out dairy? I know that some people have had luck with that.

Another thing I would try is using apple cider vinegar as your toner. Mix 1 part ACV with 3 parts water.

I know some people also swear by drinking it (diluted with water) every day. Maybe look into this as well?

I think since you're still so young (I would kill to be 18 again, best age ever!), I would recommend trying few other options like the topical creams before turning to something so harsh like accutane.

But since I know how difficult it is to deal with crappy skin and I can understand that you may just want to go all in and start on the accutane. Just keep in mind the everyone's body reacts so differently to the drug.

If the side effects are too severe you can always stop. Just remember that the side effects really dont start showing until week 2. Also remember that your skin will purge and get worse before it gets better. Some people have an intense purging period, and some have it for only a few days. It really depends on your dosage, your body reaction to the drug, if you use any topicals etc.

Hopefully that helps!

Tazorac sounds like something I'd definitely like to try, thanks!

After having it for two years, I definitely did want to jump straight in, but he numerous stories of the long term effects is what made me re-evaluate. Did you have similar thoughts/concerns?

I agree with everything you said though, thanks for the response. I definitely think it will be worth the time trying to discover something else to help me. I work a lot and have a slightly bad diet if I'm being honest with you, but there's a limit to what's achievable to cut out. I'd also love to hear how you've been getting on with the lower dose, thanks!

Hey cdog,

It was definitely the side effects that had me avoid going on it for so long. Its not even the side effects that I'm going through right now that scare me. Its like you said, all the possible long term side effects are worrisome. Not to mention, there is still that possibility that your acne will return after and you may have to repeat the whole process over again.

It just got to a point for me that I was sick of having my acne determine my mood for that day, or if I was even going to leave the house. I think sometimes people forget that acne doesn't only affect your skin and physical appearance. It can really affect your self confidence and self esteem.

The low dose has definitely helped, but I haven't seen drastic changes just yet. Supposedly I won't see them until the end of month 2, which is why I'm going to tough it out a bit longer. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!