Comments:
Hi, my skin isn't really that bad but it certainly isn't clear. I've tried everything else and are now going to try Roaccutane. I've been told that it can cause an initial flare up. As my skin isn't that bad I'm afraid that this flare up will make my skin look a lot worse. Can someone tell me how bad the initail flare up is? Can someone who used roaccutane who didn't have really bad skin tell me if the side effect of dry skin was worse than the actual pimples? From reading this someone said something about not being able to drink alcohol while on roaccutane, is this true? Is tireness a common side effect? I'm doing my last year of high school and i'm tired enough! After finishing the course is your skin completely clear? Please email me if you can answer my questions and are willing to discuss taking roaccuatne.

Comments:
Has anybody here taken 2 courses of Accutane treatment? I am thinking about taking a second, since my acne appears to be staging a comeback. If I experienced little discomfort with my first Accutane treatment, is there a possibility that my second will e worse? Will the side-effects I experience remain the same, or can I expect more? Thank you in advance. Please email me any responses. Thanks, Steve

Comments:
How can I buy roaccutan isotretinoin on line? I'd been consuming it for 3 months and i stop it because i was running out of it. but 2 months later(after i stop consuming it), the acnes break out again I would like to buy it on line,please

Comments:
Can anyone please tell me whether a side effect of Roaccutane is weight gain??? I know it's not really important, but if anyone DOES know, i'd appreciate it if u got back to me!!!!!! Thank-you.

Comments:
I had acne for several years and practically used any cure that was available. The last thing I use was accutane. my acne practically cured however I am now left with a terrible looking skin. it is full of holes and deformities, it looks like a strainer. oes anyone have a suggestion on what can be done?

Comments:
Pls dont take this the wrong way it's a real question. Iv had trouble with acne and the doctor put me on a course of ROACCUTANE (pls excuse bad spelling) . As u probably already know i cant drink alchol. Because all my friends drink its taken the fun out f the weekends, my friends also partake in SOME casual drug use eg Extacy & speed. I too have partaken in such activities and am now asking if i had any of the above drugs would they have any BAD side affects such as alchol. After reading all of the above warnings i hope this letter dosn't fall into the category of OFFENCIVE or anything like that as it is a serious question. I also understand if you cant answer truthfully (for leagal reasons). Great page (very informative) and pls excuse any bad spelling. ook forward to your reply

Comments:
Hi, my name is Josh, and I live in the southern region of Louisiana. I've been seeing a dermatologist for 3 years now. I started taking accutane when I was 15 years old. You've probably read all about the side effects of accutane. Mild side effects includ dry skin and lips, itchy eyes, etc. Severe side effects include bad headaches, diarrhea, vomiting and if you have any of these symptoms consult your doctor immediately. Anyway I'm going to tell you what a relief accutane was for me. I started getting acn at the age of 13, my mother and I watched my face closely within 5 months I was seeing a dermatologist. My dermatologist put me through all sorts of medicine, until I was 15, and finally put me on accutane. Admittedly, it took almost a month before I sta ted seeing any major results but when accutane started to kick in, my life changed!! For me accutane was the only drug that took care of my acne, but you have to do your part. Accutane is only as good as its user. While taking accutane I used a light face wash called cetaphil, once in the morning and then once before I went to bed. Second use a light moisturizer, oil-free, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic ( won't clog pores ). Try to choose a moisturizer that also has an spf of nothing less than 15. Tha way you kill 2 birds with one stone, since accutane or any other acne medication will make your skin ultra-sensitive to the sun. Third, use a heavy ointment for your lips, try aquaphor or a prescription called desowen. Fourth, if you wear contacts you ca not wear them during your acne treatment. If you do you will end up tearing off eye cells that can lead to eye irritation. Use eye drops that moisturize, this will help soothe any discomfort. Follow these steps and try not to miss any dosages and you will have good, clear, skin. For guys,before you shave make sure the skin is moist with warm water. I found that taking a shower first then shaving saved time. Then use a shaving gel, not foam, shaving gels get closer to the skin and try to find one with menthol. Also, when shaving, have with the grain of the hair ( shaving in the same direction as the hair grows )this will eliminate a lot of your problem because there will be less irritation to the skin, it also eliminates shave bumps. Keep warm water running for when you have to rinse off the razor. After shaving rinse your face with warm water then use a gentle, moisturizing, facial wash, such as cetaphil's moisturizing soap. Only use this after shaving, remember shaving strips away a lot of moisture and dead skin cells. Since accutance exfoilates your skin, that s a lot of dead skin and moisture being stripped from your face. After rinsing, use your moisturizer and then your done!! DO NOT USE an after shave, after shaves contain alcohol which will dry your skin, and no astringents. It may sound like tons of work ut the pay off is great!! CLEAR SKIN!! For girls, makeup is a huge problem with those of you who suffer with acne. Try to use a foundation that's oil-free, non-comedogenic, and hypoallergenic. Try to avoid wearing foundation in the summer, and when going to hot places, such as nightclubs. Talk with your dermatologist about what foundations are good for you and for what ingredients to avoid. Please take my advice, it works!! As always talk to your dermatologist, don't let them rush the visit, and don't be afraid to ask questions. Remember it's your face, your money who pays them. We all have one common goal Clear Skin!!! Before doing any of the suggestions above please talk to your dermatologist first. Treatments for everyone differ. I posted this to hopefully help you. Good luck to you and your skin.

Comments:
Hi, I have started my treatment on Roaccutane with 3 weeks. At the beginning of 2 weeks, I did not have new acnes and my face was dried. However, In the third week, many new acnes formed over my chin and face. The face still kept dried. I dont know why there' a sudden change? Can you help me to answer it?

Comments:
anyone have any experience with affects of Accutane on an insulin dependent diabetic? My son takes insulin shots. I think it has affected his blood sugars. Help! I

Comments:
Hi! I recently visited a doctor who is claimed to be one of the best in this particular area in my country and he suggested me to try treatment with this medicine called roacutane.I would appreciate if you would be able to give me any information of how and where I could buy roacutane? It is also very important that the medicine supplier is some swiss firm called La Roche?? I'm also very interested in prices, where ,and at what price did You get it? Hope to hear from you soon.Thanks!

Comments:
i already have skin pigmentation variation (cholasma)due to dianette. does roaccutane makes this worse?

Comments:
Can i take accutane together with tetracycline?????

Comments:
hi i have been on roaccutane for two and half weeks i have dry lips and all that i also have a really sore back is the roaccutane causeing it? could you please reply thanks

Comments:
Hello, Quite a few people have been sending me email messages, but for some reason the emails have only been going to my address at work and not to my home computer. I have not replied to a few of the emails because I don't have time to at work. So could the p ople who have sent me emails and have not been sent a reply, please send me another one, so I can read them at home. I hope you don't think I have been ignoring your letters. Thank you Natasha O'Docherty

Comments:
Does anybody know something about long term effects of Roaccutane on vocal cords?I am a singer and I know that while taking Roaccutane I have to be careful with singing.But will my voice stay hoarse forever?

Comments:
About two years ago, my doctor prescribed roaccutane for my minor, but persistent acne. My acne has since been 'cured' except for the occasional spot, and a few blocked pores. However, since then, my skin seems to scar, with even the smallest scratch, which it did not seem to do before. I also had some tiny 'wart like' bumps burnt off my f ce about six months ago, and the scars (red marks) still do not seem to have faded. Could this be because of the roaccutane, and how can I fade them? Thank you Natasha O'Docherty

Comments:
I've been taking Accutane 10 for over 6months and my acne has cleared up wonderfully. My Mom is worried about the length of time I've taken it and wonders about the damages it could do since she has heard horror stories about deformities in births with girls taking it. If this is damaging to girls could t also effect boys in some way on down the line. I want to keep taking it because I'M afraid my acne will come back if I stop. I can refill this prescrption for about a year, I think.

Comments:
Hi Everyone!I've visited this site in the past and enjoy hearing your stories and experiences with Accutane. I finally decided to try it and I'm terrified from reading some of the postings. I'm only in my first and not sure what to expect. I don't have severe acne but it's constant so, I'm hoping Accutane will solve the problem. The Derm has put me on 40mg to start. Any advice would be great. I'm terrified about losing my hair like one of the postings I saw. I have Vaseline for my lips and true tears for my eyes but I'm not sure what else I need. Thanks for helping me in advance... Lori

Comments:
Let me be brief. Minocyclin--DIDN'T WORK! Tetracycline--DIDN'T WORK! Steivamycin Gel--DIDN'T WORK! Retin-A Cream--DIDN'T WORK! ACCUTANE--DIDN'T WORK! In fact, ProActiv worked for a few months, but recently I've been breaking-out for the last three weeks. What really makes my blood boil is the fact that my acne ISN'T all that bad--I mean, it's not DISFIGURING or nothing--and STILL nothing seems to work! I mean, I've seen some really SERIOUS acne on some people, and now their faces are COMPLETELY clear. CAN ANYONE PLEASE give me some advice? What can I try next? Thanks, Steve

Comments:
has any one information about the new sun lamps that are supposed to help acne

Comments:
I went on roacutane in Sept 99. I used to suffer from cystic acne for a long time but put up with it. When my marriage broke down I found that with the ugly sight of acne all over my arms and back, I lacked self confidence to start over again. Thats when decided that I needed to do something about it. I went on Dorryx for a while but to no effect. I then was referred to a Dermatologist who explained the drug, side effects etc. I had previously suffered from kidney stones so I at first was getting blood a d urine tests every couple of weeks.I to have had all the side effects and have managed deal with them. 4 Weeks after I first went on Roacutane my skin had cleared up almost completely. It has changed my life and restored the self confidence in my own bod that I lacked. Worth the risks. Cheers.

Comments:
Jimmy, I'm at the same level you are at, and don't really see any significant changes besides the dry lips and skin; however, nobody ever said accutane works overnight. Reading this web sight and talking to people who used accutane did not see any improve ent all the way to their third or fourth month, and some after their last month. If you're like me you've tried all these anti-bacterial drugs that really are the same with different names such as Mino or Tetra. But Accutane is different and requires pati nts and tolerance to the side affects. This may be the last resort to clear skin, yet the best. What do we have to loose, I'm 85% certain it will work for you and others; however you must commit to the drug.

Comments:
I've heard a lot of rumours that Roaccutane makes you become infertile..... Is this true and if so is it ok to have intercourse unprotected without having to worry that Im going to make my girlfriend pregnant ????????? If anyone can help please advise me via my email address!!!! Thanks

Comments:
I have been on accutance for about two weeks now and have seen no improvement in my skin. I am starting to think that this is just like to the rest of the oral anitbiotics that I have been taking. Recently, I had two large cists in my ear, which threw m balance off to the point that it is hard for me to walk, let alone do anything else. If something doesn't change for the better soon, I think I'll just give up completely, because nothing seems to work!

Comments:
hi, i am a 12 year old girl with persistant acne.i have gone to the dermotoligist and tried antibiotics and many face creams, but nothing has made much of a difference. so, my doctor is puttin me on accutane. i will have to take 1 pill every night for 6 m nths, and have blood tests taken every couple of months. so far, i have no side effects, but i have only been on the medicine for a couple of days, and i am not sure what type of side effects will affect me. i will try and post week 2 week updates on my e perience.

Comments:
ross, you must not have a life if you come here just for fun to tease people

Comments:
hello: my dermathologyst prescribe me roaccutan for the frist time on may (1999). I have taken this drug two periodes of 4 months. I want to ask you why acne still appeares in my body, if i take roaccutan according with my dermathologyst.... as i previously explained you... thanks... i'm wait your answer

Comments:
i was taking roaccutane and got pregnant. i went to several doctors for opinions because i really wanted to have this baby. all of them said the risks were really high,this week i had to give up my baby. this is really sad for me and my husband but it was the best thing to do.i had 6 weeks of pregnancy.i really feel depressed.

Comments:
i was taking roaccutane and got pregnant. i went to several doctors for opinions because i really wanted to have this baby. all of them said the risks were really high,this week i had to give up my baby. this is really sad for me and my husband but it was the best thing to do.i had 6 weeks of pregnancy.i really feel depressed.

Comments:
ive gone off these tablets cause ive found something better and its called curaclear no side effects and they work in just a couple days.

Comments:
Hi, you are all a bunch of pizza faced tossers, and i have a confession to make (he he) i posted here recently as a doctor offering to help you and you beliveved it ! Oh, and sorry alan however you are, i hade to use your e-mail address bye now!

Comments:
QUESTION:If Iv'e been taking 40mg of accutane a day for the past month will doubleing(which my derm suggested) my dosage to 80mg of accutane a day introduce me to more severe/rare side effects...or will it only worsen the current ones. Any help woud be ap reciated. Thanks.

Comments:
DON'T MAIL THIS ADDRESS BALL_E@EMAIL.MSN.COM I CONTINIOUSLY GET MAILED STUFF FROM HERE I CAN'T HELP YOU I'M NOT A DOCTOR.

Comments:
SEND NO MORE E-MAILS TO ME I AM NOT A DOCTOR I CAN'T HELP YOU

Comments:
I KEEP ON GETTING E-MAILS FORM THIS SITE - ADDRESSED TO A PERSON CALLED DOCTOR LEIGH. PLEASE STOP MAILING TO MY ADDRESS (BALL_E@MSN.COM)SINCE I CANNOT HELP YOU PLEASE STOP MAILING ME, THANKYOU.

Comments:
Saw the dermtoday...only three more months left. I asked him how long I would have to wait to get pregnant after the treatment. He said only 2 months, any of you have advice about this? also I am sooo tired, I can barely keep my eyes open. I have had o call off work a few times, because I am just to tired to drive. Does anyone have any advice to raise my energy level? Also the the girl asking about cholestoral-Mine sky rocketed too. the derm told me he will watch it closely and that I should not wo ry because the elevation will be short term. I also found out that he is writing a book on Accutane, but I bet he has never taken it! Anyway...good luck all

Comments:
I have a friend that is taking accutane and within a month you could see amazing results. She is now on her 2nd and a half month and her colestrol(spell?) has sky rocketed. I am wondering if the accutane has anything to do with this problem. I am not very up to date on accutane so any help would be appericated! Also I had acne and was perscribed tetracycline as well as orthtricycline because of my period. My face has cleared up a lot in the last almost 4 months that I have taken these two drugs. But now I ave ANOTHER problem I have red spots on my face. The doctor perscribed my some cortozone (spell?) cream and all that does is make it reder? I am so depressed because everyone tells me that I jave nice skin except for these huge red spots. Someone please h lp me, any advice or kind of remedy would be greatly greatly appericated. I use to think that acne was running mmy life but NOW these red spots that have been here for like 3 months are running my life!!! Please help me, someone!!!

Comments:
Recently I was trying to find out about the drug Spironolactone and came across a post from a woman who had suffered hair loss after taking the Pill Dianette. She asked her doctor about it and he had said it is only to be expected on this Pill! I though I would post this info because I know many women are put on Dianette and Roaccutane simultaneously. So if you do suffer hair loss it could be the Dianette and not the Roaccutane! Good luck everyone.

Comments:
I'M TAKING MY 2ND DOSAGE OF ACCUTANE WITHIN A PERIOD OF 2 YRS. AFTER READING THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF OTHER ACNE SUFFERERS ON THE SIDE EFFECTS DAT ACCUTANE HAS ON THEM, I FEEL EXTREMELY LUCKY BECOS OTHER THAN HAVING REALLY CHAPPED LIPS (WHICH I MANAGE O COMBAT WIF LOTSA LIP BALM), I AM ABLE TO LEAD MY LIFE AS PER NORMAL. I'M LEFT WIF ANOTHER 2 MTHS TO MY ACCUTANE TREATMENT. I HARDLY HAVE ANY SCAR...ITS HARD FOR PPLE TO BELIEVE DAT I USED TO HAVE SUCH SEVERE ACNE. I LUV MY SKIN NOW....AND I LUV LOOKING T MYSELF IN THE MIRROR. IT'S LIKE I'M JUST HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE...BUT ONLY FOR THE MOMENT...SADLY:O( THIS IS BECOZ I KNOW DAT ONCE I STOP ACCUTANE...MY ZITS WILL DEFINITELY COME BACK...DAT WAS WAT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME ROUND...AND DAT WAS WHY I NEED TO TAKE ACCUTANE ALL OVER AGAIN.I'M SO WORRIED...COZ I DO NOT WANT TO BE UGKY AGAIN...IT'S REALLY AFFECT NG ME EMOTIONALLY...AND SOMETIMES I THINK I CAN GO MAD....PPLE WONT UNDERSTAND...COZ THEY R NOT EXPEREINCING WAT I AM EXPERIENCING....I'M IN MISERY NOW..WORRYING ABT MY PIMPLES...

