27-year-old, (Hopefully) Defeated Acne for Good! - Mississauga, ON
I had originally taken Accutane when I was 16...
11 years later, with lots of acne to still battle, I decided to go back on it. I was fearful of my depression coming back, but after trying EVERYTHING once again (birth control, topicals, tetracycline), I felt that I was in a better stage and state where I could discern whether or not I would be (too) affected by Accutane's side effects.
I started mid-January and finished the program end of July. I was extremely fatigue and irritable all the time, and I did have joint and muscle pains. As well, dry hands and lips are a given. If you are able to really remember what the side effects are, then you will be able to catch yourself and not let the emotions and feelings get the best of you. (It really is a mental challenge during this program).
So it has been about two months since I have finished and my skin has gotten back to being oily (definitely enjoyed not having shiny skin and scalp during the program), but I will only break out occasionally (small little pimples but it is mainly during my girl time when that happens).
I do recommend Accutane to people, but with discretion. Do it when you feel you are in a good place where people will support and encourage you. I know that sounds super cheesy but trust me, after 7 months of crankiness, tiredness, fatigue and dry lips (which bothered me all the time) is a constant, you need that good support system or program (good foods, exercise, relaxation) to help you get through. If you are already stressed, Accutane might just make it worse and you will just feel shytty all the time.
This may not happen to all but this is just my personal experience. I am happy with the results (I know I will probably not get the perfect skin I want but I am still happier with it than I was before). Below is a picture I took about 2 weeks ago. There is some makeup (powder not foundation) but, again, WAY BETTER THAN 7 MONTH AGO.
Hope this helped!
Replies (3)
Acne is a tricky - there is no one reason people develop acne, and there is no one treatment cures all. I do however feel very strongly that there is a close relationship between what we eat and acne - as I cured my cystic acne by diet, and manage my kids acne by diet as well. I thought that you would find this video helpful as it speaks to diet and acne:Â http://www.realself.com/video/dr-whitney-bowe-disc...: <rs-video-player video='{"id":"416","external_id":"3405640858001","uri":"video\/dr-whitney-bowe-discusses-diet-and-acne-dr-whitney-bowe"}'></rs-video-player>
Great tips! I don't think they are cheesy at all, makes perfect sense. Â You look so confident and happy in your photo, congrats on a successful treatment.Â