EVERYTHING you need to know about ACCUTANE: Dermatologist Explains

[@shrimpchip37]

I don’t care if my nose bleeds or whatever. I just want it gone. I’ve tried EVERYTHING.

[@senyoko]

Fr even though my acne is considered mild im js so effing tired

[@capyslay_guoba]

me too. i have a consultation tomorrow and i’m so excited to get on it.

[@Nuriyenn]

@@capyslay_guobahow did it go?

[@MrVantage]

@@Nuriyennidk about him but I start my treatment tomorrow, I could start today but I prefer taking meds in the morning. I am a bit worried about the nose bleeds b/c I work and that’d be a major disruption

[@anshumanjha8151]

Update ???

[@Elior1030]

Acne is hell.

[@The-suit-guy]

I know

[@burgurs6000]

facts

[@The-suit-guy]

@@Kras_Mazov1 dang, I wish the best for you

[@Elior1030]

@sakhay439 have you been diagnosed with the worst disease because of the use of roaccutane?

[@Elior1030]

@sakhay439 I see, thank you for sharing your experience.

[@GoCrazyBaby3]

I got acne as soon as I started puberty and it truly made me feel alone. No one in my family had acne, I got it way before other kids in school so I would constantly get asked why I had breakouts. I tried A LOT to get rid of my acne for a few years before giving up. I was honestly jealous of people with extreme acne (I know it’s terrible and extremely painful but I couldn’t help feeling that way)because they could be prescribed Accutane. I was never a candidate. Anyway, after a mental health battle that had me in hospital, I came home and just became obsessed with my skincare. I had never stuck to a skincare routine for more than 4-6 months because I was always unsatisfied with the lack of results. Finally after 2 years my skin has been the clearest it’s ever been in over 10 year. The KZbin skincare community really helped with my feelings of loneliness and I think I was able to finally stick to a routine simply because I wasn’t focused on the end result, I just wanted to take care of myself. To anyone dealing with acne, you are beautiful, strong and one day I hope you can see that yourself. If not today then some day❤

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you so much for sharing your story. My heart goes out to you and I can understand and empathize with how difficult that experience must have been. My philosophy when it comes to acne and Accutane is if the patient's acne is not improving on anything else, and if we've tried everything else already, then Accutane becomes an option to discuss. No one should have to suffer and experience mental health decline due to acne when we do have many medications and treatments at our disposal. I am so so happy to hear that you have been helped by the KZbin skincare community and thank you for that beautiful message at the end

[@Elyfairy]

I had mild acne and was prescribed accutane after a year of persistence. I’m surprised they didn’t offer it to you eventually

[@niccoloreiss842]

I was in very much the same boat. Talking with a derm friend about a year back, she recommended apostrophe since it’s kinda like curology on rx skincare steroids (not literally, that was a simile). Now I have a formula with 15% Azelaic acid and 5% niacinamide for the mornings and a 0.1% tretinoin formula for the evenings. Other than that I use a salicylic acid cleanser and a 4-terpiniol serum plus a nice barrier repairing moisturizer. There was never one single A grade active for acne that would work for me I needed to use all 3, a retinol product, azelaic acid, and salicylic acid. Therefore the one thing I have to add to your message is that even if you think you’ve tried everything, you probably haven’t because of combinations. Keep working towards loving your skin and getting it to a nice calm and happy place whatever that may look like for you and your skin.

[@niccoloreiss842]

@@Elyfairytbh a load of docs completely refuse prescribing it. I’m not super surprised considering they usually like to at least try other prescription retinoid products in the form of gentler topicals first before accutane as well.

[@Elyfairy]

@@niccoloreiss842 I was prescribed it back in 2009 so maybe it was more lenient then

[@nubbyrose87]

My daughter was on 1/2 dose accutane for 6 months. It wasn’t until near the end of the treatment that her severe acne started to clear up. Her skin continued to improve after treatment. She has occasional breakouts that are minor but over all her skin looks very clear. It’s been 10 years since she was treated. I’m so happy it worked for her. She does have scarring but it had faded somewhat. I wish everyone luck and 🙏🙏🙏

[@mandolen3317]

Thank you for your comment. I finished my treatment recently and was on 1/2 dose for 8months. I was bit concerned my acne would return because of the smaller dose, but hopefully my skin will stay clear for 10years+

[@TeawithMD]

So happy to hear that your daughter's acne improved!

[@nubbyrose87]

@@mandolen3317 Even after 10 years she still wonders if her acne will reoccur. Her dermatologist told her actuane is considered a cure for some people.

[@mandolen3317]

@@nubbyrose87 hopefully it won't. My body can't go through another round of this threatment

[@maddawg-madigan07]

THANK YOU IM GOING ON IT IN OCTOBER AND SO NERVOUS 😭🙏

[@Sara-mf3px]

I did accutane at 25. I’m 40 and still have a clear face. Changed my life. My acne was painful and miserable. Wish I had done it in high school.

[@damdamfino]

Very educational! Thank you for explaining it like we’re adults, not 5 year olds.

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you for watching! Let me know what other topics you’d like me to cover

[@noobkilla3]

​@@TeawithMDDear Dr. Park, could you please make a video about the options available to deal with acne scarring after Accutane (if you haven't already)? Thank you!

[@AyyoShyGurlTv]

Honestly, this is by far the top 5 most helpful videos I’ve ever seen about this subject, period. I first heard about Accutane like 10years ago, that’s how long I’ve had to unnecessarily suffer with cystic acne!!! I scheduled by appointment for early next month after learning about the true pros and cons. ❤

[@TeawithMD]

That means a lot to me - thank you for watching and commenting! There’s a lot of misinformation out there so hopefully this helps clarify some myths

[@gofastt6474]

I had painful cystic acne since a teen and it continued through adult-hood. At about 30 yrs old, my dermatologist prescribed Accutane (I don't recall the dosage). After a few weeks of the typical dryness side-effect, I suffered a side effect that was alarming. I was a clerical worker taking meeting notes and, suddenly, I was unable to spell simple words like the word "t-h-a-t." I was frightened! My knowing Accutane was the only medication I was using, I called the dermatology office and was told that this (mental issue) was indeed, albeit rare, side effect of the medication and for me to reduce my dosage. I stopped it completely!! Even though I stopped in the middle of my course of treatment, I can say that my cystic acne problem did significantly improve to the point that I rarely ever experienced any cystic acne and that is the case 20 years later.

