Isotretinoin for Acne User Reviews (Page 4)

• Xxn...
• May 27, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had cystic acne on my face, neck, shoulders, and back. I have never been able to wear a tank top or bathing suit and my hair with no makeup for 7 years. HIGHLY RECOMMEND ACCUTANE! I'm not even done with my 120-day course yet, and I could almost cry right now, talking about how great I feel now. I think the trick to avoiding all those serious side effects is sticking to a lower dosage. I'm on 30 mg a day, and it took 3 1/2 months (BE STRONG PEOPLE, IT TAKES TIME), and I can officially say I am acne-free all over for the first time in 7 years. I wish I could be some sort of motivational speaker for this stuff. If you are thinking about it, DO IT! The downside is the dry patches on my arms and cracked lips, the only thing that works is Vaseline. And another upside to it is my hair! It never gets oily!"

• 19...
• July 15, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I want to start off by saying this is a miracle pill. I've suffered from acne since I have been in 7th grade (12 yrs). I remember running into bathroom stalls to powder my face, only hoping one day I would pass the 'puberty' phase. However, here I was, 19, graduating high school with worse acne. After years of treatment such as tropicals and numerous antibiotics, I decided to take on Accutane. Two months into Accutane, I am leaving my house with just BB Cream. No concealer, no powder, nothing. I wake up and look into the mirror and feel like crying from happiness. It's been two months, and I have another three to go. My journey has only begun, and I can't believe these results. The only con is the chapped/dry lips. If you ask me, it's all worth it."

• Jen...
• May 13, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane has been great for my skin as I struggled with mild acne from the age of 12 to 18 years old. When I hit college, my skin became extremely oily, and my small pimples became deep cysts. I saw a dermatologist and was put on Differin and also Duac. I went through several courses of antibiotics without ever getting fully clear skin. My dermatologist told me that Accutane was the next step. The only bad side effects I had besides the dry skin and dry lips were some pretty horrendous headaches at the beginning. My dermatologist made me take a week off taking it, and those 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 makeup on. Now I can leave my house with no makeup. 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!"

• Mea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 9, 2018

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I always told myself I was gonna post a before and after picture of my acne, but I never had enough balls, so here it is! I have had cystic acne for a couple of years now, and it put a huge damper on my self-confidence. After trying every single kind of cream, antibiotic, and diet (I even went vegan), I finally found a doctor who believed that I had been through enough and put me on Accutane. Although it’s a really powerful drug with some potentially hideous side effects, it has been a life changer. Don’t ever let someone with perfect skin tell you that 'acne doesn’t matter' or that 'your acne isn’t even that bad.' YOUR FACE IS THE FIRST THING THAT PEOPLE SEE!"

• Chi...
• May 13, 2014

Claravis (isotretinoin) "I'll admit, at first I was extremely skeptical. I had heard about all of the nasty side effects that occur with this medicine. Five months ago, I had cystic acne so bad that each side of my face on my cheeks looked like I had a big, inflamed rash on them. I was embarrassed to leave the house and I had to cake on the makeup, and even then you could tell I had a big problem. Within the first three months or so, I had been on it, and while it got better, I was sure it would never get really better because I kept breaking out. Well, I am officially on my fifth and last month, and I haven't had a new pimple in over a week, I am 100% clear. This stuff works. Don't let people scare you, the side effects are really not that bad. Life-changing stuff."

• Lis...
• August 8, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Amazing! I understand when people say they tried everything. I didn't have severe acne, but persistent and regular. Plus, it didn't help that I was a real squeezer and probably made the whole situation worse. And I already get anxious about social situations, so the skin problem added to that! I was able to go on a low dose, 20 mg, which I was scared wouldn't be enough, but this stuff is strong! Can't complain about the dry skin, as how else is it going to work? The whole idea is to make you less oily. Lips were very dry and gross at the start, and whole layers were peeling off, but that isn't so bad now. Have been through about 10 lip balms already! But that's it really. Sometimes feel a little tired, but that could also not be Accutane."

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

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane completely sucks. It made everything for me 50x 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 too."

• Sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 10, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I highly recommend this treatment. I had my second child at 33 years, and for the next two years, spent too much money fighting the worst breakouts I'd ever had in my life. I was at the point where I would not go out because I hated the acne marks. My doctor told me I was a good candidate for Accutane, and after consulting friends who had taken it in their teen years, I decided to take the treatment. No regrets! It is not an easy process. Treatment was for 6 months. My skin and lips peeled after the first month up to the 5th, and they were very sensitive to the sun. It felt raw. My joints were very tight when I woke up in the morning (like arthritis). But worth every discomfort. Treatment ended October 2011, and I have been breakout-free for the last 2 years."

• Tru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 29, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane is the best medication on the market, in my opinion. Not only am I a pharmacist, but I have taken this medication myself. It WORKS... Before taking Accutane, I had the most oily skin. You could literally fry a chicken on my forehead during a hot summer day. By approximately month four, my skin had never looked better. Everyone who is struggling with acne should highly consider this medication."

