Zenatane for Acne User Reviews

• paigeyk
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2017

"Please read! There are so many scary and terrible reviews on this drug. Before going on this drug, I read reviews and became stiff with anxiety. I actually took a brand names Zenatane, which is the same thing just a little cheaper. LIFE SAVER. I had to come on here and write a glowing review for everyone who was in the position I was before starting. My flare up began the summer of my senior year of high school and got so terrible when I moved away for college. It was so bad and I was so embarrassed that I moved back home. Huge hard cyst type zits all over my face with redness. No amount of makeup could hide it. I finally made the choice to just do this treatment. It's the best choice I have ever made. I have actually been off of it for almost two years now and still don't get much... a few every now and then but small and hardly ever. The side effects- NOT THAT BAD. Yes I had very dry eyes... but nothing some good drops couldn't fix. I also had a dry nose but nothing some good spray couldn't fix. Towards the end of my treatment I even started my outdoor college soccer practices. I was in the sun, I was running and out of breath, but everything was just fine! The worst part about this drug for me was taking the pills. I have a fear of swallowing pills but I did it with some yogurt and it's no big deal. Here's the thing... FOLLOW THE RULES. My sister took this before me. She ruined it for herself. She decided smoking while taking it is no big deal... wrong. It ruined her breathing to a point where she had to stop the drug... and her skin was much worse than mine. 5 years later she is on it again and doing great. So don't listen to all the scary reviews. You will be fine! You can manage the side effects. You can get more help from your Derm. YOU GOT THIS."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 25, 2016

"My son started zanatane 5 months ago after trying EVERYTHING else. This is the ONLY thing that has cleared his skin (took almost 5 months) His Dr started him off w/ 20 mg twice a day..now he is taking 60 MG twice a day. To those complaining about side effects...his Dr stated he must take this w/high fat foods...peanuts, peanut butter, bacon, etc.(2 help absorb the med) His 1st 2 blood tests came back a little high so she did not up his dosage. He ate more fat when taking the pills (few scoops pb)& now on higher dose his counts are good. Do not listen 2 scary stories about this med. His Dr said she has been prescribing for 12 yes & NEVER had a bad side effect reported (other than dry skin, lips). Wish he went on this sooner (18 yrsold)"

• kensl...
• November 6, 2015

"Since I was young I have suffered of cystic acne. I think is hormonal because sometimes my face is clear and sometimes is not. Now that I am 35 I decided to go with Zenatane because my dermatologist recommended it. I am on 30 MG twice a day. I have been Using this for one Month Now I Am on my second month and the side effects are horrible. Dry lips, eyes, sleepiness, and the worst joint and muscular pain on my upper middle back, neck, chest, knees, hands , and hips. I am not exaggerating I feel like an old lady of how stiff I feel especially in the mornings. I also have some stomach discomfort and mild heart burn. I don't want to continue but my skin just in one month has improved a great deal."

• AlexA...
• June 13, 2017

"I took the max dosage for this drug for 6 months (I had bad cystic acne.) The main side effect I had was dryness. Everything was so dry (lips, mouth, nose) light nose bleeds. However it was very minimal. I did experience a lot of hairloss and it's continuing. One thing that surprised me: I had history of depression and was worried about it bringing it back. However I actually noticed an improved mood. I wonder if this is because I had a vitamin A deficiency which zentane is derived from. Overall great experience. Acne free except for occasional ones that dry up fast. Keep in mind some things: your acne might get worse before it gets better, keep your doctor updated with side effects."

• MLBW
• December 2, 2016

"At 19 I started experiencing SEVERE cystic acne-constant dime, penny, and nickel sized cysts, usually 3-5+ in various spots on my face at a time. They were embarassing & extremely painful to the point of having limited facial movement/expression. After 2 years of trying everything possible (including painful cortisone shots!) I went to a new derm who finally let me try Zenatane (generic brand Accutane). My acne did get worse at first, then I began to see real results at ~ month 5. After 9 months of treatment I was completely clear & have been clear ever since. I did experience many side effects such as extreme dryness, INSANE mood swings, bad body aches, hemorrhoids, tirediness, & more, but it was all worth it. Don't give up on the process!"

