gutfish

Sad to hear how your acne is affecting your mental health - I just wanted to offer some hope. Your story sounds a lot like mine, I would worry about the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation left behind after a breakout - these marks were often a lot worse than the acne itself. Once my acne was under control with accutane, the marks faded much faster - a year after my course of accutane they were completely gone. Accutane didn't just clear up my acne, it improved the actual quality of my skin (softer, brighter, less inflamed, less oily, less red) so these marks were finally able to heal. I'd recommend a mild gentle AHA face wash and a good moisturiser to help speed up the healing process. Also, maybe ask your derm about azelaic acid and V Beam laser. Hope this helps 🙂

Yes, I would consider increasing the dosage. The recommended total cumulative dose is at least 120 mg per kg of your body weight (e.g. a person weighing 50 kg should have consumed a total of at least 6000 mg of isotretinoin by the end of their course.) Good luck!

Personal background: I had mild/moderate hormonal acne that was causing me a great deal of angst. I had tried benzoyl peroxide, differin, salicylic acid, azelaic acid, manuka honey, spironolactone, BC pill, microdermabrasion etc. while all of these treatments worked to some extent, nothing was perfect. Isotretinoin course: I am 40kg so I started on 10mg per day. After 3 weeks I had an initial breakout ' the worst of which lasted a month. The initial breakout is 100% worth it, it wasn't much worse than a regular breakout, only there were a few cysts. By the 5th month my skin was clear. I gradually increased my dosage over the course of a year until I was taking 40mg per day. I reached the recommended total cumulative dose of 120mg per kg, took a break from the medication for 2 months and then began an ultra low-dose maintenance course (approx. 10-20mg per week) for another year. Side effects: dry eyes, temporary joint pain (not recommended for serious athletes), dry skin, chelitis Result: 2 years later, my skin is like porcelain. I am regularly complimented on my skin by strangers who would never have guessed I had acne. The hyperpigmentation is gone. The texture of my skin is vastly improved (smooth, less oily, no redness, firmer, brighter). I still get the occasional tiny pimple once a month ' I just apply a dab of Savlon antiseptic cream. Recommended products: Bourjois healthy mix foundation, Sukin moisturiser, hydrocortisone, Sudocreme or zinc oxide (for scars and hyperpigmentation), zinc supplements, fish oil, light AHA face wash, Savlon. Consume isotretinoin with a fatty meal. Please message me with any questions, more than happy to help. I will never forget the psychological damage that my acne caused me.