Hello everyone! I've been meaning to post an 'Accutane Experience' write-up for a while now, as I spent years of my life trawling through this website, reading up on everyone else's experiences. All of the posts and reviews have given me hope, occasional dread, and mostly a whole lot of comfort in knowing I wasn't going through the agony of acne alone. I hope this post can provide some of that same hope and comfort to anyone suffering with acne and thinking about going on accutane. I've been off accutane for a month and it's one of the very best decisions I've ever made. It's an extremely freeing feeling: the shackles of cystic acne have gone, and my self regard, hunger for life and confidence have taken their place. I want this review to be as helpful and succinct as possible, so before I get too poetic, here goes. My type of acne: Face: Hormonal and cystic; concentrated around the chin and jawline. Every month or so I would get huge, marble-shaped cysts. I'd hold warm compresses to them and stay in my room all night. Sometimes, my skin would be clear. But that wouldn't last. Body: Mostly concentrated on shoulders, chest and upper back, with a few on my lower back too. Occasionally cystic, but mostly whiteheads. Often very red and sore. I have small but noticeable keloid scars (or perhaps hypertrophic? I'm not sure of the difference. In any case, the scars are raised) left on my chest, and a medium-sized one right on the very tip of my shoulder. Wearing strappy tops is still a bit of a worry for me, sadly. Things I've tried: - Antibiotics (tetracycline) on and off for almost 9 years. - Apple cider vinegar. I seeeriously doubt this works. - Cutting out dairy. Meh. Didn't see much difference. I missed cheese. - Birth control pills on three separate occasions. Hated all three times. Cried every day. Acne didn't change, or got worse. Time on accutane: 4 and a half months. It's short, I know. But my derm was pretty confident I didn't need it any more as my skin improved so drastically. Also, there's a study into the cumulative dosage method not being the most accurate. I'll give you a link if you want. Dosage: Month 1 20mg Month 2 20mg/40mg on alternate days Month 3 40mg/60mg on alternate days Month 4 - 4 and a a half 40mg/60mg on alternate days Summary Month 1: Honestly, my skin was pretty clear when I took my first dose. I was having a good skin month. But I knew it wasn't long before the acne would come back ' plus, I'd been on the waiting list to see a derm to get accutane for about 4 months, so I was taking the damn thing no matter what! Anyway, my skin stayed clear. I noticed the tiny, tiny blackheads on my nose I've had FOREVER creeping to the surface. I'd gently exfoliate, and eventually, they just disappeared. They're still gone now. The only side effect I had in Month 1 was flushed skin. Month 2: A couple of zits here and there, but nothing worse than I normally get. I had a lovely line of spots on my shoulder... I started to notice my joints aching a little. Month 3: I basically was a huge hypochondriac this month. I convinced myself I had intracranial hypertension due to a couple of headaches and a bit of dizziness. I did have really achey joints at this point, but it was bearable. Dryness kicked in: my make-up looked a bit flakey and I was constantly putting chapstick on. I got a cystic spot on my chin around my period. Month 4 to 4 and a half: Skin looked great. Same side effects as before. I was lethargic, dry and achey. I went back to the derm, they congratulated me on how great my skin looked (and gave me useless advice on scarring, but that's another story). I left his office without another prescription and went on holiday to Milan the next day. I might have spent a little too much time in the sun drinking Aperol Spritz. Oh well. Now here I am, with the smoothest, clearest skin of my life. Key takeaways: The biggest thing is that it was literally fine. I had none of the terrifying side effects; my mood, if anything, was better because I was so optimistic about my clear-skinned self. I simply didn't think about the fact I was on accutane as much as I thought I would. In fact, I hardly ever thought about it. I just got on with my life, and ultimately, nothing was different except for the amount of chapstick on my desk at work. Also, I didn't consider how much the consistency of my skin would change. It's so soft! I can't stop stroking my chin and back. I'm aware that my acne might return, and I would take accutane again if it did. But I'm very hopeful that I'll be one of the lucky ones that doesn't get it again, or at least I get "normal" acne instead of cysts and body acne. Honestly, I just don't wanna give up cheese again. My only question to you guys is: Any advice on raised scarring? My derm was truly useless and told me I'd simply never have normal skin and to try Bio Oil. Should I go to a clinic, look at getting some kind of procedure done?

