Here's the deal. My experience on accutane was rough, but it was SO worth it. I'll tell you straight up how it was and what to expect. I started getting bad acne when I was 14, all over my neck, back, chest and face. The worst part was the big inflamed zits that would pump out pus like factories and wouldn't leave for weeks, sometimes months. And even when they did leave they left scars in their place. It was maddening. Acne had destroyed my self-esteem and confidence. I finally went to my dermatologist and asked what we could do. He suggested antibiotics, but my mom and I pushed for accutane. Skip the weak stuff and go for the hardcore acne drug. It's the closest thing to a CURE for acne, and its effect is almost permanent. Here's something you'll want to keep in mind: the higher the dose you're on, the less likely your acne is to relapse. Thankfully I had an aggressive-treatment dermatologist who knew this. I was on the pills for 6 months'"the last three months I was taking 120mg a day. If you don't have any experience with accutane doses, that's a mother-freaking high dose. The point is my acne never came back. I have occasional mini-breakouts now and then, but they're here and gone within a week. Now for the side effects. The best part of accutane is that it gets the job done, and you probably won't have to deal with stuff like proactive once it's over (which takes FOREVER to put on and rinse off.) All you have to do with accutane is pop a pill. Because I was on such a high dose I had some intense side effects: chapped lips (use Chapstick), dry eyes (use eye drops), random red patches on my skin (use lotion), muscle pain and a greater tendency to pull muscles (can't do anything about that, just wait until your time is up), bad breakouts for the first two months, etc. It got worse before it got better for me, as it does with lots of people. But it DID get better by the end of my treatment. And it stayed that way. Overall, accutane IS DEFINITELY WORTH IT. it saved my confidence, saved my life. Just be willing to go through hell for several months to get your prize of clear skin.

I was put on Accutane by a dermatologist at the age of 13 after a struggle with severe acne for 3 years. I started getting acne in 5th grade, and it continuously got worse up until 7th grade, where I started to get cystic acne *sigh*. Acne was making me depressed, and my self esteem was absolutely nonexistent. I was made fun of all the time, and if you've never been "the kid with acne", I can assure you it's the worst feeling in the world. When I was put on Accutane I followed normal protocol, which meant taking the pregnancy test, waiting a month, and then getting my prescription. Every month I had to get my blood tested, take a pregnancy test, and then answer the iPledge questions to get my prescription cleared. When I first started taking Accutane, the first thing I noticed were the extremely dry lips. These came in on even my second day, and even to this day my lips are never as moist as they used to be, but I use carmex. I also got lower back pain in my first two weeks, but that went away. And about a month in, I started to develop eczema patches on my arms and legs which I treated with Cetaphil. Also.. my face became extremely flaky and dry, especially up at my temples, but I covered the dry skin in bag balm each night. As far as results go, I didn't see any positive signs until my fourth (out of 5) month. In the first month, nothing really happened. Second month, I developed the worst acne of my life. I broke out in 8 cystic pimples on my chin, along with countless other around my face. I still have the scars for those today. Also, my skin became so thin that simply running a fingernail across it would tear the skin and it would bleed, which happened to me on the very tip of my nose, fun! Anyways, The acne kept coming until the end of the third month, and then it began to subside. Instead of developing acne constantly, I was only getting one pimple about every 3 weeks, which actually seemed much worse than it was because I still had a full face of scarring. Fourth month, like I said, I broke out about 2 times, and fifth month the same. My skin looked 10000000x times better though, and i only break out once a month now. It has made a world of a difference in my life, and my skin has NEVER been this good. Here's some other weird things, in the first 3 weeks it cleansed my skin of blackheads, by literally shoving them out. I could run my finger over my nose and feel a hundred little bumps, and after that my blackheads diminished dramatically. Also, in the 3rd month when some of my acne was healing, once the pimples were dead they flaked off in weird sheets. If you are going for Accutane, it will probably not be the flawless product they tell you, but DO NOT LOSE HOPE, even after what feels like forever. Going on Accutane was one of the best decision I ever made and I wouldn't change a thing. Oh and by the way, when I was on accutane I had flawless hair because I could go 7 days without washing it and it would still look fresh out of the shower.

