Isotretinoin for Acne User Reviews (Page 3)

• Clear...
• January 24, 2016

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I am now 55 years old. I started developing acne when I was 14 . It became so severe that my parents took me to a dermatologist. This was back in the 1970s when all that was available were antibiotics and infrared light treatment. It worked on and off, but after several years my body built up a resistance to the antibiotics and the severe acne returned. I was prescribed accutane when I was 29. My acne cleared up in 3 days! I had some mild side effects: dry skin, dry lips (which continue to this day). But my skin is crystal clear and has been for almost 30 years!!! I highly recommend this wonderful medication. I don't know what my life would have been like without it,"

• Chase...
• May 10, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Miracle. Period. I had ZERO side effects and I feel so much better I can't even describe the feeling of relief. This medicine literally saved my life and I would take it again. I wish I could take it every day because it made my skin look AMAZING. I haven't had a SINGLE pimple or cyst since I finished this. I used to have cysts so huge they would turn my skin purple. I have horrendous scars all over my face from the damage. But now? It's getting better and I feel like a new person. Thank you!"

• Gano
• June 25, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had a hard time with acne. I tried everything. Went through a cycle of doxycycline, used benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid for face wash. Even tried to use Proactiv. Nothing worked and my Acne was getting out of hand. I needed to do something drastic and my doctor had recommended Accutane. At first I was hesitant, since it took a long commitment and it sounded like a risky process. The "no alcohol" part didn't help either. But when I finally bit the bullet and went for it, it ended up being a great decision because my face was saved. The first few months my acne was still bad and getting a tad worse, but by month 4 I only had one pimple left on my face. This was in 2016 and today in 2019 I have very little problems with acne, with the exception of a pimple here and there. I am so glad I went through the treatment because I feel it gave me a new life, free from worry about acne. If you're able to do this treatment, I recommend you go for it."

• Parent...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2020

Claravis (isotretinoin) "I was very concerned about starting this medicine for my son, as I had read horrible stories about this medicine. My son who is 15, had severe acne. After trying everything, and all the medicines and creams for a year, we broke down and started Claravis.( Dec 2019) The first month was amazing, the active acne has gone. I can't believe how much change has happened in the first month. Like I said, his acne was severe, large, hard pimples which would make his face sore. He has a lot of red marks left from the acne. He started on 40mg a day for 30 days. He is now on 40mg in the morning and 20mg at night. We are now in week 6, his face is starting to really look great. Some of the dark red marks are more pink than red. I have read some don't see results until month 4, but this seems to be working for him. He uses moisturizer on his face and Aquaphor on his lips, so far no side effects. He is also into every sport with no problems. Keeping my fingers crossed as we continue this journey."

• Jessica
• October 10, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had cystic acne for a while and it was honestly just the worst. I hated taking any kinds of pictures and showing my face anywhere. Besides that, it was just plain out painful! I went to my dermatologist and she started me on Accutane. It took about 2-3 months before I started seeing significant differences, but after that it just kept getting better. All of my acne is completely gone now and you can’t see any scarring. I do have some freckles so it covers up whatever little dots are left behind from permanent scarring but there are barely any anyways. The only real problems I had was dry lips and scalp. I made sure to always have chapstick on me and I went through many a hair mask, but I have no other complaints. With that, I know people have some emotional problems but I can say I had none, although I was way more confident with my appearance. I was very very skeptical at first with all the crazy side affects, but I can say I am so grateful I did it!"

• Court
• January 3, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I am a nineteen year old female who has suffered with mild acne since I was about 10. I tried every cream, pill, and face wash you can imagine throughout the years and nothing completely got rid of my acne. When I was 18 my doctor recommended I try Accutane. I did a 6 month course of 10 mg a day and I can honestly say it changed my life. I would recommend to anyone who struggles with persistent acne. Before taking Accutane acne controlled my life. I would stay home just because of bad breakouts. Now my skin is flawless and I only get the occasional pimple which I can now deal with. Yes, I was dry when I was on Accutane but the end result is SO worth the 6 months of mild dryness!"

• l-jay
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "If you have acne, Accutane is the holy grail. I had mild-moderate acne in high school. I took it for six weeks. It sucked my skin dry as a bone, but after that, my skin looked pristine. With the exception of an occasional stray pimple, I have not had a breakout in 15 years. There is no point in trying anything else."

• lindy...
• December 12, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Dried up the acne after a few months, though side effects during the 12 wk treatment included nosebleeds, peeling lips, sore feet and joints. Worth it though, still get the odd spot, but feel normal again and don't hide away from the world anymore."

• John
• September 25, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Do NOT take this unless you have very severe cystic acne. I was heavily pressured into taking this 6 months ago with moderate acne and I can't stress enough how much I regret it. I was urged by a dermatologist to start this before my acne might get really bad. Instead of stopping it, though, I had 6 months of unfixably chapped lips, dry skin, severe depression, and exponentially worse acne. My entire face and neck would break out far worse than ever before. My acne is now severe and every single pimple has stuck around as a scar. My face and neck are covered with scars and after what has easily been the worst half a year of my entire life, I look 100 times worse. If you only have moderate acne (i.e. you get some breakouts but it disappears over a relatively short period) then please avoid this. Do NOT allow a doctor to pressure you into this. It took me from somewhat bad to severely bad acne. You will have all of the negative side effects with none of the positive ones."