Back in highschool, I used to have really bad, uncontrollable acne. I've tried almost everything; topical creams, face masks, oral meds, doxycycline, etc. My face was so oily, gross and cakey as well, because of makeup. It only made it worse. My parents decided to take me to a dermatologist. My derm said I had moderately severe hormonal acne back then, so she prescribed (Ro) Accutane 20mg. I was 15 (f) at the time and I took it for 5 months. I didn't know anything about it. My derm mentioned only the most common side effects and gave me a kit full of sample moisturising products and lip balms. The first couple of weeks were HELL for me, as expected though, because my derm said Accutane will make your acne worse, before it clears up your skin. I had all of the common side effects: extremely dry cracked lips, dry skin, back pain, dry hair, and even nosebleed (only once). My skin was also sensitive to sunlight, so I had to slap on heaps of sunscreen. I didn't wear any makeup (only lip balm and moisturisers) during the time I was on Accutane, I just allowed it to do its work. As for depression, I didn't really feel depressed during that period. At that point, I didn't really care about exposing my bare, acne-filled face in school or in public either, as I only cared about the results. After about 4 weeks, I noticed that my skin started to get better. The bumps on my face were smaller and my face was less dry. My acne basically cleared up within those 5 months. Fast forward to this day, I'm about to turn 20 and my skin is still great. Of course I still get bumps here and there, especially during that time of month, but those bumps are much more controllable, than the bumps I had when I was 15. I was so happy and still am, because Accutane literally changed my life. I can still leave the house without feeling embarrassed, to this day. My relatives and parents would constantly tell me that my skin looks great. To those who are taking/considering Accutane, my advice is to not think about the side effects too much, as that will only give you anxiety and demotivate you. Negative thoughts won't do your skin any good. Think about good outcomes as it's much better for your health! However, that doesn't mean Accutane is not a serious drug, because it definitely is. I suggest seeing a dermatologist to explore a range of options. Talk about it with your derm. They're there to help you. That's all, I guess. Good luck on your journey to clear skin. I wish that you also become a success story. :) PS: Don't think about buying it online! I've read one of the reviews here by someone who bought Accutane online and calculated their own dosage, saying that it's given them positive results. It seems convincing, but it's absolutely dangerous. It might even be a fake review, who knows... PPS: Good luck!

I had acne for for 5 years and nothing would get rid of it I tried other medications until my doctor referred me to have accutane. It was tough and I did have many side effects such as dry lips, eczema and I was tired constantly and found playing sport difficult as my muscles ached. My acne did clear up though and I've been off it for 3 years now and haven't had a major breakout since but I still have acne scarring which I'm now looking at getting rid off. It really is a miracle drug and I would recommend weighting up the positives and negatives of the side effects before taking it. My acne made me depressed and since getting rid of it I've felt my confident in myself. However since taking the tablets on tests my liver has been damaged as a result and I find myself still years later having less engery and muscle aches than I did before taking them. Overall I'm glad I took them.

I really wanted to leave a positive review as I had read so many negative side effects, I almost didn't go on it at all. To date, I have been off of Accutane for 6 months now (I was taking it for 8 months). My skin is still amazing (occasional spots, but no more cystic or problematic acne). I spent around two years debating whether or not to go on Accutane and read horror stories online that deterred me for ages. When I first saw my dermatologist (who recommended it right away) I expressed my concerns and told her I want to try other methods first. After trying out some other topical creams and medications for about six months and not seeing any results, I agreed to meet with my doctor just to discuss it. I had a lot of questions and below is how she answered them for me. Obviously I am not a doctor so you should do your own research and seek your own medical advice. This is just what my dermatologist said to me: - One of the major side effects I read about was extreme dry skin. My doctor's opinion: She did confirm this and told me that my face and lips would definitely dry out but she was able to provide me with sample size lip balms and moisturizers to keep me hydrated. My experience: My skin was soooooo dry. Especially as I was first transitioning onto the medication. I literally had to take all of my makeup off at lunchtime (some days) and exfoliate, and moisturize my whole entire face and re-apply my makeup because if not, my chin would be visibly peeling like crazy before the end of the day. This did massively subside as my body adjusted but I had to use very strong lip balms all throughout my treatment (multiple times per day) otherwise, the sides would crack and scab. This was the one negative side effect I experienced but it was 100% tolerable and worth the end results After Accutane: My skin completely returned to a normal balanced complexion within only a few weeks of terminating Accutane and is never dry anymore. - Depression (I had read a lot about people becoming severely depressed, and in extreme cases committing suicide) My doctor's opinion: My doctor told me that there is no proof linking Accutane to depression. She said there was a very famous case of a boy committing suicide while on Accutane that gave the drug a very bad rep. Apparently he came from a very wealthy family that was able to sue the medical company and have it taken off the shelf for a few years before it was re-introduced. The boy had a history of depression before the drug, and no one could prove that the drug made it worse, or that he wouldn't have committed suicide anyways had he not gone on the pill. My doctor told me that while some people do report feeling depressed (she personally had one patient advise they were indeed feeling depressed, but the treatment was working so well, they wanted to continue taking the pill until the end of the treatment anyways), apparently far more people actually report they feel BETTER while on Accutane. Their confidence boosts as their skin clears, thus resulting in feeling happier. Apparently some of her referrals came from therapists whose patients had complained about their skin as a factor in their depression. My experience: I was very nervous because I am an anxious person as it is. I never once noticed a change in my mood, or any signs of depression during the entire course I was on the pill. My doctor always told me if I ever start to feel it (even a little) to let her know right away and she'll take me off the pill. Never happened! After Accutane: Again, no signs of depression - Crohn's Disease (there have been reports of people developing Crohn's disease and other stomach problems while on Accutane) My doctor's opinion: My doctor told me that again there is no proven causation to this. The age in which acne becomes prevalent in people (teens to early twenties) is the same age that Crohn's becomes prevalent. She told me if I ever have any stomach issues to let her know right away My experience: I never had any digestive or bowel issues while on Accutane After Accutane: Still no issues All in all, I have no regrets other than the fact that I didn't do it sooner. My acne is honestly cured and I think there is no harm in giving it a chance as long as you have honest communication with your doctor and speak up if you experience any symptoms. I hope this helped some of you.

