I am only 15 and wanted to not have to fight acne for the rest of my teen years. I have tried multiple amounts of acne medications, but were all ineffective and I suffered more than I did on accutane. Yes, the side effects were odious, but it was nothing that I couldn't handle. The worst was probably the dry lips, in which I soon discovered that the classic Cherry Chapstick was sent from heaven (and must be applied consistantly). I got a lot of bad sunburns & rashes, and my face was constantly red and peeling. I had to get a quality moisturizer and apply throughout the day, and even that wasn't efficient. I eventually had back pains and wore out easily, red eyes, nosebleeds, and minor depression. In addition, IPLEDGE and the monthly blood tests are a hassle. But from the first week I started to clear up continually without initial breakout until now I am 100% acne free. I used to have very oily skin and hair, which now I don't have to worry about. I know results differ from each individual, but I wanted to spread the word that it can work, and I have a lot of friends that have benefited from this product also. Acne is not the end! Accutane can really boost your self confidence. I would recommend on giving it a try. It could change your life forever!

ive been on accutane for about 7 days now. there is always the warning about an initial break out. i was scared about that when i got on the medication but it never happened. i would say its more like a regular day without any acne med just a regular breakout for most. i know when i woke up in the morning i would go to the mirror ecpecting a new pimple and prayed it wasnt that bad. this is how it was for like the first 5 days. it was just what i was already used to. then my acne cleared drastically.i have 2 bad pimples left and i just started the medication. also im havent had any side effects yet. (hope i never get them) but i hav oily skin also. but i still made sure i moisturized alot so it would help when i started the medication and since ive started i havent had any side effects! i take 1 40mg pill at night with food and im doing great. this is a great medication in my eyes and anyone who is hiding behind make up or scared to approach the opposite sex due to lack of confidence from acne like i was then i highly recommend this medication. its the best choice i have ever made.

I started getting acne when I was in grade 7, so around age 12. It progressively got worse, and at 16 it was way too much to handle. I tried about everything, Proactiv, Murad, Biotherm, Clinique, Neutrogena, Clearsil, Clarins, Clean n' Clear, and many more. I'd even gone to a dermatologist who provided me with a washing regime and promised I'd see results in 6 months, which I didn't. I'd heard that birth control could sometimes help with acne, though in my case it didn't. Finally, me and my mother agreed it was about time to try Accutane. My acne had never been as severe as it was at that time. Before age 16, I got zits mostly on my forehead, but soon they were speading to my cheeks, and they were huge. I felt like I had huge welts all over my cheeks and jawline. I never wore makeup, washed my face twice a day everyday, and drank gallons of water but it still never cleared. My doctor gave me a 6 month prescription of Accutane, warning me of the side effects. Of course my skin dried, but I never bothered to put on lotion so I can't really complain. Around the 4th month, I found that my forehead was clear, though my cheeks were still breaking out. I was convinced that I was doomed to a lifetime of acne, untill one day I just had no zits on my face. I actually started wearing my bangs up and even grew them out. I still got a few zits on my cheeks, but nothing like what I had before. Yesterday was my last day of Accutane, and I've never felt better about my skin. Unfortunately, I have scarring from me being an idiot and picking at my scabs. I even find that when I do get a zit, it heals a lot faster. Some wackos may say that Accutane is poison, but I find it highly depends on the doctor. My doctor provided me with a lower dosage for a longer amount of time, so I had little side effects. Had I been smart and moisturized my dry arms, I wouldn't have had a problem with dry skin. Also, where I live, we have very harsh winters, so that also contributes to the drying of my arms and legs. Now that spring has somewhat come, my skin is back to normal. The only problem I really had was severe drying around my mouth, and that's skin I did moisturize everyday. But let me tell you, I found that Aloette does miracles. My mother gave me the maximum moisture complex, and I haven't had a problem since. Take it from me, if Accutane worked for my acne riddened face, it will work for anyone's. Now, if you're planning on getting pregnant, be smart and don't take Accutane. As a 16 year old, I don't need to worry since I ain't no hoe. Seriously, Accutane is my God.

