Hi everyone! So I am a 21-year-old girl who has struggled on and off with acne since I was about 14. My acne was pretty bad when I was 14, and my dermatologist managed to get it very clear with antibiotics and some topicals. Since then I have experienced LONG periods of clear skin (2+ years) with occasional breakouts that were usually not very long-lasting. However, my skin has not been clear now for AT LEAST 6-7 months. I am getting so frustrated and tired of always wondering how long my clear skin will last, I just want to finally have PERMANENT beautiful skin.
My acne at this point is VERY mild. I know it is nothing compared to what many people struggle with (although I have struggled with the more severe in the past). The acne that I get now are very small bumps. As the day goes on they fade to being pretty close to my actual skin color. I have never struggled with cystic acne, just these small resistant bumps. I also have always had pretty oily skin. At this point, I am so fed up I am thinking about going on accutane. My younger brother (17) just finished his course and has beautiful skin. I am just so scared of the side effects...I am a nursing student who can have high periods of stress and I worry about this medication affecting my performance during 12-hour clinicals.
Has anyone had a similar experience to me?
Has anyone been on this low-dose accutane that I have reading about on the internet?
I would love to hear everyone's opinions and experiences. My current regimen is spironolactone, doxycycline (this is what had kept me clear for so long and now seems to be failing me), and finacea (topical).
Thanks in advance!
Hey. few hours ago i got prescribed accutane and i'm planning on starting it tonight already. I've been afraid of taking it for several years, but i finally decided to do it. I asked my derm about a low dose / micro dosage of accutane. I ended up agreeing to a 20mg a day for a few weeks, then i might start with a higher dosage. I'm quite nervous to be honest. I might even start taking 20 mg every 2 days without telling my derm 
. we'll see..
So your brother has taken accutane? Ask him about it. There will be no body that's as close to your own as your brother's. The way he reacted to it, will most likely be the way you react to it.
That sounds like something I would like to try! I would love to hear how that works out for you. The research I have seen seems to definitely back up the lower doses, so I would say you definitely have reason to be hopeful
And yes my little brother just finished. He had horrible acne, I am no where near what he had when he started. He also had it on his back/shoulders/chest which I had when I first started getting acne, that however (thankfully) cleared up and never came back. He definitely had side effects, I would say his reaction was pretty typical. Very chapped lips and dry skin. Also pretty significant fatigue. But overall nothing too serious. I have been off at college while he has been on it so didn't get to observe it day-by-day. But man does he look good now! He said it was rough to go through but worth it.
2 hours ago, Moisturer said:Just took my first pill. Going to be either my best decision or my worst. I'm only afraid of permanent side effects which people have reported quite a bit about on this site .. But i have to assume that's extremely unlikely..
Good luck, I wish you the best! I really hope it turns out being the best decision for you and I'm sure you will find success! I too may start an Accutane treatment soon, hopefully at a low dosage as I am a lightweight.
UPDATE: Went to derm yesterday, and she was completely fine with giving me accutane. I will start with 30 mg once a day and then bump that to twice a day for a 60 mg total after a month. Of course can't get started for 30 days :/ I took my pregnancy test yesterday, but for some reason the medical assistant refused to register me yesterday and said I had to wait until Monday? I actually called iPledge and they told me she should have already registered me. Ugh! I know it's just a couple days difference, but we all know how hard it is when anything prolongs this process. I am seeing another derm Monday to get a second opinion on getting a lower dose as I was hoping to at least start out with 20 mg or less...plus my experience at the office yesterday was not all that great so I would consider transferring my care if they would accept me and it wouldn't prolong the process. But anyway, the important thing is I'm going to get Accutane! Excited but very nervous at the same tim.