It works. But you need to give it some time and consult your dermatologist for right dosage. All the side effects you read about will happen but with time and consultation it will go away. Hang in there.

It is a very good product. It starts working immediately and you can see the signs very quickly. You will stop getting breakouts almost as you start taking the pills. This is because it will make your skin very dry. Like very very dry. So use moisturizers, sunscreen and lip balm as much as you can. They will probably start you off with a small dose and then increase it. I had to do blood tests every month to make sure no side effects were happening. And nothing did except for the dry skin. After a while my skin was very clear. So i stopped taking the pill. A bit of acne started coming back afterwards but now with use of creams it's under control. So overall a very good product. Defenitley saved me during high school. Would recommend it for anyone with bad acne

I remember when my acne got so bad that I didn't want to go outside anymore.. I didn't want anyone to see me. I tried essentially every single over the counter and prescription acne medication on the market. My dermatologist was an older woman who really didn't want me to take accutane because of the side effects that may come with it. Eventually I couldn't take it anymore, everything she had been prescribing me wasn't working. I went to a different dermatologist that took one look at me and said you need accutane. I think like all people that start accutane it's such a talked about pill you almost expect it to immediately start working. I started on fourty milligrams of accutane, then my face within the first month went crazy! My acne hit me with full force. I have never felt so low in my life I had around fifty cystic pimples on my face.. it felt almost impossible to deal with. My dermatologist bumped me up to 60 and then all the way up to 80. I was on accutane for about eight months and it wasn't until my sixth month of accutane that my face started really clearing. By the eighth month I had absolutely no pimples. None whatsoever. I mean it was the most life changing thing for me. I used to read these reviews and say accutane isn't going to work for me like it did for everyone else. My advice is just hang in there, seriously it will get better. I followed up accutane with retin-a and now you can't even tell I ever had acne, something I didn't think was possible. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Accutane seriously saved my life. I've only been on it for a month and my skin is COMPLETELY clear. Nothing else worked prior to accutane. As a 21 year old, I had given up hope that I would ever have clear skin. It is definitely a big commitment with all the doctors appointments and what not, but it is so worth it. Amazing product and I haven't had any major side effects from it. Some fatigue here and there but compared to the minocycline I was on before this, its nothing! Give it a try! It is not as bad as everyone makes it seem! Im sooo happy I tried it!

Hello everyone, I haven't ever written a post before but I always promised myself I would if accutane worked. Acne type: Moderate but persistent Duration: 4 months (starting November 2015) Dosage: 55mg dosage the whole time - 1mg per kg you weigh. Side effects: Mild dryness, mild backpain, very dry stools (TMI I know!) All of the side effects were treated easily by investing in vaseline for the lips, cetaphil moisturiser for face/body, drinking A LOT of water. I had to be on the contraceptive pill, and use 1 other form of protection with monthly blood and pregnancy tests. DO NOT RISK GETTING PREGNANT! Month 1: Initial breakout from day 3-day 15 from what I remember - it was straight away probably because I started on a high dose Month 2: Acne tamed but got a mini flare up in week 6 which set me back Month 3: Face really started to clear up and became less conscious about it Month 4: Clear and honestly my face was glowing! People who didn't even know I was on accutane said to my my face was actually glowing. It is now November 2016 - exactly 1 year after I started, and 8 months after my final dose - I won't lie and say I haven't had the odd spot, and when I do I completely panic and fear the worst, but believe me accutane DID and DOES work. I can actually leave the house with no makeup on - feels incredible! I hope I stay acne free forever, (please pray I do), but for the time being I am really happy that I took it. if it is offered to you, do take it. It is worth it, and works wonders. It is nerve wracking and scary, but honestly by the end you won't want to get off it! There is an incredible support system out there to help you - these blogs, instagram journeys, endless websites. Good luck to anyone on it or thinking of going on it - I really hope and pray it works for you! :)

I've struggled with cystic acne since the beginning of my teen years and into my adult years as well. My dermatologist first placed me on a round of Doxycycline as a precautionary measure, but that didn't help much so the next step was Accutane. I took 1 course in my early high school years and another towards the end of my high school years. Miraculously, my acne was gone after the first treatment and stayed that way for a while until it started to creep back a year or so later. This is quite normal in severe acne patients. Since my 2nd course ended years ago, I only struggle now with the random hormonal bumps around that time of the month (Caziant bcp has helped tremendously with that). Yeah the monthly blood draws suck and skin dryness is a pain, but it's well worth it. Just stock up on tons of Aquafor (a TRUE lifesaver and something I still use today). I didn't have any other adverse side effects except for mild joint pain and hemorrhoids from time to time.