Isotretinoin User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

• braaad
• January 17, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "​Hello everyone, I'm your typical 18 year old lad and have never written on a forum before but I want to write something for the people that are worried about taking this (in my opinion) miracle drug. I am coming to the end of my 6 month course and I can honestly say it's been life changing. Before I started Roaccutane, I was fairly depressed and seriously lacking confidence due to my appearance. But after months of failed treatments on various antibiotics, I was referred to a dermatologist who instantly said there's only one way to fix my acne problem, Roaccutane. At first I thought this is the worst case scenario and I'm going to be even more depressed as a result of the possible mental health side affects. Depression has run in my family so I was very worried. However, living like with acne wasn't something I was prepared to do, so I started the course on 40mg a day. The first week I had a headache daily, but thankfully these die off after a week and paracetamol and ibuprofen will take all the pain away. Almost immediately, my lips were cracking and from then on in, I never went anywhere without some Carmex lip balm in my pocket. As the first 3 months went by, I was still breaking out and was starting to think it isn't going to work. However, I'm so glad I stuck with it because now I haven't got a single spot of my face and the scars have faded to the point where you can barely see them! After the third month, my derm upped my dose and I started to take 60mg a day. Luckily for me I hadn't had any serious side affects. Just your occasional nose bleed and dry skin, and sometimes my eyes were a bit blurry but it's not much of an issue. Anyway, I just want anyone reading this that is worried about starting this medication, that not everyone has a horror story about Roaccutane and I couldn't be happier at how it's made me feel!! Don't let acne take over your life!:)"

• Rex
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 15, 2018

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I've had acne my whole life (age 29). Face was always oily and I'd pop pimples all the time. Started accutane in January. Face and lips started getting really dry. Eucerin lotion and Aquaphor worked very well but needed to apply several times a day. Eczema on the top of my hands, wrists and upper arms (small red bumps that I've never had before in my life) so more lotion was required. By the middle of the second month, my acne was gone. I had dry eyes that required artificial tears at least 8 times a day. After 3 months my doctor told me I can discontinue taking it. It did not hold me back from being active and traveling through a few countries either. The side effects had disappeared except for a few small bumps only on my upper arms. It is November now. Still haven't seen a single pimple on my face! Had mild depression and anxiety but I've also had a long history even before taking accutane. Different people will have different results and side effects. Best of luck to everyone."

• Randy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "The side-effects suck. I would get a bloody nose at least 5 times a day, my lips would peel and get blisters, and my arms would get rashes. But it was all worth it. Accutane is amazing. I am so thankful for it. I had acne for 6 years and I tried everything you could imagine to try and clear my face up. Now after 4 long months, I am just now taking my last pill. I go to the mirror and I don't see a pimple, scar, or even a red mark on my face. my self-esteem has improved so much. I would definitely recommend it."

• JohnC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2024

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "Accutane literally saved my life 21 years ago. In 2003, I was a depressed 'pizza face' teen boy literally contemplating suicide because of how disfigured and ugly I felt that my severe acne made me look. In the prime of my high school years, and I was missing out on everything my friends were enjoying because of my severe acne, which caused anxiety and depression too. I leaned toward not taking Accutane for the longest time because of the side effects, but eventually I decided any side effects were worth trying it because otherwise I felt like my life was over. Well, it was over. Because I was REBORN as a new person after this miracle drug completely cured my acne, giving me glowing skin and a better complexion than some of my friends who never had acne. My worst side effects during the treatment were dry lips, and it's possible my night vision was affected, but not significantly. 21 years later, the acne has still never come back. Best decision I ever made in my life on August 21, 2003."

• JustD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2016

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I read the Accutane horror stories, so I turned down my dermatologists suggestion of it. After 4 more years (25 now), the cystic acne has just been getting worse and worse. It was seriously impacting my life. I just finished a month ago doing a 5 month 60mg/day treatment and my skin is flawless. I cannot believe it. I actually have better skin than people who I once thought had beautiful perfect skin. I experienced some joint pain the first month and dry lips the entire time, but I started seeing reductions in acne by month 2 and had no new cysts by month 4. There are still a few that are healing (yes, I would get some cysts that take 6-8 months to heal). I would highly recommend this. I have so much of my life back not worrying about skin."