Im 16 and ive had acne since i was about 12. It been pretty bad and the worst part was that after every pimple went away it would leave a red mark behind, and it seems like over the years taht after getting so many pimples these red marks just stayed on my face. I had acne very bad on my cheeks, forehead, and for some reason near my temples. I've tried everything there is, from proactive to every cream and gel there is. Finally i heard about accutane and decided to take it. Days after starting it my skin completely dried out. Also, as promised, my lips began extremely dry. Within days they were chapping and peeling and the corners started to chap too. I suggest that you started using someting on your lips ahead of time if you know you're going 2 be going on accutane in the near future. Some form of chap stick is a must have and you're gonna wanna carry it with you where ever you go. So for the first couple days my face began to dry out, and then after about a week of taking it i break out pretty badly. I got big painful pimples on my forehead, and it seemed like everything flared up and that the pills were bringing everything up to the surface. As soon as this break out ended all the pimples dried up and got all flaky and eventually fell off.

I've now been taking accutane for almost 2 months and it incredible. My lips are still drie but much better. My skin looks so much clearer and i stopped getting pimples about a month ago, except the occasional small one here and there. All of the red marks on my cheeks are also starting to fade away which is making my skin look so much better. The pimples near my temples also dried up and are now fading away. My nose is no completely pimple free and blackhead free. Accutane brought all the blackheads on my nose to the surface and all i had 2 do was squeeze gently and they came right out. I would reccomend this product to anyone who is done wasting their time and money on other products.

I suggest that while you're taking accutane u should do the following:

:have chap stick with you 24/7
:drink a good amount of water daily
:wash your face once in the morning and once at night, putting on a moisturizer afterwords. Washing you face will get rid off all the dead and dry skin on your face, and the moisturizer will help the dryness.

I recommend Nuetragina (most likely spelt that wrong) face wash, and either Neosporin or Dr.Jacks Corti Balm for the lips.

Being on accutane can be tough at times but after not even 2 months i know that its going 2 be worth it.

I have heard good things about this product but I don't know if it can compete w/"Belvasil" from Saved by the Bell.

I think God invented these pills,amazing. 19yr Male- Had mode rate acne round jaw and nose. Got worse first few weeks(the worst it has ever been and i thought "oh ****" why me?)- but then overnight just started getting better and better and finally went after about 3/4 months, and still improving after treatment. I tryed everything before(all commercial products, antibiotics, tropical creams, even chinese medicine), nothing worked, this was my last resort as the side effects seemed a bit risky, but the only ones i got were the normal ones-dry skin, lips(Highly Irritating) and tired joints but all went within a few weeks after treatment-well did for me anyway. I recommend them highly, and all i can say is give them ago, everyones different may work, may not, might take a month, might take a year, be patient and keep your chin up. I know how hard it is. GOOD LUCK! I just hope after taking accutane for 4 months the acne stays away forever or at least a few years as i have read about alot of cases were it has returned, but I suppose if acne comes back for a sequel, i will be ready!!

i have mild acne and even tho i shouldnt be on accutane i wanted to anyways. Ive been on it for three weeks now and its made my acne so bad its unbelievable..its insane...my lips are falling off and bleeding and puss is comin out of them. I really didnt see this coming. this shit is torture..maybe im sensitive to it.

I'm 16 and i had perfect skin until the beginning of this yr. I've been on roaccutane for about 2 months now and ive started to improve i even get compliments by my class mates that theyre starting to go away. They got quite bad at the beginning when i first started taking roaccutane but my dermatologist said it was normal. I'm hoping to see my acne to improve more and more as i continue taking the treatment.

I have just started Accutane 10 days ago 40mg. My initial reaction is positive. The only thing I have noticed so far is soreness on the corners of my mouth. 3rd day I got a lip sore which may or may not have been from the pill. I also got 3 new pimples so far, but old scarring is getting lighter. The new pimples cleared in a few days. I still use Acne Free wash and toner so that is an extra benifit. I apply Vaseline nightly and dryness is bearable so far.

I'm 19 and I'm in my first month of amnesteen (a generic version of accutane). So far my acne has gotten worse, which I heard it was going to do. One thing I noticed with my treatments that no one else has mentioned was weight gain. Since I started the pills, I have gained 16 pounds. Will I keep gaining weight? When I end the treatments will I lose it? Is this normal? If someone can help me out I would really appreciate it. It really sucks to have horrible acne and be fat at the same time! :o)

One of the most effective products I've ever used... previous to trying Accutane (Sotret - the generic brand, which works just as well) I had been diagnosed with cystic acne. This type of acne roots deep and usually emerges on the skin as a big, red and angry zit. My trouble area used to always be my nose and chin.