• Ash...
• March 10, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "It is incredible. It really makes a difference to your skin. Yes, it gets worse before it gets better, but once you get past the painful stage of breakouts, all you see week by week is improvement! I highly recommend it to those with severe acne. Before you know it, your skin will be perfect!"

• kai...
• May 13, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I was hesitant to try Accutane because of its dangerous side effects. However, as a 17-year-old, I had been suffering from severe acne since I was 11 years old. Accutane is not a medicine that I would recommend taking if you don't absolutely need to. Prior to starting it, I tried everything you could name-virtually anything they sold in chemists and countless topicals and oral medications, all with little to no effect. Looking back on it, I wish I would have started Accutane sooner. I cannot stress what amazing results I got after finishing my 7 months on the medicine. It did cause the expected dryness of lips, eyes, nose, etc. However, the results of the medicine completely outweigh its side effects."

• Flo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I'm on my second week of Accutane 40 mg. So far, no side effects or initial breakout. My lips are drier but easily fixable with Chapstick. I've been using jojoba oil as a moisturizer as well. I've had extremely minor pimples appear and then go away immediately and no scarring. So far, it's been great and hopefully continues to do so!"

• Luc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 22, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Taking Accutane for my acne is one of the best things I’ve done. It has literally changed my life, and I have become so much more confident. I am so much happier with how my skin is and my appearance now than I ever have been. People comment on how I look happier and healthier because my skin is just glowing! I am just in my last month or so, and I am looking forward to when it finishes. I struggled with severely dry lips and patches of skin on my face to begin with. My skin started to cope more, but my lips are still as dry as ever, this is something I will not miss. Occasionally, I may feel down, however, as long as you tell your doctor the truth, they can deal with this and possibly lower your dose, etc. (one of the positive side effects is my hair is nowhere near as greasy!) To anyone who is wondering whether Accutane is for them, I would say it is life-changing, and the side effects are manageable for such a positive outcome at the end!"

• Sha...
• October 20, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I am a 38-year-old female who has had acne since I was 10 years old. I have tried every over-the-counter medication possible for acne from 1986 to 2012. After years of constant painful acne, my doctor finally decided that my case was severe enough to qualify for this medicine called Accutane/Isotretinoin. There's a long list of side effects which may seem scary at first, my only side effect was minor dry skin, which was curable with a good moisturizer. I completed my treatment in January 2013, and this is now October 2014, and I am still acne-free-longest period in my life ever to not have acne. I was on this for approximately five months, but I first started seeing results in a month. I haven't worn makeup on my face since then."

• Kit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I have been on Accutane now for 3 months. I was started on 30 mg by my dermatologist-may I say they have been so, so helpful and supportive. Within 3-4 weeks, my acne was severe, it was so painful I couldn’t sleep on it or even touch it. With weekly visits to my dermatologist, she suggested comedo extraction, I had this done twice, still no improvement. I then was dropped to 20 mg a day, but that still did not assist the extreme acne which Accutane caused! I did not go on Accutane with acne this severe, if I knew this would happen, I would never have started it. I am now on my third month and only take 10 mg daily as advised by my dermatologist. Unfortunately, still no improvement, and I feel this is not normal. All the reviews I read state by month 3 I should be seeing improvements and should be on a higher dosage! Can anyone give me advice, e.g., was yours the same? Or did you go through the same experience? I really don’t want to give up on Accutane!"

• pai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2017

Zenatane (isotretinoin) "There are so many scary and terrible reviews on this drug. Before going on this drug, I read reviews and became stiff with anxiety. I actually took the brand name Zenatane, which is the same thing, just a little cheaper. LIFE SAVER. I had to come on here and write a glowing review for everyone who was in the position I was before starting. My flare-up began the summer of my senior year of high school and got so terrible when I moved away for college. It was so bad, and I was so embarrassed that I moved back home. Huge, hard cyst-type zits all over my face with redness. No amount of makeup could hide it. I finally made the choice to just do this treatment. It's the best choice I have ever made. I have actually been off of it for almost two years now and still don't get much... a few every now and then but small and hardly ever. The side effects-NOT THAT BAD. Yes, I had very dry eyes... but nothing some good drops couldn't fix. I also had a dry nose, but nothing some good spray couldn't fix. Towards the end of my treatment, I even started my outdoor college soccer practices. I was in the sun, I was running and out of breath, but everything was just fine! The worst part about this drug for me was taking the pills. I have a fear of swallowing pills, but I did it with some yogurt, and it's no big deal. Here's the thing... FOLLOW THE RULES. My sister took this before me. She ruined it for herself. She decided smoking while taking it is no big deal... wrong. It ruined her breathing to a point where she had to stop the drug... and her skin was much worse than mine. Five years later, she is on it again and doing great. So don't listen to all the scary reviews. You will be fine! You can manage the side effects. You can get more help from your derm. YOU GOT THIS."