[@GGGirl55]

Did your cognitive functioning completely return to normal?

[@OscarHernandez-ku5to]

Oooof

[@rajeshmanne9817]

@@GGGirl55I had the same experience with isotretinoin usage..I discontinued after 3 doses I had got psychiatric issues and dry eyes.

[@sarahpuls9424]

I took Accutane in 1988 in college and wish I had done it sooner to prevent some of my scarring. In my case it was totally worth the side effects!

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you for sharing!

[@69megacock]

is there any long term side effect?

[@kayroberts4487]

I let my son start it when he just had a few pimples but i could tell they wasn’t going to clear up. He went on Accutane, never had any more pimples and no scars

[@CosmicCutieCrafts]

​@kayroberts4487 if you don't mind me asking, how much is Accutane and how are the results still?

[@humairakhalidah]

I'm on my 3rd day of Accutane, I was prescribed 10mg for my first month as my doctor was afraid that I couldn't handle the side effects of taking the higher dose. So excited about what's to come!

[@TeawithMD]

I often start my patients on a low dose too, to make sure they don’t have side effects and to allow their bodies to adjust. Hoping for a smooth course for you!

[@wallah953]

hows it going?

[@mariyamaslam7289]

did u get any periods irregularity ? is missing periods are also side effects

[@themezoner1349]

But why? I am trying to understand why take such a dangerous medicine when there are other solutions for cystic acne

[@nubbyrose87]

@@themezoner1349 Accutane is a last resort treatment. My daughter tried everything for six years. Nothing made any difference in her very serious cystic acne. As her Mom I really hated to risk her health but the acne was a serious problem as well. It’s been 10 years since her treatment. Her skin looks beautiful. It was like a miracle for her. Unless you have had serious cystic acne you wouldn’t understand.

[@milliemelendez5486]

im almost three months on accutane and i’m loving my skin ❤

[@TeawithMD]

So happy to hear!

[@smr-fh8up]

Hey I'm also on Accutane for 15 days and my acne is getting worst and I don't know for how many days this continues

[@sarahmarie2911]

I had acne from ages 12 -40. I am now 42 & have not had acne for the past 2 years. I had discovered, on my own, that it was a wheat allergy. I really, truly, hope that there is food allergy & hormonal testing done before patients are prescribed accutane! I could not imagine if i had taken Accutane & ended up with life long complications, for no reason at all!

[@tsikinite]

how long after eliminating wheat did you notice a change?

[@sarahmarie2911]

@@tsikinite Gosh you know, I really don't remember! I want to say that it was maybe a month or so when I started noticing a difference and then it was probably like a good couple of months before it was pretty much cleared up. I had it on my face, back, & chest. Well I originally stopped eating wheat because it made me so bloated. Then after a while I noticed my acne clearing up! I was so excited! 🤣 & now when I do eat pizza or pasta (on a rare, special occasion lol), a day or 2 later I usually wake up with a pimple or 2! 🙄

[@paolarojas449]

I got quite bad acne when I was 23yrs, and used Roaccutan, which another name for Accutane, and I don't regret for a moment. Was the only treatment that fixed my skin for ever.

[@lisanatashavarghese3700]

What dose were you taking per day?

[@dragonfly264]

My daughter experienced Acne Fulminans 3 months in after an increase in dosage. We called it purging. After about 2 painful weeks her skin began to heal and she’s starting to glow again!

[@TeawithMD]

Acne fulminans is a real thing and something I monitor in my patients very closely. In people with severe inflammatory acne, I start at a low low dose to see if they flare on accutane and if so we may even need a month of steroid to bridge them to get their bodies accustomed to the med. Then after a month they’re okay with taking it!

[@tanishkarora]

@@TeawithMDI recently got acne fulminans 2 weeks after my treatment started, Will it leave scars or will the scars get removed at the end of the treatment?

[@nemofish3504]

Omg her face looked so painful!!! I almost cried just imagining how painful some of those cysts might be.

[@TeawithMD]

I know what you mean; acne can really be very debilitating and painful

[@kayleequiroz]

I loved everything about this video!! I’m currently a couple days shy of finishing month 4 of Accutane. I really wish I did it sooner, but I am loving my skin! So much more confident and self loving!

[@0oohhhlala]

Accutane saved my life!! I had mild acne but it was still bad. I would say to not drink alcohol while on it and drink a lot of water!!!

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you for watching, and I'm so glad to hear of your positive skin journey!

[@TeawithMD]

Yes definitely; we recommend not drinking alcohol especially because accutane can affect your liver and so does alcohol

[@noemitellez3098]

Any side effects?

[@kayleequiroz]

@@noemitellez3098 I just finished my 6 month journey on accutane! My personal worst symptom I dealt with were my dry cracked lips. I could handle to dry eyes and skin but my lips were so dry they constantly cracked and bled. My overall symptoms were: Dry skin Dry eyes Dry lips Nosebleeds (I kept under control applying aquaphor with a qtip inside my nose 2 times daily) Headaches first few months Back pain around month 3 and 4 Sun sensitivity (even driving to and from work) Facial redness! I’m extremely happy with my experience and do recommend you do your research and give it a try!

[@kileybrown9431]

I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to take Accutane. I have just taken my last pill today and couldn't be happier with my results. Ever since I was 11 or 12 acne has been my biggest insecurity. I would never leave the house without caking my face with makeup and foundation. My skin was at its worse around my senior year of high school and I finally made the bold and brave decision to go on Accutane. I got just about all the side effects you can think of. Dry lips, skin, joint pain, depression and even hair loss. Month 2 I was at my lowest point. My face was just filled with so much redness and scarring but once month 3 rolled around the switch went off and I started to turn the corner. Don't listen to all the crazy stories about Accutane, I know it's a serious drug, but it saved me. It truly is a miracle drug.