After having tried Menocycline, Benzaclin, Tazorac, DDF facewashes / creams and even the infamous Proactiv, my acne would come back and flare up, as my body became immune to these medications. I finally got referred to a dermatologist and was put on Accutane. I have just finished 5 months, and my face is flawlessly clear. It has even smoothed out my skin, with no trace of a zit anywhere. I never endured any of the bad side effects, with the exception of dry lips and eyes which everyone encounters.

TRY THIS PRODUCT. I PAY $15 A MONTH FOR SOTRET AND IS THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE FOR MYSELF. 6 MONTHS OF MINIMAL SUN EXPOSURE, MILD SIDE EFFECTS AND LITTLE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IS WORTH HAVING A CLEAR COMPLEXION FOR LIFE.

Ive just started taking accutane!! Ive been on it 9 days now!! I do feel like Ive started getting chapped lips!! Any great suggestions for what works best..??? ive suffered from cystic acne off and on and nothing else has worked for me!! Im so looking forward to finishing my cycle of accutan!!

i went on isotane 2 and a half years ago. my lips were so bad in the 1st month where they cracked and bleed in the corners and down the middle. dont pick at your lips. just slightly brush them with ur tooth brush to get rid of the flaky skin. always moisturize. this stuff is amazing though and i do recomend it to everyone. i had 2 go off early tho i waz only on for 4 months coz i had gt an eye infection (not from the tablets) and the skin around my toes were sore. so now i have just restarted on it again. my skin at the moment is no where near az bad az it was when i first started but i hate acne and i get depressed about it. but i say this stuff is defnitly worth the pain!

i shat my pants

I am a 26 yr old female. I've had acne for over 13 yrs now - mostly on my back and face. To the point that I rarely ever wear halters unless I know I am going to be in a very dim atmosphere. I also never leave the house without makeup. More so b/c of my redness. I would say my acne has not gotten any better throughout the years and I have been on just about every other type of acne medicine.

I started accutane 3.5 weeks ago. The first ten days I was prescribed 20mg to be taken with dinner and lots of water. I was told that I will break out at first but to be patient and I will start to clear up. I was also told to make sure my body to be covered, avoid sunlight, wear sunblock and also use vaseline on my lips. On the 11th day and currently, the doctor increased my dosage to 30mg. I have started to break out and the only side effect so far are dry lips but it isn't so severe as others mention. I will continue to update and thank others for sharing their experiences. - Iman1200

I am 39 yrs old and have suffered from cystic acne since I was 15 yrs old. I have tried everything there is to try. I was put on Accutane about 7 months ago. I have not had one breakout since starting Accutane. I had extremely oily skin and had to wash my hair everyday or I would like a grease monkey. Now, I only have to wash my hair every 5 days. Which is awesome. I was taking 80mg a day and had some issues with my Triglycerides. So, the doctor decreased my dosage to 40mg about 5 months ago. I am still doing great and have about 3 weeks left of treatment. I am concerned that the acne will come back. I know usually when I skip a day or 2 my skin gets a little oily. But, considering I went from using about 20 oil blotting pads a day (completely soaking them)to using none. I am pretty happy. My face has some white spots that the doctor say it is scars from the acne I had. I found a foundation that works pretty good called Dermablend. It is an all over foundation that will cover problem areas. I can't ever tan because the white spots will not tan and they stick out pretty bad. I would love to have some type of laser after my Accutane treatment is over. I am very happy with the results but I hate the blood test and monthly pregnancy testing. it is worth it if you suffered the way I did. My email address is rhammond46032@aol.com if you have any questions. I would be glad to fill you in on anything you want to know.

I would highly suggest Accutane to people who have tried other treatments in the past without any success. I had moderate acne on my face and back for years. I have been to other dermatologists in the past and they all kept trying antibiotics that where not working for me. Finally i went to my 3rd dermatologist and she suggested Accutane. After reading all of the possible side effects I was nerves to try it, but i was so tried of the acne that I decided why not. I was put on a 5 month regimen of 80mg per day. After about 3 months I was getting slight results but I still wasn't very happy. I was then put on 100mg per day for the final 2 months and I cleared up very quickly. I was left with some post acne marks but they are beginning to fade faster with the help of Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel. I am now able to go out without being afraid of people looking at my face or wearing baseball caps to cover some of my acne. I did get dry skin on my head, face, arms, & chapped lips, but was able to keep it under control with lotion. For my face I used a light moisturizer so that it wouldn't clog any pores. NIVEA for Men Cooling Balm worked perfectly for me. Also, I only washed my face twice a day instead of 3 like before. Try A light fragrance-free pump soap also instead of bar soap. I used Liquid Neutrogena fragrance-free and it worked amazingly. Hopefully this helps some people out. Just hang in there and think positive.