• Selen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 13, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I struggled with such bad acne since I was in middle school. I tried almost every type of over the counter medicine that there was and none of it worked. During my Freshman year of high school, I decided that I needed a cure for my acne because of how terrible it was getting. I went to a dermatologist and he recommend Accutane for about 7 months. After about 3 months, I could not believe that my face was getting clearer! When I was finally done, my skin was clear! I was so excited!! I even recommend Accutane to one of my friends and her face turned out great as well. I took Accutane back in 2009 and I'm now 22 years old and my face still looks fantastic! I highly recommend Accutane to anyone who is struggling with acne, it works!"

• joy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "Reading all these horror stories from those who took this medication, I can see how they would scare someone off considering to take Accutane. Speaking as someone who suffered from severe acne in highschool I KNOW the emotional toll it has a persons self esteem. I took accutane for a total of 6 months and to say it has been a LIFE SAVER would be an understatement. 2 years later and no crazy side effects, or third arm growing. These days I get nothing less than a single pimple every now and again. This medication is a life saver if you can take it!"

• cpd
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "Accutane completely sucks. It made everything for me 50 x worse. If your acne isn’t severe, don’t take it. Because there is a chance that it will get worse like it did for me. Side effects suck to"

• Jen
• May 13, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "Accutane has been a great for my skin as I struggled with mild acne from the age of 12-18 years old. When I hit college, my skin became extremely oily and my small pimples became deep cysts. I saw a dermalogist and was put on Differin and also Duac. I went through several courses of antibiotics without ever getting fully clear skin. My derm told me that accutane was the next step. The only bad side effects I had besides the dry skin and dry lips was some pretty horrendous headaches at the beginning. My derm made me take a week off taking the and them headaches never returned. Besides that, my accutane course was great and my blood work was just fine. Before accutane I was too embarrassed to be seen by anyone including family without make up on. Now I can leave my house with no make up. This is true freedom, my skin is now JUST skin and I can look people in the eye and not worry about them staring at a huge cyst on my face. I wish I had done this ten years ago!"

• MVPac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2016

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I will tell you one thing, at 25 years I had thought I would have acne forever. My skins texture was horrible, blackheads, whiteheads, cysts at times that were very painful and worse..scars. I started taking 40 mg once a day, then alternating 60 mg, 40 mg and 60 mg between days. I noticed by the end of month three my breakout significantly declining. Then 80 mg a day. I can't tell you how shocked I was because and I know everyone says it but I really did truly try EVERYTHING under the sun for my acne. I wouldn't let anyone touch my face not even my mom. I changed my pillow case and used every oil free etc etc. End of month 5 and I NEVER have seen my skin so radiant! The side effects are worth it 500000x over!"

• Mirac...
• November 25, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "Started it at 31, all the extra stuff that comes with the medication are SO worth it. Yeah you feel achy and have dry skin but it literally gets rid of everything. I had mild but very persistent acne since my early teens....this included body acne. I tried it all, detergents, shampoos, fash washes...nothing worked. I had very oily skin. I was free of acne after about 3 weeks of taking it. I've had maybe 10 tiny zits since then and I am in month 4 of 6."

• Meag
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 9, 2018

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I always told myself I was gonna post a before and after picture of my acne but I never had enough balls, so here it is!! I have had cystic acne for a couple years now and it put a huge damper on my self confidence. After trying every single kind of cream, antibiotic, and diet (I even went vegan), I finally found a doctor who believed that I had been through enough and put me on Accutane. Although it’s a really powerful drug with some potentially hideous side effects, it has been a life changer. Don’t ever let someone with perfect skin tell you that “acne doesn’t matter” or that “you’re acne isn’t even that bad”. YOUR FACE IS THE FIRST THING THAT PEOPLE SEE!"

