I'm about 7 weeks into my second course of accutane so I feel your pain! The first time round it worked for my teenage acne across my forehead, but since then I developed adult acne around my mouth and jaw that has been resistant to eeeeeverything else. Although I can see cycles of an initial breakout followed by lots of drying out and peeling, I'm not convinced its any better overall just yet and it's been 6 years since I last took it so can't remember how long it takes to kick in!

Exercise is meant to be good for your skin providing you wash your face immediately afterwards (your pores open when you sweat, and you want to wash it all away before they close again). I really hope running isn't a problem as I signed up to a marathon a few weeks ago... Going to check with the dermatologist when I go back though.

I'd say three things have helped me big time - being really on it with drinking water, and quitting alcohol and dairy. The water and alcohol things don't necessarily stop me from getting actual spots, but they definitely help the rest of my skin look fresher. Dairy definitely makes a big difference to the number of spots I get, and cutting it out has meant I'm mainly dealing with a few super stubborn ones rather than loads of new ones appearing.

For products I used Cetaphil cleanser which isn't too drying, and a Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm which is super thick and effective long term. My dermatologist recommended La Roche Posay as a brand - I use their moisturiser but am not convinced its better than anything else out there, and didn't get on with the lip balm at all.

Hope this helps If you've got any thoughts or tips please let me know!

Hi SLvH,

Thanks for your input :). Regarding the dairy - how easy is it to cut out? I admit, dairy is something I consume plenty off and most of it is through tea and coffee in which I have several cups daily.

I'm going to try my very best to cut it out entirely, but I tried before and really struggled with it. Plenty of sugar and milk in my cups of tea and coffee.

sorry I didnt realise you'd replied!

I have found it surprisingly easy actually. I started drinking my coffee black and got used to that pretty quickly, and then cappucino etc tastes pretty similar with soy milk. Tea took some getting used to, but is alright with soy milk also

Having said that, a bit of milk in a hot drink isn't that bad I think it's more the big dairy items - cheesy pizza, a yoghurt, ice cream etc. If milk is an ingredient in something I dont think it's going to give you a breakout unless youre super sensitive. Maybe try avoiding cheese/yoghurt etc and then slowly cut milk out of coffee

On 11/3/2016 at 8:39 PM, Thetwald said:

After failing Oxytetracycline, tetracycline, Zineryt, different over the counter face products and another course of tetracycline... I went for the Accutane.

My first course was in 2014, and it cleared me competely up until 8 months after when my acne returned. My cystic acne had cleared and I was left with moderate acne when it returned. I went onto differin cream 0.1% and then Isotrex gel which sadly failed, after some research I found the Regimen on this site.

I went through with it and it seemed to have worked but only up until the point that I always had 1 or 2 spots at any given day, and they just wouldn't go. I decided to leave it there being content with my cystic acne going and only having a spot here or there, but sadly a few months later I'm back to moderate acne.

I'm going back to my dermatologist in hopes to go onto a second course of Isotretinoin, I saw my doctor the other day for the referral.

I just wondered if anyone had some advice that I can put to use whilst on my second course. I'm still wondering if maybe I should change my diet and exercise more. Is it okay to run whilst on the drug? I'm really hoping that this second course will kill off the acne i'm dealing with now.

Any good recommendations for the dry lips? I suffered badly last time with chapsticks, and I'm using pure Aloe vera gel for moisturising which works okay for my skin.

Thanks :).

Your asking for trouble taking a second course.PM me if upi need more info.

9 hours ago, hatetane said:

On 03/11/2016 at 8:39 PM, Thetwald said:

After failing Oxytetracycline, tetracycline, Zineryt, different over the counter face products and another course of tetracycline... I went for the Accutane.

My first course was in 2014, and it cleared me competely up until 8 months after when my acne returned. My cystic acne had cleared and I was left with moderate acne when it returned. I went onto differin cream 0.1% and then Isotrex gel which sadly failed, after some research I found the Regimen on this site.

I went through with it and it seemed to have worked but only up until the point that I always had 1 or 2 spots at any given day, and they just wouldn't go. I decided to leave it there being content with my cystic acne going and only having a spot here or there, but sadly a few months later I'm back to moderate acne.

I'm going back to my dermatologist in hopes to go onto a second course of Isotretinoin, I saw my doctor the other day for the referral.