Comments:
alex, i know exactly how you feel, last year when my acne was at its worst i was really down. Now it is all gone but my skin is still recovering. I have some scars, i have heard they can go with time. I hope they do, they really bother me. especially if they ar permanant. i cant stand the thought of living with them forever. anyway, your g/f sounds great, u should realise how lucky you are to have someone who will except you how u are. anyway dude, hang in there. :P

Comments:
Rachael, I used Benzamycine cream for about 2 months along with Myocin tablets. The cream seemed to be good, my skin became very dry though, but neither the tablets nor the cream cleared up my acne completely. Don't get me wrong, my skin did improve slightly. My d rm then put me on Roaccutane. I'm finished the tablets now for about a month and my skin has never been better. I hope that the Benzamycin works for you. Good luck! :o)

Comments:
TO PETE: Please tell me if you know . . . Is the Atkins diet dangerous while taking Accutane?

Comments:
TO ALEX: I relate to feeling so low. I'm sure almost everyone who posts here does too. I've been off and on Accutane for 7 years, hair loss for the past 2 or 3 years, only becoming noticeable though since the start of this year. Did you say the Accutane h s made your skin clear? Then you're luckier the some, but so what - all of us here are better off than the person with the world's worst skin. Doesn't cheer me up. Maybe you'd look/feel better if you had your hair cut close to the scalp, even things out i you know what I mean. Good luck with whatever you do.-----------Has anyone here used the products on these 2 websites www.acnealternative.com and www.acnesolution.com or even just visited these sites? I'd like to hear what you think of the claims they ma e.

Comments:
Hello Everyone! I posted here a few weeks ago with my concern of possible affects acne medications would have on a pregnancy. Well I wanted to update y'all on my treatment. I went to a new dermatologist yesterday who prescribed Benzamyacine (sp). It's a t pical cream, safe for pregnancy and pre-pregnancy. Anyway, so far (with two applications) my face is a lot drier and a lot less varied in puffiness. Hopefully this will be strong enough to clear up my acne - we'll see. Usually this cream is prescribed wit an antibiotic and Retin-A to be used all at the same time. If anyone else has experience taking only this medication, I would really appreciate hearing about it. Thank you!

Comments:
Hi Is me again. i have a question, people take roacutanne basicly is for curing their severe accne problem right? i don't know how to consider my acne problem maybe not too severe my derm said i can be cured he suggest to take roacutanne for preventing any more acne so my basic question is people take roac for curing or for preventing

Comments:
Andrea, I found it took awhile before my hair grew back to it's original state and was at it's worst about six months after treatment. I hope your condition improves and I have been there as well, so just hang in there.... The THC thing is becoming a me s. I don't believe smoking a joint will improve one's acne condition psychologically speaking...sure smoking joints might TEMPORARILY relieve one's problems, but one must look long term in these matters and try to solve the problems more effectively, but I am sure everyone has their own particular vice that helps get them through the day...I have looked at many drug handbooks and they DO say that marijuana may increase the side effects of accutane...this is a fact and I would not make such a thing up...th key word though is MAY...and if you want to take that chance then go ahead, we all know from reading the posts that everyone reacts differently in their side effects from accutane and some people may have no trouble with marijuana and accutane.... I just wanted to be helpful and informative....I have absolutely no problems with marijuana and as a believer in natural medicine I feel it has it's place for people with certain conditions like chemotherapy patients who have problems with nausea and loss of app tite...also it may relieve pressure in the eye for people with glaucoma...and my girlfriend and I just broke up so I wouldn't mind a joint myself at the moment....ah fuk I am too serious sometimes...To protect accutane users bodies from harmfull effects o accutane I suggest 3 times a week, like Monday-Wednesday-Friday to take these supplements: Vit.E-mixed tocopherols-400-800iu Co-enzyme Q10-- 30mg Vit.C+bioflavonoids-200mg B-complex-25mg Alpha-lipoic acid--50mg Also whey protein may be beneficial to raise glutathione levels in the liver which is an enzyme used by the liver to detoxify drugs like alcohol and accutane....the main reason you should not take most drugs with alcohol is because alcohol severly lowers lutathione and then there is none left to detoxify the other drugs in your system so the drug can reach harmful levels...so avoiding high amounts of alcohol with accutane is smart....many people have harmed their livers by ingesting pain relievers to cure their hangovers for this very reason...alcohol and drugs do not mix....Honestly I do have a lot of knowledge when it comes to nutrition and drugs and the body so I am trying to be helpful and informative...I became slightly obsessed about taking care of m self after a painful brush with accutane and would like to help anyone I can get rid of their acne and take care of their bodies...the amount of reading I have done is enormous and I know plenty of things even doctors do not...they are not trained in the mportant area of nutrition so they do not know the ways food and supplements can protect and keep us healthy....prevention is often the key in many diseases and while there does not seem to be alot of research proving nutrients and food can help improve a ne I think we will see more in the future...One way you can help improve acne by diet is to eat a diet that is 45% protein, 20% fat and 35% carb. Essential fatty acids should comprise most of the fat sources...good examples are fish such as salmon and fl x meal from flax seeds...and olive oil....Carbs should be mostly complex such as whole grains and oats and beans and try to avoid simple carbs such as sugars and white flour products and especially soft drinks...go for diet ones...Eat lots of fiber!!! .t is diet will help lower harmful hormones and raise good ones...This is not purley hogwash as most material I will discuss comes from scientific studies, as I do not believe simply what someone tells me. even if that someone is a doctor..I do my own resear h and suggest everyone do theirs to truely see the truth...cause the truth is out there, one just has to search for it. Some other acne effective supplements are Chromium picolinate at 200mcg/day Zinc monomethionie at 15-40mg/day Salmon oil capsules at 1000mg/day Pantothenic acid at 100-500mg/day Try them for at least 3-6 months to judge their effectiveness...it takes awhile before your body responds to make new and heallthier skin cells whereas drugs act quickly, but with various side effects...accutane usually works, but you can't expect to take a drug and then be able to eat and do whatever you want without consequence...I hope I help someone because I'm wasting my time and yours if I don't...Peace and Love my fellow accutane friends.

Comments:
Just a piece of advice for those concerned about hairloss on Accutane: I freaked out on about my third week of Accutane when I noticed that the hair on my head was looking thin. I'm a female teen so this was NOT good! I was absolutely histerical, you know the deal. It was coming out in the shower, when I combed it, etc. I went to my hairstylist for help. She said she could not tell any difference in the thickness of my hair AT ALL. She's known me all my life, and she even gave me my first haircut. So I trusted her opinion. She said EVERYONE's hair looks thin when it' wet, so don't worry if you can see your scalp. That't probably just the way you are and you are just paranoid about it because you have heard horror stories about Accu and hairloss. At my one month checkup, my derm said that I was not losing any more hair than any other teenager. Everyone, in fact, sheds hair in the shower and with a comb. He insisted that I was overreacting because I was just paranoid and that my hair and scalp lo ked absolutely normal. ***MOST IMPORTANTLY, he said that in many years of prescribing Accu, he has had only 2 patients to have any real hairloss due to Accutane. And these patients were in their final weeks of treatment. This is when accutane-related h irloss almost ALWAYS occurs. He also said that he'd had literally HUNDREDS of patients come in insisting that they WERE losing hair, and he had to tell them that it was just plain paranoia.*** Now I'm not saying that you aren't losing your hair if you ar sure that you are. All I'm saying is that I"ve been there, and I found out I was wrong. Maybe you are just paranoid because you have heard so many horror stories. I wish you the best and hope that you are not really losing your hair.

Comments:
Regarding the best chapped lip remedies, I have compiled my own list of favorites. After trying the more expensive designer glosses and balms (Anna Sui, Bloom, and BeneFit) I have determined that the hands-down best treatment is good ol' Carmex for $1.89 It's available in drug stores and comes in a white jar with a yellow top. The one downside to Carmex is that it's thick and waxy and must be applied with the finger as it comes in a jar. Therefore, it's somewhat messy. I've gotten used to it and don' mind it anymore. For people that prefer the no-mess method, I've found that Vaseline Intensive Care lip treatment (yellowish tube with blue top) is not messy, has a pleasant smell (lemony) and works well. Here's to totally kissable Accu-lips!

Comments:
My son will be starting taking Propecia (for hair loss - hereditary) two weeks after he finishes his Accutane course. The derm says it takes 4 - 6 months to see results so Pete if this does work for acne the wait is even longer than Accutane. The thing found that was interesting was when I was researching hair loss treatments and their effectiveness, Propecia was given a five star rating which I think was the highest, but believe it or not so was Isotretinoin which is the ingredient found in Accutane! ow go figure... I do remember reading a post from one gal who said her hair was thicker while on Accutane. While my son thinks he has had some hair thinning from the Accutane, the really strange thing he has noticed is he has gone from having to shave ev ry few days to every day and his legs and chest have gotten hairier! Any of you guys out there ever noticed this? He still washes his hair every day and uses Rogane shampoo and doesn't have dry itchy scalp problems. To the mom wondering about growth pla e closure: Haven't heard much on this (our derm never mentioned it as a side effect) except from that gal who posts from Norway and the gal with the two boys. My son is six feet and has been done growing for awhile we are pretty sure. Have heard from s veral doctors and people in general that girls are done growing two years after the date of their first menstrual period. Last comment: My son has spent several hours in the sun with no problems but has used a 15 sunscreen and actually has a nice even tan He has not suffered from any rashes or the red face some speak of either and only moisturizes as necessary but DOES use vaseline on a regular basis for his lips. Hang in there everyone!

Comments:

Comments:
Hi guys! JADE: I'm so glad that your skin is doing well. Not having any new spots sounds good to me! Be careful about going out in the sun, the blistery rash must have been unpleasant. My derm came through for me this morning, and I'm hoping that my y cky skin starts to look better soon. I called the office to get the results of the blood work that I had done about 3 weeks ago (they finally got the results today), and while I had the nurse on the phone I asked her if it was normal for my skin be to wo se 6 weeks into treatment than before I started. She told me that the derm would see me today! She actually looked at me and talked with me today, and I felt much better. She took me off the antibiotic, which obviously wasn't working, and bumped my Acc tane dosage up from 60 to 80mg a day. She said that my acne must be more severe and persistant than it initially appeared. Woohoo, should I be proud? I know that 80mg is a lot, so I hope that the side effects don't get out of control. At this point, I m more than willing to give it a shot. Here's to clear skin! -A

Comments:
I have some time on my hands right now, so I thought I'd compile a list of the lip balms that I've used since starting Accutane 6 weeks ago: Blistex (decent, but not great), SoftLips (awful for Accutane chapping), Philosophy Kiss Me (good but goopy), Vase ine (cheap and works great), HydroCortisone cream (tastes awful and probably isn't good to ingest), DCT (decent, contains sunscreen), Bloom (smells good, works really well), Blistex Herbal Answer (smells gross, waxy, ineffective), Aquaphor (bought it toda , seems a lot like Vaseline). My favorites so far: Bloom and Vaseline. Coincidentally, they are the most and least expensive of the brands I've tried. Has anyone found something I haven't tried? -A

Comments:
I just finished my first month of accutane. I was previously taking 40mg a day. Today my derm said it was optional but I could up my dosage to 80mg if I wanted to. I kind of want to, but I'm scared that it will only worsen the side effects if I take large amounts at a time. Or will I get the same side effects over time if I take smaller amounts??? I am really confused as to what to do?? Does anyone know??It would really help me. Thanks.

Comments:
Here are my suggestions: drink lots of water, 400-800mg of vitamin E each day, extra calcium, Kiehl's Lip Balm or Aquaphor for chapped lips, Neosporin in the nose if they get dry or bloody, gentle face cleansers like Purpose & Cetaphil, Dove soap for the ody, non-comedegenic moisturizers such as Eucerin (with SPF25) for the face, don't wash your hair every day and use lots of conditioner on it because it will dry out, Cetaphil moisturizer for the body, no waxing, minimal sun exposure and alcohol consumpti n, Refresh moisturizing eye drops and ointment, and no picking at your zits (unless you want scars).

Comments:
Here's some tips for you: Don't just wait untill your skin gets dry. Moisturize from the very beginning!!Morning and night. I use Complex15 daily face cream, using it I havn't even experienced that much dryness. Also ask your derm. about a sauve to put in your nose every night. I got one(Fucidin Ointment Leo) and applied it since the beginning...and my nose isn't even dry. Also..white petroleum jelly(vasaline) works really good for your lips. I think I'm putting some on like every ten minutes...my lips are still somewhat dry but they aren't cracking or peeling. Also pile on the conditioner from the beginning.. and try and pick a shampoo that prevents hair-loss from the beginning(Nioxin works good for me). Wish you luck!

Comments:
Hey guys, just wanted to introduce myself. I'm sitting here about to take my first dose of Accutane, and I have to say I'm pretty darn scared. I've done tons of research on the drug, and I can hardly believe I'm still going to do it knowing everything t at can happen! But I've gotten to the point where I just can't stand the acne anymore... I'm looking for any sort of advice you guys might have as I start my journey...recommended products to help defray the side effects, etc. I'm especially concerned about the liver issue, since I drink a lot of coffee and I consume alcohol. The alcohol, f om what I've gathered, is something that should be avoided as much as possible, but its okay every once in a while. Is that correct? It a difficult thing for me, since I'm used to coming home from work and cracking open a beer. Just one a day, but I kn w I can't do that anymore. Any thoughts on how much alcohol is okay? Like a few drinks a week? I get conflicting answers on that one. Anyway, I guess it's time to go get some food and take the medicine...wish me luck! I'll be back in a week or so I guess and ppost an update...thanks to everyone here, just for being here.

Comments:
Pete, there are two types of DHT-creatively, type 1 and type 2. I know this cuz I did a ton of research on this and tried about 20 different supplements at once for a while, some of them to lower DHT levels. It worked alright for a while but nothing spe tacular. I think the biggest ones to use in lowering DHT are zinc w/b6, and saw palmetto, maybe with pygeum. They attack type 2 which makes the skin more oily, and I think the prescription drugs you talked about attack type 1 for hair loss. Right now I m on my 8th week of accutane. It's not too bad now but marks from breakouts the last couple of weeks is killer. Peace everyone

Comments:
Also regarding hairloss!!! I have been on roaccutane for 3 weeks and i have noticed that at the back of ny head, ie, the size of the palm of your hand over the crown, has drastically reduced in the thinkness of hair. Is this related to the treatment or s this God's way of saying i have a perfect head (ie, the imperfect ones were covered with hair!!!). I thought my self esteem would improve so much with clear skin, but going bald at 21 ain't the best confidence booster. I know this sounds very wierd, b t i also feel so despressed at the moment. Last night i broke down, but i did not know why. My girlfriend was, and has, been great and says that acne or no acne, hair or no hair, she will be there, but why do i still feel so down? I just want to be nor al. I just want to feel good about my self. Can anyone relate to feeling so low?

Comments:
Andrea, I am sooo sorry!!! It must be horrible. What was your dosage? Did you cut back when you noticed the hair loss? I emailed the derm on this board and he said that it may takes 6 months for the side effects to subside because of the accutane leaving the blood stream. He also said that none of his patients had experienced permanent side effects. I also emailed a girl who lost hair while on it. She and her mom both lost hair and it grew back even thicker than before. However, she said it took about a year to grow back. You poor thing. What did your doctor say? Surely she/he should have recommended you stopping the drug with such severe side effects. Perhaps you can use rogain to speed up the process or fenesteride(I think that's what it's called). Lot's of people here have experiened hair loss but not as badly as you have. I've struggled with it too and reduced my dosage when I noticed it. Then I stopped completely. Now I'm back on at a very low dosage-20 mg/day.So far so good. Again I'm so sorry a d my prayers are with you that it grows back soon!

Comments:
[ Home ] [ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followups ] [ FAQ ] [ Back to Messages ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Message Posted by Andrea on July 07, 2000 at 12:55:07: Hi all. I hope everything is going well for you. I first have a warning to those of you thinking of starting Accutane (and no - I don't mean to be the messenger of doom). I started Accutane about 6 months ago. I had moderate cystic acne that was affecting my self esteem and general happiness in life. Within 2 months I started losing hair. Just a little here and there. By the time my Accutane course was complete at 5 months I had lost 85% of my hair. I had such beautiful healthy long blonde hair and now I look like a chemotherapy patient. It's WAY worse than any zit I ever could have had. And it continues. I have been off Accutane for over a month and I am still steadily los ng more hair. I fear going completely bald because if this keeps up for another month or so, I will be. Just a precaution to those of you with mild acne considering Accutane. Try other options first. Once you've exhausted all other options please really t ink it through. I would take all the zits back if I could just have my hair again. Not to mention that the cysts have already returned just one month after treatment ended. So now I have the same ol' acne and now sparse hair tries it's best to cover my he d. My self esteem is definitely worse than it's ever been. The question I have for those that may know is - does the hair grow back?? And if so, when? None has, as of yet. I can't imagine living under a hat for the rest of my life. Thanks for listening. -Andrea

Comments:
Hi everyone! i've only just stumbled on this site and im in my 3rd month of roaccutane now (i have 1 month left!). Having read many of the queries on this page, i thought id share my experience of this treatment with you, but remember - EVERYONE is differ nt - this is just what i have experienced personally. At the beginning, my derm told me about all of the side effects. In my first month i decided to do a little experimenting. I found that it is possible to drink on the drug, but you get drunk much more uickly so be warned! Also, they say you cant go in the sun at all but ive just come back from my holiday with quite a tan - as long as you take it slowly and re-apply your sun cream often you should be fine. In the first few weeks i had no side effects at all and wondered what all the fuss was about but then i noticed my skin going red and dry. i also got a red rash on the top of my hands (has anyone else had this?) but you can clear this up easily with using a truck load of moisturiser. also, the redness eems to have gone down almost completely now, but one thing that is still annoying is the dry lips (has anyone else had to apply lip balm almost every 1/2 hour!?). MY ADVICE IS: 1. Experiment cus the derms advice doesnt apply to everyone 2. moisturise EVERYWHERE twice a day EVERYDAY - skipping this can result in nasty itchy red patches(clear these up with more cream). 3. lip balm - carry it everywhere and finally... 4.STICK WITH IT!!!!! the initial breakout does go down as does the redness and dryness - it'll all be worth it! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!!! PS does anyone know how long these little red marks take to go down and has anyones acne returned after stopping?