[@Mandren]

It took three rounds of six months each time with Accutane to clear up my nodular cystic acne. I really only had the dryness, maybe a bit of increased tendency to be emotional. Took years to be able to stop using eye ointment overnight, due to how my eyelids wanted to stick to my eyes. But it was an amazing medication for me.

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you for sharing. The dryness is definitely the most common including eye dryness too!

[@naalm.2190]

You're a very comforting doctor, what lucky patients you have

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you for the kind words and support!

[@rhomotor]

I had a history of acne for a large chunk of my teen and up to 30 years of age. I was put on Accutane cause nothing else worked. I'm glad I was put on it. Now my daughter, who is now 12, has acne now and I don't want her to end up with a scarred face and the things I went through growing up. I am thinking about her putting her on Accutane. I had dry lips and had to get my blood tested every month, but it was well worth it. I never had a bleeding nose while on the meds.

[@TeawithMD]

Hello, I am glad to hear that Accutane helped clear up your acne!

[@LovelyyAymee]

Do you happen to remember if your skin purged & at what month did it clear up & started seeing results ? I’m on month 2 & my face feels inflamed & its sooo painful , I’m swollen at the moment & its soooo sensitive to the touch 😢

[@rhomotor]

@@LovelyyAymee I don't remember my acne getting worse at any point, but it's been so long ago that I don't really remember when it began clearing up. I hope things get better for you. I'm starting my daughter on acutane in about a month.

[@LovelyyAymee]

@@rhomotor I’m on month 2 & the acne has never been worst than this whole week 😫 I’m very swollen with cystic painful acne & it cause a minor fever 😭

[@Oggyyval]

@@LovelyyAymee what about now, did it start getting better

[@pokerfacenino]

My best friend as a kid had lamellar ichthyosis that was treated with accutane! I remember how annoyed she was about the monthly blood tests to check for pregnancy because she was first prescribed it when she was 11, and hadn't even had her period yet. Even though her doctor knew, her mother knew, and she knew she wasn't pregnant, she still had to do it (and had an understandable needle phobia.) It did apparently help her a lot though, I remember her saying that her cracking and flaking was WAY more painful before she started it.

[@TeawithMD]

Lamellar ichthyosis is definitely very rare and can be treated with retinoid! I hope it helped your friend

[@rosadele9715]

And this is why i want to be a dermatologist ( to make people confident in themselves and to save their skin )

[@TeawithMD]

It’s a very rewarding career

[@justicepower1255]

I'm on my 4th month of Isotretinoin 80mg and my face looks like a whole snack honey! This is my second treatment cos my acne came back. Anyway my skin is looking good but just a few more areas to heal. I've never had any nose bleeds than goodness. My side effects are mainly dry lips, joint pains, backache, drowsiness, headache, nausea, itchiness, but not all in one go. Love Isotretinoin. I plan to gèt topical tretonoin for my hyperpigmetation and dark spots after I'm finished with Isotretinoin. ❤ 😍 💖 ❣

[@nirutabanjade6456]

What did you take before accutane to make more effective??

[@tkg5011]

Thank you for this video - I'm in my early 40s and about to start it for persistent moderate acne. I'm done with growing my family so it seems like a good fit, fingers crossed it goes well!

[@TeawithMD]

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you

[@eyeamme1917]

How did it go? I'm in my 40s and considering trying Accutane. I've been avoiding it for about 13 years. I was about 30 when my acne started. I'm kinda afraid to try it at my age. I already have thinning hair and my skin is already dry. Did you experience any side effects?

[@tkg5011]

@@eyeamme1917 It went really well, and cleared my acne for a while. My acne is very hormonally driven so has come back to some extent, but I'm managing it with topicals and am pretty happy with how it's going. Side effects for me were achey joints/muscles from about month 3 on, as well as dry eyes which I was able to manage with eye drops. All of the side effects went away quickly after I finished the course. Even though it didn't 'cure' my acne, I would still do it again. Good luck with your decision!

[@oliviasoderbergspgy315]

Thank you so much for explaining this so well! I was given accutane a week ago by my dermatologist and she gave me little to no explanation so I have had to do research on it on my own.

[@m.p1120]

acutane never worked for me which is weird because doxycycline did, and that medication isn’t as strong or serious as acutane. not only did it give me really dry skin, making my eczema worse, but it also messed with my stomach making me almost always nauseous. after i had been off acutane for a while, i went on doxycycline. the only real side effect i had from that was the sun sensitivity. i couldn’t be in the sun longer than 20-30 minutes without my skin feeling like it was on fire, regardless of wearing sunscreen. i switched to minocycline in the summer because of that which is basically the same medication without the sun sensitivity side effect. minocycline didn’t work as well so i switched back to doxy in the fall.

[@minadibb1892]

I don't live in the US and it's very interesting to see how different Accutane treatment is here. I was put on Accutane a while ago. My acne was definitely not as severe as others but they put me on the medication anyways. I never had to sign anything about getting pregnant and I never had to take any pregnancy tests. They took my blood every month for maybe about 3 months and then stopped because my doctor claimed I was ok to stop taking them. I have been on Accutane now for maybe almost a year . . . I'm not sure but I definitely know I've been on it a while longer than 6 months although my acne has now already been cleared up for some time. My appointments only last maybe 3 - 5 minutes and I'm not exaggerating. I walk in and she asks how everything has been and then she takes one glance at my face and sends me off telling me I need to be on Accutane a little longer. My dermatologist never informed me about a lot of things you mentioned in this video. I see this medication being handed out to people who barely have any acne. I don't know their situation so I can't really judge them but It just seems a little odd to me. The whole situation just feels very odd...