I had slight to moderate acne that was just really annoying and was not fixed by any type of treatment, so I finally gave in and went on Accutane. After reading all the online horror stories I was scared out of my mind. However, I had a great experience on it. I took 80mg/day for 5 months and weigh 200 lbs (90 kgs) so it was about 1 mg/day/kg, which is a moderate to high dose I was told. My lips were pretty dry and cracked if I didn't put on chapstick all the time. I also had really dry skin if I didn't put lotion on my shoulders, arms, back, and face after showering. Everything else was 100% fine though. No nosebleeds, no depression, no hair loss, no unbearable side effects. These horror stories are overblown and rare, and tons of people have great results on it. My acne is gone 100% from all over my body and it is such a relief to not have to deal with it. On completion, my dermatologist told me he has prescribed it for 10 years and has never once had a case of depression and only 2 people have had bad blood tests. If you're tired of acne, give Accutane a shot. If the sides are too rough in your case then you can go off of it, but it's such a great drug if it works for you the way it did for me and many others like me.

Got a new side effect this week. I literally woke up one day and felt little dry patches on the back of my hands.It kinda itches but not too bad though. Still no major change in old acne scars and blemishes. the dryness around my mouth has become alittle troublesome but thats just par for the course i guess. No oiliness is my favorite thing though. if this would last forever I would be happy.

i am 17 and have been on accutane for 1 month now and i had excellent results. i had medium acne on my face and upper back, now thanx to accutane it is virtually all gone.(except the red spots left behind,my doctor told me that it will go away in a month.)it did not seem to get worse as for it did for most ppl thankfully, and my only side effect that i experienced was flaking skin on my face but i guess that is all part of the process. But my doctor upped my dose for the rest of the 4 months i have left, hopefully there will be no side effects. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PRODUCT RECOMMEND TO ALL!!!!!

i am 19 years old and have been on accutane for about 15 days now and my skin hasn't progressed at all and is actually a little worse. I was informed that about 1/3 people on the medication get worse before they see results, so im guessing im one of those, but i really hope i do see major results from this medication. I have stubborn acne around my mouth and jaw. other then that my face is pretty clear and always has been, it is just constant in those infected areas. After 15 days ive experienced the usual symtoms of thinning hair, chapped lips, and dry skin of course.. Hopefully the medication starts to kick in soon for whats its supposed to do

I am 20 and I have been on accutance for 4 month now. I had severe acne from lower back to upper, chest, arms, face, behind ears and neck. it has done amazing but what worries me that they keep increasing my dose and i had only blood test done for the first two month at low dose. also my acne still shows up at the same rate, but goes away faster before it starts spreading around. Acne scars are still there and i have 3 more month left. side effect are dry lips and throat and nose bleeds. overall i am happy now, but i am sure that my acne will come back once i finish my treatment.

I'm 15 i was on Accutane for 7 months (maxim dosage 120mg for two of them) i had horrible acne and it cleared me up perfect. i didn't have any depression or skin rashes or what ever. i did had dry skin though but ill put lotion on twice a day to have clear skin. I've been off it for almost a year now and i still have no problems with acne or any other skin disorders.

I have been taking Accutane for 5 months and so far I would say there has been minimal or perhaps no difference. It's hard to judge because the condition of my acne changes within days. The side effects were terrible at first but now the dryness has become part of my life. If you decide to take this drug be prepared to carry lip balm with you EVERYWHERE you go. If you forget it you will suffer, trust me. I recommend Carmex. The condition of my acne may change but after 5 months I have hardly noticed any difference

I just started accutane today and have no idea how it will go. I would say i am a little worried about all the "side affects" but only time will tell. I found this website its like a community for people on accutane or who have taken it. I am posting a daily blog there check it out if you want www.accutanehome.info

