31 Yr Old Mild but Persistent Acne - Naperville, IL

Skip the lanolin, that was a pain in the ass. Aquaphor "healing ointment" all the way - in the tube, not the pot. Skip the actual aquaphor lip balm, it's super sticky and dries out too quickly- healing ointment works best.

Updated the pricing on my review because it was much more affordable than I had anticipated... wanted to complete my review as well-

100% worth it.... I started this medication last year and have been off for about 6-7 months, my skin has been completely clear since then. Finally know what it's like to have normal skin! (Oh, also my hair is less oily as well, win!)

Definitely recommend!

Had some difficulties getting Absorica (no where could get it in time for the 7 day window!) so my doc changed my prescription to Claravis - 20mg 2x daily.

I also discovered that the difference between the 2 doesn't have anything to do with one being more prone to upsetting your stomach- as I had thought I heard before... But rather the name brand (Absorica) has better... Absorption.. lol. While the generic (Claravis) needs to be taken after eating in order to absorb properly. The Claravis actually has been working fine- so while I was dead set on getting the Absorica if I could because I have good insurance- I actually think I will stick with the Claravis throughout the duration of my treatment- it seems easier to obtain anyways. Also, it only cost $10 to fill my prescription.

Helpful hint- one of the nurses suggested eating a spoonful of peanut butter with each dose to help with absorption- perfect excuse to eat Justin's Maple Almond Butter every day ;)

Anyways- on to the side effects.

Started noticing dry lips about 3 days in. Everyone always complains about the dry lips- I felt like I was prepared for this.... But holy cow I was not expecting this dry. I tried the Aquaphor Chapstick in the pot that my derm recommended - messy and didn't last long. Had to reapply a ton. Luckily through the suggestion of a relative- I have discovered the holy grail of Chapstick-- pure lanolin. Picked some up in the baby section at Target for $10- it is usually used for breastfeeding mothers with dry/cracked nipples-- but it has worked wonders for these Accutane lips.

Started noticing dry skin about 5-6 days into treatment- present acne dried up, was a little flakey but barely.

About 2 weeks in I got a tiny pimple on my chin, and tried to pop it... Oh my. Do NOT touch your face when you're on this stuff. I squeezed the tiniest bit, and had a huge dry patch around the entire area for the next 4 days, peeling off in layers. Not worth it... Hands off!

I had read on a bunch of reviews that people feel like their blackheads slowly come to the surface and then all of a sudden just rinse off one day... So I'm not going to lie I was really looking forward to that part..

Week 2 I definitely felt like everything was coming to the surface- thankfully not in the form of a breakout- but literally I could feel the hard little plugs of dried sebum coming to the surface of my skin. They weren't exactly 'washing away' as I had hoped, so I stupidly decided to just exfoliate with a wet towel. Another lesson learned- any type of harsh treatment of your skin on Accutane- even as early as 2 weeks in- will leave you hell to pay... Don't do it. I've been dealing with huge dry patches on my chin and nose from my little exfoliation attempt, for the past week. Can't even cover this dryness with makeup, as it makes it look worse! Arg.

I have been using a gentle scrub to cleanse when I have makeup on which seems to be working well, cereve moisturizing cleanser when I do not have makeup on, and cereve moisturizer which- for the first time in my life actually absorbs into my skin and doesn't feel gross or greasy like it used to.

Went to derm yesterday- will be upping dosage to 30mg twice daily for month 2. Also she is taking me off of the antibiotics which I am kind of nervous about.. I hope that I am past the point of initial breakout- fingers crossed I skip that part!