I just wondered if anyone had some advice that I can put to use whilst on my second course. I'm still wondering if maybe I should change my diet and exercise more. Is it okay to run whilst on the drug? I'm really hoping that this second course will kill off the acne i'm dealing with now.

Any good recommendations for the dry lips? I suffered badly last time with chapsticks, and I'm using pure Aloe vera gel for moisturising which works okay for my skin.

Thanks :).

Your asking for trouble taking a second course.PM me if upi need more info.

truthfully, I'm entirely confident and comfortable going onto a second course. I only suffered the common dryness issues, with lips etc. The odd nosebleed here and there.

Accutane cured my cystic acne and beat it down to just moderate acne that started to appear several months after, I have faith that it will help with my moderate acne.

Thank you

On 14/11/2016 at 8:28 PM, Slvh said:

sorry I didnt realise you'd replied!

I have found it surprisingly easy actually. I started drinking my coffee black and got used to that pretty quickly, and then cappucino etc tastes pretty similar with soy milk. Tea took some getting used to, but is alright with soy milk also

Having said that, a bit of milk in a hot drink isn't that bad I think it's more the big dairy items - cheesy pizza, a yoghurt, ice cream etc. If milk is an ingredient in something I dont think it's going to give you a breakout unless youre super sensitive. Maybe try avoiding cheese/yoghurt etc and then slowly cut milk out of coffee

Thank you for the tips! When I go onto Accutane I'll stop the tea and coffee almost entirely, since I substitute it for water to help the accutane and keeping hydrated. Perhaps I should try my best to continue with the water even after treatment finishes.

I don't usually consume dairy products other than the milk in the tea/coffee. Perhaps the odd cheese sandwich but more often than not, dairy is quite absent in my diet. I just drink a lot of tea and coffee during the day.

16 hours ago, Thetwald said:

truthfully, I'm entirely confident and comfortable going onto a second course. I only suffered the common dryness issues, with lips etc. The odd nosebleed here and there.

Accutane cured my cystic acne and beat it down to just moderate acne that started to appear several months after, I have faith that it will help with my moderate acne.

Thank you

Thank you for the tips! When I go onto Accutane I'll stop the tea and coffee almost entirely, since I substitute it for water to help the accutane and keeping hydrated. Perhaps I should try my best to continue with the water even after treatment finishes.

I don't usually consume dairy products other than the milk in the tea/coffee. Perhaps the odd cheese sandwich but more often than not, dairy is quite absent in my diet. I just drink a lot of tea and coffee during the day.

Firstly, lets hope your dermatologist has more sense than you and refuses you accutane.
accutane is very toxic and can cause you longterm/permanent serious side effects.
accutane is not meant for mild acne.
Many longterm sufferers say their problems started with their second course!

I fancy my chances hatetane, thank you for your concerns.

What would you suggest though? ( curious ). Nothing else has worked for me other than Accutane, which cleared the cystic acne, why wont it finish the moderate acne? Nothing else has, the Regimen failed me.

On 11/22/2016 at 10:39 PM, Thetwald said:

I fancy my chances hatetane, thank you for your concerns.

What would you suggest though? ( curious ). Nothing else has worked for me other than Accutane, which cleared the cystic acne, why wont it finish the moderate acne? Nothing else has, the Regimen failed me.

Unable to advise but just want to check that you know - Accutane can cause impotence permanently. Same as propecia.

Update, the dermatologist I went to advised that I take a 6 month couse of Lymecycline.

Isotetrinoin is apparantly no longer licensed for a second course, not at least without taking another 6 month of antibiotics before, and if that fails a dermatologist may prescribe a second course.

She's pretty adamant that this Lymecycline will clear my acne, and on top of that she will give me differin cream too to apply on the surface. My acne isn't acne vulgaris like it once was, and is just moderate acne.

Let's see how it goes.

Hey! Im currently on a second course for moderate acne...and it has been terrible... my skin looks worse than ever for the past FIVE months. I know this might not be typical.. but just my experience. I would recommend trying other things unless you're ok with your skin maybe reverting to something worse than what you started with. I have a few months to go so hopefully i clear up. just warning ya if you do decide to try again

First week of Lymecycline over, also using the Differin 0.1%. A slight reduction in redness, and spots seem to have decreased although still getting a few. It's the redness, blemishes and marks that annoy me the most. 5 months, 3 weeks to go!

