Accutane: Stories

I had sever cystic adult acne for about 2 years before finally trying roaccutane. The acne affected my back but mainly my face and neck. I was also on steroids for a few weeks with the roaccutane and antibiotics, I think the derm did it all at once because it was so bad and causing alot of pain.

The pros are that it WORKED!! I was on it for a year starting out on a small dose and working up to the strongest I could take for my body size, the decreasing. Cystic acne was gone within 3 months and only small breakouts after that. I did stop treatment against my derm's advice, who wanted me on it for another year. Also my hair seemed so healthy when i ws on it.

The cons (why I stopped)

• Very bad headaches, constant and only varried in intensity.
• Joint and muscel pain, this was the worst I could barely walk some days and was an all over body pain.
• No alchol, not really a problem for me but there were a few times I was out that it sucked.
• No sun! again I didnt really care but a bit hard to avoid living in sunny queensland!
• I cant get a tattoo for a while, but again worth it.
• Very dry skin, the lips were the worst i was going through a lip balm every few days. Lots of bleeding and cracked skin.
• No waxing, Please dont try! i got my eyebrows done and all of my skin got taken off with the wax!! not fun.
• The cost of the medication wasnt to bad as i got alot back in rebates but paying $90au everytime i saw the derm for a 3 min meeting to write me another perscription added up quick!!

So a year on now I only have a few hormonal pimples now and then but.... I have scarring, not very bad considering how big my cysts were but enough that it impacts my life. I am getting laser resurfacing to hopefully help with that.

Hope this helped, please feel free to ask me questions if you are interested and i will be putting before and after pics up for the roaccutane and when i get something done about the scars!!