Comments:
Pete- all anti depressants say to avoid alcohol ( but there is no toxicity reported from drinking moderately and taking these meds- i know this from my doctor who is an expert in psychopharmocology) just like on aspirin bottles, it lists certain diseases and how people with it should not take it... however, it is more of a "disclaimer" and i feel that is the same with pot smoking. Alcohol in large amounts is not wise regardless, but on accutane it would seem unhealthy since the med and alcohol both go through the liver. trust me, if my derm told me smoking herb would hinder my therapy on accutane, i sure as heck would not touch it...

Comments:
Dear John I whent private to the South Cheshire Hospital in Crewe (Leighton Hospital NHS). The Derm is Dr August, like most Derms doesn't talk much but bloody good. Don't know if it makes any difference but i bought my supply from the hospital pharm. You know you c n get a private referal to any Derm John. Good luck

Comments:
Pete - Just read your response to Kim, it seems you believe you are the Oracle on this matter. It's unfortunate you were unable to offer any further data to support your claim. If you can do so !

Comments:
RICHARD Where did you buy your accuatne tablets from? The sound cheap, well cheaper than what I paid. Cheers

Comments:
Tom -Re your pot smoking. Pete is unfortunatly getting slightly carried away here. There no evidence to suggest THC can increase the toxcicity of RoA. Unless you are smoking or digesting pure THC or are lucky enough to have some extremely potent resin or il (very unlikly), continue to your hearts content. As for E's, stay away from them at all cost, the mere thought of a RoA and E cocktail !!!. To Pete you sound like an educated man, how about advocating the known benifits of Cannabis in the treatment of nce. It can be an effective anti-inflam. Also the effects of Ance are 50% psychological, a cyst or spot never really seems that bad after a joint.

Comments:
Kim, All drug reference books say to avoid marijuana while on accutane as it can result in increased toxicity of accutane.....like I already said... :)

Comments:
Hey TOm From Canada, i smoke pot very often!!! i am on accutane and my blood tests are normal.. i wouldn't touch esctasy regardless of whether i was on accutane only because that drug is so bad for you!!! i did shroom though and did not have any effects other than dehydration...so, if anyone has anything that states where pot affects the absorption f accutane. let me know! otherwise, smoke away... Cheers

Comments:
Hey TOm From Canada, i smoke pot very often!!! i am on accutane and my blood tests are normal.. i wouldn't touch esctasy regardless of whether i was on accutane only because that drug is so bad for you!!! i did shroom though and did not have any effects other than dehydration...so, if anyone has anything that states where pot affects the absorption f accutane. let me know! otherwise, smoke away... Cheers

Comments:
Okay Tom, Marijuana contains the active chemical THC which is fat soluble and accutane is also fat soluble. This means marijuana may increase the toxicity of accutane and any drug book will also say this..avoid marijuana and as for ecstasy I am not really certain except that it may lead to dehydration which does not bold well with accutane treatment...also avoid...sorry dude, but alcohol is also a big no-no especially because it interferes with liver function and we all know how important our livers are when on ac utane...I could not play basketball when in treatment as it made me really tired and slow as if I was in slow motion....one study I read recently showed that acctane interferes with carnitine production in the muscle and is one reason why exercise is so m ch more difficult when on accutane. Supplementing with the amino acid l-carnitine while on accutane makes physical exercise a possibility...look for it in most health food stores and your doctor would likely not know such late-breaking research, especial y when it concerns a natural substance like l-carnitine. Good-Luck!!

Comments:
I think everyone should take this drug seriously before using it and it should definitely only be used as a last resort for people with serious acne. I took it when I sufferred with acne, but my condition was not serious at all...I have regretted taking t since and side effects such as hair thinning and many others I did not expect. I think many side effects are not reported as they sometimes are only realized after treatment and then doctors and pharmaceutical companies do not take you serious or are j st protecting themselves. I only wish I knew then what I know now, and if I had taken it I would use much lower doses; acne is hard to live with though, especially at a time in our lives when appearence unfortunately means so much...what kind of stupid d sease is this...after much scientific research I have learned that one implicating factor seems to be levels of DHT(dihydrotestosterone) in the skin and this leads to oily skin and increased keratin production and the subsequent acne problem. One way to ower DHT is by reducing the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase which seems to influence DHT levels. Many have heard of propecia and finasteride as drugs that prevent hair loss and prostate enlargement and they do this by reducing the enzyme and low ring DHT which is also implicated in these disorders as well. Everyone differs in their DHT receptor sites and some seem to have more in their scalp which leads to premature baldness and some in the prostate and some have more in their skin such as their back and face which leads to the acne condition. Now my big question is whether the drugs(propecia) used to treat these other disorders would work to treat acne...I don't see why not?? Why arn't these drugs used for acne yet, they are very safe and effe tive at lowering DHT and should work...I am not a doctor or scientist, but it only seems too painfully obvious that accutane's serious side effects could be avoided with the use of this drug. Has anyone ever tried such a thing?? Has anyone used propecia for their hair loss and noticed their acne improved?? Maybe I'm ahead of the pharmaceutical companies and realize the drug could have a whole new patient base...I have questioned this for a few years now and still no answer....If I had acne today I would talk to my doctor about using the propecia drug for my acne and totally avoid the numerous known and unknown side effects of accutane. If you do research on acne you will find that DHT is the main implicating factor in the beginning of this disease and i can be stopped, actually accutane slightly lowers DHT as well and that is one way it works, but it has other abilities as a sebacceous gland destroyer as well as a destroyer of hair follicles and thins hair by lowering the hair's keratin production...jus look at your nails after just finishing a course of accutane and you should notice nails that have ridges and your facial skin is likely thinner as is your hair...also it may have affected your bones by thinning them and causing other abnormal bone growt ...The accutane drug also easily crosses the brain's blood-brain barrier that usually protects it from harmful chemicals, but this drug is fat soluble and subsequently enters the brain to cause depression and confusion and tiredness.....accutane also lowe s one's immune system possibly because it affects one's spleen greatly and studies show it can cause the spleen to shrink. The spleen is the body's main lymhoid organ and helps produce immune cells. Maybe one day accutane will not be used and other more effective and safer drugs will exist for the problems of acne. Phamaceutical companies want your money today, will you pay with you health as well as your wallet.

Comments:
I have finally found this site. I started a week ago, so far so good. First. I like to party, and my doc told me never to drink on this stuff. I can not wait 5 months to have a drink, but I guess I will. So back to partying! Has anyone ever smoked dope or done Extascy while on Accutane and has it had an effect on them eithe way. Second: I love to workout. Has anyone had an experience with that. My doc told me to limit physical activity. Let me know peeps I need these questions answered. THANKS

Comments:
I had suffered from moderate cystic acne since about age 19 - I usually had about 5-10 cysts or spots on my face all at different stages of healing. I also had spots and cysts on my back, neck and scalp. I hadn't had any problems with my skin in my earl teens so I suppose my acne was late onset. As lots of you will know, cysts are not only very unsightly - they're also usually very painful. Sometimes parts of my face would actually swell. Even though these lumps were impossible to camoflage, I would ear make up every day - I couldn't face the world without something covering my face. Over the years I had been prescribed long term antibiotics including Minocin and the Dianette contraceptive pill. These were all fairly effective but seemed to 'wear o f' after a couple of years. In March 1999 I was referred to a hospital dermatologist (My GP had been treating me until then)and agreed to try Roaccutane. This was not a decision I took lightly- I was worried about all the horrible side effects but decid d that there really wasn't anything else left to try. I started my course in July and took 60mg per day for 16 weeks. In the first few weeks my skin got a bit dry and some of my spots started to dry out, however, from week 5 to week 13, my acne was much much worse than it had ever been before. The cysts were even more painful because my skin was so dry and fragile. I had muscle aches and headaches and generally felt so depressed that it was difficult just getting out of bed in the morning. In the las few weeks my skin was still very dry but it was obvious that the cysts were starting to go. It has now been 8 months since I finished my treatment. I have had no long-term side effects and, best of all, absolutely no cysts. I get occaisional tiny spot - so small that I don't even bother covering them with makeup. My skin has never looked so good and if my acne was to return I would not hesitate in asking for roaccutane to be prescribed again. While I was taking my medication, I would often scan thro gh this guestbook to look for other women my age who might have a positive story to cheer me up. I guess what I'm saying is that I know that roaccutane is a horrible drug to take and that things invariably get worse before they get better, but I wish I h d been prescribed it years ago. Good Luck!

Comments:
I ordered the reconstruction cream thateveryone seemed to be talking about a few months back. So far I have used it for about two weeks. When I get cycts(spell?) under the skin or zits I don't mess with them I just apply the cream when I go to bed at nigh and its gone in the morning. The longest time that a zit has taken to go away was about 2-3 days and it was tottaly gone. Now the red marks are a differernt storie. I am taking tetracycline so maybe that has something to do with the healing process. I kn w that tetra kills good and bad bacterica so maybe that is why it is taking longer for the red marks to go away. It kind of looks like a small rash around the cornor of my mouth. And I had a large red mark on my cheek that becamme bloody at times but it h s faded some in the last two weeks. I had stiches there a few years back due to a dog bite. I am not quite sure why my red markks are still there but I am going to keep on using the reconstryuction cream till they go away! I will keep you infromed!

Comments:
You can wait for at least 6 months before starting vitamin A. You can be without vitamin A for a long time.

Comments:
Dee- Don't be alarmed. Yes, this is a strong drug but it works! I have been on it for 12 weeks taking 60 mg/day and I am finally clear. The scars will fade with time and it is best to just let them be. Us girls can always usa a sheer foundation to cover t em up and when the acne is gone it will look so much better. To the side effects, if you use bodylotion all over, a good non oily face moisturizer, a gentle cleanser, loads of lipbalm, plenty of hairconditioner, drink water all day you will most definatly be fine. I take an advil if I get head or muscle aches, but it is not that bad, I promise! Good luck! /Nikki

Comments:
I am on my 14th week of 60mg a day and my acne has gone but I have those annoying red marks. How long do they last once the treatment is over? and is there anything that helps speed them up? thanx

Comments:
Does anyone know how long you should wait before taking Vitamin A after a treatment of Accutane??

Comments:
Hello everyone. After years of suffering what I would call problem skin, I started getting a couple of cysts. This alarmed the hell out of me especially at my age so I went to the Dermatologist and he has prescribed 40 mgs Roaccutane daily. I was told I m ght get slight peeling. You can imagine my shock on reading the leaflet and finding this site that this is just one of the side effects and a mild one at that. My skin is relatively ok at present but I know it will flare up again sooner or later. I really don't know whether or not to try this stuff out. I haven't touched it yet as I'm pretty frightened and would like some more advice from people who care. I went back to the Derm who told me not to be bloody stupid and that people on the web wern't doctors. please help as I would value your tried and tested advice unlike my Derm who obviously has never taken it himself

Comments:
I would love to hear from post accutane users. I have been off for over three weeks now. What can I expect in the future? For those who had the acne return, how long after stopping the treatment did your acne return? And the OIL? It seems like my ski still continues to look better every day. Did you experience this too? You can e-mail me with your replies. Thanks so much for all the valuable information conveyed on this board, and for all the sensitive people.

Comments:
Hello again..By the way...If you dont squeeze these pimples, do they dry out them selves..How long does it take for a pimple to dry away???Can i get more acne because i squeeze them???Have soon to buy glows to wear so i cant squeeze!!!!

Comments:
To Shy Guy - May not as been as helpful as hoped !!. Roacctane is expensive 252 20mg pills cost me Ģ262 ($350's). I know you'er 18 probably broke, if so you must try again to convince your family. Try to collect as much info as you can (easy stuff)on just what they can expect or not. If you haven't already point this site out. Fears and concerns surround this drug, but considering the vast majority of prescribed drugs have limited testing whats one more, if for the majority it's extremely effective. If the have the finances to help use every means you can to to get there support. Dietary therapy is a very long shot at your age forget it. If you need to shy Guy keep pushing. Oh yes stop calling yourself Shy Guy, this may be one of the problems Take care.

Comments:
To Shy Guy. You must take control of your Ance. What your family doesn't know won't hurt them. Some may express concern at that ie, suggesting they need to be inorder to keep an eye on you. Firstly Shy Guy the side effects are extremely limited. If you can live with Ance, say anymore. Considerein you leaving to go to college, start the treatment now and have a great time. It's your life !!

Comments:
Hey guys! How ya doing? Glad to hear A you found some sunscreen before going to the beach for the weekend. I'm fair skinned and the other day I was out in the sun for 1/2 hour doing yardwork and got little blister bumps on my arms...won't do that again I never tan much anyway so I guess sunscreen is no big deal for me. My skin is improving again. 3 spots healing and no new ones. My eyes burn and my lips are a little more chapped and I noticed the other day my scalped burned and hair felt a little b ittle. So I'm conditioning the heck out of it. Really though I think things are going pretty well...We must be about 6 weeks into this huh? Aaron I hope you are doing well. If you can give me suggestions on how to drop my cholesterol level like you di I'd really appreciate it. Take care guys. Talk soon. {:0)

Comments:
hi everyone, i was wondering was experiences ppl have had with treating scars. My derm suggested a facelift would make my scar nearly disapear by firming up the skin and i think this would work too. It might be a safer way as opposed to laser treatment. I am only just getting over the redness after about 8 months, i dont want to have to go through that again for what i have heard can be little results. My scars i like really shallow pits. they can only be seen in bright light. but they nearly cover my cheeks. any sugge tions/experiences would be greatly appreciated. I wish u all well, hang in there, there must be light at the end of the tunnel somewhere.

Comments:
Thank you "Kalani" for your answer...It really helps to get answers from other people about their expiriences about acne!And to SHY GUY, donīt listen to what your family sais, they havenīt for sure been reading about this drug as much as you have..And par nts are always parents.If i hadnīt been listening to my mother and to her opinions, my treatment would be over already.Was going to start it in February, but she had her opinions, and so i didnīt...My acne got really much worse along the spring, so three eeks ago i decided to start the treatment, not telling anybody...I have a so called "brake out" and spots all over my face right now, but something tells me that this drug is the last solution to my acne. One thing..If you want to travel out of your country, you probable have to have the recipie for the drug with you???Do you think so??? This is a great web-site and all you people are so great and kind!!!Thanks to everyone!

Comments:
Hi everyone! I'm in the 3rd month of taking Roaccutane and have had reasonable success. Today is a bad day as I have 3 lumpy bumps on my face but am hoping once these go away I"ll then get no more. Was wondering if anyone has heard of a product made b Shiseido Cosmetics called UV White. It is supposed to contain some fruit acids or something which helps get rid of freckles and melamin spots on your face. Wonder if it would also help fade the ugly red spots we get whilst on Roaccutane and the associa ed scars. Has anyone heard of or used this product? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thks.

Comments:
I haven't checked out this site in a while, or other acne related sites for that matter - it can be so upsetting/depressing. But as I'm seeing my Dermatologist again soon, I'm want to be as well informed as possible. I noticed in some of the recent posts eople saying how they had been teased over their acne. That's so mean and awful and unfair. ;( That has never happened to me, even in high school when my skin was atrocious at times. If someone back then had even mentioned it, I think I would have just di d of embarrassment. Having bad acne is awful enough without people pointing it out to you.

Comments:
Last month i started to have a severe acne in my face i don't know if is severe but a great number og acne appeared in my face i didn't experienced this before im taking minocyb and applying peroxide for 3 weeks the firest acne calm down and seem to cured but other continue to growth my derm recommended roaccutane but my family doesn't want and allow me to take i want some suggestion to cure my actual acne any diet? methods? or... i'm living in the carribbean but will attend to Ma USA for college next month i really hope i got better

Comments:
i am getting fed up with having acne.i have had it since i was 10 yrs old.my skin isnt too terribly bad, but my zits always leave red marks after they heal and the marks last for months!!!!!its getting on my nerves and i cant decide whether or not to take accutane.people say my acne isnt THAT bad, but it still drives me nuts and nothing seems to work. ANY advice would be appreciated, thanx!!

