I never give anything a perfect review, but oral isotretinoin has certainly come close to deserving one. I was on Accutane from February to November of 2014. In my 10+ years of battling acne trying and pretty much everything, nothing has been as effective and long-lasting at completely clearing my skin. Some unpleasant side effects but for me they were worth the sacrifice, particularly since acne has such a negative effect on me psychologically (I'm a skin picker). While the results weren't exactly permanent (it relapsed but nowhere near as bad as it was in the past--I'm on Estelle right now), it did give me blemish-free skin for over a year after finishing my course of medication, and that's something no topical or contraceptive will ever come close to offering. Changed my life, no joke.

I'm a 19yr female, i started taking roaccutane in april this year. I started at 20mg a day because of my weight, i'm very thin, i have to say that even on the LOWEST dose my skin improved massively. I had dreadfully severe cystic acne in which case was progessively worsening as i grew older. The first time i experienced acne i was 14 years old and i used all sorts of antibiotics and topicals and face washes etc but nothing really worked. I kept doing this in hopes that my acne would go away when im older however it just got worse. When i found out about roaccutane i really didnt care much about the side effects as i was at my lowest point in life. My acne was disgusting i had huge cysts on my face and sometimes going in the shower would cause them to pop and i would just have pus pouring from my face (ew gross i know). So i went to the GP without make up on which for me was very hard to do and showed my GP my acne and he said he would be happy to refer me to a derm. Like i said i had severe cystic acne, it was all over my cheeks and i did get other spots/pimples on my chin and around my mouth. I also had it on my back all the way down to my waist and on the top of my arms and occasionally on the very top of my crotch area and in between my breasts. Starting at 20mg a day for 3 months MASSIVELY reduced my acne and i am now completely free of acne from everywhere apart from the top of my back (just a few small spots/pimples nothing too bad). Im now on my 4th month of roaccutane and my dose has been upped to 40mg per day and its really working for me. Yes i have side effects which result in my lips being very dry, skin is dry but not too bad, joints do get a bit painful here and there and i am very sensitve meaning i will cry over dumb things that i dont really need to cry about. E.g other day i missed a bus and it got me really worked up have no idea why lol. But all in all im only 4 months in and i have to say its working and im sooo much more confident now, ive had compliments on my complexion now more than i ever have in my entire life and i just look great and i feel great and if you are feeling stuck and tired and depressed about your acne i highly reccomend that you speak to your GP or a derm about Roaccutane because honestly I'm extremely happy that my skin is free from it.

After having perfect skin as a teenager, I was mortified when I developed very red acne at 20. 4 years have gone by and I tried everything, natural remedies, diet, ALL over the counter acne options and nothing worked. Accutane was my last option, and one which I was very hesitant to try as I was concerned about the possible side effects. But I wish I had tried this years ago, I could have avoided so much social anxiety, embarrassment and tears!! I have only been on this for a month, 20mg once a day but I notice a difference after the first week. I did not experience any acne flare up, as I started by taking it every second day for the first week to ease my body in to it and I think the lower dose has been more gentle but still effective. Around the 2 week mark I had minimal sensitivity and slight dryness, but nothing that couldn't be combatted by lots of moisturiser - and it was back to normal after 2 days. The last 2 weeks I have had dry lips, but again a small and manageable side effect compared to having acne! I usually would have multiple pimples popping up every day, but since starting it I would maybe have one new pimple once a week..and this week none at all. Looking in the mirror today I have redness from previous acne, but not one single active pimple..the first time I can say this in 4 years! If you were like me and hesitant, I urge you to try it and talk to your dermatologist about starting on a lower dose to see how your body reacts to it. This has absolutely changed my life, I will now be able to go out with no makeup and not feel like a monster!!! Couldn't be happier with the results :)

i've been on two rounds of accutane. the dryness is unbelievable so make sure you have lots of chapstick and moisturizer. it made my skin unbelievably clear, i was so happy and in love with the results. but a year after each round, it comes back for me. i believe everyone relapses. it's not a permanent fix like they say, just some people it lasts longer. i know two other girls who have went on accutane, both taken it twice like me and it's back for them as well. trying to find a way to cure my acne as it is said to be dangerous to take more than two rounds of accutane. i'm now hopeless. i recrommend this product, just because the results are great. hopefully they will last longer for you

