Accutane for Acne User Reviews (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 18, 2021

"I'm on a 40 mg dose and into my 4th month, skin still breaks out in spots, but no cysts yet, and my hair has broken off dramatically."

• Gol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2021

"I started this medication 3 months ago, and today my doctor and I decided to stop taking it. 2 months into it, I developed severe depression, pretty much all of the side effects that it lists on the inside of the medicine packet. Aggressiveness, irritability, crying spells, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, the list goes on. It cleared my moderate acne very well, so I was very disappointed that I had to stop, but I didn’t know if the depression would stay with me in the long term if I stuck with it. In the first month, I took two weeks off due to it causing back pain. I also had a dry scalp, minimal lip dryness, and purging. Although this medication was not for me, my brother took it when he was a teenager, and he had great results. His face is clear, and as far as I know, he hasn’t had one pimple pop back up. Hope this helps."

• ult...
• May 31, 2020

"I’m excited that I finally joined this party. I was cycling through antibiotics and Retin-A/adapalene for all of high school and college, and it was fairly ineffective and miserable. I came to accept myself in college, and for a while, I thought it was immoral/dangerous to risk Accutane because I had depression in high school. However, over the years, I learned that several of my classmates and my own cousin had taken it and looked normal. When I started my first job while living at home right after college, I decided it was time to roll the dice with Accutane. I’m in a special category of people because I decided that I was willing to own the risk just for the chance to try this drug and see if it opens some doors for me. I also wanted the assurance that this was something I could recommend to my future child. In terms of symptoms, I got the dryness, a few nosebleeds, joint pain, itchiness, hazy eyesight, peeling skin, and I took 60 mg a day for 6 months."

• Joe...
• February 23, 2020

"About two years ago, I started my Accutane treatment. I was 15, on a low dose, with acne surrounding my mouth and my forehead, which is generally known as the T-zone. As I began the treatment, my skin inflamed and had an intense breakout that lasted about 2 months, which managed to get rid of all the acne, and all I was left with was dark hyperpigmentation spots. However, as the months continued in my treatment, I began to develop cystic acne around my shoulders and back, so bad in fact that they would burst and bleed, causing agonizing pain for the best part of 3 months. These cysts would later leave me keloid scars I still have to this day. However, after my course, it seemed to be too good to be true. For about a year and a half, I was clean, enjoying my life, until 6 months ago, when I began to develop acne again around my cheeks, jawline, and back of my neck. To me now, depressed and full of pain, I would have never taken it if I knew what would have happened to me now."

• Cha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 10, 2019

"I've had acne for 6 years. I’ve been on Accutane for 6 months now, first, I was taking 20mg. My skin got so bad to start with, then went back to how it was before I started my course. Now I am on 40mg and still no improvement. As for side effects, I have bleeding lips every day, flaky scalp, joint pain (I cannot exercise, it hurts my knees too much), I am incredibly moody, also very depressed for no apparent reason (besides having acne), I have an irregular heartbeat, fatigue... Hopefully, after a few more months, my skin will get clearer."

• Vic...
• November 4, 2019

"In high school, I had horrible, painful cystic acne. I took Accutane from the fall of 2015 to spring of 2016. While taking it, I experienced extreme dryness, chapped lips, joint pain, and had problems with my eyesight at night (the drug causes eye shape to change). When the course was completed, my skin was perfect. A few months after being off Accutane, I developed severe anxiety, had panic attacks every day, and depression. My skin stayed pretty much clear for three years, but now my cystic acne has come back, although not as bad as before. I don’t plan on doing another round of Accutane because the long-term side effects aren’t worth it. For those thinking about taking this, please know it's at a cost. I truly cannot see in dark or dimly lit rooms, I have no night vision. I know at least five other people who have taken this drug who have also experienced depression and anxiety after taking it. My mind is constantly in a fog, and I can’t memorize anything anymore."

• OJa...
• October 21, 2019

"I have bad closed comedones all over my face. A LOT of them. I first tried Retin A cream and tried Tazorac, it didn't work. I brought up Accutane to my new derm and told me it would go away on a 6-month course. I started 40 mg a day and had bad headaches the first couple of weeks, but it stopped. The side effects of dry skin aren't too bad, I had oily skin prior, so no oil now - the dry lips suck! My corners crack and are always peeling. I finished month 2 a few weeks ago. I do believe in the purging process. I never had red bumps often up until last week, they are coming up about every day. I have found 1 other person on the internet with this issue. You cannot just cover these with makeup. The wrong lighting can make them look 100x worse, and you should not pick at your face while on it. Your skin is highly sensitive, and it will be red for weeks or leave scarring. But I never had depression and don’t really have it now, other than getting upset about my face not clearing. Symptom-wise, it is good right now. Hope to update with a clear face in a few months."