Comments:
To JO:
I don't know too much about the maintenance doses. My mom and cousin both took regular 4-6 month courses of accutane and then when their acne started to return (not as bad as before) 6 or more months later, the derm put them on maintenance doses of 20mg week; sometimes more or less depending on how their skin is doing. Hope that helps...

Comments:
Acne is so hard to beat physically and emotionally. I just keep on thinking why me? Everyone else in my family has perfect skin(except my dad). This stupid disease is so painful and scarring emotionally....I know it will probably go away within time in my treatment...I just keep wishing that I never had to deal with it in the first place...... and for people just starting accutane wondering about side effects, all I can say is they vary: I just started accutane a month ago. My skin cleared up within the first few weeks and then this morning I woke up to a horrible breakout......damn that suc s...

Comments:
Anyone know any method to lighten the redness of acne without using any make-up? any acne cream or treatment(excluding oral medicine) that really works? pls commentssss

Comments:
Does laser surgery really works?????!!!!!!

Comments:
I was watching the news today and they say about a new way of treating Acne, using like some lights.. which apparently kills the bacteria which causes spots.

Apparently cured over 70% of test patients.

I will ask my derm next time about this methinks

Comments:
I started my Accutane treatment in September, 1999; and since then have been taking irregular dosages. September: 40mg/day; October: 80mg/day; Nov-Dec-Jan-Feb: Irregular 40-80 (as was out of country); March-80; April-May-June Irregular 40-80 (due to carelessness); I would like to know if I should still continue the intake, or stop it now. My condition is not 100% improved, but is much better.

Comments:
People often ask the question, "when will the big breakout occur?". Unfortunately, everyone is different. Some people will have breakouts in the first 1-2 weeks, some will have them later, and some will never have them. It's basically impossible to guess hen they will occur for each person. As well, not everyone will suffer the same side effects on Accutane, regardless of how many miligrams you take per day. That's one of the frustrating things about this drug. For some people, a high dose means more side effects but that's not true for everyone. I'm in my second course, and I'm experiencing a lot fewer side effects this time around even though my dosage is much higher. I log on to this website everyday to read other people's experiences, to find out what AY happen during my treatment (not what will). I don't like surprises so it's nice to know in advance what I might have to deal with. I also appreciate reading everyone's tips on ways to minimize the side effects. THANKS!

Comments:
I've read all your comments and to tell you the truth i am a little scared. i am in my second week and i'm doing good so far - few pimples, but my skin is much smmother than before. My concern is that i am attending a wedding during my fifth week and real y dont want to be horribly broken out for this very special occasion - any suggestions? Please help!

Comments:
TO SARA: I had laser (CO2) resurfacing surgery in Nov. 1998. It was really quite difficult. After surgery, you can't go out of the house for at least 2-3 weeks, and when you do, your face is SOOOOOO RED (it's even worse than the Accutane-redness)! This re ness last for at least 14-18 months. I tried every kind of makeup to cover it up, but I never found anything that worked that well. Now my face looks better, but I'm dealing with cystic acne again. I'm on my second course of Accutane; my first course was ast year, Aug-Dec. To be honest, I find the side effects of Accutane much easier to bear than the recovery process after laser surgery. However, I'm glad that I had the surgery. It got rid of the melasma that taking birth control pills had caused (current y I'm using an IUD instead of b.c. pills) and it improved my acne scars a bit, but not as much as I was hoping for. I've also got some white patches on my face now. It's not uncommon for laser surgery to cause uneven coloring of your skin. The lighter you skin tone is to begin with (and I'm pretty fair), the better your chances are of not experiencing this problem. I'm really bummed out about the new acne scars that I have on my face and neck. In 1-2 years, I may consider having laser surgery again, or po sibly dermabrasion. Or if I'm lucky, there will be even better methods for getting rid of facial scars by then. All the best.

Comments:
I finished my accutan treatment 4 months ago, I still get some acne, but the thing I'm worried about is the redness that is left in my face. I know that it's supposed to fade away after accutan, but these red marks have been in my face a long time and I h ven't noticed any fading.I guess my skin is thin or something, so if anyone knows anything that helps, please tell me!!!

Comments:
Hello all! Hope everyone is doing good! 5 months and still beautifully clear! In just the last couple of weeks also, I've noticed that my hair seems to be thickening up a little more. Hopefully it isn't wishful thinking. Anyway, my next project is ge ting the ugly dark hairs that have been growing on my upper lip and chin permenantly removed via electrolysis and I figured since it's been almost 6 months, that it would be safe and wouldn't cause any damage. I've been using the same Neutrogena products however, I received a buttload of Clinique stuff from a friend, so I think I'm going to try that for a awhile. Anyway, just thought I'd drop in and post my monthly update. Those of you just starting it, just wait until your post treatment and happy! I 'll be here before you know it! Ciao!

Comments:
just started week 3 of accutane...i was on 40 mg/day, but my derm increased it to 60 mg/day at my appt. yesterday. My lips are already chapped a bit, so i'm kinda afraid of what this increase in dosage is gonna do! although my face is still icky and my ch st looks gross, there is good news! My back is "almost perfect", according to the nurse at my derm's office, so hooray to that! OH! one question to either Tom or anyone else...has anyone here drinken while on accutane? My derm said it's ok as long as it's in moderation, but i've heard others say that they puke like crazy if they drink at all. My birthday is coming up and i want to go to Canada with my friends, so i'd really appreciate some info about how much i can drink..thanks! TO MARIA = yeah, you can efinately wear makeup while on accutane...i wouldn't leave my house without it!! just try to use oil-free, non-poreclogging kind. I use a stay-put foundation to just dot on my zits, which works as a great coverup because it's not too heavy but doesn't rub off. oh, and don't get TOO much sun on your vacation, cause i heard your tan will turn out blotchy cause of the medicine. TO CHLOE= are you the same chloe from the other acne board?? I thought your writing style looked familiar :)

Comments:
I took accutane for about 3-4 months and it worked great. Sure, I had the side effects like dry lips(used chap stick), had 2 bloody noses in about 2nd and 3rd week(use AYR, it is great) and dry skin(used lotion and had nice smooth skin). I would recomme d this to anyone with moderate to severe acne. I remember washing my face everyday, going to the store and seeing what was new to buy for my acne. Now, I don't even need to use soap to wash my face. I guess I get a spot here and there every great while but it is way better than what I had. I took 40mg every other day for my treatment. For those who are on it stick with it. Right away I also remember that my acne got worse but then it started clearing up. This stuff is great and brought up my self-es eem. I am no doctor so I am not sure if it is for everyone, so check with your derm. Go to the derm and ask him/her whatever questions you may have. That is what they get paid to do. Don't be shy, they know what problems you are having. If you feel t ey are rushing you in and out just sit there and keep asking all your questions. I was fortunate to have a great derm.

Comments:
Hi all, I've had acne since I was 9 or 10. I've only just started on Roaccutane. I know four people who've been on it before, but it was a long time ago so I can't remember how it reacted with them. I've noticed my hands and lips are dry, and my eyes feel a bit sore. My derm told me I'd be on Roaccutane for 5 or 6 months, does the dryness go away after 3 months or so, or does it stay for the whole time you're on Roaccutane? Thanks to anyone who can help me, could you please reply using my email address, th nk you. Cheers, Elly

Comments:
me again! but i had some advice for those having first course of roaccutane.....pls continue to consume roaccutane if ur derm ask u to do so.....and 5 or 6 months having roaccutane is not enough!!!!!! i think need 9 or 10 months or else acne will be back gain.......i having 2nd course and regret that i stop my first course after 5 months of roaccutane.........now acne back and passer-by on the street keeping saying:" EEEEeeeeeH! look at that guy!!!!! full of pimples!!!!!!" That's hurt!!!!!!!!!!! What an i do?!!!!!!1 just face the reality!!!!!! but i hoping to get well and looking forward for a laser treatment or anythingggggggg that can make my skin looks smooth and radiant.!!!!!!!! Hope u all get well too!!!!!!!! Take care all!!!!!!

Comments:
acne sucks! i wonder why we had acne and made us so terribly sad....... anyone had been gossiped by people on the street that having acne all over the face?????? by the way......... is there any treatment in this world to cure pit scar? surely have right? ??? pls share your view ok???? thanks!!!!!!!!!!

Comments:
C'était juste un petit coucou ā tous les franįais qui lisent ce site tous les jours car en France il n'y a vraiment rien sur internet concernant le Roaccutane. Moi įa fait 1 semaine que j'ai commencé ā 30 mg/j, et la premičre chose que je fais en arrivant au boulot, c'est de me connecter sur ce site pour lire les nouveaux messages, įa me donne le courage pour commencer ma journée, je me sens moins seule. En tous cas, merci ā tous ceux qui postent et courage ā tous !!

Comments:
Good morning everyone!!Today itīs a better day than yesterday, only because itīs not monday...My skin looks awful today too, thank god that there is make-up...Does anyone know if itīs ok to use make-up while you are takeing roaccutane???I cant even leave y house without make-up! Does anyone think that itīs irritating to have a conversation with someone that doesnīt look you in the eyes but on your spots???It happens all the time to me. Iīve got a few more questions that maybe someone can help me with.I would like to go somewhere on my holiday, maybe to greece or cyprus, but is it ok to catch some sun while you are takeing this drug?Do you think that after 6 month treatment the spots wil stay away forever?Iīm so skeptic already so i donīt belive in any treatment! Does anyone get "panic attaccs" so that you suddently have to squeeze your spots?I know that itīs not good to squeeze them, but i canīt do anything about it!!! If youīve got time, please help me with my questions!I wish you all a good day, and improvement from this fu...ing disease!

Comments:
I am a 19/m who is in my 8th week of my second course of Accutane (MUCH easier than my first course). Right now I have moderate/mild acne and feel very positive about the future. I am writing because I am interested in meeting any girls in the NY area or lsewhere who are on accutane or have acne. Besides my acne, I am a very good-looking guy, 6'0, brown hair, brown eyes, and won't disappoint. I don't know how successful this post will be but I urge you take the chance.......

Comments:
anyoneknow is there any treatment to cure pit scar??????

Comments:
TO NAOMI. Thanks for the help on sorting out the nose bleeds. I have begun to try it and hope it works well for me. TO ALL - There are a couple of things i am wondering about. I have been on my medication for 2 weeks, and i keep reading about people suffering from red faces. How long into the treatment does this occur and for how long? Any response would be grateful I don't suppose experienced an immediate effect (ie clearing of face, back and chest in 3-4 days), but subsequently the spots are re-apearring in such a short period of time. I did have quite bad acne (ie, covered!!) and i am pleased with what has happ ned, but i am curious if anyone else had the same experience at the begining of their treatment. Also, is Roaccutane a cure for ance that when i finish the course i will be spot free for good, or is it a short term solution. If you had the same Derm as e, you would be asking these questions!!! Any replies are welcome.

Comments:
well, i'm on around my 12th week and I *think* i might be seeing some improvement. my skin is getting smoother and spots less frequent, but i've said that a good few times during the last few months. i'm trying not to drink but it's difficult. all I can s y is hang in there everyone, i hope you all beat this disease. best of luck tom

Comments:
Naomi - could you tell me a little about the maintenance dose? I did accutane until Feb & stopped because of lots of hair loss. My dr suggested I could go on a 30mg a week dose & see how it goes, & said the side effects are dose dependent, the hair loss s ould be much less at that dose. However, I might have to take it for a long time. I am having problems w/my chin, getting cystic again. I'm debating between low dose accutane & a hormonal treatment, could you tell me anything more about how the maintenanc dose works out? I'm using antibiotics now & Retin A & I've been down this road before, doesn't work all that great. Thanks!

Comments:
i'vE haD acnE sincE i was 11 anD i'vE bEEn callED loaDs oF things ovER thE yEaRs. I'vE tRiED loaDs oF pRoDUCTS but nothing woRks. I hatE having it anD i REally nEED to talk to soEonE about it, anyonE who will unDERstanD. plEasE can anyonE hElp?

Comments:
im on about month 4. face was really doing good, pretty much smooth just those annoying red marks. but ive broken out with say 5 pimples...three on my one cheek, and then two on my jaw line. just started my period, so im guessing the hormones triggered it but this hasnt happened on my last cycles... ugh the frustration. i also notice my skin, especially my nose is starting to get slightly oily again,..grr. im on one of the highest dose i think ic an go on (80 mg a day, 125 lbs.), so its not like my derm c n up it?? plus my cholesterol is still super high because of accutane, im lucky she hasnt lowered my dose because of that. But im now on like a zero fat, zero cholesterol diet now to try and bring that down. hmm what else... got lots of little hard black heads (which are white and black, but i think someone here said you cant call them white heads unless they're puss filled? whatever) but they're really annoying. the majority of them kind of stick out and mad my nose bumpy..so despite popular advice here i used the pore strips. it sure removed a lot of the crap, made my nose soo smooth. but a few days later my pores were clogged up again. so im going to keep using the strips every week or so. well just wanted to vent my frustration of a break out, oily skin, and a bumpy nose. so, anyone else break out this late in the stage? if so hope you have some of positive reasurance for me ;)

Comments:
HAs anyone ever used Retinova and did it help in reducing any scars? many Thanks

Comments:
To CHLOE:
At the end of my treatment (finished 5 months last week) I was taking 100mg/day and weigh 130 lbs. and I don't think my acne was as bad as yours to begin with. The derm kept raising my dose because I was tolerating it well and wasn't drying up very much My side effects didn't seem to get worse as my dose increased. I would say whatever your derm suggests is fine as long as your body tolerates it well.
To JUDE:
Both my mom and cousin ended up going on a low maintenance dose (one 20mg pill a week or so) but only after being off of it for 6-8 months. My derm told me that if/when the acne starts to return that I could go on a maintenance routine but that probably ouldn't be for some months if at all.

Comments:
Hi everyone! Hi JADE and AARON. I hope you guys are doing well. I survived my weekend at the shore without getting a sunburn! Coppertone SPF 30 with Parasol 1789 worked really well (and the sun wasn't out too much anyway). I drank for the first time n Accutane, and even though I know it isn't a good idea, I didn't have any noticable problems. My skin still looks yucky and my eyes are itching like crazy, but other than that I'm doing well. Keeping my fingers crossed that this is going to work for me soon! -A

Comments:
To SUPERCLO: It is my opinion that 80mg is too high a dosage for you. At least it = would be if you had my derm. I began my first month at 40mg then for the = remainder of my treatment (4 additional months) I took 60mg/day. I weigh = 120 lbs. I never had any side effects, except for the dry lips, and = toward the end, I had aching muscles. I attribute this to the dosage my = derm gave me. Most of the research I have done regarding Accutane and = side effects, leans toward those prescribed higher dosages are the ones = who have the most side effects. The extremely red face, is the one = symptom that stands out the most when the dosage is so high per body = weight. I NEVER had RED FACE! Or peeling, or dry eyes, or loss of hair! = And my skin is very clear! I finished my dosage three weeks ago. And my = lips are finally back to normal. Skin still looks wonderful, as a matter = of fact, it's texture improves each day. Good luck to you, and let me know how you're doing.

Comments:
Does anyone know of any web sites that you can purchase accutane on? Please help!!

Comments:
maria, i got my initial terrible breakout around two weeks into accutane and believe me, it was TERRIBLE. my face looked like someone stabbed me all over with a giant needle. i wanted to give up but am glad i stuck with it. i didn't start to see improve ent until week 5. now i'm on week 9 and my skin is almost totally clear. it gets better every day. good luck and take care.

Comments:
please help me

Comments:
Hello everyone!!!I have been on Roaccutane 40mg/day for tree weeks and my skin is only getting worse all the time, the spots are everywhere in my face now.Does anyone know how long it will take before i can see some inprovement???

Comments:
How dangerous is it to drink whilst on roaccutane? For the first two/three months of the course, I didn't touch a drop. Now I'm beginning to slip. I'm not a heavy drinker, but I am worried about my liver. Does anyone have any information?

Comments:
Still looking good! A whole week now with near perfect skin, this drug obviously does work but what i'm concerned about is what will happen once I stop. I'm halfway through a 16 week course of 60mg a day ( I weigh 60 kg) I'm seeing the derm on wednesday s will ask about a low maintenance dose after the 16 weeks are up. Does anyone know if this is a good idea or not? I am so happy to have near normal skin that i can't bear the thought of a relapse. I also don't really want a second course of roacc. i'd rat er stay on this one for longer. I've been lucky.. the side effects aren't that bad, still v. dry lips and crusty nose. Rash on arm finally going away, itch neck a lot better. the skin care routine seems to be right for me, wash wih cetaphil then moisturis with E45 lotion. Blistese on the lips and change pillowcase every night ( seemed like a good idea) If this lasts i'll be shouting from the roof tops! hang on in there everyone it WILL improve...... the first 6 weeks were crappy and i could easily have gi en up, am so glad i didn't but am now paranoid that when the course is over my sebacious glands will go into grease production overdrive, judexx

Comments:
hey! i have been off of accutane for one week and one day now and so far so good. i got one spot the day i stoped and i thought it waould all come back but within 2 days that spot had gone and i havent had one after that. i wish every one luck, accutane s well worth trying!

