I want to take roaccutane but im afraid of it's side effects or of acne coming back afterwards! Help

Hi I have also taken roacctuane for a while now. Although, the dryness and side affects only really affect you if you are on a high dosage. But if your mum doesn't want to use it maybe dry a gel called epidural. It works really well I sometimes get bad breakouts and then use it to help. I would try that with the cetaphill cleanser and moisturiser. As I found that was all that really worked for my skin. Hope this helps.

Hi, I know it's been ages since you posted this but I thought I would still give my experience.

Ive suffered with moderate to bad acne since age 10, im now nearly 16 and back in January after long talks with my mum about it, decided roaccutane or isotretinoin was the way forward. I'm in my fourth month of roaccutane now and I am feeling the side effects such as dry skin, dry eyes and cracking lips. Up until month three I felt like it wasnt improving  at all and multiple times had very emotional breakdowns that I soothed by tucking into a big bag of jumbo pretzels(not advised but very yummy). At the end of month three the huge lumps that lay under my skin were not appearing as frequently and smaller spots were also less frequent. now that I am in my fourth month my dermatologist had put me onto 60mg tablets to take once everyday, my skin is super dry now and being a very self conscious and paranoid person it is very hard to put make up over it even when I have lots of moisturiser on. 

If you are on roaccutane and suffer from extremely dry skin then I suggest the moisturiser Epaderma, it is prescribed by the dermatologist and is a very thick, greasy moisturiser to put on at night just before bed. It's helping my skin as it doesn't irritate or make my skin feel itchy as most others do.

So far I don't regret my roaccutane and I really hope things are going to get better!!

I hope this helps give someone an insight! 

My late teenage years I had tried everything - mum sent me to a dermatologist and I went on Rocatane - best thing I ever did. Changed my life. It's easy when your older to say just ignore it and be confident, not so easy as a kid. 

As someone who has lived with a person with depression - it's no joke, it's a terrible affliction. But I think 1 in 5 women will be affected by depression in their lives, I imagine those number are no worse with people who take Roacatane. I could also imagine years of terrible acne making you depressed... 

Good luck. 

Do NOT take roaccutane!!! I took it for about 6 months and it worked, but i was depressed and tried to commit suicide twice! I stopped taking it and i was left with depression, and my suicidal thoughts and the acne came back. DO NOT TAKE ROACCUTANE!!!!

Your story is exactly like mine! i had acne from year 7 to year 10, 4 years in total i suffered with it.. i used to waste tonnes of money visitng the shops for new treatments none of them worked! for some people they do, but not for everyone. i used to suffer with it on my back and chest aswell, mine got progressivley worse, untill my GP i had to be reffered to the hospital where i visited a dermotologist.. as scared as i was i just wanted this problem sorted my mum and my family in general were sacred to death about this pill because of how strong and nasty it is, but its only like that because it really does clear up acne! 

i started taking roaccuatne at the beggining of this year (2015) and one month ago i finished my 4 month course, i was put on the highest dose possible, as my acne was graded as 'severe' i had cystic acne, HUGE pussy spots like craters on my face, i would get bullied and teased at school, it wasnt fair because nobody esle was suffering like i was. i used to have days where i couldnt face going into school because i just felt 'ugly' all the time. 

i wouldnt take selfies when my friends would, i would look in the mirror sometimes and break down in tears, my acne ripped my self esteem away completley.. 

i hate how people stereotype acne and say its because your 'dirty' and dont wash your face properly, or because you dont eat healthy enough ect.. its not true so ignore the petty girls at school, you cant help going through this, some people are just unlucky like me and you and suffer tremendously and then some people dont get any! its due to your body having too many hormones in your body, i would strongly reccomend you take roaccutane from the sounds of things, i would speak to your mum and tell her how your feeling. because i know it feels as if nobody understands. 

roaccutane is a big step to take, and one only taken as a last resort. so unless all esle has failed then take it! its amazing, it kills the acne off, its a long and painful process with horrible side affects but seriously worth it. 

honestly, the results are amazing! and im not just saying that! my confidence has returned and i actually feel beautiful for once which i havent felt in years, im learning to accept myself and appearance. 