I am 24 years old and have been on Accutane for 6 months now. I have had a good amount of side-effects from this medication including headaches, currently have excema (however you spell it...I've NEVER had it before), urination pain, inflamed-feeling stomach, slight gained weight, stomach pain, hair-thinning, dry and chapped lips. Today is my last day of taking the Accutane and I can honestly say that I am ready to come off of it. The side-affects are kind of annoying. My skin HAS gotten better, but still breaks out. It's still far from "perfect." I'm going to be without any other medication while I'm off of Accutane to see if it gets any better. My friend told me that hers got better after 3 months AFTER taking her last Accutane. My skin is obviously sensitive right now and I am using Cetaphil cleanser and Cetaphil face lotion. Currently, I am swearing by using these 2 products and nothing else. My skin doesn't break out as much if I'm using them, as they are great for sensitive skin. Highly reccommend these if you are on Accutane...don't make your acne worse by using harsh products on it! I suppose it HAS been worth the small sacrifices of the side-affects, as my skin has gotten better. But, you need to pay attention to your own side-affects and make sure it's not a dangerous one! Again, I would say try Accutae out if you are interested in it. Hope all this helps!

I got my prescription of accutane about a week ago, and i have only taken it twice. My sister started two months before me and it worked AMAZING on her. Her skin was broken out so much worse than mine, and now its flawless. the only side effects i noticed in her is being lazy and maybe a little depressed and angrier, but nothing serious. I was so excited to start it but a few moments after i took it i had a panic attack. I woke up the next morning only after a few hours of sleep still freaking out, and i had no clue why. I thought my vision was worse, i had the WORST headache ever, and i use to have migraines. I thought it was maybe stress because i had a final. Well i skipped it for one night and took it the next, and woke up with the most mind splitting headache. I didnt even want to wake up, and i could barely move cause my body was so lethargic. I felt like i was high or on drugs too, and like i wasnt there. Even though i've only taken it twice i think my vision is worse, and its not good to begin with. I'm very dissapointed its not working out for me, but my vision is not worth a drug to make my skin better. I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow to see whats up. My sister is also stopping it because it just makes her too tired. Also, my friends took it and had no problems. i guess it just depends on the person, but to me its not worth the damage it could do later on and for the rest of my life.

I finished accutane/sotret/isotretinoin treatment about 2 months ago. My skin got better and better when I was on it. For the last month I was on it, my skin was almost perfectly clear, and I was amazed. I had really bad acne on my face, as well as some on my chest and back, before then. Now that I am off it, my acne is coming back. I'm afraid that it's going to go back to the way it was. You can't be on accutane forever, so I don't know what to do. I didn't have any major side effects, just dry lips. My skin and hair were so greasy before that the drying effects made my skin and hair feel better. However, the program you have to be on (ipledge) is absolutely RIDICULOUS . Whoever invented it is an IDIOT and the government is INTERFERING in our lives! I would never consider going on accutane again unless they drastically change or do away with the program. Maybe it's better for guys, but for girls of child-bearing age it really is not worth it. This is coming from someone who had really terrible acne all over her face, even under the jaw and into the hairline.

look, this stuff is simply TOO harsh considering my acne CAME BACK. the chapped lips, the nasty falling-off skin...simply to have OK skin for a couple of months?! plus, being on birth control and having to see my doctor constantly for lab work... NOT WORTH IT. will NEVER use it again. i can say, perhaps, if your skin is absolutly disgusting, and nothing seems strong enough to purge your skin, perhaps this stuff is for you. otherwise, SKIP IT.

I took Accutane 10 years ago and it changed my life. I had suffered with severe cystic acne for nearly 10 years and nothing else helped at all. Unfortunately, I am one of the unlucky few who will have to take it again. My acne has come back, albeit not as bad as 10 years ago. But, having to suffering the extreme dryness for another 5 months is well worth it. I highly recommend this product to anyone who has unsuccessfully tried the other prescription and nonprescriptions treatments available.

i had acne for about 1 year, and after trying hundreds of creams, facial wahses and even doctor prescribed pills, i had no results. I then went to the dermitologist and he pescribed me with isotane (roaccutane) for 3 motnhs. at first my acne got pretty bad. i broke out all over my forehead. this lasted about 2 weeks, and after that my skin started to get better. then, after about 7 weeks, my skin got extremely bad. my acne became inflamed and i had huge red lumps all over my face. this made my confidence very low and made me feel ugly. after about 3 weeks, inflamation went down and my skin started to see the results it was supposed to in the first month. I have 15 days left, and its looking like im going to need a second corse, but at least my skin is finally getting better. the acne on my chest and back is almost perfect, but my face still seems pretty bad. the deep pimples have gone and my face feels flat, but its still covered in red blemishes and pimples. hopefully my skin will be clear before i finish treatment, but im not getting my hopes up and am preparing meself for having to take another corse. the side effects have been rather annoying, chapped lips and dry eyes. the dry are the worst because they constantly make me feel like i haven't slept properly. my skin seems more sensitive to the sun, which is annoying as its summer and i have to walk to school, but although its taking a lot longer to clear up than most other people, its still working. HANG IN THERE ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE ITS BEEN FOREVER AND WHOSE ACNE SEEMS WORSE! it feels horrible and miserable, but eventually it'll be worth it! keep telling yourself that and it'll help you through it! good luck!

