Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

Long story short-I have terrible cystic acne. I'm allergic to all sorts of antibiotics and have tried everything else under the sun (no pun intended with that). Retin-A, antibiotic treatments, Metrogel, Proactiv, the pill, Aczone, etc. Nothing has worked and my dermatologist seems to think the only way I'll get rid of the problem is Accutane. I'm a bit scared from the paperwork he gave me, honestly. I'm not planning on any more kids so that's not what's freaking me out. It's the stuff like back pain, joint issues.
I did a search on here but thought I'd ask if anyone has used it and what was the outcome for you, side effects, etc.?

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I used it about 12 years ago or so. I had terrible acne for years and years, starting in grade school all the way out of college. Nothing worked, except for accutane. I didn't have any side effects other then the dry skin.
IMO, it's the best thing in the world. 2 of my cousins had similar experiences with it.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I used it a few years ago. It got much worse before it got better but my skin eventually looked amazing!! Since then my skin has never been as bad as it was.

This was years ago and it was great for me at the time. I would probably not do it now since I am more of a purist. The side effects are kind of scary, luckily I do not have any!

Here is a link to a bunch of reviews. I think I read every single one before I did it, lol. That website is really helpful!

ets: good luck! I know how frustrating and upsetting it can be. I have also tried everything under the sun over the years.

Message edited 1/20/2012 7:15:35 AM.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

i agree with the previous posters. I took it about 10 years ago, only real side effects at the time were super sensitive, dry skin and bloody noses. Have not had any residual effects. It worked wonders for my skin after pretty much every other drug did nothing. I never get a break out anymore. Good luck!

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I had problems with bad breakouts on my body more than my face, specifically on my back. Nothing topical was really helping. This was when I was around 21/21 (about 7 years ago), though I had had problems with it since HS. I took Accutane and it was great. It cleared everything up. The side effects made me nervous also but the only side effect I had was the dry skin. I know they say it can come back but for me it never has (yet). It was a little freaky since the paperwork is definitely scary and each pill pocket (at that time) had a fetus with a crossbar through it on it. My experience was really good though.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I used it about 8 years ago.

Best thing I ever did - my skin was flawless and glowing.

I stopped after a year or two and my bad skin came back but NOTHING like it was before.

I had no side effects.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I did 3 full treatments and 1 therapeutic treatment (I think...it was so long ago that I can't remember) over a 4-5 yr period. My only side effects were dry skin (lots of cell turn-over! )

I had great results, but I find 1. People tend to get discouraged if they don't see results in 4 weeks and stop the treatment and 2. People are spooked because of the media (I know both my derm and primary were extremely frustrated with how this drug was portrayed and how difficult the government made it for MDs to prescribe it.)

My DH used it as well when he was in HS and he had great results with little to no side effects.


Accutane definitely helped my self image. I just wished prior derms were more aggressive about my cystic acne and would have prescribed it. Instead I ended up with permanent scarring as a result.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!! I think you all just made my decision a bit easier!
It's really weighing my options-do I want to feel uncomfortable for the rest of my life? Or do I want to take a chance and try and fix it?
I'm a bit nervous but all these stories made me rest easier about it. Thank you again!

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

My friend's son used it for years and it messed with his immune system so badly he now has Crohn's disease.

He is suing the company as part of the class action suit and individually.
I personally have no experience with it but I thought it was worth pointing out that there are a lot of law suits pending.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I agree with the above poster. My daughter has Crohns (not from acutane) but I've met and have been in contact with a number of ppl who have used Acutane and developed Crohn's and other Autoimmune disorders..I believe Ulcerative colitis, Indeterminate colitis...and it's a direct result from using this drug. There are a number of lawsuits out there.
As a mother who has a very sick little girl and has needed multiple life threatening surgeries all b/c of Crohns disease, I would stay far away from Acutane. just my opinion.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I used it when I was younger..I ended up getting diagnosed with cancer about six months after..I can't say that it was related to the accutane (although my mother has always blamed it) But I would not chance it again and would never recommend to anyone..but I will say my face def cleared up

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I was on it prior to my wedding for 7 months. I will say that stuff is poison but it WORKS. I developed extremely dry skin, excema and bloody noses from being on it. If I recall, it started to affect my vision as well... but it works. All those symptoms went away after I was off the drug.

I have a cyst on my face right now - the first one to appear in 8 years, and I think that's related more to my birth control than to anything else.

I would do it again if I felt it was necessary.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

Miracle drug! I didn't have a pimple for three years! It was crazy!!!! I did have very dry lips though. I highly recommend it. Now about eight years later I do occasionally break out but not as bad. Just be sure that you don't get pregnant.

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

I took it many years ago as a teenager and it did work wonders, although not immediately. It eventually made my skin flawless but my acne did come back (although much less severe) a while after I stopped it. I remember it making my lips SUPER dry. I don't know if I'd take it now, it sounds like it has a lot of really awful potential side effects that I wasn't really concerned with as a teenager. Also, I see commercials on tv now that imply that it can cause chrone's disease, which is very scary! I know it causes birth defects to the point where you'd need an abortion if you accidentally got pregnant while on it (or at least that's what I was told).

Re: Anyone here with personal experience with Accutane?

Posted by Chatham-Chick

I did 3 full treatments and 1 therapeutic treatment (I think...it was so long ago that I can't remember) over a 4-5 yr period. My only side effects were dry skin (lots of cell turn-over! )

I had great results, but I find 1. People tend to get discouraged if they don't see results in 4 weeks and stop the treatment and 2. People are spooked because of the media (I know both my derm and primary were extremely frustrated with how this drug was portrayed and how difficult the government made it for MDs to prescribe it.)

My DH used it as well when he was in HS and he had great results with little to no side effects.


Accutane definitely helped my self image. I just wished prior derms were more aggressive about my cystic acne and would have prescribed it. Instead I ended up with permanent scarring as a result.

Message edited 1/27/2012 10:39:28 AM.