sean10

I know exactly how you feel. Every time I get clear, it's always temporary. Have you tried any supplements, though? I got my skin almost entirely clear taking a vitamin B complex, vitamin D3, beta carotene, zinc, and vitamin C. I stopped taking vitamin C based on some reports I read, but stopping it didn't affect my skin. You can also use a homemade vitamin C serum. I recently added DIM, which you probably wouldn't need if you're male. You may also want to try niacinamide. I read some amazing reviews, so I'm going to give it a try.

I haven't tried any supplements as I was told to avoid Zinc and Vit D while on roaccutane. I will look into it though, I've got nothing else to lose.

I feel you, Im on my 3 rd course myself. How long and how many mg were you on each time? Also are you a male or female?

80mg for 6 months each time. Completley clear every time, then it comes back extremley quickly

I'm 28 years old and feel so hopeless - I have had sevre cystic acne since I was a 14 year old kid. I finished my fith course of accutane about a month ago, and like all the other times, it was a miracle drug, cleared my skin completely; then I came off it. This time, I was completely clear after just over 6 weeks, and when I came off it at 6 months, I hadn't had a single spot in almost 4 months. Now, just 1 month afte finishing, it's back with a vengeance.

About 3 months ago, I took a new job and moved to a new city and have been loving my new life with my clear skin. I have been doing great and work and made a lot of new friends; but now? Now I absolutely dread going to work and getting on public transport and having to stand close to other commuters. I don't want to see any of the new friends I've made because they've known me with clear skin and I think my outbreaks will be far more noticeable to them.

I have tried the regimen in the past, with very limited success. I've tried about every topical cream, steroid and antibiotic and imagineable and I just don't see any light at the end of this long, painful tunnel. What's left to do? Go on accutane again, for a SIXTH time? Maybe this time it'll clear up for a few days before coming back....

I'm sure you all read threads like this every single day but it's the first time I have ever used a message board like this and just felt like I needed to write down how I feel. There isn't really anyone I can talk to about stuff like this.

I've had severe cystic acne since I was around 14. I had it all the way through school and I don't need to tell you all how emotionally draining and confidence shattering this could be for a teenage boy. When I was 18, after trying all the topicals and antibiotics, I was referred to hospital and put on accutane. It was wonderful, 5 months later and my skin was looking great and I felt like I had my life back. For 2 years my skin was perfect and then my world shattered as I started to break out once again.

This time the acne had shifted from large cysts and clusters on the forehead and temple down to the nose and cheek area. After many more years of topicals and antibiotics, I was finally referred back to hospital and put onto a second course of accutane.

As with the first course, I tolerated it very well, with minimal side effects and amazing results. Unfortunately, just 3 months after finishing the course, I've started to break out just as bad as ever. I have gone back to my GP who has once again decided to give me topical (Duac) cream.

When she prescribed the topical, I felt like I had just gone back to the start again and felt like crawling into a hole and never coming out. I think I'm just in a never ending cycle, and whilst having bad teenage acne is one thing, having adult acne and trying to talk to people at work or on nights out is so emotionally shattering for me and I can see no light at the end of this long, long tunnel.

I'm currently washing morning and evening and applying the topical cream. Washing dries my skin, moisturizer makes it oily and every morning I wake up with new painful spots and it's as bad as ever. Even simple things like shaving and eating are tough because of the large painful cysts round my mouth.

So what's next? I really don't know! I guess you just have to keep getting out of bed and get on with life! Thanks for reading this far, I just needed to vent