[@emogemini]

i think you really need to stop the medication, im not an expert but there is a reason they do blood tests. accutane really messes with your liver and other parts of your body so if you’re taking it without checking how your liver is doing it might really cause serious problems. please be careful

[@Jaggerbush]

I only had a couple of nose bleeds and dry lips. After one cycle of meds (I don't remember how long I was on it- this was 30 years ago) I never ever had as much of a pimple in the last 30 years. I had bad acne that didn't start until I was 20. My face, chest, back and even in my ears! It was a life saver.

[@TeawithMD]

thank you so much for sharing your experience on Accutane!

[@islandthrifts809]

I did a 6 month treatment with accutane when I was 16. I did a 3 month round again at the age of 20 and never had to deal with it again. Wonder drug but definitely very hard to take with the side effects. It causes you to also have a low sun tolerance which will cause severe sunburns if you’re not wearing SPF.

[@TeawithMD]

Accutane can make you more sensitive to the sun, that is true

[@bala4749]

It was permanent?​@@TeawithMD

[@oceanequestrian11]

I had to take 2 rounds of Accutane as an Adult… I still get break outs from time to time, but NOTHING like I did when I was younger. Oral Spironolactone helped take the edge off of late stage Adult Acne in my 40’s

[@TeawithMD]

Yes, oftentimes women with hormonal acne may need some treatment in the future after accutane but the breakouts are much much more manageable!

[@hostqgeddd]

acne does change your personality and mental health.Just understand that anyone who is reading this.

[@toxyvella]

The biggest downside of Accutane that I experienced...... constipation. No matter how much water I drank and for months following going off of it.....dear lord. I think I finally started having "normal" bowel movements well over a year after I went off it. The results lasted 5 years, came back and I decided to go the Spironolactone route due to the less harsh side effects and less stringent testing.

[@apfelkirschschorlemitwenig9950]

Ayo I had the same side effect + bum fissures because of that. No amount of water or supplements actually helped. When I told my derm about my side effects he was super dismissive and said it can't be from accutane because in all those years he treated his patients, none of them told him about suffering from constipation/fissures. It took me a lot of courage to talk about this issue with my derm since it's super personal and I felt really down when he didn't take me serious. It's a bit comforting to know now that I wasn't alone with this issue and that someone else shares a similar experience

[@toxyvella]

@@apfelkirschschorlemitwenig9950 I feel like no one told their derms because they were embarrassed, maybe because it's mostly younger, more self conscious people who are put on it and don't want to talk about it....but I think it's way more common than anyone realizes...I mean....it makes sense given what Accutane is meant to do.....dry you out.....everywhere....we need more people to talk about this because it is the only reason I will never go on it again.

[@brainlyqueen9836]

@@apfelkirschschorlemitwenig9950 so dear , how's constipation now?? did your skin clear up after going on Accutane??

[@apfelkirschschorlemitwenig9950]

@Brainly Queen it's all normal and more or less healed up now but it did take more than a year after quitting to get better again. Sadly because I had to quit, my acne came back but it's not as bad as it used to be

[@plainjanepdx]

Your story sounds just like mine. I too went on it twice and had horrible constipation. My dermatologist thought I sounded crazy when I thought my constipation had to do with Accutane, as it is not a listed side effect. I had to secretly lower my dose and skip doses so I could go to the bathroom. My sister dealt with the same thing.

[@kellyashley5431]

Accutane was life changing for my teen. We tried everything. It took her 9 months but so worth it. Next we need to work on some scar treatment.

[@georgiareed7743]

A teenager shouldn’t be given such a harmful chemotherapy drug which may harm their fertility and longterm health. Most teens grow out of acne anyways.

[@TeawithMD]

So glad you got your daughter the treatment she needs!

[@TeawithMD]

@@georgiareed7743 This is untrue and completely dismissive of the mental health effects of severe acne on teenagers.

[@georgiareed7743]

@@TeawithMD how can you, with any level of good conscience, recommend a literal *CHILD* to take a dna-damaging chemotherapy drug to clear acne? Seriously?! Accutane causes permanent harm to both male and female reproductive and endocrine systems, permanent damage to developing brains, bones, joints, and organs, and can leave a person dead or disabled… all this for acne? Are you kidding me? There are a million other options to treat it, including to just wait until the child outgrows it (which often happens). Accutane was originally developed for cancer and you unethical doctors are out their telling parents to give it to their own children who aren’t even old enough to vote or drink alcohol. You took an oath to “do no harm”, and you are clearly failing that oath. Not sure how you sleep at night when you think it’s ok for a child to use this drug for teenage acne.

[@MissMichixo]

@@georgiareed7743 not true I still haven’t grown out my acne.

[@mrsfahrenheit]

accutane really saved me I gotta say, the only thing I regret is not asking to take it earlier because that way I probably would've had a normal teenage- time and it would've speared me a lot of pain.

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you for sharing and I’m glad to hear it helped you!

[@Viny99ah]

I have a wiered side effect which no one seems to have faced. I get mild pain in bladder area and having to urinate frequently. Urin tests showed no UTI. My Dr. reduced the dosage to 10mg. Side effect has gotten better now but still on.

[@akthejoyboy]

Damn same with me

[@akthejoyboy]

My dose is 3 20 mg a day

[@KarmaSP44]

I started Accutane 1 week ago. My acne isn’t severe but it was lasting for 5 years now. I was really ashamed of it. I hope it will work for me. Sending my love to everyone going through acne, it will soon only be a bad memory

[@iqrabhat645]

Did you purge?

[@smol_catty]

Update

[@KarmaSP44]

@@smol_catty things went well pretty fast. The most of my acne was in my back and on my face. Now it’s very clear and clean. I think I will have to find a cream or treatment in order to remove a few scars but no regret

[@jenniferjames-jw4pu]

I’ve suffered acne for almost a decade now. I’m 37 and had a hysterectomy 5 years ago, ovaries are still intact. But my acne has always been there. Sometimes my skin gets better but worse again. My dermatologist has put me on a 5 months of accutane treatment. It’s been 2 weeks and I noticed my acne has worsened and I got big cystic acne. Don’t know if it happens initially when you start the treatment but I’ll continue with the treatment. Thanks for this informative video

[@neferpitounapusa]

In my experience, it gets worse at first, but it gets better after many days. Sadly, if I stop taking it, my acne comes back.

