I’ve tried just about everything - cleansers, face masks, facials, charcoal, clay, high-end, drug-store, antibiotics, creams… and nothing seemed to really work. I was fed up, I just wanted clear skin. So, I decided to start Accutane.
***Disclaimer - I am not a dermatologist and am not offering medical advice. I am only sharing my experience and opinions on Accutane.
I’m no doctor but I’ll break it down to the basics for you. Accutane, or ‘Isotretinoin’, is a pill that you take which can treat severe acne. It is a vitamin A derivative that basically stops oil production. You must have a prescription from a doctor to take it. The whole course typically takes about 6-8 months. BUT you need to account for 1 month before and after taking the medicine for testing, so in total it takes about 8-10 months. The first step is to do a blood test, to get a base level, and a pregnancy test, to make sure you are not pregnant. Once those results are all set you need to wait 1 month before starting the actual medication. Then, during my first month of medication I took half the normal dose to get my body accustomed to the medicine. The doctor determines the dosage by your weight, mine was 30mg Starting the second month, I took the full dose: 2 pills a day, double the first month’s dose.
You’ll have to have monthly dermatologist appointments to check on your progress and take the blood and pregnancy tests again. So it would be best to start Accutane when you’re staying in one place for an extended period of time. For example, I go to college in Philly but I’m from Connecticut, so I went to a dermatologist in Philly because it’s more convenient for my monthly appointments.
There are specific rules for Accutane: You need to take the pill(s) with fatty foods so that it doesn’t make you feel nauseous or have stomach pain. Believe me, this one is important. Once is all it takes when you feel the pain, you won’t ever take it without fatty food again. Two great foods I loved to have it with were avocados and peanut butter.
You cannot be or get pregnant so you need to either be abstinent or be on birth control. You should also not drink alcohol to prevent complications. You also cannot donate blood.
This is what my medicine packs looked like:
There are also some definite and some possible symptoms with it - nothing too crazy, but things you’ll want to know. First, it makes you super dry, everywhere! So stock up on lotion, moisturizer, chapstick, eye drops, whatever may help. Chapstick is a BIG one, your lips get chapped like crazy. I reapplied chapstick like every few minutes. I recommend having a couple with you at all times - Blistex and Aquaphor worked best for me but sometimes I found myself using a different one each day. You might feel some physical soreness in your back and such. I rarely experienced this one.
Month-by-Month Updates with Pictures
Before - October
I had many red and inflamed pimples all over my face. Mainly on my cheeks, jawline and forehead.
Month 1 - November
The first month was hard because I didn’t see much improvement. I think my skin got a bit worse before it got a bit better. The number of bumps went down. Of course that is expected because your skin needs to purge. But I was also only on half the dosage to get used to symptoms. Dryness really came in mostly on my face and lips. I tried so many different chapsticks to find one that worked.
Month 2 - December
This month I started the full dosage and I saw improvements - I didn’t have big pimples, and I had less of them. I could tell I was on my way. However, I had to get used to the side effects. My lips were always so chapped - I used a different chapstick everyday until my lips would respond. My favorite was Blistex but when that didn’t work I would resort to Aquaphor, which helped repair. I also dealt with a dryer nose resulting in one brief nosebleed. And the bridge of my nose was extra dry and scaly. I also learned to carry around hand lotion to use throughout the day since the backs of my hands would get pretty chapped.
Month 3 - January 12th & 31st:
This is when I saw the most improvement. These two sets of photos are both from the same month! My skin was sooooo smooth and clear! Without makeup I was literally glowing. Rarely ever had acne, mostly just some pigmentation left. But I was happy with this! I wore less makeup and wore makeup less often. I felt confident enough without it, I wanted to show off my new skin. Most importantly I loved being in my own skin! I also was doing much better with the side effects, I was used to everything. This month I introduced eye drops to my daily routine because my eyes tended to get dry and irritated. I also saw that the scarring on my arms and back had gotten much lighter. At the end of the month my dermatologist told me I was 1/3rd of the way through.
Month 4 - February
Basically a continuation of month 3. The progress leaps during month 3 and is slower in month 4, or maybe just hard to notice. I don’t really feel many of the side effects. The dryness was always there but never too bad as long as I kept up with my products. I used the Mario badescu spray to bring back some hydration in my face if it got dry throughout the day. By now I’m used to my routine, my products, and taking the medicine. However, I got word from my dermatologist that the Accutane was affecting my liver, so I had to stop taking it completely for 2 weeks.
Month 5 - March
Slow progress. More scars and discoloration fading. I was very satisfied with my skin by now. My lips, around my mouth, and bridge of my nose were still pretty dry so I made sure to keep those moisturized. I was struggling most with the constant dryness around my mouth and lips. It made my upper lip area pretty red at most times. After the 2 weeks off of Accutane, I went back to half the dose for the rest of the time, which did make the overall process longer.
Month 6 - April
My skin looks very clear! There is still some skin tone unevenness but the discoloration is fading.
Month 7 - May
This was my last month! I was very happy with the results. My skin looks smooth, clear, and even. I had no blemishes at this point and my skin is really glowing! It is a bit more sensitive to the sun so I make sure to use sunscreen regularly. I loved that it didn’t look unnaturally perfect, you can still see my pores and some unevenness here and there. But I came a long way and I was so happy!
Lip Products I Used
Blistex Lip Medex - I used this the most! Super moisturizing & soothing.
Aquaphor - For times when my lips wanted something other than Blistex. Also good for the dry skin around my lips
Skincare Routine
No harsh masks or exfoliators
Gentle, soft
Hydrating
Felt like I was cleansing the skin
Removes makeup well
Doesn’t strip my face or leave me dry
Gentle
Hydrating → hyaluronic acid
BEST!
Used it as a moisturizer day + night
Creamy & intense but not heavy, almost like a gel consistency
Kept my skin hydrated 24/7 → hyaluronic acid
Made me glow
Expensive ($50) BUT a little truly goes a long way & 1 jar lasted me 3 full months = less than $17/month
Light weight
Has hyaluronic acid which hydrates the skin
Good for your hands too
Cost
I’ll put it plain, Accutane is expensive for sure. You have to pay for the medicine, lab tests, and regular appointments. This is roughly how much I paid for my treatment PER MONTH. Of course it depends on your dermatologist and insurance but this was my experience:
$300/month for the medicine (full dose)
$35 Labs
$80 Derm appts
Total = $415 per month
That’s a hefty bill each month. However, I do think it was the best financial investment in myself and my skin. It really did wonders for my acne and it’s a long term solution. The treatment is typically 6-8 months and then you stop paying for it; it’s typically a one-and-done situation. I also paid less for skincare products and makeup during and after it’s over. Personally, it was money well spent.
final thoughts
This was a long and costly process that required a lot of discipline and upkeep but it gave me the results I wanted and it was very worth it. Keep in mind that it is a journey and there may be bumps in the road, like when I needed to stop it for 2 weeks. It took longer than anticipated but it is a one and done process and now I am set with my skin for the long term. I feel so confident and don’t worry about my skin anymore.
If you feel like you've tried every option and it isn't working. Talk to your dermatologist to see if Accutane is an option.
***Disclaimer - I am not a dermatologist and am not offering medical advice. I am only sharing my experience and opinions on Accutane.