 

Hi there, sorry to hear this.  A few years ago my then teenage son had very bad acne and was on the point of being treated with anti biotics when I read an article saying that 'red clover'  (you will find the capsules in the health food shop) is very good at balancing the hormones (testorone is associated with acne) so my son tried it and within a about a week had clear skin.  He was over the moon and we were very relieved, he continued taking these capsules for about a year had no side effects and to this day talks about his delight in me finding this remedy.  I have since given this advice to lots of parents and it has always worked.  The other treatiment is Tejaswini skincare capsules, (in good health food shops or on line) and they are also good, but its hard to beat red clover. I really wish you well.

I'm fifteen as well and have had acne for three years as well. Only one in my year to have it but yeah I want to take roaccutane but I just want to know if your acne gets a looooot worse after the first few weeks. To be honest though someone told me that if you have acne you have better skin later on in life because your skin produces oil SO YEAH IN THE LONG TERM FELLOW ACNE PEOPLE WE ARE BETTER

I've just come off roacctune and it's the best thing I done. Yes there are side effects but I would recommend it to anyone. My side effects included: dry lips and skin, tiredness and joint pain. I wouldn't tell anyone to start using it during the summer because you're not allowed in the sun whilst on it but while you're on 15 and can't drink alcohol I would take it now before it gets worse and starts effecting your self esteem!!

I stopped taking Roaccutane more than ten years ago. It was a dark period in my life, and it honestly changed me. I am an adult now, and I often grieved about the fact that what should have been my most carefree time of my life, was my darkest.

Yes, my skin looked beautiful on the outside, but I started having really ugly thoughts on the inside and hated myself anyway ( the effects of depression). 

It got to the point where I had to hide in the toilets in shopping malls. because my mood swings were so severe that I would start weeping uncontrollably in public places. 

I am well now, although the effects were long lasting even after I stopped the medication. It took me a while to recover. 

If you decide to take Roaccutane, you need to make sure that people who love you (family and close friends) are aware of the side effects and keep a close watch on you and your feelings. Know that people have died (committed suicide) because of the effects of Roaccutane.

It is a decision not to be taken lightly.

Please think very carefully before going on this medication. When you are young, we think very differently and in most cases acne will infact pass on its own in time, although I know first hand that it is a horrendous skin complaint.

When we were teens, both me and my brother had bad acne. We are both in our late 30's now and at the time I think Roacutane was relatively new and not as controversial.

I can say that at the time if taking the medication, side effects seemed mild. Chapped lips, dry skin etc. Both our acne's cleared up quickly.

However, in our 20's we both started receeding, leading to complete baldness by 30. Our father and grandfathers are not bald to that extent.

My brother is always complaining of feeling unwell and tiredness as well as having skin complaints.

I have suffered mood swings from soon after taking the medication. I suffer from anxiety. I also suffer from back pain and muscle/bone aches which doctors cant find a reason for. I now only get occasional spots, but my face and head is always dry and flaky. I am also concerned about what other damage the medication may have done that I dont yet know about.

I honestly wish I had not taken this medication. I would rather have put up with my acne than be bald and suffer from the other ailments.

My advice would be that anyone below the age of 20 should not consider this medication and be strong and try and ride it out. If you around say 25 and still suffer from adult acne, then maybe give Roacutane some consideration, but even then think about it very seriously l.

I know my side effects are mild compared to some reported, but I am almost certain that they are due to Roacutane.

Please dont take advice from younger people who have only completed the course of medication in the past few years, as the longterm side effects dont become obvious until the years after.

I'm 17 and I was on roacctuane when I was 15 I think it was, honestly the only side effect I got whilst on it were my lips getting a little bit dry and that was all, my mum had had it previously too and she was the same she had a nose bleed maybe twice but people rarely get that, however her acne breakouts have pretty much stopped now, mine did after I finished my course and I'd sometimes just get one or two around my period, but now a year or so on I'm finding that I'm getting a lot of breakouts again, not to the extent that they were before I started the medication but still quite a lot for the fact that they're not supposed to come back after, however believe me it is worth it because even if you still get a few after you've finished it's much better than haveling a tonne of horrible acne, and it's worth the side effects, some people are lucky and don't even get any or like me only get one so believe me it is worth it 100%