• Tfreeds
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2017

"I am an uncommon person. I actually had an adverse reaction to the drug. I was honestly one of the most popular kids in my school. Known for good looks, etc. I was such a pretty boy, that when I started to get even a mild breakout, I urged my mom to make a dermatologist appointment. My dermatologist prescribed me accutane. It was the worst decision of my life. My face EXPLODED with acne. For the past year and a half, I have struggled with depression, visited numerous doctors, surgeons, spent THOUSANDS of dollars on surgeries, and am only about 70% improved from the point that I started accutane. I can not express enough how much this drug has severely effected me in my life, and ask you to use caution when this drug. Please use caution."

• Bunny...
• December 8, 2015

"I have been on Zenatane for about 9 months! It has taken me a lot longer to see results than most people/stories I've heard but it saved my face. I had cystic acne break outs mostly on my cheeks. Nothing would make them go away. After starting Zenatane it wasn't an 'over night' clear up miracle. It took months. After 4 months with no results I was ready to give up but than after 5-6 months- the cysts just stopped. It was sudden and surprising. My skin continues to 'turn over' and looks better and better every week. I also changed my diet which I believed helped as well. In Feb 2016 will be a full year I've been on accutane (Zenatane) and I am ready to be done but it has been worth it."

• Acne...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2016

"I am a 25 year old female and I struggled with acne for approximately 7-8 years before starting Zenatane (isotretinoin). I tried several topical and oral medications with little to no success. It became extremely upsetting and frustrating to wake up an extra 30 minutes just to "cover up" my breakouts. I finally made the decision to speak to my dermatologist about accutane, and after completing some research I decided to go on it. I have completed close to ONE month on this pill and it is truly a miracle! My face has cleared and instead of having several cystic breakouts during "that time of the month" I only had one. The only side effects I have yet to experience are dry lips. I highly recommend this medication!"

• Love...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 5, 2023

"I started experiencing cystic acne all over my face in 2019 due to lockdown and PCOS and etc. Tried every single topical cream and nothing worked. My doctor started me on Zenatane last October and I’ve been purging since month one to mid-month five. I was hopeless at some point and wanted to give up. I also experienced blurry vision, dry lips, dry skin, a dry nose, and rashes. But after five months of use, my acne is cleared. I have five more days to go and have one hormonal acne on my jaw that is almost healed but I can’t be happier. Zenatane cured my hair loss and my hair texture is so great. I think it’s due to the healthy fat I’ve been eating every day with my meds. Use lip balm every 10 minutes, moisturize, and drink lots of water with a bit of salt so your body can intake the water. Take fish oil so you don’t get joint pain, and use eye drops every day and you will be fine. All I need is to heal my scars now."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 18, 2017

"I started getting acne as soon as I hit puberty(age 12, 6th grade). My acne continued to get worse all throughout middle school. I went to see a dermatologist and he prescribed me many prescriptions that would work for a little while but acne would come right back. Fast forward to age 23 I have the same derm since I was 12. He prescribed me accutane as a last resort. Although I did not like it for the 6 months I was on it b/c of the dryness it caused, I love that my skin has finally been acne free/blemish free. I stopped taking accutane in Jan 2017. I'm just hoping I don't have to go through that acne stage that I had in middle school ever again. Cons is that I still have dryness/eczema on hands kinda hard to get rid of that :/"

• MrSSm...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2021

"It got my 17 year old daughter’s acne mostly cleared up but when the dose was doubled from 40 to 80mg all hell broke loose. She’s currently at the Children’s hospital in Columbia SC for a week now with her digestive system swollen, bleeding, hurting and infected. It’s so swollen that the camera they use for inspection couldn’t fit. Samples were taken and sent to a lab for definitive proof on what’s going on. If the package the pills came in had a warning about digestive warnings similar to the reproductive warnings this drug would’ve never been used by us. For most this drug works is improving lives but for the unlikely 1 in 10,000 just Like asbestos there needs to be some type of fund set up. As a retired father, here I come…"

• Sexy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2016

"I was not sexy. Now I look sexy. This stuff works. (Still on it because it's only been 4 months.)"