Prior to starting the medication I had extremely oily skin - I was blotting/reapplying powder all the time and it was very frustrating and gross! I did not have horrible acne, but i had issues with the deep painful nodules that would build up under my skin and never break the surface. These would popup and last for several weeks, and once they would finally go back down they'd leave a dark scar. I took accutance for a little over 5 months, I first started off with 30mg, increased to 60mg, then finished off at 80mg. After about 12 days, I started to notice the chapped lips and sadly the chapping just got worse from there. But as many others have mentioned, Aquaphor is a lifesaver!! After about a month, the oil on my face started to diminish and my face was matte all the time! I no longer needed to blot or reapply makeup several times throughout the day. My breakouts remained at bay for about 2 months, and I bumped up to 60mg but soon after I started getting blemishes in my usual trouble spots. Although they were much smaller, it was still a bit discouraging. Around this time I also experienced my worst side effect which was muscle pain! Throughout my treatment, I was playing volleyball and softball 3-4 days per week and it was absolutely brutal! My body hurt everywhere! During this time I started taking pain meds prior to my games so that I wouldn't feed the effects as much. I also started to notice my skin becoming extremely fragile - like paper thin! If i bumped into anything or even scratched myself too hard I would immediately get a cut or a bruise. When these wounds healed, they healed much lighter than my normal skin tone. I also started to develop a rash on my arms. I had several round, itchy patches on my upper arms. I used aquaphor cream on them as well as ointment prescribed by the doctor. These also healed much lighter than my skin tone. Around 3.5-4 months, my doctor upped my dosage to 80 mg. By this time, my skin was consistently clear and I had no active breakouts. With just a few weeks to go, I did experience a few more blemishes, but again they were very small and went away without leaving any dark marks! I've been off accutane for 1.5 months now and I'm excited to say my skin is still clear and not at all oily. My pores are so tiny, I have no blackheads, and I feel confident that I can go out in public without makeup! My chapped lips are returning to normal and I don't need to use aquaphor very much! My muscle pain is completely gone and I am back to my normal self! I can workout and play sports without the additional pain or the need for medication! Unfortunately I still have the light colored patches on my arm from the rash, but I'm hoping these will start to clear up in the summer once they get some sun! Overall, my experience on accutane was worth it, but the side effects were a pain! The costs weren't too outrageous either - I only paid $10/month for my medication, plus an additional $50 per month for the required blood tests. I would recommend accutane to others, but would definitely advise them to think long and hard about it due to the side effects.

My son did two courses of treatment in high school. About a year after the first course concluded acne had returned, though on a smaller scale and it was not responding to other treatments. My son actually asked to go on another dose, despite all the unpleasant side effects. The most significant, and scary, side effect he experienced was depression and anxiety which was subtle but which I definitely believe was a result of the Accutane. He actually experienced fairly marked anxiety for a couple of months following the second course of treatment. Do not underestimate the emotional side effects. Our dermatologist had ever only had a couple patents with those side effects, but I believe it is because the question they ask is are you depressed or suicidal. My sons experience was much more subtle and in the case of depression it was recognized by me, not him. My son also experienced the extreme dryness. And he got a pretty bad sunburn too since he didn't adequately apply sunscreen as instructed by Dr. and mom. Some of the doses listed in other reviews seem really low and the course of treatment a bit contrary to how our doctor explained it worked. I would not allow a GP to prescribe. In fact our family doctor refused to, referring us to a dermatologist due to the nature of the product and the sever side effects. My husband also did two coursed of the treatment in his early twenties and not nearly 50 still struggles with breakouts, so it's not a total cure, but during the difficult teen and early 20s can definitely he'll boost self esteem.

I went on Accutane after 2/3 years of awful acne, especially on my cheeks and chin. In a few months, maybe 2/3, I started really noticing results. The blood tests and government protection on the drug are a hassle but so worth it. But let me just make myself clear on one thing that drives me crazy about others' thoughts on Accutane! I had absolutely NO, and I mean not ONE other side effect except dryness of the skin, lips and eyes. Maybe I'm different from others, but my boyfriend was on it too and had no other effects, as well as two of my good friends and my cousin. Please do not let all the hype of side effects prevent you from clear skin and confidence. We all deserve it! But also consider that Accutane, while it works miracles, may not give you lasting results. My acne came back in about 5 months and now I'm on Spiro, which really is my miracle drug. But regardless, that does not take away my recommendation.

I finished Accutane in April of this year, it worked good, was on for 5 months. Then this September I asked my derm about my facial scarring and redness, and she suggested Palomar laser. So I did 2 treatments 4 weeks apart, I had breakouts after both treatments, thought it was from laser but im not sure anymore, because I am still breaking out on places where I did not even get the laser done, my next appointment is next Friday, and I don't know what to do, the 2 treatments have filled in my pick scars pretty good, but still could use more treatments, but these breakouts... im debating if I should just ask to go on Accutane again? suggestions? opinions? I can also provide pictures if needed. Thanks

I would most definitely recommend this to someone with SEVERE acne ONLY. To those who have mild acne I'm absolutely against them taking this and those with mildly severe-if you wish proceed with caution. Now before I started this medication I did an extended extreme amount of research, even though my acne was severe and I was deep in depression I still didn't just jump right into it. I read a ton of FORUMS about it and a ton of reviews. First off let me say that the first 2 months I combined Accutane at 20mg with Cephalexin which is completely safe, why you might ask, those two combined have been known to prevent that nasty IB of Accutane that I read all about. I never got an IB my acne stayed consistent without worsening and my face started to clear up within that month. Which was the ending of October last year. I wasn't completely clear till about 2 months or so. It is the least to say that it not only saved my face but it saved me. I was losing myself in a mask that I couldn't take off. It was a God sent. However by the beginning of month 5 I started to experience extreme hair loss. Clumps of hair in the drain and as the shower hit my head from the back when I would wash my hair I could feel it falling down my back. So I stopped the medication but the hair loss didn't. We are now in October obviously and my hair loss has just stopped suddenly and my hair is growing back like-pregnancy hair... it's crazy. I read a bunch of forums about those who suffered hair loss from Accutane and how it wouldn't stop. I read this one review about this lady who hadn't been on it for 3+ years and her hair would not stop thinning. That was one of the worse and almost had me in tears but others that had the same side effect like me, had similar experiences with the hair loss not stopping. I've lost about 50% of my hair in comparison to when I started Accutane. And my acne has returned but definitely is nowhere near the way it was when I started Accutane. Even with the hair loss, I don't regret taking Accutane one bit... I was in a bad place and Accutane was the only light that helped me get out of there. No topical or antibiotics could save me from the hell risen acne that I had at that time. Would I take Accutane again? Hell no. Ill do everything I can to rid my now mild acne by Dan's Regimen or at least keep it at bay but I won't ever go back on Accutane.