• Nate
• February 16, 2015

Claravis (isotretinoin) for Acne "In Junior High all of a sudden my face just erupted in acne. You could tell people were staring. I hated looking in the mirror. It's remarkable how fast all the acne disappeared. This medication was a real life saver. My dad didn't have access to this medicine and from 12-25 he was absolutely covered in acne. So grateful I have this stuff Side effects to note: VERY dry lips Dry skin Back pain"

• Nippy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2016

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "My 16 year old son has had acne- not to the point of scaring but enough to really affect his self esteem. He is now under a specialist and has been taking Accutane for about 3-4 months.40mg per day. After a month or so his skin was even worse and it was quite horrific but now he is nearly clear ! He has always been very moody and I have constantly been worried that he may have depression. He has shown NO signs of being any worse on this medication ! Dry, dry, dry lips is the worst side effect and his self esteem is better."

• 19...
• July 15, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I want to start off by saying, this is a miracle pill. I've suffered from acne since I have been in 7th grade (12yrs). I remember running into bathroom stalls to powder my face. Only hoping one day i would pass the "puberty" phase. However, here I was 19 graduating high school with worse acne. After years of treatment such as tropicals & numerous antibiotics I decided to take on accutane. Two months into accutane, I am leaving my house with JUST BBCream. No concealer, no powder NOTHING. I wake up & look into the mirror & feel like crying from happiness. It's been two month & I have another 3 to go. My journey has only begun and I can't believe these results. Only con is the chapped/dry lips. If you ask me it's all worth it"

• Xxnic...
• May 27, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I had cystic acne on my face, neck, shoulders, and back. I have never been able to wear a tank top, or bathing suit and my hair with no makeup for 7 years. HIGHLY RECOMMEND ACCUTANE! I'm not even done my 120 day course yet and I could almost cry right now, talking about how great I feel now. I think the trick to avoiding all those serious side effects is sticking to a lower dosage. I'm on 30mg a day and it took 3 1/2 months (BE STRONG PEOPLE IT TAKES TIME) and I can officially say I am acne free all over for the first time in 7 years. I wish I could be some sort of motivational speaker for this stuff. If you are thinking about it DO IT! Down side is the dry patches on my arms and cracked lips, the only thing that works is Vaseline. And another upside to it is my hair! It never gets oily! "

• Luc
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 22, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "Taking Accutane for my acne is one of the best things I’ve done. It has literally changed my life and I have become so much more confident. I am so much happier with how my skin is and my appearance now than I ever have been. People comment on how I look happier and healthier because my skin is just glowing! I am just in my last month or so and I am looking forward to when it finishes. I struggled with severely dry lips and patches of skin on my face to begin with. My skin started to cope more but my lips are still as dry as ever, this is something I will not miss. Occasionally I may feel down however as long as you tell your doctor the truth they can deal with this and possibly lower your dose etc. (one of the positive side effects is my hair is no where near as greasy!) To anyone who is wondering whether Accutane is for them, I would say it is life changing and the side effects are manageable for such a positive outcome at the end!"

• Kita
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I have been on Accutane now for 3 months. I was started on 30mg by my dermatologist - may I say they have been so so helpful and supportive. Within 3-4 weeks my acne was SEVERE, it was so painful I couldn’t sleep on it or even touch it. With weekly visits to my dermatologist, she suggested comedo extraction, I had this done twice, still no improvement. I then was dropped to 20mg a day but that still did not assist the extreme acne which Accutane caused! I did not go on Accutane with acne this severe, if I knew this would happen, I would never have started it. I am now on my third month and only take 10mg daily as advised by my dermatologist. Unfortunately still no improvement and I feel this is not normal. All the reviews I read state by month 3 I should be seeing improvements and should be on a higher dosage! Can anyone give me advice, e.g. was yours the same? Or did you go through the same experience? I really don’t want to give up on Accutane!"