• Cherno
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had severe cystic acne covering my entire body for over 2 years. I tried antibiotics, creams and pills, and none of them worked. Finally after a year on antibiotics with no results my doctor referred me to a dermatologist who prescribed Accutane. I took it for six months and now my acne is completely gone. I have been off of it for two months now and no acne whatsoever has returned. I am hoping it never does! The side effects for Accutane were difficult (especially the dry lips - I had chapstick with me 24/7 and went crazy if I couldn't apply it about once an hour at least) but the end result was worth it in my opinion."

• Nicol...
• April 27, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I couldn't be more thankful for this medicine. I'm so happy I made the decision to take it despite reading so many scary things about it. I can honestly say its probably been the best decision of my life. If you have the opportunity to go on this medicine do it. It will change your life."

• BIG
• May 15, 2009

Accutane (isotretinoin) "This drug is amazing. A miracle in pill form. I was scared to take it at first because of the many risks, but it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I was on this for 6 months and now I'm off it and haven't had acne in years. Best drug ever. Highly recommended for bad acne."

• PhilR
• August 26, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I really struggled with Acne in my teens and my twenties, Roaccutane at 27 I took the plunge. I read all the side effects I was due to be on Roaccutane for 4 months but I ended up on it for 6-7 months. Nothing can prepare you for the dry lips and skin. After about 7 days on the treatment my acne just went crazy I was developing 10 new spots an hour, they were coming out so fast my face was now full with more spot than ever, but I had prepared myself for it, the medication was starting to take affect. It was hard being on the medication with dry lips and skin but a small price to pay for good skin. In the last month of the treatment my skin improved 100% people would comment on how clear my skin was. But then about 3 month after I would get the odd spot, but since then I apply a little Duac gel from the doctor once or twice a week and it keeps my skin clear. I am now 39 and my skin is good it has changed my life for the better."

• TDS
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Took Accutane when I was 14. Pretty sure it stunted my growth by closing my growth plates as I stopped growing during my treatment. I still have permanent dry eyes and brain fog and severe depression now 8 years later. It's not worth the gamble, I didn't even have the choice, I was just a kid that followed doctor's orders. Please ask yourself why you would want to give yourself or your loved one an extreme retinoid overdose. It causes widespread damage to the body that is permanent."

• JustD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2016

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I read the Accutane horror stories, so I turned down my dermatologists suggestion of it. After 4 more years (25 now), the cystic acne has just been getting worse and worse. It was seriously impacting my life. I just finished a month ago doing a 5 month 60mg/day treatment and my skin is flawless. I cannot believe it. I actually have better skin than people who I once thought had beautiful perfect skin. I experienced some joint pain the first month and dry lips the entire time, but I started seeing reductions in acne by month 2 and had no new cysts by month 4. There are still a few that are healing (yes, I would get some cysts that take 6-8 months to heal). I would highly recommend this. I have so much of my life back not worrying about skin."

• braaad
• January 17, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) "​Hello everyone, I'm your typical 18 year old lad and have never written on a forum before but I want to write something for the people that are worried about taking this (in my opinion) miracle drug. I am coming to the end of my 6 month course and I can honestly say it's been life changing. Before I started Roaccutane, I was fairly depressed and seriously lacking confidence due to my appearance. But after months of failed treatments on various antibiotics, I was referred to a dermatologist who instantly said there's only one way to fix my acne problem, Roaccutane. At first I thought this is the worst case scenario and I'm going to be even more depressed as a result of the possible mental health side affects. Depression has run in my family so I was very worried. However, living like with acne wasn't something I was prepared to do, so I started the course on 40mg a day. The first week I had a headache daily, but thankfully these die off after a week and paracetamol and ibuprofen will take all the pain away. Almost immediately, my lips were cracking and from then on in, I never went anywhere without some Carmex lip balm in my pocket. As the first 3 months went by, I was still breaking out and was starting to think it isn't going to work. However, I'm so glad I stuck with it because now I haven't got a single spot of my face and the scars have faded to the point where you can barely see them! After the third month, my derm upped my dose and I started to take 60mg a day. Luckily for me I hadn't had any serious side affects. Just your occasional nose bleed and dry skin, and sometimes my eyes were a bit blurry but it's not much of an issue. Anyway, I just want anyone reading this that is worried about starting this medication, that not everyone has a horror story about Roaccutane and I couldn't be happier at how it's made me feel!! Don't let acne take over your life!:)"

• Liz
• February 20, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "My sophomore and junior year of high school, I took Accutane for the 6 month period. I took it again my freshman year of college, but for a shorter period of time. My skin was excessively dry, I experienced frequent nosebleeds, and my lips were appalling. As a result of taking Accutane for a total of around 15 months, my health changed and so did my confidence. They warn you of potential side effects, but they refuse to discuss healthier alternatives with you until it’s too late. As a result of this medication, I now experience GI distress and symptoms of Irritible Bowel Syndrome (IBS). I am 20 years old, and I firmly believe this medication is the cause. Despite making lifestyle changes, I still experience horrible episodes of constipation, and my acne has come back worse than before. My confidence is lower, and sometimes I feel hopeless. I am writing this review because I feel passionate about encouraging those considering Accutane not to go through with it. It’s not worth it!"

