I read loads of reviews the first time I thought about taking Accutane and freaked myself out. If I have started it then I wouldn't have gotten 100 times worse and been driven deeper into depression. My only regret is that I didn't take it sooner. My side effects were normal. Dry nose, lips and sometimes eyes. I bought Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream on ebay for 13 euro usually 34 in store and it is amazing. It's basically, I think, a nicer smelling Vaseline. I found it worked a lot better to, but that's just me. Use it on your lips nose and skin. It's unreal made my Accutane journey a lot easier. I know when I read all the side effects I thought no way, but if you buy any drug they all have side effects the length of your arm. Some people don't feel any side effects. I was very lucky. My back was sore the first few months but I started Pilates on youtube and it helped. Also mind your teeth! Stay strong!!!

First I wanted to say that all of the people who leave bad reviews on here who have never actually taken the drug and are not a qualified professional - do you realize that you could be impacting someones life in a major and negative way? I recommend to those considering going on Isotretinoin not to read those kinds of reviews. I think its a shame that people still view not wanting to have acne as a egotistical and conceited thing, when in fact having acne can be as debilitating as having any other mental or physical diseases. For me, having acne slowly took pieces of me away. I lost my self confidence, my relationships with others were strained, I didn't want to do a lot of the things I used to love. I was deeply depressed and I took it out on the people I loved, further alienating myself from human contact and support. I stopped looking at people hoping that they wouldn't look at me in return. And still people would tell me that my acne wasn't that big of a deal and I shouldn't worry about it so much and my all time favorite "why don't you just cover it up with makeup?". All of those things were supposed to be helpful, I know, but in reality they actually hurt more than helped because they made me feel like I didn't have a right to feel bad about the state of my own skin. Yes, women can cover up acne with makeup (if you're really good at if, which I never was) but makeup isn't supposed to be a shaming tool right? Its supposed to be fun, but for me it was a dreaded daily experience. Sorry to rant, I just want to say to anyone reading this that ITS OKAY to feel bad about your skin and don't let anyone tell you that you aren't entitled to your own feelings! I have been off of accutane for 10 weeks now and the past half year of my life has been a total turn around, I feel like I'm finally living, instead of just getting through the days. My acne was bad but it was not as bad as I have seen on these boards - I had acne ALL over my face, but the brunt of it was on my cheeks and forehead. I got everything from cystic acne to tiny bumps under the skin that never seemed to go away. My acne started in my teen years but it didn't really get that bad until my mid-twenties (when everyone around me seemed to finally have perfect skin :( ) I tried everything under the sun for years, from prescription to holistic. Finally, when I moved to a different city and got a new derm, I had had enough and she agreed that at 26 years old my skin needed a break before permanent damage was done. She put me on Absorica and since I'm only 5ft and only weigh 96 lbs my dosage was pretty low (never more than 40 mg a day). I was on it for 6 months and started to see my skin clearing by the 3rd month. I wasn't totally clear by month 6, but I attribute that to my "free and do nothing to my skin" attitude at that time (I think I had like 2 tiny pimples when I took my final pill). I've been off of it for 10 weeks now and as I sit here typing I have 2 tiny whiteheads. Now a days when I get pimples they go away lightning fast, and I haven't had any major breakouts. My skin healed up fine while I was on Absorica, I know many people say your skin heals slower but when I finished my dose most of my acne marks had faded completely. I still get a bit of redness and I have some pores that will never go back to a small normal looking size but I get compliments on my skin all the time now. I especially love not having to wear foundation (I never liked the feeling of it on my skin). I would strongly recommend the following products during treatment: -Vaseline (for inside of your nose, otherwise you will get nosebleeds) -Carmex chapstick (the only brand that actually relived my dryness) -A very gentle cleanser (I used the Paulas Choice skin balancing one) -Sunscreen (I'm serious about sunscreen care, I think if you care about your skin you need to wear sun screen every day but you especially need it while on accutane otherwise you will burn and damage your skin --I love Kiss My Face hydrating sunscreen, I still use it) -I also used a textured cloth about every 3rd day to wash my face with - I found that my skin peeled and shed so much while I was on actuate I had to get it off somehow otherwise my whole face would look very flaky) **Lotion - I used Paulas Choice skin recovery lotion but very sparingly because I hate putting tons of stuff on my face before going to sleep Optional: Probiotics, I took them and still take them now because I find they help my digestion and I think they played a big role in keeping my stomach in good shape while on accutane. I really like the Target brand chewable ones. Heating pad: my back, especially my spine hurt so much during the last two months of accutane, but a heating pad really helped to soothe it. As for side effects, all of my side effects went away in about a month (after stopping), the only one that remains is that the oil glands in my eyes dried up and are still causing me to have dry eyes. Per advice from my eye doctors, I do warm compresses on my eyes to release the dried up oils in my eyes and its mostly fine, but I definitely can't wear my contacts for 12 hours a day, everyday anymore (not that I really used to). I have had to cut back to wearing my contacts 3 days a weeks if I want to be comfortable. If you find yourself getting eye styes during treatment or having dry eyes, I would highly recommend doing warm compresses and taking fish oil (or any kind of omega-3). For the most part I still use all of the same products now that I was using while on absorica, but I have added an AHA (Paulas Choice again) to my routine as a spot treatment or all over when I feel like my skin has a lot of build up on it. I really don't HAVE to do anything other than wash my face and use a little lotion to have nice looking skin though. Sorry to post such a long review, I have been thinking about it in my head for a long time. I hope it helps someone out there to read and know you are not alone in your struggles! If I had to go on Accutane/isotretinoin/Absorica again I WOULD!