6 months is pretty long time. Can I ask what is your dose?

2 hours ago, Umas said:

6 months is pretty long time. Can I ask what is your dose?

Hi,

I am on Lymecycline 408mg once a day + differin cream at night.

As bad as a first round of accutane is - second time around is even more dangerous.
Thetwald - Where do you come from?

33 minutes ago, Thetwald said:

Hi,

I am on Lymecycline 408mg once a day + differin cream at night.

That what I though, 408 mg seems normal in North America(that's where I quess you are from?). In Europe if we use Lymecycline is usually Tetralysal 300 mg or 150 mg, and I never could spot the difference. Ask maybe you derm about some lower dose if it is possible? There are proofs that antibiotics have good effect on acne mainly because of their anti-inflammatory characteristcs, so using as big dose as 408 mg seems redundant. Especially if plan is to use it for 6 months, safety should be a prority :> Either way, it's just an idea, something you might ask you derm, if you feel comfortable with current dose then I with you luck

1 hour ago, Umas said:

That what I though, 408 mg seems normal in North America(that's where I quess you are from?). In Europe if we use Lymecycline is usually Tetralysal 300 mg or 150 mg, and I never could spot the difference. Ask maybe you derm about some lower dose if it is possible? There are proofs that antibiotics have good effect on acne mainly because of their anti-inflammatory characteristcs, so using as big dose as 408 mg seems redundant. Especially if plan is to use it for 6 months, safety should be a prority :> Either way, it's just an idea, something you might ask you derm, if you feel comfortable with current dose then I with you luck

I'm pretty happy with current dosage, no side affects yet, anyway. And it seems to be working alongside the differin. Acne has calmed down slightly, fewer spots appearing.

So far so good!

1 hour ago, hatetane said:

As bad as a first round of accutane is - second time around is even more dangerous.
Thetwald - Where do you come from?

I'm from and live in the UK. I haven't gone onto a second round of accutane, my derm wanted me to go another route in antibiotics.

3 hours ago, Thetwald said:

I'm pretty happy with current dosage, no side affects yet, anyway. And it seems to be working alongside the differin. Acne has calmed down slightly, fewer spots appearing.

So far so good!

I'm from and live in the UK. I haven't gone onto a second round of accutane, my derm wanted me to go another route in antibiotics.

So are you sure that 2nd course of isotretinoin is unlicensed - what does this mean exactly?

9 hours ago, hatetane said:

12 hours ago, Thetwald said:

I'm pretty happy with current dosage, no side affects yet, anyway. And it seems to be working alongside the differin. Acne has calmed down slightly, fewer spots appearing.

So far so good!

I'm from and live in the UK. I haven't gone onto a second round of accutane, my derm wanted me to go another route in antibiotics.

So are you sure that 2nd course of isotretinoin is unlicensed - what does this mean exactly?

Well my dermatologist refused me a second course, and said that Isotetrinoin isn't licensed to be given for a second time after a first. Derm's can only give it a second times if everything else literally fails again, and it a desperation then.

5 hours ago, Thetwald said:

Well my dermatologist refused me a second course, and said that Isotetrinoin isn't licensed to be given for a second time after a first. Derm's can only give it a second times if everything else literally fails again, and it a desperation then.

Many thanks - I was not aware of this but think it is really good news.
In theory a first course of accutane is meant to be a last resort because of the potential for serious, longterm/permanent side effects.

6 hours ago, Thetwald said:

Well my dermatologist refused me a second course, and said that Isotetrinoin isn't licensed to be given for a second time after a first. Derm's can only give it a second times if everything else literally fails again, and it a desperation then.

Hi Thetwald,

Just wanted to confirm, I'm also in the UK and just finished a 15month low dose(20mg) treatment, 3months ago. As it was a low dose, my total cumulative dose was still lower than most standard 6month courses.

I spoke with my Dermatologist only last week and she said that she has patients that do long term, low dose(with no time limit) and was happy for me to carry on with low dose until I was ready to come off treatment, if that was what I wanted. (as long as my bloods were ok) Treatments are very individual and no set time or dosage. It really does come down to the individual person.

I'm having a break from accutane and trying a more "natural" option for a change but just wanted to let you know, there is no restrictions on accutane use if Dermatologist and patient are agreeable that treatment is going well.....

Kind regards