[@jayasubba15]

Previously i was on accutane but discontinued it because of side effects but again I've started and it's been like a week and can already see the changes ❤️

[@clediabanobre8785]

I don’t have much acne but my dermatologist recommended actuate

[@clediabanobre8785]

Do you think I should take it I’m scared that the side affects aren’t worth it

[@jayasubba15]

@@clediabanobre8785 Even i don't have acne only jawline area. See it's completely on you but what my dermatologist said that she'll never prescribe any medicine which will do more harm than good every medicine has side effects but depends upon dosage and other stuffs. Btw my dermatologist have acne and she's herself currently on accutane too.

[@TeawithMD]

❤️❤️❤️

[@Jesus_is_the_1way]

@@jayasubba15 thank you this was helpful to me, I just started absorica and am 1 week in

[@hardwork9912]

So much knowledge in one video. Thank you I'm ready for my journey.

[@TeawithMD]

🙏🏻

[@Aris-Darling]

I would go back on Accutane in a heartbeat if my acne ever came back.

[@az_dejavu]

thank you for making this video

[@kayroberts4487]

You’ll be so proud

[@oliviachetcuti225]

Acutane also thins your skin. I would get blisters galore with closed in shoes while on it despite wearing padding & band-aids. 20 odd yrs on & I’m convinced my skin is still a lot thinner & marks more easily because of it. I still also have problematic skin - it still breakouts & scars more easily. I’ve now developed malasma too. The joys of problematic skin. Ladies if you have beautiful skin, consider yourself very blessed! Best of luck to all women. May each of us feel comfortable in the skin we’re in.

[@traceycrawford9938]

I’m hopefully starting Accutane next week so thank you so much for all this information 🙏🏼

[@TeawithMD]

Good luck!

[@octowuss1118]

I had very painful severe cystic acne when I was pregnant, so I just had to ride that shit out bc I couldn’t use any of the “good stuff”. Then, I got pregnant again three months after having my first baby. It took YEARS for my face to not look lumpy anymore, and I’ll always have the scars. My kids are graduating HS, now, and I’d do it all over again :)

[@TeawithMD]

Happy Mother’s Day! Acne during pregnancy is so tough because we’re really limited in what we can use. Glad to hear your acne cleared eventually!

[@rolaru3349]

I was in the clinical trials in my country for “roaccutane” from 2004-2006. I had severe cystic acne on my face and body and it cleared it all. I had to sign a 30 page waiver and the side effects weren’t fun but it was worth it.

[@TeawithMD]

I’m glad to hear that it was helpful for you, wow a 30 page waiver sounds intense but that is customary in a clinical trial

[@chika2724]

What were your side effects?

[@angiealexis3093]

It works, I went on it, I put my son on it at 14, the best decision I ever made!!

[@chadmanl2121]

My son also had lower back pain and constipation. It was difficult for him but after 4 months, his skin looks amazing.

[@AndreaGonzalez-tb4fu]

Did his lower back pain get better?

[@chadmanl2121]

@@AndreaGonzalez-tb4fu Yes! But he has been struggling with dizziness and nausea since being off of accutane. His skin is flawless now and he looks like he’s 12 again but it’s still a struggle with the side effects. He manages it as best he can. He doesn’t eat breakfast anymore and just snacks on a protein bar when he’s hungry. Lots of positives like his confidence is high and his skin looks so good but he still has the dizziness and doesn’t want to eat in the morning even after being off his medication for months now. It’s hard… Hoping he gets back to normal…

[@AndreaGonzalez-tb4fu]

@@chadmanl2121 Sorry to hear that hope he gets better soon.

[@tabbycat2323]

I spent 20 years battling my acne. It was bad and I tried everything under the sun. The only time I had the clearest skin ever was when I had emergency surgery and was prescribed TPN because I was so malnourished and all those lovely nutrients helped. When they wore off because it wasn't in a high dose daily and constantly anymore it came back with a vengeance. So far my first month on Accutane has already started to clear it up a whole lot and haven't had a huge nodules that hurt come...so far so good 🎉😊

[@Fuerya]

How’s it going?

[@iCortex1]

I went on Isotretinoin when I was 15, the side effects were truly awful. My arms were covered in eczema from wrist to shoulder, extreme depression, dry everything (eyes,lips, armpits etc.) I was bullied / excluded due to my skin condition, it totally ruined my confidence. Everything you said about the process is exactly what happened for me except the therapist part, I wish I had one back then. My dermatologist made me try 4 different antibiotics/other drugs and like 9 creams and none of them did anything. Only then my dermatologist put me on acutane. First dose wasn't enough so I ended up doing 8 months of it. But in the end it was this or unalive myself at the age of 16. I'm 27 now and my acne has never came back, I'll have the occasional pimple on my nose If I work outside and my face gets dirty but that's it.

[@petergonzalez1719]

Accutane helped me in my teens. I only had mild acne. Became extremely suicidal. Now I have IBS and really bad gut issues.

[@tanyavandermerwe8330]

I'm 28 and have had severe cystic acne since puberty (around 13) i have so many scars. I feel so self conscious about it. I have a GP appt tomorrow to hopefully get on Accutane. She gave me Treclin a while back but i can't handle the stickiness. I hope my GP can prescribe Accutane to me. I'm hopeful in clearing my acne with it. I have no dermatologist where i live so i really, really hope i don't need to see one before getting Accutane. I'm also lesbian so I'm cool with the pregnancy and fertility issue. Pray for me!

[@tsikinite]

Update?