This is the only product that can help me The creams,gels didn't work for me,my acne was so bad and my face was really greasy and my hair too,now my face it's normal but i have to use sunscreen and moustrizer but it's nothing compared to the past

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.

Many people look at accutane as a highly dangerous drug that causes all kinds of problems. Before I started my course of accutane (it was actually Claravis because accutane is off the market but it's all the same) everybody would tell me that it would cause hair loss, liver failure, infertility (I'm a guy), and change in skin color. Most of the views that people who have never been on/or haven't been educated about accutane are extremely negative, but most of the things that people say about it are either completely wrong or skewed. I went into my course of treatment very scared because of all these things that people told me. Of course my body (inside and out) was dry, very dry, but it cleared up my acne without a flaw, it cleared up my acne completely. I used aquaphor on my lips and inside my nose to prevent chapping and bloody noses. I have had no bad experiences with this drug (not to say that anyone would have the same experience on me). You have to get a blood test every month to make sure that it is not disrupting bodily functions, some bodies (not many) cannot handle the drug. Thank you Accutane, for saving my skin.

I had a great experience with Accutane, or Clarus which is what I actually took. For the first three or four months I took 40mg once a day, and then the rest I alternated with taking one 40mg pill and two 40mg pill [to average at 60mg/day] Initially I had some drying, but nothing bad. After the second month my skin became quite red- it didn't hurt at all though. My lips were the dryest part, but I found the lip treatment I was using made it barely noticable. By month 7 my skin was flaking a bit more than it had been during the previous months, but a few days after my last dose it went away. My skin never went through the 'worse and than better' phase, it just got better. I still had a few pimples for the first 5 months, but nothing compared to what it was before. And then the last two months it all just went away. While I believe I was a good candidate for Accutane [had moderate acne for 13+ years, birth control, diet, antibiotics, etc never helped] I do think the reason my skin didn't react as dramatically as some was because of my skincare. I live in Toronto, so I was using some products that are local but can be purchased online/equivilents can be found. As a cleanser, I used Mario Badescu: Enzyme Cleanser. Honestly I didn't care much for this stuff, but I had purchased it so I figured I would use it. I never found cleanser affected my skin much. To remove makeup though I always use coconut oil. For a moisturizer, I used Pure + Simple: Regenerating Seabuckthorn Berry Oil. This stuff is a dream come true and I think it's the main reason my skin was so good during my treatment. You can buy other brands, as long as not just oil + fillers. Seabuckthorn Oil is great for wound healing so it's perfect for Accutane users. It's pricey but one bottle lasted me 8+ months, so in the end it's worth it. In general, I cannot reccomend oils for your face enough. I know it seems scary since most people who deal with acne also have oily skin, but I've been using oils on my skin since before I started Accutane and while it didn't clear up my skin, it made it feel great! And is way more healing than regular moisturizers that are mainly just fillers. For my lips, I used Elizabeth Arden: 8 Hour Cream. This stuff is so great. It's mega thick, you can add it to your moisturizer, apply it to burns/cuts, or do what I did and apply it straight to your lips. I found I had to apply it often when I first started my treatment but by the end it was much less often and my lips felt/looked great. I've been done treatment for a month now, and my skin looks and feels great. It's very smooth to the touch, and while I still have some scaring, I have no pimples and haven't for months. I did not experience any of the other side effects, besides dry skin/lips.