Comments:
hi everyone...after reading this message board and thinking a lot, i decided to start accutane...i've been on it about two weeks...for a long time i've had a lot of acne under my skin...most of the bumps are my skin color, they're just underneath the surf ce (in addition to the red ones on the surface)...my dermatologist said not everyone gets the big breakout, and i was wondering if these bumps would get dried up underneath my skin or get pushed out, and she said u can't really tell until it happens...i s em to have more of this acne under my skin...i'm guessing this isn't one of those breakouts since i've only been on accutane for two weeks? so, i guess i'm just wondering if anyone else has a lot of these underneath bumps, and if they got pushed out or dr ed up....thanx : )

Comments:
Hey everyone *waves* I am now on my 10th week of Accutane. I'm halfway through! Yay! My skin looks great, but I have a question. I started my first month on 40mg, my second month on 60mg, and now I'm taking 80mg a day. I only weigh 115 pounds, and my acne wasn't that bad before treatment. By not bad, I mean that I had lots of small whiteheads on my forehead and cheeks, and about 4 cysts on my cheeks at any given time. Should I be weary about an 80mg a day dosage? It seems like so much! Can this ca se any worsening of the side effects? So far, I have had really chapped lips. I did have some hairshedding the first 2 weeks on 40mg, but it stopped. My skin is amazingly clear now, but I just don't want to overdo it.

Thank you so much
:)
Chloe

ferrara@avantel.net
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Country: Mexico

Comments:
Hi, does anybody knows if there any problem if Im in a Roacutan treatment and I take Xenical at the same tine ? Thanks in advance for your help.

Comments:
Try www.medscape.com then go to *search* to find info on acne/accutane. I did as much research as I could before my son decided he wanted Accutane. He is 17 and 6'1" so the growth plate issue wasn't as serious for him as for others. He was more concern d about depression, but so far that hasn't been a problem. He has regained his self-confidence. It's a joy to see him feeling so well, and looking so good (although as "the mom" I always thought he looked good). But as I mentioned before, the breakthro gh didn't happen until about weeks 11-12. Before that, his acne was worse than ever and he felt miserable. I hope that all goes well for you and your two teens, as well as for everyone on this board.

Comments:
Bobby - when I was on accutane my derm recommended I take 800 IU of Vitamin E per day, he said it would reduce the side effects. My eye dr also recommended I use natural tears for my eyes - which I did - use the natural tears but not the "get the red out type of products. These natural tears just replace what your eyes would normally be producing. It helps a lot - I was able to wear my contact lenses the entire treatment.

Comments:
HI kelly i was pleased to see your comments on your family. I think it is good that they saw improvement in your skin. I hope my family comments one day

Comments:
Kelly, I think its good that they took notice and comented on your skin. They must of been shocked to see you looking clearer. Well nobody yet has notciced an improvement in my skin. When they do I will be happy

Comments:
Hi. I'm on my 80th accutane pill.. and I have a little bit of problem with my eyes.. (im on 60mg/day), so I went out and got some 400I.U Vitamine E tablets.. I was wondering if anyone can tell me whether or not I should start taking these.. will they work well with accutane? basically Yes, or No.. any response would be very appreciated.

Comments:
Hi! My name is Kate and I started roaccutane treatment on 13th August 1999. I took the drug for 16 weeks, my dosage was 60mg per day. I think I must have had every side-effect going, but to anyone who is considering not taking the drug due to the side-ef ects it was the best thing I ever did. When I think back to how I looked this time last year, I never believed that I could look normal ever again! and ( touch wood) my skin has really settled down these last few months. I do have a question and I don't know whether or not anyone can help me on this site. I have quite extensive scarring on both of my cheeks. Does anyone know of any treatments - that work - that can get rid of this. I know eventually the scars should f de, but can this process be accelerated? If anybody has any information I would be very grateful if they could e-mail me. My address is: buffalogirl2@hotmail.com If anyone is feeling down, or wants to know any information about roaccutane, from someone who has been there, and come through it, contact me and I will be more than happy to e-mail you back!! Good Luck Kate

Comments:
This message is for Stefan...4 treatments of accutane? You cannot be serious..and you call them "4 successful treatments of accutane?" Give me a break! If you had to go on this impotent drug 4 times, i would hardly call that successful, I'm sorry.

Comments:
This is for Kelly who wrote about how insensitive her family was. I know what you mean,, ive suffered from acne on my face back, chest and upper arms for years, and whenever id have a cyst visible to them,, theyd always talk about it and give me advice w ich i knew was useless. Im finally on acutane ( 5 mos, 60 mg a day) im in my 4th week right now,, i hope that by the end of my treatment ill look the way i want good luck and try not to let the fam get to you, evn though they can be really annoying at ti es : )

Comments:
can life get any worse? every aspect of my life at the moment is pants!! i have been on roaccutane for 6 months 80mg with good results and when i saw my derm a month after i finished the 6 he decided to put me on 40mg. The problem now is that i think i am breaking out again and my skin looks like shit! has anyone been treated for over 6 months and what were the results like? i think that 1 month off of roaccutane was a bad thing and i wish i could have continued instead of having that gap!! my dosage now h s halved and i would like to know if anyone out there uses acne products in conjunction with roaccutane and if so which ones? or can this alter the efficacy of the drug, any ideas?

Comments:
Gilbert, Have you asked your derm about the red face? How much longer do you have to take the drug? I was on accutane a little over a month(60 mg a day) I'm 125 pounds. However, I lowered my dosage to 40 mg and then stopped. Mainly because my scalp was so completely dry and scaly and my hair was falling out. I think because it was so dry. I was off it for about a month and decided to go back on at 20 mg a day. After I lowered my dose to 40 I could see a difference. Now at 20 I don't notice the side effects that much. My lips are only slightly chapped and my scalp only itches a little. So maybe lowering is a good idea. You would just have to be on it for a longer amount of time. I do remember when I was on 60 and I washed my face, it remained red for a long time. Even my boyfriend made a comment. I just said it was the accutane and there was nothing I could do about it. Some people on the board have also entioned that the side effects subsided as their dose decreased. Hang in there! I'm sure you don't look like a freak.

Comments:
I have thought of going on Roaccutane ,but my derm ,siad that i would only need 20m/g at the begining and mit have to increase it a bit,but the thing that worries me is that he said i would only have to take it for 5 months,IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN I FOR 5 MONTHS WITH GOOD EFFECTS.

Comments:
I'v suffered for about 12 years now and am totally fed up with not being able to wear the clothes I want and feel beautiful. I'm off for yet another appointment at the hospital on the 24th July and having heard about success using Roacutane I'm willing to risk the side affects and tell them that I've had enough and I won't keep taking antibiotics all my life and want to give it a try. I'll keep you posted on my success or failure, it's good to know I'm not the only one as noone I meet ever seems to have a roblem which makes me feel like a freak, but I'm not alone we're all just unlucky I guess!!!

Comments:
Today I had a big family dinner at an aunt's place. Since most relatives had not seen me for many months, they immediately exclaimed over my very bad face( which is in the process of recovering from a major outbreak). I was so mortified when the female co sins peered at my skin closely and ask me whether I took medicine and how did i take care of my skin! I know they want to help me but asking such direct questions in front of all the young n old relatives were rather embarrassing. Thereafter, the entire d nner topic was on my skin! I do hate them sometimes! It would help if they show some sensivity but i guess this is how it is like among families...always direct.

Comments:
help, is this a cyst? red, not draining hard and has a centre, yuck, what do I do? beth

Comments:
Hello all, after 10 years & 4 successful courses of roaccutane, my struggle to overcome the psychological effects of acne is not going as well I thought it would. Are there any current or previous acne sufferers that are taking anti-depressants for depres ion/anxiety ? Are anti-depressants all the same ? Those that I have been prescribed so far have caused side effects that vary from nervousness to dizzy spells, they seem to be more trouble than they're worth. Any info would be greatly appreciated. thanks< r>

Comments:
to the two other moms, i also have two teens on accutane and concerned about the growth plate closure. Has either of you done any research that you can enlighten us with. Does anyone know the address for medscapes/medlines? My son's face cleared from day ne but my daughter's face has been the complete opposite, they both are entering the eigth week so we are really hoping she starts to see improvement soon!! My son has also developed a blister like rash between his fingers over the last two days, has anyo e else experienced this? Thanks for your time!

Comments:
to hazel ------> i understand what u feel when the face is full of pimples. but your friends / bf will not look you down just because of your pimples. be confident, u r attractive!!! i have taken accutane for about 7 weeks (40mg/day). i have experienc d 2 serious breakout. and there r still some ances over my right cheek and forehead. but other part start to clear. i hope both of us can enjoy the day without ance soon.....

Comments:
Dr.Leigh: First of all welcome to our board and thank you for your willingness to answer questions. I think many will welcome having a real live doctor participate! I guess one question that has been brought up repeatedly is whether or not accutane does/c n actually stop you from growing. A second question I have is: Is one of the side affects tiredness? My son asked the derm this twice and she point blank said NO but many have written how they are tired and sleep more. Can this be attributed to the ac utane? That's it for now, but again thanks for your willingness to participate and help. Some of us only get 60 seconds of time at our office visits so I would guess you will get a lot of questions thrown your way!!!

Comments:
Well it's nearly a month and my skin is not too great at the moment !! I have these HUGE bumps coming on my chin cheeks and forehead, i'm on 20mg, and i can only imagine how long this treatment will take !! I am really miserable, and i don't feel like goi g out, it is summer and there are some great parties, but i'm just thinking of the payoff at the end. When i can go out without thinking that people are looking at my face and commenting,i think if i keep up that positive attitude i'll get through it ! I uess No Pain NO Gain!!!

Comments:
Accutane causes that. Why donīt yoiu do a researsch before you go on a medication like this? People live in a hell after using accutane.

Comments:
Thank you all.I've been a sufferer for about 8 years. I've tried everything but Roaccutane.My Dermatologist suggested it over a year ago but I've been too afraid.I suffer from what I consider spells of depression (miss university, don't go out.......)I be ame rather obsessed.I gave up my weekend job working in a shop for evening bar work as working at night it is darker and my skin does not look as bad in dim lighting. I cannot bare anyone touching my face etc.....this all contributes to me deciding to spl t up with boyfriends. I find myself punishing myself. Really I'm writing because today I was at a real low and feeling so unattractive and so alone. I'm so grateful to you all. On Monday morning I'm going to phone my dermatologist and arrange to take Roac utane. I'll keep you posted - I now feel prepared for the "5 week" break out!! Thanks,Hazel X.

Comments:
To the girls that have not had their period yet I havent either which is strage, I hope it doesnt mean anything serious if you dont get your period. Im not on the pill either. but it is ok not that I really wanted my periods any way they are annoying .

Christer or shall I call me "victim of Roaccutane"? - 07/15/00 21:24:57
My URL:http://homepages.iol.ie/~grantsu/STORIES.HTML
My Email:roaccutansweden@hotmail.com
Age: 25
Gender: male
Country: Sweden

Comments:
Hi all! I am a male, 25 years old. I have used accutane twice. In the end of the second cykle I started to feel sick. I started to sweat above my eyes and on top of my nose and felt dizzy. I stopped the drug. That week I wrote here on this webboard. I tol this and that I was happy with results but not with how I felt._____________________________________ What happened next? I started to work as I always did every summer. I was very tired and felt strange, I felt depressed. It was not time for that. Everyt ing in life was great. In a couple of months I started to have severe thoughts of suicide and I got w rse and worse. I got so depressed that it ended with me sleeping 20 hours per day. When I woke up my body burnt, yes burnt the nervoussystem were totally destroyd. It hurted so much and I had to commit suicide. I did not have any other thoughts. I were in hell!!!! My thoughts were totally strange, I had severe pain in my body, told my friends go to hell._____________________________________________ One day when I was out somebody who knew me a little found me quit near home. I was "gone". I had said that I not could find my home.________________________________________- Since then I have been on different antidepressants but they did not work properly. Toda 2 years after, I have not gone back to school or my extrajobs. Im still very bad. My thoughts are normal but I suffer from severe psychiatric pains in my body. Iīm t tally different from before. I still have my friends left but it is not the same. My sym toms are too big for me to join them. I still look for an antidepressant to work good for me._____________________________________________ Since I got my own thoughts back I have done much researsches and been in contact with many people. I have the follo ing to tell: Roche gives a damn if you get ill from Accutane. They will do what ever it takes to tell your doctor that you would have gone crazy anyway. They will not help you. They took my phonecall and said they were gonna tell my doctor about the risk ith this medicine. I found out later they instead had sent a letter that claims that acne is the cause of depression and that there is not ing that prooves that accutane could chemically induce a depression. They have not done a researsch! Why not? There s thousands of reports of depression. Or have they? Why do they then not publish it?_________________________________________________ They give a damn. Roaccutane is a topselling drug and the workers in Roche will be rich men and women who dont care a dam about you. That is the truth. They have not made Roaccutane because they want you to get rid of your acne, NO HELL NO, Roaccutane is ther to bring in money so they can go home with big salarys. I have found out so much during my illness that it feels tha there is no hope for one honest, kind human. Well, that is my story. Hope you take this drug seriously, nobody is there to help you whe you get sick of it. But they like to help you when you want to buy it./Christer

Comments:
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO IS OR HAS BEEN ON 20 mg/day... I am currently taking 80 mg/day, and I CAN'T STAND IT becuzz my face is soooooo FREAKISHLY Looking red...itz like i'm blushing 24/7. To those on 20mg/day...did you experience redness, and if o, how bad is/was it??? The reason i'm asking the 20mg'ers is because the lower the dose, the lower the side effect, so i'm thinkin bout reducing my dosage. I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE ANSWER ME... (p.s. i'm NOT TALKING ABOUT RED SPOTS, but rather about THE B USHING RED FACE.)

Comments:
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO IS OR HAS BEEN ON 20 mg/day... I am currently taking 80 mg/day, and I CAN'T STAND IT becuzz my face is soooooo FREAKISHLY Looking red...itz like i'm blushing 24/7. To those on 20mg/day...did you experience redness, and if o, how bad is/was it??? The reason i'm asking the 20mg'ers is because the lower the dose, the lower the side effect, so i'm thinkin bout reducing my dosage. I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE ANSWER ME... (p.s. i'm NOT TALKING ABOUT RED SPOTS, but rather about THE B USHING RED FACE.)

Comments:
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO IS OR HAS BEEN ON 20 mg/day... I am currently taking 80 mg/day, and I CAN'T STAND IT becuzz my face is soooooo FREAKISHLY Looking red...itz like i'm blushing 24/7. To those on 20mg/day...did you experience redness, and if o, how bad is/was it??? The reason i'm asking the 20mg'ers is because the lower the dose, the lower the side effect, so i'm thinkin bout reducing my dosage. I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE ANSWER ME... (p.s. i'm NOT TALKING ABOUT RED SPOTS, but rather about THE B USHING RED FACE.)

Comments:
Hello i've just discovered this site, i find it very informal. I would like to say to all of you acne suffers that i am a Dermatologist and regularly perscribe Roaccutane to patients who have severe acne, or acne with the potential to scar tissue. I have een practising at Kingson Hospial for three years and would gladly answer any questions that you have; so do feel free to mail me. Remember in most cases, acne is the result of a hormonal imbalance caused brought on in puberty and mostly susceptible to ma es. So E-MAIL me if you need any questions or problems, good luck.

Comments:
Hi I just wanna say that I suffered a really strong bout of acne which began this time last year and I can finally say that it has improved dramatically after being on Roaccutane since dec 1999 (its now july 2000). Although it has been an incredibly depress ng time for me, my friends and family I am now feeling a lot better and have no regrets about taking accutane. I can honestly say that apart from the occasional drying of the lips, a slight change in the condition of my hair and a bit of muscle pain it was well worth enduring to finally see an end to the terrible acne. I would also like some advice from anyone about Laser resurfacing. I'm planning on having the surgery in september next year when I finish school and am very nervous about the treatment. However, I'm determined to have it done so that I can get rid of the scars and get on with my life!! If anyone has ever experienced the treatment or has any advice please let me know . To all those who are suffering , just hang on in there ! It does get better and for all those who have survived the treatment lets just hope that it works permanantly for us ! luv sara

Comments:
hey all! It;s Jill. Well, i have been on accutane now for 1 month and 2 weeks...and 1 day! so, about 6 weeks. I broke out pretty bad during my 5th week and i was extremely depressed but to tell you the truth, my skin is clearing up! My face is dry and it s drying up all those nasty zits! My sister told me how much better my skin was looking this morning. I am getting excited! i guess it is true that many people break out during their 5th week and it starts to clear up as they enter into their 7th week. Th re was someone who wrote about having the same experience (sorry forgot your name) keep me posted! jill

Comments:
He everyone. This site is great. I have written here a few times but mostly read the posts so that I may become more educated about accutane. Today is the 13th day on accutane I have very dry lips, but that seems to be my only side effect as well as sem dry skin. I have a question I have had commedones on my cheeks for about 10 years and I was wondering if anyone knows will accutane help them go away. I look forward to the day when I can look in the mirror and not see anything but clear skin. My scar ing is minimal but I have red spots all over. Haven't had the big break out yet, but thanks to this board will be prepared and not devestated when it happens. If anyone can answer my question it will be very much appreciated and once again guys thanks f r making the days when I felt I couldn't deal anymore a little easier just by hearing your stories and knowing I am not alone. Sorry so long.

