If you're reading this, you're probably on the fence on whether or not to start this crazy over talked about prescription drug called Accutane. I'll start off with saying that I am 19 years old and have been suffering with acne since I was about 12 years old. For the past seven years of my life, my face and my acne have been my biggest weakness. I was very much in the spotlight during high school and middle school being a cheerleader and an athlete, so having hundreds of people constantly looking at me and my acne was a total self esteem killer. I had tried every single thing you can think of. Topical treatments, proactive, x out, skin id, Neutrogena, clean and clear, BC, you name it and I've tried it. Just recently my family doctor finally recommended I see a dermatologist because nothing else was working. My first appointment with my derm, she recommended putting me on Accutane. Let me start off by saying that I was terrified out of my mind to even consider it and all of the side effects seemed too risky. I did intensive research and came to the conclusion that in order for my acne to ever go away extreme measures would have to be taken. I started my Accutane journey four months ago and from this point in time I can not be any happier with the decision I made four months ago. Month one. It absolutely horrifying and probably the worst my acne had EVER been in my entire seven years battling with acne. To begin I had about 50 pimples on my face and within that first month I could easily say the acne had doubled. My face was in major pain. Sleeping, washing my face, applying makeup, you name it and it physically hurt me. I cried myself to sleep a few couple of times in this period. To be honest I almost considered getting off the medication because of how bad my initial breakout was. My derm had told me I would get an initial breakout but I never expected it to be so vicious. The side effects... wow... my face was peeling and flaking. Within ten minutes of applying my makeup, I was ALREADY flaking. My face was constantly itchy and itching it only hurt more. My lips were the driest they had ever been, applying lip balm every 10-15 minutes was a must if I didn't want ripped or bloody lips. My scalp was peeling to the point were I had literal chunks in my hair even after showering. My nose was also cracking and every time I blew my nose I had a bloody surprise. Despite the horrible first month, before I knew it I was on to month number two. Month two. Little by little the amount of acne was starting to decrease. Keep in mind I still had a good 40 on my face. My face was still in physical pain, but in comparison to month one it was nothing. The flakiness and dryness of my skin was much less severe as were all of the other side effects. Immediately after the first month I had changed up my entire skin care routine and that truly did wonders for my side effects. As each day passed, the more and more improvements I would see in my skin. Month three. By now my face had significantly cleared up. I could actually feel soft patches of my skin. I knew that my acne was still severe, but in comparison to month one, this was heaven. All of my side effects were so mild. Sure I had to make sure I was constantly moisturizing, applying lip balm, body lotion, and conditioning my scalp, but my side effects no longer bothered me. I was getting closer to my goal and I could see the drastic improvements from the time that I had started. Month four. Here I am now, month four with only one MAYBE two months of treatment left. (Two for precautionary measures to make sure a second round of Accutane is not needed.) I know my face is not completely clear. I have maybe 10 pimples on my face now and that's mainly due to my menstrual cycle hormones. But if you look at my face now and compare it to four months ago there is major improvement. Sure my acne has left red scars on my face but when I apply makeup my face ALMOST looks flawless. Side effects? They're hardly noticeable now. I still constantly moisturize but mainly because it has become a force of habit now. I can go hours without reapplying lip balm or lotion now. I don't need to moisturize every 15 minutes like before. Dry bloody nose? I haven't had one in about 2 months. Overall I am very happy where Accutane has brought me in four months and I cannot wait to see where it will take me. Before I started Accutane I had started to go through a depressed patch. I no longer wanted to go out, see friends, or anything besides lay in bed and watch Netflix. I felt like all eyes were on me every time we went our anywhere. People ALWAYS asked questions about my face and I could no longer take it. I knew I had bad severe acne and didn't want constant reminders of it by getting judgmental glances and questions. Slowly my confidence and self esteem has gone up. Accutane has slowly brought me back to the person I used to be. Fun, full of life, and a good time. Honestly without Accutane I don't know where I would be right now. If you're reading this and you're on the fence about whether or not to start, I really hope this speaks to you either positively or negatively. I hope that this post can really help you decide whether or not you think this course of action is right for you. I know one of the main things that really encouraged me and finally pushed me to agree to start this journey was seeing all of the positive results from people. I figured that it's helped more people than it hasn't helped. I figured I would give it a try and if it didn't work at least I knew that it didn't work. If I didn't try Accutane out, I wouldn't be stuck with the "what if" taunting me for the rest of my life. I am over the moon with how far I've come since my first month of Accutane. This journey has definitely been a learning experience for me and if I had to relive that horrible first month on this medication again to achieve the skin I have now, I would do it in a heartbeat. Also I am in no way encouraging or discouraging anyone from using this product, I am simply stating my experience with it and hoping that my experience will help someone choose their own.

This medicine was no picnic for me. I started to get really bad cystic acne around 18 when I got off of Yaz, and right away my dermatologist recommended Accutane. I really wasn't afraid of the side effects, and the dry lips didn't bother me too much mostly because I just don't really care about that kind of stuff. While my cystic acne really hurt and got REALLY bad by November '09, it was never on my cheeks. Rather, I would get 10-15 deep cysts all on my forehead, chin and around my jawline. I had a REALLY intense IB for the first three months of accutane. It was horrible, I had HUGE, painful cysts pop up all on my cheeks when I was bumped up to 80 mg on my second month. Thankfully, I have a great dermatologist who tried to help me in everyway and put me on a Septra and a couple of courses of prednisone to help with the severity of my initial breakout. Oh boy. I wanted to quit this medicine and flush it down the drain SO many times because the breakouts were truly heinous. Thankfully, I listened to the advice of about 5 dermatologists and stayed on it. After my third month, everything started to clear up and the red/purple marks slowly started to fade and my skin looks better and better everyday. STICK IT OUT. EVEN IF IT SUCKS, REALLY REALLY BAD. There is a reason dermatologist absolutely RAVE over accutane. It's because 9 times out of 10 it produces DRAMATIC results that are long term. Don't give up! I know it's hard. But you will be so happy with the result in the end :)