• Rex
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 15, 2018

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I've had acne my whole life (age 29). Face was always oily and I'd pop pimples all the time. Started accutane in January. Face and lips started getting really dry. Eucerin lotion and Aquaphor worked very well but needed to apply several times a day. Eczema on the top of my hands, wrists and upper arms (small red bumps that I've never had before in my life) so more lotion was required. By the middle of the second month, my acne was gone. I had dry eyes that required artificial tears at least 8 times a day. After 3 months my doctor told me I can discontinue taking it. It did not hold me back from being active and traveling through a few countries either. The side effects had disappeared except for a few small bumps only on my upper arms. It is November now. Still haven't seen a single pimple on my face! Had mild depression and anxiety but I've also had a long history even before taking accutane. Different people will have different results and side effects. Best of luck to everyone."

• Randy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "The side-effects suck. I would get a bloody nose at least 5 times a day, my lips would peel and get blisters, and my arms would get rashes. But it was all worth it. Accutane is amazing. I am so thankful for it. I had acne for 6 years and I tried everything you could imagine to try and clear my face up. Now after 4 long months, I am just now taking my last pill. I go to the mirror and I don't see a pimple, scar, or even a red mark on my face. my self-esteem has improved so much. I would definitely recommend it."

• Selen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 13, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I struggled with such bad acne since I was in middle school. I tried almost every type of over the counter medicine that there was and none of it worked. During my Freshman year of high school, I decided that I needed a cure for my acne because of how terrible it was getting. I went to a dermatologist and he recommend Accutane for about 7 months. After about 3 months, I could not believe that my face was getting clearer! When I was finally done, my skin was clear! I was so excited!! I even recommend Accutane to one of my friends and her face turned out great as well. I took Accutane back in 2009 and I'm now 22 years old and my face still looks fantastic! I highly recommend Accutane to anyone who is struggling with acne, it works!"

• joy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Reading all these horror stories from those who took this medication, I can see how they would scare someone off considering to take Accutane. Speaking as someone who suffered from severe acne in highschool I KNOW the emotional toll it has a persons self esteem. I took accutane for a total of 6 months and to say it has been a LIFE SAVER would be an understatement. 2 years later and no crazy side effects, or third arm growing. These days I get nothing less than a single pimple every now and again. This medication is a life saver if you can take it!"

• Mirac...
• November 25, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Started it at 31, all the extra stuff that comes with the medication are SO worth it. Yeah you feel achy and have dry skin but it literally gets rid of everything. I had mild but very persistent acne since my early teens....this included body acne. I tried it all, detergents, shampoos, fash washes...nothing worked. I had very oily skin. I was free of acne after about 3 weeks of taking it. I've had maybe 10 tiny zits since then and I am in month 4 of 6."

• cpd
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane completely sucks. It made everything for me 50 x worse. If your acne isn’t severe, don’t take it. Because there is a chance that it will get worse like it did for me. Side effects suck to"

• MVPac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2016

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I will tell you one thing, at 25 years I had thought I would have acne forever. My skins texture was horrible, blackheads, whiteheads, cysts at times that were very painful and worse..scars. I started taking 40 mg once a day, then alternating 60 mg, 40 mg and 60 mg between days. I noticed by the end of month three my breakout significantly declining. Then 80 mg a day. I can't tell you how shocked I was because and I know everyone says it but I really did truly try EVERYTHING under the sun for my acne. I wouldn't let anyone touch my face not even my mom. I changed my pillow case and used every oil free etc etc. End of month 5 and I NEVER have seen my skin so radiant! The side effects are worth it 500000x over!"

• Jen
• May 13, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane has been a great for my skin as I struggled with mild acne from the age of 12-18 years old. When I hit college, my skin became extremely oily and my small pimples became deep cysts. I saw a dermalogist and was put on Differin and also Duac. I went through several courses of antibiotics without ever getting fully clear skin. My derm told me that accutane was the next step. The only bad side effects I had besides the dry skin and dry lips was some pretty horrendous headaches at the beginning. My derm made me take a week off taking the and them headaches never returned. Besides that, my accutane course was great and my blood work was just fine. Before accutane I was too embarrassed to be seen by anyone including family without make up on. Now I can leave my house with no make up. This is true freedom, my skin is now JUST skin and I can look people in the eye and not worry about them staring at a huge cyst on my face. I wish I had done this ten years ago!"