Comments:

Comments:
i finished my course of roaccutane a year ago, and although my skin is quite scarred it was pretty much spot free. i think i might be relapsing; i really REALLY hope not, b/cos the side effects were quite bad for me last time. we'll see i s'pose ...

Comments:
I made a little mistake in my last message: I'm on 40mg/day !

Comments:
WHAT IS THE CORRECT POSOLOGY ? I'm on 20mg/day (I'm about 70 kg) for 16 days now and haven't had any acne since then (I never spent one day during the last 12-13 years without having, so I'm pretty happy by now). I encouter some side effects (dry skin, maybe a little hair lost, and I w uld say a little decrease of libido, but it might be due to the weather too ;-)). I've been told that I should take a total of 120mg/kg during the treatment; I would like to know if this is correct, and if I have to continue with a 20mg/day dosage or if I need to increase or decrease the dosage at any moment during the treatment... Thank you !

Comments:
Alternative and Accutane/Roaccutane message board and web site with accutane/roacutane survey!

Comments:
for those red rush on the arm, just because your skin is too dry. use more vaseline. it help a lot it works for me!

Comments:
TO KEVIN: i have been taking 80mg/day for 16 weeks now, and my face is sooo freakin red. I'm talking about blushing red, not red spots. Especially when it comes to heat, my face gets red in an instant, and you don't understand how much i f*ckin hate it! To be honest, it is so bad, that i would rather have a big cystic zit on my forehead, rather than a red face. The reason this i was asking the 20 mgers is b/c if they don't experience the redness as much, then i am surely gonna reduce my dose.

Comments:
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO IS OR HAS BEEN ON 20 mg/day... I am currently taking 80 mg/day, and I CAN'T STAND IT becuzz my face is soooooo FREAKISHLY Looking red...itz like i'm blushing 24/7. To those on 20mg/day...did you experience redness, and if o, how bad is/was it??? The reason i'm asking the 20mg'ers is because the lower the dose, the lower the side effect, so i'm thinkin bout reducing my dosage. I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE ANSWER ME... (p.s. i'm NOT TALKING ABOUT RED SPOTS, but rather about THE B USHING RED FACE.)

Comments:
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO IS OR HAS BEEN ON 20 mg/day... I am currently taking 80 mg/day, and I CAN'T STAND IT becuzz my face is soooooo FREAKISHLY Looking red...itz like i'm blushing 24/7. To those on 20mg/day...did you experience redness, and if o, how bad is/was it??? The reason i'm asking the 20mg'ers is because the lower the dose, the lower the side effect, so i'm thinkin bout reducing my dosage. I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE ANSWER ME... (p.s. i'm NOT TALKING ABOUT RED SPOTS, but rather about THE B USHING RED FACE.)

Comments:
I have been on accutane for nine months and the results are incredible. After the first cycle i was totally clear but flared up when i stopped so i went for another. i wanted to see if anyone has gone for two and the results...more permenanteffects, less side effects, anything. Im getting tired of some of the side effects but it has been worth every day of carring chap stick.

Comments:
Anyone here know the extent of the damage that accutane does to liver? Apparently, that's the thing that makes ppl so damn tired when on accutane. Anyone know of any vitamins or minerals that are good for the liver? And has anyone gone thru a second cos of accutane with good results? I'm taking it a second time round after a fantastic 3 months, i didn't even get a breakout the first time round! However, i'm hoping that the second time will have a slightly more permanent effect, anyone here know about the chances of that happening? And are the side effects easier to tolerate the next time round or is it worse? oh, and lastly, anyone ever tried the scar gel that they're selling at all the GNC's? If you have, tell me whether it works or if there's anything at all you can use for scars while on accutane. Thanks a bunch P.S: Ross, you really don't know what a luxury it is to have only a spot on your face. Don't go for accutane, it's meant for moderate to severe acne. At any one given time, i'll have at least 5-6 spots on my face.You really don't know how much i would rather be you, except for the personality bit.

Comments:
hi there, just a quick question that has probably been answered before. I am on 20mg, 110 lbs, moderate acne, mostly jsut persistant that don't heal, if I increase do I go through all the side effects again, had the breakout weeks, a bit dry, still a fe breakouts but smaller and I'm hoping it will get better (week 6). Any adice, I would be happy staying at a low dose for longer if the results are the same as a higher dose, need your advice as my dr. (sho is great) isn't sure. thanks beth

Comments:
TO GILBERT: I've been reading for a while the trouble you've been having with a really red face. You really should talk to your dermatologist about lowering your dosage. You can take a lower dosage for a longer period of time, supposedly, and still get t e same results. You seem to be suffering so from this. I hate to see you so miserable if you don't have to be. I too have a really red face, but luckily I can put foundation over it since I'm a girl. I have a british/scottish ethnic origin and that's prob bly part of the problem. I really have to stay out of the sun too. Even a half hour has disastrous results. I wish you the best of luck, Hang in there.

Comments:
To Gilbert: how long into your course did the "blushing red face" develop? I've been on 80mg/day for 3 months and my face is a normal color. The only time that parts of it become red is with prolonged contact (like resting my head on my hand), but that go s away quickly. Is it inevitable that I will develop later on this 24/7 redness that most people seem to get??? And I don't understand why you're asking for people who take 20mg/day; are you lowering your dose to that amount or what??

Comments:
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANYONE WHO IS OR HAS BEEN ON 20 mg/day... I am currently taking 80 mg/day, and I CAN'T STAND IT becuzz my face is soooooo FREAKISHLY Looking red...itz like i'm blushing 24/7. To those on 20mg/day...did you experience redness (p.s. i'm NOT TALKING ABOUT RED SPOTS, but rather about a blushing red face)

Comments:
Yes yes yes... a rather sick and twisted page from the nim nim GRace that we all know and love... (???) mm... good stuff GRace. Keep up the good work! (note: Is ths random ICQ number someone that we should msg bomb or something~?) keek!-

Comments:
Hello everbody, I don't know if this is of any interest but i came across an American page called medi-help (my American cousins may already know of this), it has on-line service to a Dermatologist or you can view questions and answer on Acne. Unfortunatly i'm not very I ternet minded, i would say it's because i'm British but i know you would receive complaints !!. I think this is the address it's what came up in the little window - http ://medhlp.netusa.net/. PS -I had a cysist the size of small family car removed from my right cheek yesterday = 9 stitches. Good thing is with all the swelling you carn't tell i've got Acne. Life at the moment really could'nt get much worse. Hope i've given the right address a d it's of some help. Take care - Richard

Comments:
To ALEX:
I had a few nose bleeds too. What worked well for me was putting some vaseline on a q-tip or tissue and put it GENTLY in my nose. The derm told me to try saline spray but that didn't work for me.

Comments:
Would you recomend Roaccutane to me,i have tryed everthing else,and what is happening with your stages lately.

Comments:
I don't suppose anyone has any tips to help my scalp from itching like crazy. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone else suffered from nose bleeds or is this just me?

Comments:
Ross, Waking up without your penis would just be one step closer to being a real man! You already have no BALLS!

Comments:
Well, i posted about a couple weeks ago, and my face was looking pretty good, but about the 5th week i broke out real bad. I still look terible.. I have a huge cyst on the side of my nose. I am halfway through the 6th week now... and it looks like thi gs might start to clear up a bit.... I am really hoping that the 7th week will be good, like others. I have found that carmex lip balm really works good for me. I put it on my lips about every half an hour or so.... I even use it before i go to bed... Well i guess i am gonna keep to my motto as fare as accutane goes: expect the worse, and hope for the best!!! hang in there to everyone!!

Comments:
Ross, I have ur IP number if you continue to post mocking these people I will run a computer trace and post your home address on this board

Comments:
(that was to Ross, by the way)

Comments:
Surely your worst nightmare is that you're a complete twat?

Comments:
TO THE PERSON ASKING ABOUT FINDING OUT A REMOTE ADDRESS ON HERE~~Someone on this board a while back told us all how to do this. Under VIEW on your toolbar, click on Page Source. A different screen will pop up, so scroll down and you will come to the pos s and see REMOTE ADDR: and a number like (205.188.199.57). I'm not a computer buff, so I'm not exactly sure about all this technical stuff, but I do know that each person has a number.

Comments:
TO DANIELLE~~While I was taking accutane, my periods stopped also. This was never mentioned to me as a side effect by my doctor or anyone else. What's even stranger is that I've been off of accutane for two months and I haven't had a period yet. Howeve ,I am still taking birth control pill that may have something to do with it.

Comments:
Ross Cotton, darling, get a life! You don't need to be in this message board. It is absurd. You little pimple is so insignificant compared to the troubles the rest of us go thru on a day to bay basis. Your one freakin pimple will go away. It is not a big deal so get a life and slap some clearasil on your one tiny little pimple pretty boy.

Comments:
Ross.........they only give roaccutane to ppl with severe acne....1 pimple in ur entire life isn't gonna qualify.....

Comments:
Ross, I hope everything works out for you and that you can return to your truely wonderful and beautiful life, which obviously is so rich & fulfilling that you take time out to send this rubbish.Ha Ha we're still laughing at your post. Ha! Ha! You're such a rio . p.s. I wouldn't speak so lightly of suicide my friend, as fate has a funny way of turning sometimes...(you know it makes sense).

Comments:
To VICKY:
I too had the dry, red, patchy rash on the insides of my arms and wrists. The ONLY thing that actually made it disappear (not just moisturized it) was this prescription ointment that the derm gave me a trial tube of "Elocon Ointment 0.1%". It helped a l t.

Comments:
hi, i am on week 6 and i am taking 60mg a day, my acne did seem to get worse last week and it has continued to do so. But it is a relief not to have greasy skin anymore. For really dry, cracked lips i use carmex and i find its the best. Its around Ģ2.2 and i know boots stock it. Vitamin E cream from the body shop works very well for my dry skin. My hairdresser has reccomended leave-in conditioner to keep the hair glossy and helps it to not dry out too much. This week i developed a rash all over the back of my hands and inner arms. Has anyone else had this?

Comments:
To JILL:
I guess I wasn't clear in my first posting. I meant that one or the other alone (amount being taken & time taking it) isn't what makes the difference, but the total amount you take over the whole treatment. If a person took 20mg/day for 10 months and an ther took 40mg/day for 5 months, they would have taken in the same amount of meds and *supposedly* (according to the formula) would have the same chance of success (non-recurrence). Hope that explains it better.
To NANCY:
I don't think my side effects got significantly worse as my dosage increased. The side effects I had (dry lips, rashes on arms, joint pain) were worst in the first month or two of treatment. I went on an anti-inflammatory for the joint pain, so I can't say what would have happened with that. But each increase in dosage seemed to increase the side effects only for a few days and then they would settle back down. Hope that helps.

Comments:
ROSS: My your entire face be filled with cystic acne!

Comments:
Question for NAOMI- I noticed you said you started at a 40mg/day dose and ended at 100mg/day. I was just started at 40mg/day and my derm says we could increase it as he monitors my tolerance. I was just curious if your side effects got worse as the dose increased? Or did y u develop any new side effects as the dose went up? Just curious- Nancy

Comments:
are you sure this isn't a hox? darling, GET OVER IT!

Comments:
To REX- I had the exact same concerns. My situation was very similar to yours, my acne was not at all severe but it was unresponsive to any other medications I had tried. The way I see it is if there's a chance it will work, then it's worth a try. You can ALWA S stop taking it if the side effects do become dangerous or intolerable. I just started a week ago and I am experiencing minor side effects, I'm just trying to hang in there and see how bad they'll get. I'm supposed to go for 5 months, so hopefully I'll make it. So I think you should give it a try and see how well YOU can tolerate it. Everyone's experience with accutane is different, it's very individualized. Hope this helps!- Nancy

Comments:
Well team here we go I have gone for the appt and dicussed Accutane with my Derm for quite some time. She told that my acne is so minimal, but the fact that I always have one or two, and the fact that I have tried everything in the book she told me I coul go on Accutane if I wanted. She gave me a 30 minute discussion on Accutane and explained to me that more severe side effects are due to the more dosage you are taking. She then said since my acne is so minimal that she is going to start me on 20 mg a day and then maybe move me up to 40. I weigh 160lbs. She said I would have to take the drug for 6 months at these doses and then I have a 90% chance of being cured of acne. So I have the prescription and am waiting to take it. I need some advice though team S OULD I OR SHOULDN'T I DO THIS. PLEASE WRITE.

Comments:
Well team here we go I have gone for the appt and dicussed Accutane with my Derm for quite some time. She told that my acne is so minimal, but the fact that I always have one or two, and the fact that I have tried everything in the book she told me I coul go on Accutane if I wanted. She gave me a 30 minute discussion on Accutane and explained to me that more severe side effects are due to the more dosage you are taking. She then said since my acne is so minimal that she is going to start me on 20 mg a day and then maybe move me up to 40. I weigh 160lbs. She said I would have to take the drug for 6 months at these doses and then I have a 90% chance of being cured of acne. So I have the prescription and am waiting to take it. I need some advice though team S OULD I OR SHOULDN'T I DO THIS. PLEASE WRITE.

Comments:
Hey all I have been of roac for like 5 months now and yes it does WORK.Put your trust in Jesus and he will help u out.I was just wondering ppl who have finshed roac .what did u do after to rid the scars left behind.They don't stand out that much in normal light e c but in fluorscent light u can se the damage. I heard debrassion or peeling were helpful. anyone with any question about roac or peeling plz email me cya alll. good luck

Comments:
HI, Im Ross, i'd like to share my nightmare with you ppl. I have never experienced acne until yesterday morning. I was the pretty boy back at school, the guy guy's with zits admired, but it all came to an abrupt halt. Yesterday i woke up to my 2nd worst n ghtmare. Worst being waking up without my penis. I had a pimple! Right under my chin! I just don't know how i can deal with it. I searched for pimple on the internet and i came upon this homepage. I am interested about this drug roaccuane, and was wonderi g if you ppl would recommend it to me. This is my first pimple in my entire life, although its quite small, i sometimes contemplate suicide. Leonard "Just call me God" Lee, i just read your post, remember we used to go to school together? Anyway, please, need your help!! I am so scared to go out in public that i stay in my room all day. Anyone out there, help!!!

Comments:
there have been numerous posts on being extra tired while being on roaccutane, and yes it is part of it. i got so tired from it that i came home after school everyday and slept and spent my weekends sleeping, although i was a rather active person before hand (and during as much as i could) see ya! demonika

Comments:
this is for NAOMI: I'ma little confused about your response to me...it just sounds a bit contradictory. You said that it doesn't matter how much you are taking in or for how long but what really matters is the TOTAL amount you consume...well, this must me n then that how much you take in really does matter! Also, if how much you consume at the end really does matter, then so is the time period that you are on the drug...because the longer you are on it, the more you will consume and the better your results will probably be in the long run. I hear that the shorter the duration of your treatment, the more likely it is that you will have a relapse in the future. I find this statement to be legitimate.

Comments:
hi there!i tried minocyn for 4 weeks but im still getting afew nasty bumps and now my derm recommended that i take roaccutane ! im having my blood tested over the weekend...but im still having doubts about taking the drug! gosh! it seems that it would be ery risky to take it! do u guys think im wrong??? i have one question though! has it already been proven that the drug wont have any side effect to a (woman's) child-bearing potential even if you've finished taking it for years? (i do hope i make sense!) mail me! k? anyone!!! hope to hear 4rm u guys soon! tnx=)

Comments:
I just wanted to say a few positive things about accutane. I took it for almost 6 months and was on 40mgs per day (I weigh 115). My skin never completely dried up and I had break outs up until my 12th week. I thought "this stuff is not gonna work for m ." I've been off of accutane since May 25th and have not had an outbreak since my 12th week of treatment. That is a great relief because I had persisitent cystic acne and never had a clear skin day. However, my skin is not perfect. The red marks are slowly fading and I sometimes get these tiny little bumps on my nose and at first on my forehead (the week after treatment). I'm not real sure what they are but they are so small that they don't bother me. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE.