I have been on Isotane (Roaccutane overseas) since end Dec 06 and have been acne free for months now. Now i just take one every three or so days so i don't get too hot or flushed (annoying side effect of latter months). I truely advise someone with a serious acne problem, who has tried just about everything else and is getting no results, to go to the Derm and get on this prescribed medication. I have gone through the worst phase of my life and Isotane was a saviour. It does indeed make your lips and skin dry but use alot of vaseline and oils specially for baths and you will be fine.

Hey there, im 14 and since about the age of 12 ive had bad skin. It wasnt horrible, but when all my friends had perfect skin, i was covering mine up with loads of foundation! I went thru ALOT of reviews of accutane and decide to risk the side effects. I once read someone went BALD from it!??! I am QUITE doubtful that would happen to any of you, you're dermatologist would know if accutane is right for you BEFORE putting you on it. Anyways, i took the medication for 5 months. The first month, my skin didnt get TOO much worse (as people say) it pretty much stayed the same, except i got blemishes along my jaw line. My nose and forhead became totally clear by the 3rd month. My lips were HORRIBLE but i used lots of lip balm, but nothing REALLY works. by the end of the medication, my skin still had problems but cleared up about 85% in the next two months. i still have SOME blemishes, but no pimples. I used SPECTROJEL for my sensitive skin to remove make up and wash face day and nite. use MOISTURIZER (oil free)while on accutane.

MY RATING: take this medication if you are UNCOMFORTABLE with your skin. The side effects arent too bad, i got a sore back and terrible lips. it worked especially well for acne on back and chest.

I was on accutane for 1 month at the lowest dose. Before starting treatment I had baseline blood work done. The results were normal. Before refilling the script the blood-work had to be repeated. I had no side effects or symptoms, however the results showed that my liver enzymes skyrocketed. I was immediately taken off accutane- It is now 5 months later and my enzyme level is still very high. If it does not return to normal within the next 2 months I will have to go for a liver biopsy. The doctors discussed the black box warning regarding depression-it actually had the opposite effect as my skin cleared up i had more confidence. I realize that mine was an extreme reaction but had I known accutane could have long lasting/permanent liver problems I would not have taken it. This product should be taken off the market. IF YOU STILL CHOOSE TO USE ACCUTANE BE SURE TO TO HAVE A BASELINE BLOOD WORK DONE AND REPEAT THE TEST EVERY MONTH TO MAKE SURE YOUR LEVELS STAY WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE.

It actually made my acne worse because I couldn't complete a round of treatment. I had to quit because I became arthritic and remained so even after I stopped taking it. Incidentally, accutane is commonly believed to be correlated with depression but the only evidence for this, thus far, is anecdotal. It still sucks though.

I got acne when i was 9 years old. Personally I thought it was a bit redicilous to have to wear make-up at 9 just so i wouldn't be totally embarrased to walk out of my house. Im now in high school and have been on accutane for almost 5 months(im almost done). Going on this medications was the best thing that I have ever done. At first I went to the doctor for it until it became so bad my docter recomended a dermatoligist. It seemed like I had been on everything in the world and nothing helped! Then she recomended acctuane and i knew there were alot of side affects and tests that went along with it but i was willing to try anything. I saw results almost immediatly and was so happy. For the first time in a long time, this summer I wasnt imbarrased to show my back in a bathing suit and i can go now with out wearing make-up. To anyone who reads this I highly suggest accutane. I only had some side effects such as some joint pain (knees,ankles) back pain, headaches at first and my face dry, and the WORST was my lips peeling it got to the point where i would pick them in my sleep and they would bleed all night long. Other than that I was okay and I know those things are mild compared to some people. But I was teased, made fun of, and called so many names and I dont think anyone needs to go through all of that because of something that they cant control. So please do yourself a favor and take it!! YOU CANT LOOSE! I GARUNTEE!!