[@tanyavandermerwe8330]

@@tsikinite Hey! Yeah i have one! I went to see my GP, basically begged for Accutane, she gave it to me. I was on 10mg for a month or 2, then 20mg for a couple months and then 30mg. I'm already over my cumulative dose and i have clear skin today. I'm on 10mg now for the next 6 months, just to wean off and because I'm terrified of relapsing lol. I'm super happy with the results. Best decision I've ever made, hands down

[@ананасоваякоза]

I had accutane from when i was 11 and i went through 1 year of it before u stopped and then was on it for another 6 months, absolute hell when it comes to dryness, chapped lips and exzma but it does work, my face genuinly looked like the first girl and im thankful for the help disguised as torture

[@TechnicallyDividends]

I took accutane back in the late 80s as a teen. Worked wonders, but i still have to use chap stick several times a day. Well worth it.

[@TeawithMD]

Glad to hear it worked for you!

[@CASSpeluso]

accutane was a godsend for me in high school! 100% worth it

[@TeawithMD]

Glad to hear it worked for you in high school!

[@sagek7949]

The worst side effect is depression 😢

[@michelleduncan9965]

I've heard many young people say their acne quickly resolved when they began eating a carnivore diet, or a super low carbohydrate diet.

[@ks_sk_ksk4982]

I was on accutane for four months and it worked a little. My lips were veery dry, skin was dry and I also experienced hair loss. Never had painful acne, but I had acne all over my body (back, neck, arms, belly and of course my face) Also had terrible texture because of scaring. But after I finished my course everything came back… I was soo upset about it. I was using my skin routine constantly and also taking some vitamins and yet, it didn’t help. I was taking blood tests every month to see how my body reacts(while I was on acuttane) and everything seemed fine. Even when I was checking my hormones before taking accutane (to see if this is the problem) everything was absolutely okay. I have tried a lot of different methods of treating acne but nothing helps( I’m 16 now and started to have acne at the age of 11. Maybe someone has a similar story in the comments and can give me an advice or just share their experience! I will be very happy) Thank you for the video, I still got a lot of important information about this medication! Also English is not my first language so if I made any mistakes forgive me!

[@TheSanket2003]

I took isotretinoin in India in 2015. I had big cystic acne and it was cured in just one month. The only side effect my dermatologist mentioned was skin dryness and asked me to regularly use moisturizer. From all the side effects mentioned in this video I never had even a single one. My dosage was 20 mg.

[@sergeiandreev7313]

Superb ! Thank you for professional review on this medication ❤

[@TeawithMD]

Thanks for watching !

[@brittenyevans1101]

I know someone who committed suicide on this medication...back in the 90's. I always wanted to try Accutane, because of feedback dermatologist would give me, about the overall results. But because I was on a cocktail of depression medication as a pre teen. I couldn't take Accutane. Unfortunately, I had to go out the country to receive treatment for my acne. Expensive, but it was worth it.

[@TeawithMD]

There’s actually a study in the derm literature that shows that overall patient mood increases after accutane treatment because patients’ skin looks better, and the acne was a big driving factor in their depression : pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28291553/

[@avelle]

i took accutane in 2018-2020. i dont think i would be the same without it. i havent had a bad breakout in years.

[@epayne48]

I used this years ago. It was a miracle. I did have bone pain toward the end of the 6 months. I would do it again because of the results which were amazing!

[@missglam9788]

Was the bone pain permanent or not

[@AnaFernandez-jp5uh]

I suffered from cystic acne in my late 20's and early 30's The cysts were deep and not visible, but very painful. Accutane was a miracle for me. Tropicals just made my only skin flake. Other oral medication did not work.

[@KimLucas-xh9wv]

My son developed acne at puberty around 12-13 years old. It was moderate to severe and I took him to derm. at 13yo. They tried traditional methods but he just wasn't getting better probably because he didn't following the routine properly. At 14 in the 9th grade he joined band program. So he was the token nerd with acne in band. He was miserable. The dermatologist prescribed acutane. Apparently he was an ideal candidate. He did experience dry lips (that's the only side effect I recall) so he had to sit out band and practice some. Well the results were astounding. His acne progressively got better and cleared. His complexion was beautiful. He is now 30yo and his complexion is still so beautiful. It's amazing!!! So his story is a success story so I have no problem sharing and recommending the drug.

[@TeawithMD]

I am so happy to hear that your son had a great experience. It’s definitely not for everyone but for the right patient accutane can make a world of difference

[@evangeline8193]

I'm gonna leave this comment here just in case anyone sees it and may have an answer. I was on Isotretinoin at age 13 for 6 months, cleared my skin completely after 2 months. About a year and a half after coming off the acne came back, I wasn't shocked, I was smack bang in the middle of adolescence. My mom had no acne as a teen, my dad had some for a brief period, no extended family has acne, and honestly my acne was and is pretty mild, most of it is hyperpigmentation. I'm 17 turning 18 in 5 months now and I'm trying to go on it again just to clear up the last little remnants. I saw a derm a month ago and have FINALLY been approved, anyone who's been on it knows the bloods, pregnancy tests, gp/ psych approvals are a hassle. However, I'm now a little conflicted, in the month since I first requested a prescription I've developed some extremely mild back acne, but my facial acne has calmed down so so much. I'm questioning if going on it when my skin is obviously already beginning to let go of the teen acne may be unnecessary and cause some sort of dependency? Or whether I should just go through with it, anyone have any advice?

[@LovergirlC137]

I got accutane 7 months ago, just to talk about the negatives I was the most depressed while taking accutane and I would refuse to leave the house because of the severe breakouts. After 5 months there were no results of my skin clearing up so I decided to stop the treatment. Wondering why my skin was not calming down, I found out accutane can cause bad bacteria in the abdominal organs. I had to take parasite killer meds, lymph drainage drops and omega 3 suppliments. After a month the acne has cleared up but the acne scars are still here, but I am treating it with The Ordinary alpha arbutin and its going well.

[@tsikinite]

update?