I had beautiful skin whilst taking the contraceptive pill, but I after 10 years of taking it I wanted to give my body a break. As soon as I stopped it my acne returned, so I started Isotretinoin. My skin got really bad before it got better, so awful that I could hardly open my mouth because of the spots around my mouth. My skin started to get very very dry and some days I'd look like my face was flaking off. My lips would crack, especially at the corners and I found keeping a small tin of vaseline in my pocket saved the day, I'd freak out if I didn't have it with me. I had facials each month and got my beautician to use the most gentle but moisturing Dermalogica and techniques she could. I used Dermalogica Intensive Moisture which helped a lot. Its a very natural moisturiser that won't create spots but was good for my skin. I got very miserable and moody on Isotretinoin so make sure you get your friends and family to support you. I found I put on a bit of weight whilst on it, not much though. Always wear hats if it summer and I used Dermalogica Super Sensitive Sunblock daily, it is 30spf, is really really light but works well for day to day protection. I hope I don't sound like a Dermalogica advert (but it is good though)!! Sometimes my eyes were sensitive to the sun when driving, but nothing major. Bit of a major hassle having blood tests and pregnancy tests and you have to be on the pill as it can case major deformations in babies. Having been off isotretinoin for 2 years my acne has returned but a lot better than before. I can live with it as it is but I'm going to try Isotrex and some antibiotics as my acne is more moderate than before. It is definitely the best thing if you have acne, you won't get anything better.

You people that are saying Accutane has ruined their life sound like your suffering from a little prolonged depression. Get out there and be happy - You have clear skin! :D

I always told myself that if I went on Accutane I would post a review on here. Even though I've been off of it for almost 8 months, I still wanted to stay true to my word, because I can remember spending hours on this site looking for answers. I was on the fence about Accutane for so long, close to two years. But after trying what felt like everything (topicals, diet, prescriptions) I finally gave in to my derms recommendation and got Accutane. I was adamant about a lower dose, longer course of treatment and was put on 40mg a day for close to a year. I researched that this treatment plan had lower incidences of severe side effects. During my course I only had dry skin, chapped lips, sun sensitivity, and the occasional nosebleed. I also had hair that never got greasy, and skin that never got oily. I miss that so much! After 2-3 months on Accutane my skin started healing. My stubborn forehead acne went away, and so did the cysts. My skin actually became more even and so friggin soft. I could finally leave the house without makeup, and without crying. Accutane was easily the best decision I ever made for myself and my only regret was that I didn't go on it sooner. I would not hesitate to recommend a low dose treatment to anyone that feels like they have tried everything. I know how emotionally painful acne is, I spent nights crying in my bathroom, cancelling plans, and cringing whenever I looked in the mirror before Accutane. It started affecting so many parts of my life that I felt I had no other choice. I'm so glad I chose Accutane. I wouldn't think twice about a second course if I ever felt I needed it again. Though the oil has come back along with the odd pimple here and there, my skin is so much better than it was before Accutane. I will admit it was close to perfect while on it, and I would love if I could have that all the time lol but such is life. I hope that you all find your magical cure. I'm here to tell you that it's possible. Whether that's Accutane or something else, I know you'll find it. Good luck to everyone suffering! I know how painful it is xoxo Tips for Accutane: Used cetaphil foaming cleanser Used cerave moisturizing cream Used Vaseline and polysporin for chapped lips! Poly was a life savor Used SPF 60 sunscreen Keep your regime as simple as possible. In the first week my skin felt like it was on fire lol put cold cloths in the fridge and then on my face!

Before I went on Accutane my skin was a mess. During my senior year in high school I begin to break out SEVERELY with pimples that would erupt and leave unsightly purple marks when they healed. And the scarring begin. Ugh. The worse days of my life. Thankfully Accutane was readily available. Sure in the beginning I experience what my dermatologist said, "It gets worse before it gets better." and I sure did. My skin got worse than before and I nearly lose hope. And then, it happened. I noticed that my acne was SLOWLY going away and my outbreaks were less and less severe! Sure there was scarring left over but it's better than walking around with *shudder* purple bruises/marks on my fact. It was nice to wake up without my acne oozing on my pillow. I highly recommend Accutane but I suggest trying another course of treatment before you settle on Accutane. It's powerful and potent and it can be unsettling for some people.

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.

I have struggles with acne for years. At 16 I went on it and had to go off of it, but it cleared my acne for the 2 months I used it. Then tried it again at 17 and it cleared my acne, but once again had to stop taking it. At 19, I finally decided to take it for the 6 month course and push myself through all the harsh side effects. My skin was absolutely radiant and beautiful!! I loved it so much that I could deal with the fact that I only ate 1 or maybe 2 times a day because anything I ate KILLED my stomach. I had to have an endoscopy because they thought I had IBS or something. But everything was fine because I only had a few months left. I was on 40 MGS, and cut it down to 20 the last month. I tapered off of it and literally a month later after stopping I had all of my acne come back with a vengence. I have gotten it in places I had never had before and I have 3 months before my wedding. Accutane has ruined my life and made my skin unbearable...I cry almost everyday and not to mention I can barely eat different types of food still. I am so intolerant to gluten and I had never had any problems before. It may work wonders for some people, but from what I do know it does come back for a lot of others. Unfortunately, mine came back a lot worse. Good luck if you're going to take it and be strong because it is a HARSH medicine.

If you have moderate to severe acne and are just sick of dealing with it, this is really the only way to go. My only regret is that I didn't do the treatment years earlier!

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!