I started off with a few spots in year 8, in between my eyebrows. (this was when i was around 13) and then it gradually got worse. however, some products like OXY, did the trick for about a few weeks, then it got immune to the ingredients in the product of OXY, so got worse again. I tried everything, like the Dianette pill, creams, tablets, gels, and so on. I then found this website, (acne.org) and tried the regimen. now i only did about 3 months is of it, so didnt really give it chance. however it did do some improvement whilst on the 3 months. which boosted my confidence. but then i found the accutane drug, and so i researched about it, the side effects and such, and asked my mum to book a doctors appointment. so we did. i spoke to them and they said yeh, they are happy to give me it. so went to the dermatoligist.. blah blah blah. and then finally got it. now like any other person, when it comes to acne and the path to clearing it, youre inpatient right? yeh, i am too. im only on my first month, about to go on second.. (my mum keeps track, i have no idea). and i am getting a few pimples, but mum says it shows its working, as its taking all the bacteria out from under the skin and pushing it out. but it is upsetting me, and i just want it to hurry up and clear. but cant just wish for that. so then, to make myself feel better, i look at peoples pictures before and after, and give me that reassurance, that it will clear eventually in the next month ish.

I had multiple sebaceous hyperplasia (overgrowth of oil gland) on my face and chest. Very annoying and I felt so upset that I couldn't even look at others while I was talking to them. Because these bumps won't go away at all which is worse then acnes. I trying laser, and Tretinoin. Both failed. These bumps just keep coming back. Finally I heard about Accutane from one dermatologist. I decided to try it right away. The doctor started it with a very low dose as 20 mg/day. I thought it was too low comparing to other cases, but it actually worked great! all the bumps were gone in 3 weeks. I was really happy even though I still have old scars from acnes which I regret didn't do anything when I was younger and having the acne problem. So I took the Accutane for 7-8 months at low dose 20-40 mg. And the hyperplasia never came back. However I experienced dry lips, dry skin(which I feel good because I have very oily skin :(), dry eyes and some weight gain I not sure if that's caused by the drug. So 1 month ago I decided to stop taking the drug since I want to have the bumps on my nose removed in 6 months. Then I noticed that the hyperplasia lesions are coming back :(... Not sure what to do now.

I am now 3 and a half months into my Accutane experience, and it's been a weird one. I started getting acne at about the age of 11; I am now 16 years old and in my junior year of high school. I should start by saying how strong this drug is, and how important it is to understand, discuss, and think about the drug before you start blindly. The drug was hard to obtain, but in the end my insurance ended up covering everything because my acne case was so severe, it was considered a medical issue. the monthly dermatology and blood work appointments honestly don't bother me. As far as my skin goes, it has been a very up-and-down-like process.Granted, my acne was horrible, and I had a very terrible habit of picking and squeezing my face, thinking that was the only way to get rid of the acne. DO NOT SQUEEZE OR PICK YOUR PIMPLES, BLACKHEADS, OR DRYING SKIN. IT WILL LEAVE SCARRING. My face only has about 3-5 pimples on it now (compared to the 30-50 pre-accutane). My face is so smooth, if I didn't have a mirror, I'd think it was perfect. HOWEVER, it is not perfect. I have an extremely red complexion, and my acne scars are so noticable that it's almost like I never got rid of my acne in the first place. My dermatologist told me that about a month after I finish the drug, the redness with go away and the scars will fade. As for the deepened scarring, I will have to wait a year to get them surgically removed. I must say, I am very nervous for my scarring. I have a hunch that using my salicylic acid facial scrub is not helping the dryness or scarring. My lips, skin, and hair has been very dry. Always moisturize, and keep a great chapstick with you at all times. My face and lips has also gotten very red, and swollen. I have NOT experienced any depression while on this medicine (I had terrible depression pre-accutane). My back pain has increased, I have nosebleeds often, and my immune system has been low. I don't see these side-effects impacting my decision on the drug. They don't bother me as much as they probably should. I'm hoping the next 2 and a half months go by quickly so I can finish my 6 month accutane experience, and see the final results. Overall, if you are looking for a basically permanent solution to your stubborn acne, accutaune will get rid of it. It is a miracle drug, and I am very happy I started it. I hope my story was helpful to anyone.