[@LovergirlC137]

@@tsikinite My skin is glowy and slightly acne free but definitely waaaaaay better than last year I only have mild breakouts on my period like 2/3 pimples I’m starting to thing the arbutin doesn’t work in the long run and is only a temporary thing They fade away but never actually leave And the mild breakouts I get sometimes new acne scars appear which the arbutin does nothing to

[@ceceB00]

Wow you explained this better than my own dermatologist.

[@Ms.Hillary2323]

Hi! Thank you for making this video. I really really REALLY want accurate. I know the side effects. I’ve reaserched. The only thing is that I don’t know if my acne is bad enough, on my face it’s pretty mild, my pores are just large. Like I have whiteheads occasionally especially around my mouth and when I eat dairy. The pores to the sides of my nose and my forehead are just really huge pinkish and stick out. The worst acne I have is on my back. There are so many whiteheads, large imagined cysts, scars. On my neck, mid back, hairline, shoulders, upper back, lower back. Nothing works, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, nothing. Do you think I would qualify for accutane? I’m a 13 year old girl, 107 pounds. I know you made this a year ago but I hope you see this comment.

[@sulliyah7242]

hii im starting accutane next week and for the same reason as you ! Im 18 and had face and body acne for 7 years now (the worse parts are my back and shoulders) and I also tried using serums, masks and other stuff "made" for acne, and it didn't work bc this is bs. My dermatologist told me that it can't be effective if not used with a medicine, and thats why I have to take accutane for 8 months sooo idk if it's possible at your age to take this kind of meds but I would recommand you to see a dermatologist and see what they suggest you to do ! hope this helps :)

[@t.y.5565]

Accutane was the only thing that worked for my acne vulgaris after trying other treatments. No side effects and no acne since. I took it for about 6 months.

[@TeawithMD]

I’m glad to hear you had a good experience with it

[@harooarouj]

you encouraged me

[@t.y.5565]

@@harooarouj I hope it works for you too! I took it in the late 80's before all the options they have now. I had very oily skin and now it is normal and no acne. If you can afford it please also get facials to help clear up any existing acne too. Between the Accutane and the facials your skin will look awesome sooner!

[@harooarouj]

@@t.y.5565 ❤😭

[@tashihaley8524]

I took Accutane in junior high then again after I had my kids. Multiple people in my family have been on it too. My daughter is probably gonna have to be on it too

[@sharon946]

After 4 years of fooling around with doctors, my son finally found a dermatologist willing to put him on accutane. After 6 months, his acne had cleared and no scars. One dermatologist, who would not give him accutane, told me his skin would be scared. Another dermotogist told me his acne was coming to an end . My son suffered needlessly for 4 years and suffered socially because of it. Make sure you shop for a good dermatologist. This was 30 years ago, and my son has nice looking skin at 50 years of age.

[@TeawithMD]

It can make a big difference for the right patient

[@danielle4644]

I’ve suffered from cane for 38yrs and grew up in a very humid area which caused even more oily skin and acne. As an adult I used accutane 3x each was for 3-6 months and as soon as I got off of it my acne would come back. Spironolactone has helped but menopause has really helped, though I am still extremely oily. Been using tretinoin for awhile now which is helping the acne scars and discoloration.

[@TeawithMD]

Accutane can help but not cure hormonal acne and most patients with hormonal acne may still need some spironolactone or other treatment afterwards. Thanks for sharing!

[@KaeMcSpadden]

I was prescribed accutane because my acne was severe and none of the other treatments didn’t work. After about six months, it was clear. The only side effect was dry skin and lips.

[@TeawithMD]

Glad to hear it worked for you! Thanks for sharing

[@KaeMcSpadden]

@@TeawithMD no problem, but we used it as a last resort, due to the side effects.

[@atashgallagher5139]

It is to clarify a vitamin A derivative and not actually vitamin A. It's a synthetic form of vitamin A that's related but not the same thing. Taking vitamin A in large amounts is dangerous when done for too long and won't do anything to your acne.

[@Username0467]

To be fair, this is also very dangerous. Lol

[@jmoorenyc7382]

Yes Acne is hell. My experience with Accutane was in the mid to late 90s. Now I know this is was a very long time ago but the side effects that I went through were excessively dry skin and peeling. Also, I broke out even more it was as if my body was cleansing all of its impurities. It was a very difficult journey but I got through it and of course, when you start having sex that helps as well.

[@VinnyLogz]

I’m 42 and have the worst acne of my life. Lots of redness and cysts. The only thing that has helped is Azelaic acid foam face wash. Doxycycline didn’t work, my doctor is suggesting accurate after 2 months, I’m on the side of no bc of all the side effects I’ve heard of over the years.

[@yolodendr0n]

Thank you so much ❤ that was really informative!! I will start taking isotretinoin soon and am a little afraid of the side effects (especially the part with the mood) but I really suffer from my condition and want to change that! Thanks to you again you calmed me down :)

[@TeawithMD]

Please talk to your doctor about the mood side effects. Good luck with your treatment ❤️

[@anonymous-z6o]

so i’m a 15 year old female, and when you’re in high school with acne like mine it can be hard cause it makes me struggle with my self worth and it’s actually physically painful on my face. my mom has called the dermatologist multiple times and we’ve been waiting for an appointment placement for 1 and a half years. i just really want to go on it because im done being judged by people and being jealous of people.

[@user-ky7jx1cr5k]

I put my daughter on proactive solution and it's working!!!! Her acne had been affecting her way of life, but as a mother, Accutane scared me. Proactive is working. You just have to be consistent with it.

[@TeawithMD]

If Proactive is working for her that's great; there are severe cases of acne that do not respond to Proactive or other topical medications though, and for those patients, Accutane can be a great option

[@theforbiddenfruit2300]

I did two courses about 6 months apart 2 years ago. Wasn’t horrible but VERY annoying and acne came back a few months after stopping. The saddest thing is that it left me with a lot of scaring as i didn’t moisturise my skin at all! I did the course without a doctor and didn’t know that you have to moisturise and thought that the skin cracking and peeling was a good sign😢

[@sxnshine_cozzy5297]

My friend, she has been complaining about how she has so much acne, and I try to help and make so many suggestions but the medicine I say is always not the best for her. But I will see if she wants to take this and I'll show her this video. I just want what's best for her, and for her to feel good about herself.