Accutane was my miracle acne cure. I had suffered from horrible breakouts and oily skin since the 7th grade. My terrible skin became quite depressing and really made my high school days tougher than they should have been. Finally around 20 years old and after using every other product known to man, my dermatologist put me on Accutane. The process is kind of a pain, but after seeing results, I didn't mind at all. A lot of people say you break out first but I didn't. About 2-3 months in, my skin was clear- no face makeup needed. For once in my life, I had beautiful, radiant and clear skin. It was so unbelievable. I'm 24 now and still think Accutane was the best thing I ever did. The oil production in my skin has returned a little but no serious breakouts. I often imagine how much smoother life would have been if I had taken Accutane much younger. Sighs.

I went on Accutane/Roaccutane twice in my early 20's. It is an amazing drug and the only cure for acne. The only side effect I had was dry lips and I just bought Elizabeth Arden's eight hour cream and that solved the problem. Do not be put off taking this wonderful drug by a few scaremongers on the internet. It gave me perfect incredible skin for 20 years. I am now 45 and some very mild acne has started to emerge and I am going on doxycycline. Accutane also has an anti ageing effect on the skin as I look about 10 years younger than my age and I put it down to having been on Roaccutane/Accutane. I told a work colleague about it who had severe acne. She went on it and now also has perfect skin and she had severe acne. So I helped change her life. Go on Roaccutane/ Accutane you will not regret it.

After 7 years of struggling with acne I was fed up... Cleaned up my diet early on, added an extensive topical regimen, and took B5 mega-doses for the last 3 years. Despite all this giving me nearly 100% clear skin, I was very fragile. One slip-up with a meal, missed dose, or feeling too stressed out and I would break out... As an added bonus, my skin was constantly oily despite an impeccable regimen. I felt trapped with life because my acne controlled me. Couldn't work out too hard or try and gain mass, couldn't travel anywhere, couldn't be my true self all the time because I was constantly on edge, making sure I took all the steps 24/7 to ensure I wouldn't break out. I knew Accutane was the only solution for years, but I was afraid to take the plunge due to all the horror stories online plus I didn't think the derm would take me seriously. Anyways, I got lucky because the derm was very understanding and I ended up getting prescribed Absorbica, a newer form of Accutane that can be taken without high fat meals - although they still help. I've been on it for a little over 5 months and am finishing up the last of my pills before I embark on an international adventure. Only side effects I experienced were dry lips, skin, and eyes. The dry eyes were the worst because I already had chronic dry eye. However, all of these issues can be ameliorated by a good moisturizer, Aquaphor, and preservative-free eye drops. Accutane has seriously improved the quality of my life to a degree I never thought was possible. I really hope the results last once I stop the medication and my only regret is not taking it sooner! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, especially if you were struggling like I was'

I started breaking out when I was 12 I am now 49. By late teens my face looked like Mt. Rushmore. I tried all the antibiotics that was out there and nothing worked then my dr prescribed Accutane and my back, arms and face cleared up and my pores was reduced. For 37 yrs my face has been cystic acne free. I don't wear makeup to cover up those nasty ugly nodules like I use to I just let my beautiful skin speak!! I thx my dr for allowing me to go through whatever I had to to have a lifelong cure. The side affects sounds horrific I know but if u follow directions and do what your dr tells u u will be very very happy FOREVER!!!!!