• luv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2019

"I have cystic acne…was shocked to learn my doctor recommended Accutane. From monthly nosebleeds to severe dry lips, severe dry skin, scalp, and major joint pain in my feet, upper back, forearm, and knees…all of which caused me to have a torn meniscus in my knee! So not worth it! I am now struggling to stand/walk and even lying down is just painful. I personally wouldn’t have gone through this hassle since it made things worse for me. I do have acne scars now more while I was on it… but the redness/flair ups have calmed down during my hormonal monthlies. I don’t see much of a difference. Getting the drug filled was a pain since pharmacies don't know how to fill this drug properly… they don’t check the iPledge first before filling the drug, so it screws up the status. I am a bit worried about the long-term side effects and not even sure if the acne really cured me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 31, 2019

"Acne has been a part of my life for almost 8 years now. There has never been a day when I did not at least have one breakout. So, I finally decided to jump into isotretinoin (40 mg) twice daily after trying antibiotics and multiple topicals that did not help. My acne has, for the most part, cleared with one breakout in my 6th month of treatment. Although, the side effects are brutal. I am talking peeling layers of skin off my lips daily while using medicated chapstick the entire duration of treatment. I am talking bloody noses and dried scabs from constant bleeding. I am getting my nose cauterized because of how easily my blood vessels break from the repeated dryness. My eyes hurt after looking at classwork or the computer for an hour. The last big side effect was dry eczema on my arms. All I can say is I am glad to be completing treatment. Although everyone seems to react differently, so please understand my side effects may not equal yours."

• Bai...
• March 11, 2018

"Four years ago I took Accutane for 5 months. It worked for my horrible acne and I haven't had any breakouts since, but shortly after taking it, I had side effects of hair loss and ingrown toenails to the point it was 1/2 inch ingrown. Now, four years later, I continue to have ingrown toenails, I've had them surgically removed at least twice a year. It seems to be never-ending."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2017

"Suffered from very mild acne since 17. Odd breakouts around period. No acne during pregnancies. Getting worse over the years. Just had a baby and skin was perfect for a few days, then woke up with 100+ tiny bumps on my face. Thought they'd disappear but decided to become infected. Just started taking the drug (30 mg as already depressed about skin condition) day 8 and have had massive cystic spots (3) on my face but are drying up quite quickly. The most annoying thing is these tiny whiteheads I keep getting around my mouth-edge of lips. I can't help but pop them as they look really disgusting. Using Cetaphil products and aloe lotion for dryness a week before starting treatment, so dryness hasn't really been an issue so far. Hope this works and gets rid of tiny bumps."

• BW ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 30, 2017

"Helped with acne, although not the 'miracle' we hoped for. However, he did experience severe psych issues at month #4. A college kid with absolutely no previous psych issues, became very depressed. No specific incidents or issues occurred, just a depression over nothing. Tears and sadness with no links to anything. Couldn't eat or sleep. We immediately stopped."

• Jag...
• November 27, 2016

"Within the first two months on Accutane, my acne got much, much worse, but after that, it got much better, although it did leave behind many scars due to the severity of my acne because of the medicine. In the first two months... If I knew this would happen, I would've just let my acne play out without the Accutane."

• lan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 7, 2016

"I was on Accutane for almost 2 months. About a month and a half in, my eyes started to bother me. They were incredibly dry and it constantly felt like I had an eyelash in them. They were burning like crazy and hurt to move. I was worried I had an infection, so I went to my eye doctor. They told me both of my optic nerves were swollen and referred me to a neuro-ophthalmologist. I was immediately taken off Accutane. It has been a couple of weeks since I stopped the medication and my eyes have finally stopped bothering me. If I had continued the medication, I could've had permanent eye damage. The scariest side effects may be rare, and this drug may be a 'holy grail' for stubborn acne, but is clear skin really worth going blind, etc?"

• sea...
• May 10, 2016

"I have had mild/persistent acne for about 6 years now (I'm 22) and have tried several treatments. The most effective was Doryx, which I was on for nearly 6 months, it cleared my skin up completely. However, that clear skin only lasted a few months, and by the end of the treatment, my acne was flaring up again. That is when my dermatologist prescribed me Accutane. I was assured there would be no new flare-ups because my acne was mild. However, I am on day 12 now, and I can say my skin was clearer when I started Accutane than it is now. On top of that, I am experiencing very dry skin and chapped/cracked lips. I am going to stick the full treatment out, but just a warning that more likely than not, you will break out before it gets better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 25, 2013

"Yes, it did clear my acne once I was on it. I had cystic acne around my chin and forehead, and some acne on my cheeks. But I would say no less than a year later, it started coming back. Granted, it was not as bad as before, but I was extremely surprised to see acne come back so soon. Now, about 3 years later, it is TERRIBLE. I am getting cystic acne again, and a new pimple is popping up pretty much every day around my chin. I really don't want to have to go on another treatment of Accutane. I had already been on 2 six-month treatments in a row."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 19, 2012

"I went on Accutane when I was 18 years old. You have to be on birth control before and have 2 negative pregnancy tests before being prescribed Accutane. Then you have to be tested every month for pregnancy. It took me about 6 months to actually begin the treatment. You need to be very strict and diligent about taking it. You will NOT start seeing any improvement for at least 6 months (I was on it for a year), and your acne might get a little worse before it gets better. My skin did clear up a lot after I was on it. However, 4 years later, it all came back for some reason. Side effects include: very dry skin (face, hands, feet, etc.). I would recommend it for anyone who has moderate to severe acne."

