Hi everyone!
This is my first time posting. I was hoping to get some advice on my accutane situation.
In short I have suffered from cystic acne for around ten years. When I was 16 I went on my first course of accutane with no problems. My skin was clear and balanced for around 4 years. However, for the past year my acne has returned. I went to see a derm who put me back of accutane.
HERE comes the problem....
My derm is taking me off accutane after just a month because my cholesterol and liver enzyme (ALT) levels are quite high.
I am baffled by what could be causing this. I had no issues during my first treatment when I was on a higher dose (40 - 60mg now on 20mg)
My doctor won't give me any medication and has instead given me differin (0.3%) to use. I so frustrated with my acne. I know I shouldn't care about something so superficial but having acne has destroyed my self-confidence and I just wish it would go away. I've spent more the majority of my life dealing with acne and it's a pain in the butt
Any words of wisdom out there?
The same thing happened to me last September. After 1 month on 20mg a day my numbers were in the 4 and 5 hundreds. It honestly sucked. I was also put in differin. At this point you just have to keep moving forward. Use the topical retinoid, ask for an anti microbial ( such as BP or a topical antibiotic) and look at other factors that may affect your acne such as diet, stress, etc. I eventually had to stop differin as it was exasperating my eczema and now I'm on the hunt for something else.
Keep your head up
Hugs from NY
I second the above post.
Panoxyl Benzoyl Peroxide Creamy wash followed by Clindamycin in the am, and then using differin at night following a gentle cleanser helped clear my skin. I recognize everyone's different, and my situation is different from yours - no Accutane ever.
Have you ever been on birth control for acne?
I second the above post.
Panoxyl Benzoyl Peroxide Creamy wash followed by Clindamycin in the am, and then using differin at night following a gentle cleanser helped clear my skin. I recognize everyone's different, and my situation is different from yours - no Accutane ever.
Have you ever been on birth control for acne?
Thank you so much for your replies and your support 
I really appreciate it
Oh gosh acne has been a ten year struggle for me. Over the past decade I've tried everything:
- Antibiotics (minocycline, doxycycline, tetracycline)
- Topicals (Clindamycin, Retin-A, Differin 0.1%, Differin 0.3%, salicylic acid, Benzac)
- BCP (Yas, Yasmine, Diane-35)
- Accutane
- Chemical peels
I have an an allergy to benzac so I have always avoided it. I am thinking about spiro because I think my acne may be hormonal (not entirely sure).. but my derm is really reluctant to put me on any medication because she considers me to be too reactive.
I've had terrible experiences with BCP where its clear but when I go off it my skin freaks out and is ten times worse.
I've read stuff about accutane and increases in liver enzyme levels and cholesterol but I had borderline high cholesterol to begin with and had a poor diet during my one month of accutane. I spoke to my derm about this and she said my diet shouldn't impact my cholesterol and that it must be the accutane.