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 just started round 2 of accutane today. The first round was 6 months of 40 mg / day. I'm a 120 lb, 21 year old female for reference. Those 6 months were the happiest of my life. I've never been so confident or happy in my own skin. It was FLAT and dry and beautiful. My skin is extremely, extremely oily usually; NOT having that constant itchy oily feeling and having my makeup patchy and sliding off was amazing. I got eczema on my arms and thighs and butt and dry lips and my lower back now aches when I do a housekeeping shift at work, but I really don't mind at all for the sake of clearing my severe acne (face and body) and drying out my skin. My skin is now clear and flat and thanks to Apple cider vinegar the hyper pigmentation is dramatically reduced. I have permanent scarring but I don't mind. Two months after finishing my first round I'm beginning round 2 because the oil came back after two weeks. My dermatologist says once I'm past childbearing years I can go on 10mg /day for the rest of my life. Until then he's hoping that a second round will keep my oily skin at bay for longer. I have nothing really bad to say about the drug; it was worthwhile to me and the side effects were nothing terrible and it made me happier and more confident than I've ever been in my life!

I used to be on Accutane a couple years ago. I had what they called "stubborn acne." I tried over 17 different products ranging from creams to pills and nothing seemed to work. When my dermo. introduced me to Accutane, I instantly wanted it. It worked insane miracles. I was clear, my oily skin was gone and I was so happy with the results. Three years later, I never break out, never have oily skin. I recommend this to everyone.

I had just completed my 7 months course of accutane and I would highly recommend this to anyone who has persistent acne and has tried every single products left on the market. Was hesitant on taking on this drug as I have read mixed reviews about depression and hair loss but I think the side effects varies in each individual. I did not any nose bleeds/hair loss. To avoid dry/chapped lips, please drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated as this medicine dries you out tremendously. Please bring along your moisturizer and invest in a good lip balm and eye drops and bring all these items with you AT ALL TIMES. I had my blood tested before commencing the medication and started off with 10mg in March for 2 weeks as the doctor wanted to see my body's reaction to accutane. Then the doctor increased my dosage to 20mg for the next 2 months, mid-June. The INITIAL BREAKOUT was really bad but the doctor had me on steroids so as to control the breakout. Really thank God for the steroids. In mid-June, I started noticing the pimples disappearing bit by bit. The doctor also increased my dosage to 30mg, which I took for a month but I felt the dryness getting to me. I was so thirsty I actually drank 10 LITERS of water a day. I told the doctor that so he down my dosage to 20mg, which was in mid-July. My complexion started improving gradually from mid-July until September. I started going out of the house every single day. I was on 20mg, and I did not have a single pimple at all, even if I am on my period. My complexion continued improving all the way. And I took my LAST pill end of October. And still, not even one single pimple. My friends and colleagues who have seen the condition of my complexion earlier in March this year now all looked at me in awe, asking me "What facial products did you use? What did you do? Your skin improved so much!" I absolutely have no regrets taking this medication at all. I would recommend this i

I started suffering from acne in my second year of University , came almost completely out of the blue. Was an awful year in general and SHATTERED my confidence. I tried everything to try and solve the problem (Duac, tetracycline, differin, and a couple of other antiobiotics) but was determined not to go on accutane because of the 'horror stories' i read on the internet. I wish i had stopped worrying and just got on accutane as soon as i started seeing the spots pop up, I had very very marginal (if that) results with all the previous products i used, and accutane just completely solved the problem in the space of 4 months (60mg a day). Only side effect i really felt was the dry lips, which was solved by carmex. I really wanted to write this review because while suffering from acne i spent literally HOURS pouring over the internet (and this site in particular) for cures. I over thought every possible product and put off using accutane as long as possible, basically it was the one product that really really worked. My acne was completely cured and has remained cured now for 8 months. I only wish i had got on sooner to save myself some minor scarring! I was on accutane for four months, in the first month i started experiencing the dry lips, some spots started to pop up during month 1-2 and i was worried it wasn't working, but i kept on and by month 3 no new spots were popping up, and by the end of month 4 i was completely clear! and have remained clear since. If your worried about your acne at all, just get on accutane because it really does solve the problem very quickly. if i could go back I would have got on it at the very first spot i saw, even when it was still fairly minor, because 4/5 months of minor discomfort is an incredibly small price to pay for not having to worry about acne again!

I did NOT experience any bad side effects whatsoever (besides dry skin). I was worried because of other reviews, but I only had 3 nosebleeds in the 8 months I took it. No soreness, depression, etc. You will get dry, so use lip mosturizers BEFORE you think you need it. Also, your bottom will get dry and bleed when you take a big poop (only because its chapped). That's so rare though. I think the side effects people are listing are actually from the birth control (moodiness, tiredness, weight gain, depression, period changes, etc).