adults & accutane?

[*JoGo*]

i'm going to be starting accutane treatment in a month. are there any adults here that have used this? did it work? how long did it take before you noticed a difference? what about side effects?

i've heard horror stories of TEENS using this. i'm well past my teen years, and while all those hormones are out of my system, i'm tired of dealing with severe acne. over a decade of this, i've tried everything, and i'm done. i'm tired of being extremely self-conscience. cancelling plans and bailing on get-togethers. and spending roughly $100/month on prescriptions that are not cutting it. i. am. desperate.

 

[louey]

I have two nephews (in their teens) that had taken Accutane and it does work! thankfully they had no bad side effects from taking it. Our neighbor who as an adult took it and again I have to say it really does the trick. Good luck I hope it is as successful for you too

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

My best friend took it about ten years ago. She had no problems and has had a clear complexion ever since. Good luck to you!

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

I struggled with adult onset acne after I had my kids and nothing I did helped my skin until I took accutane a couple years ago and my only regret was that I didn't do it sooner. It cleared me up and I've stayed clear since. The only side effect that I had was dry lips. Also because I had such great results I did not hesitate to put my 15 year old son on it after trying many, many different prescriptions that just did not help him - he just finished up his 5 month course and his skin looks great. The only side effect that he had was dry lips.

 

[ksjayhawks]

My son just finished it. Main side effect was dry lips. Be sure to get a good lip cream--ask the doctor what to use.

Be sure to do your blood tests every month!

 

[Serena]

My oldest was on it twice, horrible dry skin and didn't really do as much good as she hoped. Oh, her blonde hair turned wavy and reddish too.

Now, she was a teen, but I saw all the good reviews and I wanted to balance that out a little.

 

[The Orchid]

I took it when I was 30 and I wish I had done it years sooner. I developed severe cystic acne as an adult and I hated it! The only side effect I had of accutane was severely dry eyes and dry lips and to a lesser degree dry skin. I did a lot of research to find the best remedies, so please allow me to make a few suggestions!

1. Aquaphor is the best stuff for dry lips. Most lip balms have ingredients that are proven to cause greater long term dryness. Aquaphor is fantastic and has healing properties. And lucky you, these days you can buy it in small tubes as opposed to the huge six ounce tubes I used to carry with me everywhere! Make sure you purchase at least four tubes. Have one everywhere you go...in your house, at school, at your job, at your bedside, and in your car. The reason why is that if you forget it, you will regret it. It does not take long for accutane lips to dry so much they crack and bleed. You will probably need to have this stuff on your lips at all time. Keep it by your bedside so when you wake up, you can apply it quickly without waking up too much!

2. If dry eyes are a problem, purchase liquid eye drops for daytime use and the ointment for nighttime. I recommend an eyemask so you can keep the ointment in and the air out. Forget about contact lenses while on accutane!

3. Consider Cetaphil lotion for your face and body. It is odor free, has no scent and works very well. I would start using it before you begin the accutane to give your skin a head start! Don't forget to apply it to your feet. And here's another tip; when you get out of the shower, apply the lotion while wet and air dry for about ten minutes. Blot dry with your towel if still wet. The lotion will soak into your skin much better and you will love how soft it makes you. I still do this ten years later!

4. Drink a LOT of water! And avoid stuff that will dehydrate you such as caffeine and especially alcohol.

5. The best time to start accutane is in the fall. The sun is horrible for people on accutane. Also, extreme cold and wind can make dry skin more uncomfortable. I started in September and that worked very well for me. If your house gets dry, use a humidifier or simply boil some water. Just try to keep some moisture in the air!

Some people report that for a period of time, their acne gets much worse before it gets better. This did not happen to me, but it seems to happen to a good many people. Don't let that discourage you! The end result is well worth it.

And one last thing, you will not bounce right back from the dryness after you finish your treatment. I think it took me several weeks. So plan to have to treat dryness for a while after you finish the drug.

Good luck! I am acne free ten years later with only one treatment...and I wimped out and stopped three weeks early! I love being acne free.

If you ever have any questions, feel free to send me a PM. I learned a lot of tricks to deal with the side effects. It's not very pleasant, but it is worth it!

 

[*JoGo*]

Thank you all!!

My dr warned me about the dry skin/lips. I have very dry skin/lips in the winter already, and she said summer's a good time for me to start it. I won't get my first treatment until mid-July.

Orchid - Thank you for all the great tips!! I have some sample size aquaphor tubes already (my ds also suffers dry skin) and I'm going to try some Cetiphil lotion also. My dermatologist's nurse recommended the Cetiphil face wash last month and I'm very satisfied! I've tried every "Acne" brand and every dept. store brand, and none compare. I also got a sample of Cetiphil sunscreen w/ the face wash - not oily!

 

[The Orchid]

You're welcome JoGo! I'm very excited for you. Six months from now, you're going to see a different person when you look into the mirror. It does amazing things for the self-confidence when your face is clear! It'll be a little tough, but trust me...the reward is so worth it. I did not enjoy being on accutane, especially the dry eyes part. I would wake up and feel like my eyes had no liquid. I would blink and it felt like two hard dry surfaces rubbing together. But I will tell you this much. If my cystic acne came back, I wouldn't even hesitate about going on accutane another four months. It really is that worth it!

Please let us know how it goes! And if you have any question once you start the drug, please don't hesitate to come back and ask. The best of luck to you!

 

[Serena]

I use Cetaphil face wash all the time. My skin has allergic reactions, I'm allergic to a few things, and sometimes I don't even know why it reacts. I use it for my face and anywhere my skin is sensitive.

The "oily" skin version is a little less moisturizing than the other, but removes makeup better.

 

[DVC-Don]

My two teens just finished Acutaine without any side effects. Their skin looks terrific.

 

[kldmom2000]

I took it in my mid 20's... it worked then for my severely cystic acne. The only side effects I had were dry lips and dry eyes as well as my face getting very red and dry. I worked for the dermatologist treating me at the time so I got followed VERY closely

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

Good Luck I think you will be very happy afterwards. There are millions of people who use Accutane successfully with little to no side effects but it seems it is only the stories of really bad side effects that everyone hears about. Just keep in close contact with your Dr and report anything that may be a side effect to him/her. Besides myself and my son I personally know atleast 5 others who have been on accutane with very little side effects - dry eyes, skin and lips.

The Orchid gave you some greeat advice I also used Cetiphil face wash and aquaphor for my lips. After my treatment I used Aveeno for Dry sensative skin and that was good too. My son loved the Carmex that came in a squeeze tube for his lips - he couldn't live with out that. Also some good moisturizing eye drops especially if you wear contacts. I didn't have to bad of a problem with dry eyes though.

Just remember to try to stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day when the sun is strongest and always wear sunscreen. And slather up with lotion after a bath or shower to help keep your whole body moisturized.