Hey so ive been on accutane for 6 days now, and well soo far my acne has been the same, it got a little worse but nothing i havent experienced before... my lips are slightly chapped and my skin is very dry. i hope that this works but ill keep you posted after 12 days... after reading the reviews on this site, it really matters what kind of person you are if this medicine will work...i really hope it works for me and gets dramatically better, and for anyone else who has suffered acne. good luck and ill keep you posted

Isotretinoin (accutane) Information & it's Side Effects.

Isotretinoin (the generic name for accutane) is used to treat the most severe and disfiguring cases of nodular acne. Most Doctors would only recommend this treatment only after all other forms of acne medication have been tried and proved unsuccessful.  

Serious Accutane Side Effects
1. Birth Defects
2. Psychiatric Diseases, Depression and Suicide
3. Central Nervous System Ailments
4. Liver Damage
5. Hearing/Vision Problems
6. Accutane Pancreatic Damage  

More detailed info on this page:
http://www.accutane-info.com/side-effects.php  

Information on the development, history and legacy of Accutane.
http://www.accutane-info.com

Ill be starting this soon in August. Im a little nervous. I never really struggled with acne before i started on birth control pills. Im not ugly at all but with my acne it is a huge embarrassment. I have to go out with a ton of makeup on, its so frustrating. I hope this will work. All the side effects are a little scary.

Did not work after 6 months. Do never take it, struggle old-school. Almost committed a suicide, vision has worsened, acne has gotten worse, life seems gray and uninteresting.

Accutane worked WONDERS for me!! Seriously amazing! I am a model working in New York and having acne is an absolute NO. My agency told me that I had to get it cleared up and I have had really bad skin problems since I was young. After the summer of my sophomore year of college, I was getting huge uncontrollable bumps even if I washed my face 10 times a day. I went on acne and after 2 months my skin was FLAWLESS! I also would get huge acne painful bumps on my back and now I have incredible skin!! ALl the photographers notice how beautiful my skin is! I am sooo happy wiht my results! The only side effects I had was midly chapped lips and dry skin but it wasn't tooo bad and 100% worth it!! TRY accutane...cause it changed my life! (If I could give it 10 stars I would!!)

Isn't there an historical figure named Eleanor of Accutane?

i've had moderate persisant acne since i was 12 i;m now 21 and nothing has worked . i started taking isotretinion 3weeks ago and after be slighlty worried about all the research i had done i decided enough was enough . Firstly i go 4 really deep painful spots that have taken 3 weeks to go away and my acne did get noticeably worse but in the last week the redness has started to go and my skin looks clearer and is less greasy .

The down sides so far are
1. chapped lips ( A thick layer of E45 on your lips for 5 minutes in the moring ang night than wipe it off and continue with lip balm really helps)
2. ive developed ecema on my arms ( baby oil and E45 has helped )
3. sensitive skin . i can't dry my face with a towel .
4. i'm a bit paranoid but i have had exam stress latley

the piont is this drug will effect different people in different ways my dermo told me out of 12,000 people he has treated only 1 had a change of mood and was depressed . i would definalty try it for me its given me back my confidence and i no longer need to trowl on the makeup anymore .

ACCUTANE definatly rocks! i had a couple friends who took it and it worked wunders for them. I had been fighting fairly bad acne sence i was 13, i am now 19. I went to my docter and said i want accutance, nothing else i wanted to get right to the point, no dickin around with the pussy ass shit. Affter about 3 weeks i noticed quite a difference, enough to make me happy and more self confident. it gave me a few extra zits and that was about it, didnt get to much worse and didnt last long. I got realy moody and depressed to the point i seriously considered killing myself over stupid little fights with the girlfriend or parents, it was very intense emotionaly, i mean i have thought about killing myself before but nothing like when i was on accutane, fortunatly that all went away affter a couple months, i was pretty much back to normal emotionaly; other that that the only other side affect was chapped lips which was easy enough to control if u stayed ontop of it with a moisurizer, if u didnt do it for a whilc though it would get really really bad(cracking and bleeding). I tool accutant for about 6 months and my acne was as good as it was ever gona get(97% better) when i did get the occasional zit it was gone in a couple days. I stoped takeing it about 2 years ago and the acne started comeing back about 8 months affter stoping, now 2 yearls later it is nearly as bad as it was before accutane. I am now about trying MINOCYCLINE and if i do not get results in a month i will deffinatly be going on accutane again. good luck to everyone out there that is on it or going to try it, jsut remember to stop as soon as u feel u are or might be gettign any severe side effects.

