Accutane (?)

[mensimageconsultant]

That likely refers to bone density, which Accutane can affect. Accutane also can cause hair loss. The impact on mental health is another problem, though harder to quantify."Miracle worker" is kind of a misnomer.

 

[dusty]

The "impact" on mental health remains completely unsubstantiated.

 

[jackmccullough]

My son was using Accutane for a while when he was in high school, but stopped because he was developing mood symptoms.

 

[j]

It's possible there's an effect on mood, but it's hard to tell because the kind of skin conditions that Accutane is meant for will make you hate life anyway. If it compounded that though, it could definitely be dangerous. That's why careful monitoring of physical and mental health is so important while on it.

That said, a lot of the people who are basically saying it should never be used obviously just haven't been in that situation before. It's obviously not as drastic, but should we prevent giving chemotherapy and radiation to cancer patients because it causes damage to their body and makes their hair fall out?

 

[michaeljkrell]

I am 6'0 on the nose... To me it is a miracle worker. No doubt about it. Like j said, if you aren't in that situation you don't know what it is like. It just wasn't about those three or four more years of acne, if I didn't get something done, I would have had some serious scarring issues that would stick with me for the rest of my life.

 

[Valgar]

My derm just started me on Differin and Duac. The results have been great so far (2.5 weeks in now).

 

[fg0d]

I'm on day 19, or something, now, and my skin is incredibly clear! I was expecting to wait a month or two before seeing anything other than breakouts! My problem besides acne is red marks, and I don't think I can do anything about those on Accutane. Does anyone know anything I can use while on Accutane? Nothing with chemicals, preferablly. Aloe Vera Gel isn't working very well for me.

 

[upandcoming]

i take accutane. Dry lips and dry skin are a common side effect which i get alot. The lips peeling is gross. However i feel its worth it because my acne got much better, and scars went away. Depression can also be a side effect but not to common. Your 15, not planning on having a kid, and if you are ***************, forget about taking it (baby can have birth defects) Hope this helps

 

[nate10184]

Just thought I'd give my Accutane story. I guess I'm a little different than you all, I never had bad complexion until I was 18 and started shaving my entire face on a regular basis. Almost overnight my face broke out terribly and stayed that way for a few months. After seeing my dermatologist she recommended a combination of pills and topical pads. I took these religiously for a few months and to my horror my skin only got worse. When I went back in she recommended I look into Accutane.

To make a long story short I thought this was a little extreme given how suddenly my acne had come on (By senior year in high school I thought the worst of my acne was behind me). I decided to ditch the pads completely and started taking less powerful pills (can't remember the names now). Almost overnight I saw an improvement in my skin. It has continued to improve over the past 4 years to the point where I hardly even think about my skin these days.

I now take no medication whatsoever and, as weird as it sounds, never wash my face. I've come to the realization that my skin is just incredibly sensitive and even the most gentle face soaps/scrubs will cause my face to break out immediately. As long as I remember to shower twice a day my skin seems to stay relaxed and clear.

I don't mean to imply that this is the solution to everyone's problems I only hope to show that dermatologists CAN get things wrong and are not perfect. Acne treatment has always seemed to me to be a very inexact science. The idea that my dermatologist wanted me to take Accutane is almost laughable considering that one year later and no medication I had nearly perfect skin again. She never even considered that my skin was simply reacting to the topical medication she had prescribed. I always felt like she was more of an Accutane salesman than a doctor who was willing to listen to what I had to say.

The bottom line, if you really need Accutane (as it seems the OP does) I say go for it but please explore other options and have common sense before you decide to take the plunge.

 

[Brian278]

Originally Posted by upandcoming

i take accutane. Dry lips and dry skin are a common side effect which i get alot. The lips peeling is gross. However i feel its worth it because my acne got much better, and scars went away. Depression can also be a side effect but not to common. Your 15, not planning on having a kid, and if you are ***************, forget about taking it (baby can have birth defects) Hope this helps

Birth defects are only possible if a pregnant woman is taking it. They often require females of a *************** age to be on birth control before they prescribe it for this reason.

 

[fg0d]

Originally Posted by upandcoming

i take accutane. Dry lips and dry skin are a common side effect which i get alot. The lips peeling is gross. However i feel its worth it because my acne got much better, and scars went away. Depression can also be a side effect but not to common. Your 15, not planning on having a kid, and if you are ***************, forget about taking it (baby can have birth defects) Hope this helps

Do you really understand the effect that acne can have on someones confidence and self-esteem? And have you considered someone might be even more depressed with acne than they would be on Accutane? I'm on it, and it's not even been a month and it's been worth it for me. I'm 80% clear and I'm only on day 20 or so. This stuff is a miracle to me, for years I've been trying topicals and pills with disappointment, and finally I'm clearing up.

 

[j]

Originally Posted by fg0d

I'm on day 19, or something, now, and my skin is incredibly clear! I was expecting to wait a month or two before seeing anything other than breakouts! My problem besides acne is red marks, and I don't think I can do anything about those on Accutane. Does anyone know anything I can use while on Accutane? Nothing with chemicals, preferablly. Aloe Vera Gel isn't working very well for me.
I suggest not trying to deal with red marks or doing anything even remotely possibly damaging to your skin (peels, scrubbing hard, etc) until you are well off Accutane. It makes your skin very fragile and you can easily cause worse scarring. Just try to deal with it until everything is clear and you're off it for a few months at least.

 

[fg0d]

Of course not. But I'm asking if you guys have suggestions for natural stuff I can apply. Like Aloe Vera Gel, and I've heard Jojoba oil or emu oil. Anyone know anything about any of these suggestions?

 

[robbie]

I took accutane for 5 months in high school. I was in a very similar situation as to what it sounds like you are.

-accutane will severely dry out your skin
-accutance can have awful side effects

There are a lot of awful things about accutane yes, but I talked to a dermatologist. The dermatologist recommended it, and since I have finished taking it I get the occasional pimple. But I haven't had a breakout or any nodular acne since.

I think that if your body chemistry allows you take it, you should consider it.

certainly think it over though.

robbie

 

[fg0d]

Day 27. I'm pretty clear. Very dry. It's looking good.