• app...
• April 25, 2012

"Well, it worked well for me. I took it back in the early '90s as a young teenager with moderate acne. The side effects are bad though, really bad. My skin was so dry, as were my lips and scalp. I was sick, had a lot of pain and anxiety, and then depression. I took a 6-month course, and it was recommended that I take a second about a year later, but I couldn't face the idea of the side effects. It did, however, do miracles for my skin, it has remained clear some 20 years later."

• Anonymous
• December 9, 2011

"This is my honest experience. I convinced myself that I would take the medicine, and the moment I should notice side effects, I would stop. While on Accutane, the worst the side effects got were chapped lips, dry skin on my hands and elbows, and sensitivity to sunburns (never had a sunburn in my life before then). Accutane worked like a charm, and my skin became perfect, but it wasn't until two years after coming off it that my hair started to thin."

• Ash...
• July 15, 2011

"When I took Accutane, my acne did clear up after a couple of months. But the side effects were very annoying, including excessively dry face and lips and back pain. It actually came to a point that I couldn't continue dancing because of this back pain. I was glad to be finished with it after the allotted time I was prescribed, but then, six months later, my acne came back in full. My doctor said this is normal and usually goes away within weeks, but mine didn't. I'm still struggling with acne despite having taken Accutane."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2011

"I am 15 and a half, and I have been on Accutane for about one month now, and I have noticed my acne has gotten terribly worse. I'm breaking out all around my mouth, which was not my problem area when I was not on it. I have had bad back pains, but I am a dancer, so I don't know if it's from that or the medicine. I recently went to the dermatologist, and he upped my dose from 40 mg to 60 mg. Besides dry lips, I have not had any other side effects. My skin wasn't even drying out, which is one reason why my dermatologist upped the dose. I really hope my skin starts clearing up soon."

• deb...
• January 6, 2008

"My skin did improve a bit after taking it for a while, but it never was entirely clear, and the acne returned to pre-treatment levels within months. Also, when I was on it, whenever I had a breakout, there always was scarring (not usually the case before the Accutane). Had uncomfortable chapped lips (forget about wearing lipstick while you're on Accutane!)"

• lea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 23, 2021

"I took Accutane a year ago, and I want people to know that skin maintenance after can be very complicated to find what works for you. I've been taking adapalene 0.3 percent since then to treat acne scars and potential new acne, and this leaves my skin very, very red, dry, and sensitive. It took me a year to figure out a moisturizer that would work for me, and that it was alright to use the moisturizer right after applying the adapalene. I've tried many, many products, and 'Rugged and Dapper Age and Damage Defense Facial Moisturizer' on Amazon finally does the trick (I'm a man). Good luck! Share your own tips!"

• Kyr...
• November 23, 2019

"I am currently a week into my third month of treatment and have suffered from acne since the age of 19. I am now 24 and have finally decided to bite the bullet and go on Accutane. My derm initially prescribed me 40mg of Accutane once daily, she upped my dose to 60mg, and when I say my skin has become beyond dry and sensitive to the touch, I mean it. Not to mention the initial purge is something I am dealing with, breaking out on parts of my face that I normally don’t break out. There are red, inflamed bumps that take weeks to dissipate. At my last appointment, she lowered my dose back to 40mg. She stated that I am just one of her patients that she needs to ease into the process with. I was on prednisone during month two as well because my skin had flared up so bad. I am really hoping there is a light at the end of this nightmare of a tunnel. If anyone has gone through anything similar to this with their treatment, I would love to hear your experience because I’m losing hope and am trying to be patient."

• 77a...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 10, 2019

"I was on Accutane for about 13 months. My skin had a horrible purging time, it is completely normal for your skin to get worse before it gets better. My skin did not clear up until the 11-12 months on it. My dermatologist was giving me the wrong doses and kept moving me up and down doses, which is not normal. After treatment, my skin was completely clear for about 6 months. I recently got horrible cystic acne back, it is so painful. I went to a different dermatologist, and I am on my second course of Accutane starting at 60 mg a day. It is supposed to be around a 6-month treatment, hopefully, it stays clear this time!"