• Ashxox
• March 10, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "It is incredible. It really makes a difference to your skin. Yes it gets worse before it gets better, but once you get past the painful stage of breakouts, all you see week by week is improvement! I highly recommend it to those with severe acne. Before you know it, your skin will be perfect!"

• Chitt...
• May 13, 2014

Claravis (isotretinoin) for Acne "I'll admit, at first I was extremely skeptical. I had heard about all of the nasty side effects that occur with this medicine. 5 months ago, I had cystic acne SO bad that each side of my face on my cheeks looked like I had a big, inflamed, rash on them. I was embarrassed to leave the house and I had to cake on the makeup, and even then you could tell I had a big problem. Within the first three months or so, I had been on it and while it got better, I was sure it would never get really better because I kept breaking out. Well, I am officially on my 5th and last month and I haven't had a new pimple in over a week, I am 100% clear. This stuff WORKS. Don't let people scare you, the side effects are really not that bad. Life changing stuff."

• Lissy...
• August 8, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "Amazing! I understand when people say they tried everything. I didn't have severe acne but persistent and regular plus it didn't help that I was a real squeezer and probably made whole situation worse. And I already get anxious about social situations so the skin problem added to that! I was able to go on a low dose, 20mg which I was scared wouldn't be enough but this stuff is strong! Can't complain about the dry skin as how else is it going to work? The whole idea is to make you less oily. Lips were very dry and gross at the start and whole layers were peeling off but that isn't so bad now. Have been through about 10 lip balms already! But that's it really. Sometimes feel a little tired but that could also not be Accutane."

• Shaz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 10, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I highly recommend this treatment. I had my second child at 33yrs & for the next two years spent too much money fighting the worst breakouts I'd ever had in my life. I was at the point where I would not go out because I hated the acne marks. My doctor told me I was a good candidate for Accutane & after consulting friends who had taken it in their teen years I decided to take the treatment. No Regrets! It is not an easy process. Treatment was for 6 months. My skin and lips peeled after the first month up to the 5th and they were very sensitive to the sun. It felt raw. My joints were very tight when I woke up in the morning (like arthritis). But Worth every Discomfort. Treatment ended Oct 2011 and have been Breakout Free for the last 2 years."

• kb11
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I am so thankful that I eventually tried Accutane. Literally tried everything before this and am so glad I did! I had horrible acne even some cystic acne that was so painful ever since I can remember. Started Accutane and aside from the extremely dry skin and I even got a rash sometimes, the side effects are tolerable and it cleared my skin up 100%! I started it when I was 19 years old. I took 6 months of it and my face was officially clear. It’s been almost two years now and I haven’t had a zit. NOT ONE. My skin went back to normal and not dry. Highly recommended! It’s hard while on it, but the results are so worth it."

• HHano
• January 30, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I have struggled with acne my entire life, tried countless of drugs and products to clear my skin, and had no luck. When I was on Accutane, I had clear skin aside from a few cystic pimples throughout the two year period. In addition to this amazing feeling, my skin was constantly dry, my lips were constantly chapped, and I had to drink many cups a water of day to even feel semi-hydrated. When I stopped taking the drug, I suffered from hardcore anxiety and had a few full blown anxiety attacks, something I have never been affected by before I started taking this medication. After about a month or two, this anxiety calmed but I still suffer from it. Now, almost four years after I finished taking the medication, my acne is back and the same as before, my lips are still constantly chapped, I still wake up in the middle of the night to very dry skin, and my hair is way thinner than it used to be. This harmful drug is NOT WORTH IT."

• Floweer
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) for Acne "I'm on my second week of Accutane 40mg. So far no side effects or initial breakout. My lips are dryer but easily fixable with Chapstick. I've been using jojoba oil as a moisturizer as well. I've had extremely minor pimples appear and then go away immediately and no scarring. So far it's been great and hopefully continues to do so!"