• Ada...
• February 4, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I started Accutane when I was 14. My skin looked really bad. I had pimples on my face approaching the size of dimes. The acne went over my shoulders, down the front of my chest, and down to the bottom of my back. I tried all the creams and fancy products, and nothing worked. My doctor finally put me on a round of Accutane. The first dose I was on for a couple of months didn't do much, so the doctor doubled it. Within six months, my acne was almost all gone, and I stopped treatment. Within 18 months, I had zero acne and zero scarring - my skin was utterly flawless and still is. I am now basically cured of acne - less than half a dozen pimples in ten years. Miracle."

• Anonymous
• August 4, 2008

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I used Accutane and found that the secret is to complete the whole treatment. I used it for a month and acne disappeared but started coming back. Then I did the whole treatment for about four months and acne never came back. Side effects are not fun, especially dryness of the lips, but it is definitely worth it. No acne for more than ten years. Great, especially for people with very bad acne."

• kb1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I am so thankful that I eventually tried Accutane. Literally tried everything before this and am so glad I did! I had horrible acne, even some cystic acne that was so painful ever since I can remember. Started Accutane, and aside from the extremely dry skin, I even got a rash sometimes, the side effects are tolerable and it cleared my skin up 100%! I started it when I was 19 years old. I took 6 months of it, and my face was officially clear. It’s been almost two years now, and I haven’t had a zit. NOT ONE. My skin went back to normal and not dry. Highly recommended! It’s hard while on it, but the results are so worth it."

• smc...
• December 21, 2007

Claravis (isotretinoin) "I started taking Claravis two months ago. I have this acne on my chest, and everything I used just didn't work. I finally went to see a skin doctor, and he started me off with just 20 mg, which, reading about all the side effects, scared me a little, but so far, so good. Right now, I am on 40 mg twice a day, and the only problems I am really having are the chapped lips (Aquaphor will become the love of your life). I am already seeing good results from Claravis, and I still have 4 months to go."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 24, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) "This drug is dangerous. I am a healthy 22-year-old guy. Around 2.5 months into a six-month course of 60 mg/day Roaccutane, I developed severe depression, anxiety, and psychosis. I have no family history of mental illness and had never been depressed in my life before this. Everything caused me to panic, I couldn't leave the house or even talk to my parents. It felt like the drug had taken control of my mind. I shook uncontrollably and couldn't eat or sleep. For a week after stopping, I could barely function without breaking down. This drug will improve your skin, but trust me, it's not worth it, however desperate you feel. Think carefully."

• Anonymous
• October 12, 2008

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had acne for almost half of my life. I'm 26 years old and like everybody, I tried every product on the market. Nothing worked, but Accutane is like a miracle. My face got clear in the first week. I didn't get worse in the first weeks. This is my last month; I did a 6-month treatment of 80 mg daily. Talk to your doctor about this drug; it's 100% effective."

• HHa...
• January 30, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I have struggled with acne my entire life, tried countless drugs and products to clear my skin, and had no luck. When I was on Accutane, I had clear skin aside from a few cystic pimples throughout the two-year period. In addition to this amazing feeling, my skin was constantly dry, my lips were constantly chapped, and I had to drink many cups of water a day to even feel semi-hydrated. When I stopped taking the drug, I suffered from hardcore anxiety and had a few full-blown anxiety attacks, something I have never been affected by before I started taking this medication. After about a month or two, this anxiety calmed, but I still suffer from it. Now, almost four years after I finished taking the medication, my acne is back and the same as before, my lips are still constantly chapped, I still wake up in the middle of the night to very dry skin, and my hair is way thinner than it used to be. This harmful drug is NOT WORTH IT."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) "This is now my fourth month on Accutane. I had moderate acne on my T-zone (chin, upper lip, nose, and forehead). But I had terrible acne on my back, chest, shoulders, and upper arms. It was so embarrassing, I was so worried about what shirts I could wear that I could wear my hair up. Shirts that were too short on my arms or v-necks. I hated it, and it's so bad for your self-esteem. I tried everything: topical creams, face washes, and antibiotics. NOTHING WORKED. I visited my dermatologist, and he prescribed me Accutane. At first, I was very skeptical with all the pregnancy tests, blood tests, and the whole I-Pledge system. After three weeks, my face was so clear, my back, chest, and shoulders were so clear except for some scarring."

• Joh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2024

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane literally saved my life 21 years ago. In 2003, I was a depressed 'pizza face' teen boy literally contemplating suicide because of how disfigured and ugly I felt that my severe acne made me look. In the prime of my high school years, and I was missing out on everything my friends were enjoying because of my severe acne, which caused anxiety and depression too. I leaned toward not taking Accutane for the longest time because of the side effects, but eventually I decided any side effects were worth trying it because otherwise I felt like my life was over. Well, it was over. Because I was REBORN as a new person after this miracle drug completely cured my acne, giving me glowing skin and a better complexion than some of my friends who never had acne. My worst side effects during the treatment were dry lips, and it's possible my night vision was affected, but not significantly. 21 years later, the acne has still never come back. Best decision I ever made in my life on August 21, 2003."