Comments:
I went to see my derm yesterday. A one hour wait resulted in a consultation of about 1.5 minutes. She asked me what dose I was on last time (65mg, I weigh 167 pounds)and promptly wrote another perscription for another 2 months at the same dosage before could say I wanted it increased. She never even sat down, she gave me a quick glance, said my skin was drying up nicely and wrote out my discharge form. Then she smiled and walked out. I was left in sitting in bewilderment. I hadn't the chance to ask about anti-inflammatory drugs or vitamin E supplements. I have been on Roaccutane for seven weeks, and up until last Sunday I was still getting new cysts. However, now I think the drug is starting to work, as this week I have only had a few pimple like pots. However, this I could be on the verge of a breakout at any time. I did get a chance to ask her about the risk of it coming back after treatment and she said that the effects of the drug last for 18 months by which time you should be past the natur l age for having acne. This did not fill me with confidence seeing as I am only on a 4 month course when at the dosage I am at, my body could take 5 months worth, using the 120mg per kg of bodyweight equation. Moreover, my sister still gets spots, (alth ugh never to the extent that I have), and she is almost 25. Still, I am entering the period where people say it starts to work so fingers crossed, and good luck to everyone. Finally, does anyone know of any thing for dry lips other than vaseline which d es not seem to work for me. I have seen Blistex and Carmex, which is best?

Comments:
Well 2 days ago I suffered from a sever break out accrosso my chin and i was really frustrated. Im on the end of the 3rd week on accutane and nothing much has improved yet. I hope it goes soon if there are any success stories i want to hear them

Comments:

Comments:
Please, help me to buy roaccutane on the web!!! e-mail, site, thank you.

Comments:
I am currently taking Accutane for accute cystic acne. This makes the 3rd treatment I've had in the last 7 years. The 1st 2 treatments I had, I never experienced any fatigue. However, since I started this 3rd treatment, all I want to do anymore is slee . I have no energy whatsoever and I know it's not from lack of exercise because I am a very athletic person and have been for quite some time now. Is it possible that my extreme tiredness could be caused by this Accutane that I am currently taking? Aga n, I know that when I took it twice before I didn't experience this lack of energy, but I feel that it could be possible since I am 26,now. My dermatologist said that as you age, the effects are more severe. Could this be why I am experiencing such lack f energy? Have anybody else out there experienced this with their treatiment? If so, please contact me. Thank you!

Comments:
Hi, guys! Glad to know that you are still out there in Accutane-land. I'm feeling more positive after reading that JUDE's acne didn't clear until the 7th week, and A MOM's son's acne didn't stop until the 11th week. It reassures me that the treatment w ll work in time (I'm in my 5th week). I really don't like how my face looks now. I don't want to wait several months for results, but I guess I don't have a choice. :) JADE: I'm being really careful about washing and conditioning my hair, and my scalp se ms OK (knock on wood!). I hope the Vitamin E helps your eyes. I've been taking 400 IU for the last month, since it was recommended on this board. I don't know if it's helping or not, but I'm still able to wear my contacts. I don't like that I had to s op taking my multi-vitamin, though (contains vitamin A). re: bloodwork: I called the office but haven't heard back from my derm about my lab values, so I'm assuming no news is good news. Maybe we can be like AARON and have our levels go down the next ti e we're tested! Good luck! -A

Comments:
Dear EVERYONE, I was wondering if anyone has heard or tried EITHER of the following products: (1). Elizabeth Grant's AM & PM serums. (2). CMI Peel Therapy. If you have tried either or know anything about these products, please write about them because I will be using elizabeth grant's very soon. Thank you.

Comments:
Yeah, I was wondering how other people faired with that formula that Naomi referred to. For my son it calculated out to where he should be on exactly 16 weeks and the derm has him on for 20 (better safe than sorry). How did it work out for others?

Comments:
To Jill:
Awhile ago someone wrote on here that their derm told them that the total mgs you take during treatment (mg per day times number of days) should equal 120 times your weight in kgs. So it doesn't matter so much how much you are taking or how long you are n it, but the total amount of meds you take in. I just finished my 5 month treatment, started out at 40mg/day ended at 100mg/day (i weigh 130lbs). According to the formula above I should have had a total of 7,200mg of accutane. I actually ended up with about 10,500!! But even tho my acne was not severe, it took that high of a dose to really work. Hope that helps.

Comments:
hi guys. it's jill. Well, i am now on week 6 and my skin is horrible. I had a huge break out about a week ago and it is now subsiding but still, i look horrible. I guess you are only a week ahead of me JUDE...i really hope that in week 7 of my treatment, will have as good news as you do now. I was looking back on the diary i kept from my first treatment back in 99 and around the 7th week during that first treatment, i was clearing up as well. hope it works again! I was wondering, could some of you please post for how long your dermi has you on this drug? My dermi said she wants me on it for 4 months but i think that is too short of a period of time. Last time, i took it for 7 months. thanks! Jill

Comments:
I think my skin might be getting better! remember that huge rock on my chin i was talking about a couple days ago?? well i THINK it is starting to go away, and it is definately not as red or painful anymore. YAY!!!! Of course, this could just be a trick.. i'll start getting hopeful and then BAM! another breakout. I guess i'll find out soon enough :) oh, and it's normal to feel tired, right? I sleep alot more now and just feel exhausted alot..my mom was kinda worried so i convinced her it was just a norma part of taking accutane, but i'm not sure if that's true. anyone know for sure??

Comments:
hi all, good luck to all of you on roaccutane. all the suffering of chapped lips etc. is worth it when u have clear skin. stick with it and good luck :o)

Comments:
I have suffered severe acne since my teens. I finally had roaccutane treatment about 7 years ago. It was successful and I have been free from acne ever since. However, ever since the treatment my skin has become extremely sensitive to sunlight and I burn easily. I have now discovered that I have a malignant melanoma for which I am awaiting treatment. Has anyone else had a similar experience or am I unique.

Nicky - 07/13/00 11:45:23
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Country: TRINIDAD

Comments:
I have been on Roaccutan for 8 weeks. The first 4 weeks were not too good. I got constant break outs and it was very depressing. The GOOD news is that in these past few weeks I have gotten only 3 tiny pimples. As I told my doctor, At my age I have too many things to worry about and one of those things should not be my face. I have dry lips and I feel a bit tired but as far as side effects go, that's it. This drug gets 2 thumbs up.

Comments:
GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippeeeeeee I woke up this morning and I have normal skin.. I'm on week 7 of Roaccutane and I have to say the first 6 weeks were pretty awful, then about a week ago it started improving and now my skin is lovely, please God let it st y like this I'll go nuts if I have to suffer another breakout. Am really scared when I read postings about these huge cysts appearing overnight. Anyway a few days ago my skin was so dry and peeling but then I started putting on E45 lotion straight after w shing ie. before my skin is completely dry and its made SUCH a difference. I quickly pat dry with towel and then put on the E45. I am using the Cetaphil to wash with. The bad news is I have a horrible sinister looking rash on underside of arm its red and listered and looks like a nasty skin disease. am seeing doctor this morning about it. Itchy neck has subsided a bit. But corners of the mouth are very sore and cracked despite copious quantities of Blisteze. Also finally had my hair coloured yesterday, to k the risk as I was so grey i looked hideous , had no adverse reaction at all so i'm very happy as now have nice hair and skin!!!!!!! For all of you out there who are still going through the yuck stage don't give up I came close and am so glad now i didn' . Good luck. Jude xxxxxxxxx

Comments:
I'm on week 4 of my second course. My first course was last year, Aug-Dec'99. The first 2 weeks I had pretty dry eyes, and slightly chapped lips, but both of these issues have almost disappeared. However, I developed hives all over my legs a few days ago. I'm taking Benadryl and making sure to use mild soap, Dove, and Cetaphil moisturizer to calm things down. Hopefully, the hives will go away soon. The only other side effect that I'm experiencing is a red face, which gets worse when I work out or am nervou . Since it's summer here in California, I think most people think the redness is from the sun, which I've been avoiding. I have a couple of recommendations for sunscreen: Hawaiian Tropic SPF 50 for babies, and Shade Gel SPF 30. These are the only two suns reens that don't give me rashes or small bumps. I saw my dermatologist yesterday and he commented on the outbreak that I experienced a couple of weeks ago on my neck (the marks are still pretty obvious). Other than that, he was pretty pleased with my prog ess. He gave me a new prescription to cover the rest of my treatment and said to come back and see him in November after I've been off Accutane for 3-4 weeks. He also did not order any blood work. I'm taking 40mg and 80mg on alternate days, and should fin sh up at the end of October (140 days total).

Comments:
After about 3 weeks on accutane, my lips got really cracked around the corners. I think the got infected or something, because it spread into these big sores. I went to the doctor, and he prescribed a steriod cream, but he also gave advice that might he p some of you...To prevent or help heal sores on the corners of you lips, put a wet washcloth on your lips for a minute or so, then put a thick layer of vaseline on your lips before bed. This keeps spit off your mouth, which can make your chapped lips w rse. It also helps soften them. I hope this helps some of you.

Comments:
Alternative acne treatments message board and roaccutane survey!

Comments:
To Rob: No, vitamin supplements for the most part are ok as long as they don't have vitamin A in them. I actually got the idea for the E and calcium from this board; lots of people have claimed they help. When I asked the derm she said they couldn't hur ! Milk thistle is another one I have heard people swear by on this board but haven't bought any. I ran across something today I have never come across on this board so thought I would throw it out here for what it is worth! Our pharmacy prints a sheet l sting side effects and precautions with each prescription it dispenses and when I read the one on Accutane under precautions it had the following statement. I will print it word for word: "Semen may pose a risk to a pregnant woman if the male is using th s drug. Consult your doctor". Anyway thought it was an interesting twist I had never come across so thought I would share. Take care!

Comments:
Hi everyone, week 3 of roaccutane. Thank you for all your support the last week. My feet and legs have stoped hurting and I did get a bad break out which has cleared and my skin is looking so much better. Well for today anyway. My lips are killing and really tired all the time. I just love reading everyones comments as there aren't too many people I can talk to about being on the drug. i would love to have someone to chat with on a daily basis so please email me.

Comments:
HI BLUE - thanks for your encouraging words. At present the flare up is just spots but lots of them. Hopefully i'll get it under control soon and then off we go! Did you go on to have a family??? Might catch up with you on marcus's site. noticed the other night the supportive thing you have with Rianne - love chatting to her on Just Me's site!! Nel

Comments:
Anyone ever break out in hives as a result of Accutane after being on it for a couple of months? Haven't contacted my doctor yet, but am curious as I've been on it for over two months, and for the past two days I've had unbearable itchy hives everywhere e cept on my face (thank God for that.)

Comments:
Anyone ever break out in hives as a result of Accutane after being on it for a couple of months? Haven't contacted my doctor yet, but am curious as I've been on it for over two months, and for the past two days I've had unbearable itchy hives everywhere e cept on my face (thank God for that.)

Comments:
TO THE MOMS: I thought your were not suppose to take any oral vitamins during the Accutane treatments?

Comments:
Hi NEL, I usually post on Marcus's site where we also talk about alternatives to Roaccutane. I have had acne since about the age of 13...sometimes controlled by antibiotics; and have also had Roaccutane. I thought I'd say, Nel, that I had been dreading oming off eveything in order to get pregnant. I thought my skin would go wild; but it actually wasn't TOO bad, with just a few spots, not the face full of cysts I had expected. I think I forced myself not to get too panicky over it, knowing I couldn't d much about whatever it threw at me! Anyway just thought I'd reassure you it might not be as bad as you're thinking! Hope it all goes well for you Nel. XXX

Comments:
To Kath Your story really struck a chord with me as it is identical to my own. i too have had two courses of Roaccutane followed by Diannette. And yes, now since coming off the pill i am having a flare up. I stopped the pill in order to start a family and am tryi g to get it under control before this happens. Being pregnant may even out your hormones, but in the interim when you are trying to become pregnant we still have to deal with the acne. If you want to email me to chat further feel free. Good luck. I also post at the Acne Support group page (scroll down here, there is a link posted). many of the women on this site are also trying to find ways of managing their skin in a 'friendly' way (ie supplements and topicals) so you might benefit fro having a look. Good luck to everyone else. Roaccutane will at least give you some relief. Nel

Comments:
Susie-I got the huge breakout around the 2nd week too, then I started to clear and then in the 5th week, bam I broke out again, but this breakout is already almost gone. Stick in there, I know it's horrible. The 2nd week, I cried on my boyfriend's shoul er and he told me that this is what I went through all the trouble of getting on the pill and going thru yeas of useless stuff. I know that this med will work, if not cure, at least improve and whenit comes to acne any improvement is a good thing. Hang n there!

Comments:
To the other "A Mom": My son is just finishing week 13 which appears to have been the turning point for him! The past two days have noticed big results (finally)! No more big cysts, just some small pimples which he said he can live with. He said he cann t remember when his skin looked and felt this good. He had his graduation pictures taken yesterday and his smiles said it all! : ) Bottom line is it doesn't happen overnight but varies for everyone. He is taking 800 mg of Vitamin E a day which seems to help with eyes, dryness, etc... Also takes extra calcium as he is lifting and playing basketball. Good luck to everyone.

Comments:
I use this board to post my Accutane 'pros, cons and solutions.' I have booked marked this page, and I apologize if one of my brothers posted something obscene. To the person that posted a question about finding one's IP though a message board. On my web site that I setup for my company, I can not only track your IP, but your ISP, your e-mail, your cookies and what OS and computer you have. The internet can be da gerous.

Comments:
My son is now beginning week 13 of Accutane. His face began breaking out terribly about the 3rd week. It just got worse and worse. He developed cysts which he had never had before. But now . . .his skin is beautiful. His face is clear with some resid al spot discoloration. He still has some cysts on his neck, but I suspect these too will go away. The real turn-around didn't happen until about week 11-12. The decision to begin Accutane was a tough one for him, but now the rewards are paying off. Ha g in there.

Comments:
Hey guys, I just started my second week of accutane (I'm on 40 mg/day) and my face is already terrible!! I heard that you're supposed to break out big time around the 5-8 week period, but I've never heard of it so soon! Has anyone else had this happen? Is this jus the beginning?? Am I going to get even WORSE in a couple weeks?! yikes!! also, does anyone know if there is any way to get rid of cysts? I never really got them very much until i started accutane and now I have a HUGE one on my chin...no joke, it's like mount rushmore sprouted out of my chin and won't leave!!!! please help!! :(

Comments:
How do you find someone's IP address through the msg board?????????

Comments:
My skin is getting better, and my scars on my cheeks are clearing, but I've recently gained a red bump on my nose that WON'T go away. It's shiny-red and noticable, although small, but the worst part is is that it doesn't hurt or have a head like a normal pimple. I'm afraid that it isn't one anymore - it almost seems to be a part of my nose! Has anyone ever had a cyst like this, does it go away, how long, etc...? Any replies would be greatly appreciated, good luck to all...

Comments:
Hey guys! Nice to see you're back Aaron! Sounds like we are all floating in the same boat right now...my skin sucks and I want my dosage upped. I don't think I'll ever last 9 months....has anyone heard of being on it that long? I don't have severe acn ...right now 2 hummers that just don't seem to want to go away and blotchy skin too. I'm fretting over my cholesterol and triglycerides...everything has fat in it, at least everything that tastes good...lol. I think it's my carb intake. I've given up f st food and am missing my tacos. Enough about me...Aaron you sound like you're doing good, still bothered by the hair, hu? What about you A, still have the dry scalp? What were each of your lab values? Did they go up at all? I started on Vitamin E 8 0 a day to help with dryness and it seems to be helping...especially my poor aching eyes. Derm recommended it. I just feel so frustrated today...I thought my skin would be completely clear the way I responded the first month. Oh well at least I've onl had one cyst. I guess I should be thankful for that even though it was weird one. I'm rambling forgive me. I'm glad to see we are keeping in touch...no one around me seems to understand what I'm experiencing right now. Your support is much appreciate . Talk soon. Take care {:0)

Comments:
AARON: Thanks for the encouragement. I really hope that this treatment pays off in the end. Way to go on the having a lower triglyceride count! Reducing the fat and cholesterol in my diet would probably be a really good idea, just to make sure that my evels don't get out of control. Weight loss is a side effect that I could live with, but it will take some willpower! As for your "floaters," I have never heard of them being brought on by medication. They are harmless, but since they usually show up i older people you may be right to look into it. I've been keeping my dry scalp under control by using lots of conditioner (no shampoo) most of the time and using a dandruff shampoo like Nizoral or Head and Shoulders a few times a week. My derm said this was OK. My hair doesn't look to great, but my scalp seems to be in fine condition and doesn't itch. Oh, I hope I didn't jinx myself by saying that! JADE: Hope all is going well for you. Good luck everyone!

Comments:
To Kath from Australia - you sound just like me! I get cysts on my chin, they've become gradually worse since my late 20's - on the rest of my face I get smaller zits but my chin is the real problem. I did accutane from Oct - Feb & stopped because of hair loss. I'm going to an endocrinologist a week from Friday to discuss getting in spironolactone - an anti-androgen - after speaking w/many women who this is working for. I hope it will help me out - my chin area on the left repeatedly breaks out, its been p etty calm since the accutane except for one cyst since March which won't go away - flattened but still there after 3 injections. I really want to go on with my life without dealing with this anymore! So are you doing accutane again because you stopped the pill which controlled the androgens? And I wonder, how can I tell if this therapy will work for me? Any info will be appreciated. Thanks!