Make no mistake about it... if anything is going to clear up acne, this is it! Not only does it clear up acne but it also cuts the oiliness way down.
The bad stuff: It cuts oiliness down so much that facial skin becomes very dry (peeling lips is common) and even sensitive. As a matter of a fact, those two side effects were the only ones I had.
Most Dr's are reluctant to prescribe this because it's a last resort type of treatment. But let me tell you, it's so worth it!
Caution!!! Absolutely not for use in women who may be pregnant or may become pregnant while on Accutane!!! Sadly, major fetal defects almost guaranteed.

Also, I had severe chapped lips but they're back to normal now.
So if you are taking it and suffering from HARSH dry lips I recommend using the Body Shop's hemp lip chap.
Works amazingly well, even better than Vaseline!

This stuff is amazing. I had moderate to severe acne and nothing worked -- my skin just kept getting worse. I tried lots of topical treatments, which barely helped, and the oral antibiotics all wreaked havoc on my stomach. The first couple months were awful -- terrible dryness, mood swings, etc. But...once it was done, my skin was absolutely flawless. It's a serious commitment, but worth it for the end results. I've been off Accutane for over a year, and am 99% breakout-free. For anyone with acne that's not responding to other treatments, I highly recommend it. If you're taking it, definitely buy Aquaphor and Cetaphil cream by the tubload (they're great for chapped lips and dry skin) and lip balm to stash everywhere. One thing that helped me a lot was taking monthly photos of my face. Seeing the improvement over time really kept me going through the more difficult patches. Now that I'm done, I'm so so so happy I stuck with it.

In New Zealand this is called Isotane and it is pretty good. I am 25 and only seven months ago did i start totally breaking out in the huge sore deep pimples that never come to a head and left big scars. After tying different cleansers, spot gels and mutlivitamin tablets, and even being prescribed Differin and Doxycycline which did not work and made things worse, i had had enough and consulted a dermatologist. He immediatley put me on Isotane which contains isotretinoin and at about week 7 now, things are looking more positive. It definitley takes a long time for things to kick in but you have to be patient. Unfortunetly, i am stil left with scarring but they will fade over time. I have also been prescribed by my dermatoligist to use Stieva-A which is a vitamin A cream that eventually helps prevents pimples and blackheads from forming, but this also takes about 8 weeks before you notice any results as it has to get used to your skin and first get pimples out. My Derm-y has given me hydrochortisine (? spelling) for applicatin in the morning to combat redness. It helps too. My advice is be patient, use tons of vaseline for lips which will peel, and moisturise your arms and legs as you wil get rashy dry patches otherwise. Recommend Isotane and hope things get even better which im sure it will.

I've had acne ever since I was 14 years old (I'm 20 now) and I'm in my first month of treatment. I've tried everything from over the counter stuff like Clearasil and Acne washes to prescriptions such as Tetracylcin and all the creams you can think of. Nothing worked. My doctor gave me the Generic brand of Accutane which is a lot cheapter and it already seems to be working, I had more scars from acne than acne itself and they are starting to fade away which is amazing since all my doctors have told me that scars take a long time to go away. I'm experiencing mild side effects (the dried lips and dried eyes). I am hoping my experience continues to go well I will post again once I am all done, I think I'm staying on this for at least 6 months. For anyone concerned about the Generic brand, it seems to be working just fine for me, look for my posting in like 6 months lol. Good luck to you all, acne suck!! :)

I'm 21 years old and have suffered from acne since I was 12. I have been on EVERY antibiotic, retin-a, ointment, gels, creams, etc, and nothing worked on my stubborn acne. My acne is moderate (whiteheads, blackheads, small red bumps), but no huge cysts. I finally tried accutane when I was 20 years old. It began to dry out my skin around my nose and mouth within the first few weeks, but not too horrible. By month three, my acne was mostly cleared with slight dryness (again, not unbearable). However, it did make my face red and my stomach upset. After my 6 month routine, my acne was gone and I stopped treatment. I only got a few pimples during the next 8 months, then I began to break out more severly. I was told I could go back on accutane again but decided it wasn't worth the monthly check-ups and money.