Expensive with a TON of Side Effects, but Worth It - Jacksonville, FL

I had moderate acne including cystic zits and other little zits. My acne was so painful and made me sooo self conscious that I'd wake up in the middle of the night, feel the pain of a zit, and not be able to go back to bed! I was already depressed before I started accutane, but I started a natural supplement called 5-HTP when I started taking accutane and haven't been depressed since.

I was on accutane for 4.5 months and I have only had a few tiny zits in the 2 months I have been off of it. Most of them don't even turn into white heads and go away within a few days.

There are many things you need to be careful about while on accutane. First off, if you are a girl, DO NOT GET PREGNANT. My sister and I were on it at the same time and she was not careful about taking her birth control, and had to get an abortion. This stuff is no joke. Also, she got her wisdom teeth pulled of 1-1.5 months after being off accutane and got the worst infection the dentist ever saw. My dentist also told me that accutane can cause serious cavities if you don't maintain good oral hygiene.
As far as dry skin goes, be prepared. The only thing that worked for me was Lubriderm lotion. I tried Aveeno and other brands, but they didn't cut it. The dry lips are the worst part. My lips cracked EVERY DAY. I tried aquafor and that didn't do much. Real Vaseline at night helps. Also, your hair gets very dry too, so try not to wash it everyday, or get a serum to put in after you shower.

PROS:
Clear skin
Tiny pores
Higher self esteem!

CONS:
Can mess up your babies!
Skin as dry as the Sahara!
Back pain
Blurred vision (especially at night)
Headaches
The worst chapped lips ever
Have to get blood work 1mo before, every month, and 1mo after
EXPENSIVE WITHOUT INSURANCE
Dry hair


Muscle pain goes away within 6 weeks of stopping accutane
Dryness within 2 weeks-1 month