Comments:
it has been 2 days since i started taking roacc. and i also want to know vasrious side effects. someone please tell me. thanks

Comments:
Does Reaccutane make your penis smaller ?

Comments:
ps to jade- I've been using cetaphil facewash exclusively and neutrogena sensitive skin moisturizer. they've worked well thus far. as for dietary changes...I've abstained from eating fats and cholesterol. five weeks since my last visit to burger king. *g in* your lousy skin will pass, just stay with it and remember that it's to be expected. take care, later!

Comments:
hey guys...just a quick update. increased dose from 40 to 60 a day, after my first day I cant say there are any adverse effects to report. a few small pimples on my chin appeared this morning, fading quickly. my hair is driving me mad and I'm gonna cut it this time. *laugh* conditioner just doesnt work at this point... triglycerides went down 20 points on my last blood test. yay! funny floating visual disturbances though, the opthamologist insists that it probably isnt the accutane...haveta go back next onth. how are you doing A? hang in there... more to follow tomorrow...bye yall

Comments:

Comments:
Rob, A cyst is like a big usually headless pimple that is inflamed and is quite deep under the skin. It feels like a solid sort of mass and can last for months before clearing. As for the itching I would suggest to get yourself some good moisturiser. I dont know if you have Cetaphil or QV cream in the US but both work really well on dry skin ( they are specifically made for those with dry skin problems. Also you can use sorbolen or vitamin E cream as a soap subsytitue to clean your skin and it wont be dried out. Condition your hair often. After I get out of the shower I moisturise my face, and I rub the excess moisturiser through my hair to keep it a bit oily. And put lots of va eline on your lips at bed time too. Bye.

Comments:
HEY FELLOW ACCUTANERS! I have a quick question or two. What are 'cryst??' Are they those huge zits? MANNN...I am getting very scared. I have been on Accutane for aobut 3 weeks, 60 mg a day. I haven't had any breakouts, BUT my skin itches like crazy ( i us lotion with vasaline or aloe, and my lips are so &%*#@(&%#@(* chapped!!! My hair use to be all flaked out, but i haven't really washed it with anything other than conditioner in the past week. Please someone...MAIL ME! I need an Accutane e-mail buddy.

Comments:
Hi there everyone, I have been taking Roaccutane for 16 days now and my skin looks Ok. Im pretty dry around the corners of my mouth and side of my nose though. I've just got a couple of questions. I have been on Roaccutane twice before, but the last time was 4 years ago and I can hardly remember the details. I'm only taking a moderate dose (40mg a day and I weigh 75 kilos). Does everyone get the bad cystic breakout at weeks 4-5-6 even if they are on a mild dose? I mean I dont even have any cysts now to speak of. Do they just appear from nowhere or do they have to be there in the first place to really break out. The other question I have is does it reduse the effectiveness of the treatment to always moisturise your face. I only mosturise with Cetaphil which is non-comodogenic r other oil free moisturisers.But I put it on as soon as I have washed my face so my skin never really has a chance to dry out. Good luck to everyone with their treatment. As a thirs time user I can say Roaccutane really does work for 3-4 years at least ( at least for me). But I also say that people should go on with life regardless of how their skin is. Its nice to look pretty bu its not everything. Remember that no one else in society will put even 1% the ammount of scruitny on your skin that you do yourself and its easy to overreact to the state of your own self. Cheers.

Comments:
Seba-med can be purchased at the chemist. They have a few products such as a facial/body wash, facial cleansing bar and moisturiser cream. I just use the facial/body wash. I use the sorbelene cream on my face but only every other day. I don't find it to thick, but I only use a little blob. I can't think of the brand at the moment but I will find out and let you know. Let me know your email address?

Comments:

Comments:
Cod liver oil includes a lot of vitamin A. Vitamin A should not be used the first months after you accutanecykle. Vitamin A worsens or develops side-effects from accutane. Call your doctor about it.

Comments:
Yes, accutane causes irregular menses. There is other much more severe side-effects of acccutane. Im suprised you didnīt know the side-effect mentioned. Take a look on every side-effect and think about getting any of them and then compare to the positive ffect of the drug. Reconsider your use!

Comments:
Hi all. It's been a while since I visited this site. I have now been off roaccutane for almost 8 months (I think, well close to!) It did work wonders. I do get pimples now and then, just one or two, but they go as quick as they appear. But no more big ugl bumps or cysts!!!My face did look a bit red and sensitive for a little while, but now it has returned to normal. The red spots have faded dramatically. Although I do have a red mark that won't go. any suggestions for it? other than that the only complai t I have got is that now i sweat. Even in air conditioning my arm pits will just sweat at times. My doc said this is a side affect from roacc. but should have stoped after I finished the cours. Can anyone comment on this? All I can say is that while on roaccutane don't let life pass you by. While I was working on my skin (the 6 - 12 months) I also worked on my mind and body. I studdied while I worked and then got into health & fitness. Now I have a good postion at work, cl ar skin and a good body! it has boosted my confidence. I now have a beautiful girlfriend too! when I told her I had bad acne, she did not belive me saying " but your skin looks so good" You can imagine how that made me feel. After all that, all I wanted t really say is go for it, don't give up. Your time will come! ROB

Comments:
Kath- I have been using sorbelene cream with vitamin E and it's working well on my body but I think it's to think to use on my face.....What did use on your face?........Plus where could I get seba-med facial wash which has a PH balancer? tar

Comments:

Comments:
Dear Bonnie Freckles are heriditory in my family aswell. I had freckles fairly bad when I was younger but the faded as I got older. And with the constant use of a sunscreen whenever I am in the sun, I now have practically no freckles. Plus I think a few freckles is b tter than a face full of acne so I am on dianne. They also have so many good creams and treatments out for pigmentation ie freckles etc these days that it shouldn't be as bad as it was for your mum. good luck xoxox

Comments:
Sorry forgot to post my email address. Please help!

Comments:
Hi I'm 15 and i have moderate acne problems... I'm like the only one in my class with pimples all over my forehead, nose, and chin. it's lowering my self-esteem big time and I neep help! It's not like 'I dont wash my face' or that 'I dont drink enough wat r', I think it's my hormones. My mom had acne problems when she was young and she took Dianne which helped with her acne but she got big dark freckles in return. She would not let me take it because freckles are heriditory. I'm wondering if Accutane does hat too...

Comments:
Some Tips For All You First Timers on Roaccutane:- 1. Yes, it does get worse before it gets better. Around the 5-8 week stage you will experience major breakouts. Persist with it though - it will be worth it. 1B.Yes, you may need to go on a second course. But ask your doctor about anti male hormone treatment when you finish your course. 2. Try not to squeeze especially the cysts. Your skin is fragile and will take longer to heal. 3. Use sorbelene cream with vitamin E. I found any other moisturisers just gave me a rash. 4. Use Lanolin constantly on the lips. 5. Use seba-med facial wash which has a PH balancer 6. Good Luck!

Comments:
Since my late teens I've always had the odd pimple, but it gradually worsened. I saw my doctor and over time was placed on antibiotics, retinol A and other topical creams. None of these helped one bit. I was then referred to a skin specialist and was pe scribed roaccutane. Couldn't beleive the improvement - it was a miracle. My acne was totally gone although after two courses. That was 3 years ago. I am now on my 3rd treatment. My acne (mild to moderate on my chin area only) returned recently when I sto ped taking the pill (dianne)- silly me! Apparently my acne is caused by a senstivity to the male hormone. Dianne has an anti male hormone which has controlled my acne over the years. I think roaccutane is very helpful but not a total cure for me unless I remain on some sort of anti male hormone treatment. In some cases roaccutane can completely cure, however unfortunately I'm one of the 20% where it doesn't. I am very depressed at the moment as I am at the 5 week stage where the major breakout occurs befo e it clears up. I know it will but I am also upset because I would like to have children in the near future and I am concerned that as soon as I go off the pill my acne will return. My skin specialist assures me that there is a chance that it may not bec use of hormonal changes when you are pregnant and also the age factor. Hormones are forever changing due to age, so I may just grow out of it. I suppose I should think positive. I really feel for people with acne as there are alot worse cases out there th n mine. I guess I am lucky in a way whereby my acne only appears on my chin area. Thanks for the space to write my story. Bye.

Comments:
Hey everyone, I started Accutane around May 20th so I guess thats about 6 weeks or so. My first 4 weeks my skin was perfect no break outs and I went from being a grease ball to having slightly dry skin. It was such a nice change from having to constantly lot my skin and looking so nasty and oily. Recently though I broke out slightly around my mouth but it was only about 3 or 4 and they are seeming to dry up as quickly as they came but the first day I got them they were gross white heads..one of them havin puss inside (ick). But they are now almost gone and elsewhere my face looks great. Since I've been on accutane though my periods have stopped I was completely regular until I took it. I have never had this happen. Did this happen to anybody else? (and no I can't possibly be pregnant so thats not why) thanks & good luck!

Comments:
BLINK 182 ROCK!!!!!

Comments:
I have a derm appointment next week and she will probably suggest roaccutane. i just wanted to know that i don't have a lot of acne on my face just on my back and chest, of course whenm it is the time of the month i tend to breakout more. my skin is fair y oily and im very eager to start some sort of treatment. i have question about vitamin e, i have just started to take the vitamin to combat the dry skin to come when i take the medication and i have also been using cetaphil for my skin and getting used t applying lip balm on my lips. do you think this will help with the side effects to come and will i breakout on my face even though i hardly get a lot of pimples in this area? please respond any helpful hints will be great.

Comments:
i don't think it does too much just don't do a lot because roacc. takes alot out of the body, and weed changes chemicals. it might change the effects.

Comments:
Today I finished my 5 month course, started out at 40mg/day and finished at 100mg/day (i weigh 130lbs). I was planning on stopping now anyway, but my latest blood test confirmed it. My triglycerides (which have to do with liver function and are supposed to be below 199) were up to 260. They started out at only 60 so it was quite an increase. I'm hoping that they go back down in the next month. I'm scheduled for one more blood test then. My face is very clear and DRY. Just a caution to all: I was ru bing my face with my fingers to get some dead skin off (as I've done every day for the last couple months) and somehow I gave myself what I can only describe as a rug burn on my cheek. It scabbed up and looked awful - so be careful, the skin gets very th n. I will let you all know how I do in the coming weeks/months.

Comments:
To the 51 year old, I have heard that Cod liver oil helps acne I might try it after. Im still on accutane at the moment this is my 3 week. Results are quite good

Comments:
Cindy-same thing happened to me, I have been on Accutane for about 1 1/2 months and I was starting to clear up then a few mornings ago I wake up with about 7 HUGE cysts. Fortunately they are starting to heal, but they look gross and it made me sooo upset ..oh well hang in there!

Comments:
Been on Accutane for over two months. Relatively minor side effects, but the itching all over my body is driving me CRAZY. It's worse now that I've spent a day at the beach even though I didn't burn. Am also discouraged because I have some big cysts that ust magically appeared overnight and they've not gone done at all for a week now. In fact, they seem to be growing. Was feeling so positive till now. Was so sure this would work, hard to believe how stubborn these cysts are.

Comments:
This site is great. I've been taking roaccutane for 11 days now and feel and look absolutely horrible this site has given me some hope

Comments:
Hey all, Just a warning to those looking for alternative therapies or ones to use while on accutane. I was taking saw palmetto and milk thistle because it's supposed to balance hormones and remove toxins from the liver. If you are female and taking birth control pills, DON'T take these. I got a response from someone on Just Me's sight. She asked her doctor about these herbs and he told her that they could interfere with bc. So I started surfing on the web for information and several sites all mention that milk thistle and saw palmetto as well as St. John's Wort can DECREASE the effectiveness of birth control pills. I didn't even think about this! Sometimes you'll tr just about anything to have clear skin. I know I do. Just some advise to all the females out there. Be careful.

Comments:
I'm so glad that people are posting success stories---I can't wait to post my own! At this point I have been on Accutane for 5 weeks, and my skin looks LOUSY. It is blotchy and broken-out. I know that it has a lot to do with my hormones refusing to go n a normal cycle, but I had still hoped that the Accutane would have worked by now. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Accuntane and Erythromycin will help soon. Does anyone have any tips on dietary changes, vitamins, or skin care routines for acne I don't want to do anything drastic (although Accuntane is pretty serious itself!), but I'm open to new ideas. Good luck everyone, and keep in touch JADE and AARON!

Comments:
I suffered for about 25 years. Then I started taking cod liver oil -not the capsules but a small tot once a day- problem solved. I don't suppose it works for everyone (and maybe it was just coincidence) but worth a try.

Comments:
OOPS that message above to female 31 (KellienP.) was from me..i got cut off. Also to JUDE:Thanks for your heartfelt reply as well. I really appreciate it. Yes, i do see the importance of finding a good doctor. Unfortuantely, I only have insurance thru my niversity and they seem to only have one dermatologist who looks like she is about to fall over and pass away. She is extremely old. Yes, i have tried Proactive. It did not work for me at all unfortunately. Also, you ask about the rahses on your wrist..it is a side effect of accutane. My rashes are under control because i regularly use Cetaphil lotion. It works really great! bye. Jill

Comments:
Hi guys. It's Jill. i feel a little better form the last tim ei wrote. To Female 31..is it Kellien p.? Thanks for your reply. It made me feel a little better..although it hurts me to hear what you've been through and what you are going through. It doesn't make me feel better that we are all suffering like this. I'm hoping that our acne will stay away for good during our second course of treatment. By the way, I am from the US as well.

Comments:
After 2 weeks into my treatment the oil on my skin had pretty much disappeared and my face cleared up totally. My 4 month treatment was over a month ago and I am still totally clear but now the oil is coming back. Has this happened to anyone else,and if his has, did the acne come back as well. Will this mean a 2nd treatment?

Comments:
I got highlights in my hair twice while I was on Roaccutane and they came out perfectly. NOthing went wrong at all. So as far as I know the Roaccutane has no effect on your hair colour, but I am no expert on the matter. Good Luck!

Comments:

Comments:
You should not take accutane if you are still growing. Medlines Medscape has a pediatric precaution for accutane(roaccutane) stating that it is absolutely contraindicated in ages 0-16 due to premature epiphyseal plate closure(it closes your growth plates) The damage is much more severe to a growing body. It affects the growth and development of your muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones. Our orthopedic specialist told us that the damage it did to our boys is irreversible. You can't see or tell what it's d ing to the inside of your body. Stopping the drug does not stop the damage internally. Pain is your bodies way of telling you it is being damaged.

Comments:
Does anyone know if it is safe to highlight or color your hair while taking Accutane? I've heard it could change the color somewhat. I don't want to turn out with orange hair! Thanks

Comments:
Tony - drinking a lot isn't a good idea as it puts a strain on your liver already trying ot cope with the large dose of Vitamin A that Roaccutane gives you. I can't see that dope would do any harm though...no doubt someone can give you a definite answer on that one. Good luck!

Comments:
yeah i was asking a question to anyone who can be bothered answering, i was just wondering are there any affects of smoking dope or drinking excesscively while on roaccutane?cos im on holidays and have just started taking roaccutane and thats all i pretty much do in the holiday and have been doin so i was just wondering if any bad shit can happen, thanks

Many More Messages In The Archives
Return Home
All pages are copyright (c) 1997,1998,1999,2000 Gillian Chinn

---

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page

Comments:
I got highlights in my hair twice while I was on Roaccutane and they came out perfectly. NOthing went wrong at all. So as far as I know the Roaccutane has no effect on your hair colour, but I am no expert on the matter. Good Luck!

Comments:

Comments:
You should not take accutane if you are still growing. Medlines Medscape has a pediatric precaution for accutane(roaccutane) stating that it is absolutely contraindicated in ages 0-16 due to premature epiphyseal plate closure(it closes your growth plates) The damage is much more severe to a growing body. It affects the growth and development of your muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones. Our orthopedic specialist told us that the damage it did to our boys is irreversible. You can't see or tell what it's d ing to the inside of your body. Stopping the drug does not stop the damage internally. Pain is your bodies way of telling you it is being damaged.

Comments:
Does anyone know if it is safe to highlight or color your hair while taking Accutane? I've heard it could change the color somewhat. I don't want to turn out with orange hair! Thanks

Comments:
Tony - drinking a lot isn't a good idea as it puts a strain on your liver already trying ot cope with the large dose of Vitamin A that Roaccutane gives you. I can't see that dope would do any harm though...no doubt someone can give you a definite answer on that one. Good luck!

Comments:
yeah i was asking a question to anyone who can be bothered answering, i was just wondering are there any affects of smoking dope or drinking excesscively while on roaccutane?cos im on holidays and have just started taking roaccutane and thats all i pretty much do in the holiday and have been doin so i was just wondering if any bad shit can happen, thanks

Many More Messages In The Archives
Return Home
All pages are copyright (c) 1997,1998,1999,2000 Gillian Chinn

---

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page