[@TeawithMD]

Ultimately it’s a conversation between the doc and patient to see if she’s a candidate! You’re a good friend to keep her in mind

[@dr.sumairamiskeen8630]

If skin gets cleared while using using accutane for a month or two, can we stop taking it at that point or we still have to continue taking it for 6 months??

[@antoniokaramarkov2652]

this is the only thing that helped me 🙏

[@tomgiudice8784]

I’m going on day 10. I have foliciutiys decalvans on my scalp. I’m hoping it can clear it up for me! I’m tired of the hair loss incited by acne

[@TeawithMD]

I hope it will help!

[@tsikinite]

update?

[@sallymukuria6589]

Very well explained.Good job

[@atashgallagher5139]

Rosacea can cause inflammation of the nose even making it look bulbous and large. Acne meds can greatly reduce that. Accutane does the same. You could see it as reducing the size of your nose especially in the tip.

[@TeawithMD]

Accutane can shrink the sebaceous glands so if the nose were very swollen from acne cysts and enlarged sebaceous glands it could help with that. It does not give people a nose job though!

[@catherinecarrillo725]

Thank you Doctor great advice.

[@daughterofsekhmet81]

I will NEVER complain about my period zits ever again

[@TeawithMD]

Hormonal acne can be annoying too - I feel you!

[@argusfleibeit1165]

In your warnings about birth defects and avoiding pregnancy, rather than you saying "You cannot get pregnant while on Accutane", it might be better to phrase it "You must not get pregnant while on Accutane". People still have very bad understanding of the way their body works. Some might hear "can not get pregnant" as "Accutane prevents pregnancy".

[@TeawithMD]

I can understand that; for anyone with a uterus to get a prescription for accutane in the US though, that person needs to be on birth control, so that is one safeguard. However you are correct and I will phrase it so people don’t think accutane prevents pregnancy

[@Totally_Not_Dan]

Starting my journey today guys, wish me luck! I'll update you guys each week... Week 1: I got dry lips and my back slightly aches more. Noticing the slight surfacing of my acne tho. 1 month later: Good improvement from Day 1. Most of the acne is gone but still theres PIP (Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation). I still sometimes get pimples but they usually are smaller in size and quantity.

[@TeawithMD]

Good luck!

[@pezzie1470]

Updateee

[@DaltonsFriendswood]

My daughter did a course of accutane and it was amazing. 💜

[@georgiareed7743]

How old was she when she took it?

[@DaltonsFriendswood]

@@georgiareed7743 she was 16.

[@georgiareed7743]

@@DaltonsFriendswood now that’s what I don’t understand - why on earth would you allow a 16 year old child to take a dangerous chemotherapy medication - for her ACNE (something which most kids eventually grow out of anyways!)?! You risked her bones, joints, hormones, fertility, and longterm health for an issue that isn’t life threatening and usually goes away by adulthood. Accutane causes organ damage and IBD and kills people every single year. Shame on you - this is bad parenting.

[@TeawithMD]

So glad to hear that your daughter had a good experience!

[@DaltonsFriendswood]

@@TeawithMD it did wonders for her confidence and self esteem. I would do it again in a heartbeat. 💜

[@24caylan]

I didnt get any test done before. And I take prescription pain pills. She said it was still ok. It was given to me without any of these questions.

[@senyoko]

Thats concerning. Did your dermatologist tell you possible side effects and what you should and shouldnt do during the treatment? Did you finish your treatment and everything's okay?

[@24caylan]

@senyoko I stopped 2 months in. My lips were so dry they would crack and bleed. Nothing I did helped. Had a few other things happen also. And no I wasn't told anything.

[@CWall-tv7gm]

Holy moly! I never heard of acne fulminans before….so I googled it. That is horrible!! Those poor people that have had to deal with this!!

[@TeawithMD]

Acne fulminans is very painful and definitely something I monitor extremely carefully for whenever starting someone on accutane

[@alexiscalkins]

I’m on my 4th course! It seems like it comes back every 2-3 years

[@JaxArango]

Not sure if you said in the video cus of how long it is😅, but what are other medications that people go on for acne?

[@senyoko]

I heard if someone has persistent hormonal acne they can go on Spironolactone, I think?

[@感恩生活]

Thank you Dr. Joyce for such a detailed informational video. I am still trying the natural way to treat my 17 years daughter’s acne. Drinking celery juice daily and do a facial daily with aloe Vera gel or blue led light therapy at home. Eat lots of vitamins. It helped in someway, but still a lot on her face. And we cannot stop the current process. The last thing we will try is accutane. Do you do tele clinic appointment?

[@TeawithMD]

Hello, yes I do offer telederm visits for patients in California and Washington. My website is www.skinrefinery.com

[@感恩生活]

@@TeawithMD thanks for the responses. Unfortunately we are from New Jersey. Thanks.

[@rabiyadav1601]

Thank u mam❤️ I am also a patient of acne and it's almost 3 month of my accutane treatment and slowly i am getting better but most of a time whenever i wake up morning i see some puffed white acne

[@Grace-zi6md]

HI, What the heck is "temporarily decrease ovarian reserve."?!!?!? That doesn't make any since because once eggs are gone, they are gone. Please explain!

[@Harton-cv1dw]

Hi doctor. What are the long term risks/side effects of accurate for young males?

[@miguelpaul1164]

I did for 9 months in 2014 and it's the only thing that worked, it reset my pores and my skin. I broke out the worst in my life and was dry AF, but after and with adapalene 3.0 and BP I am still clear. Now I only deal w scarring and hope to something w a Drs. Help one day. Yes it's a scary major med w crazy side effects and monthly Dr visits, and your skin will erupt!!! But if nothing else works and you are serious about treating it, accurate works.

[@TeawithMD]

Thank you for sharing your experience, I’m so glad it worked for you!