[Acne] Any sufferers here?

LegacyUser

hello,

I've had pretty bad acne for the past...6 or so years (I'm 19 now), and have been on Roaccutane for the past 2 or so. Just last week I took my last Roaccutane tablet, as directed by my derm. I'm now waiting to see how my skin reacts... Since I stopped I've had around 4 tiny spots that have been moderately painful. No big ones as yet, but I'm scared sh*tless that it'll come back My main problem area is my back and torso in general. My face has never been a problem since I went on the drug.

One thing I'm looking forward to losing is the constant side-effects! I've had just about every one on the leaflet, and it's affected my life immensely in a negative way, from not having the energy to go out clubbing (due to the fatigue), to getting really frustrated/angry (due to the mood changes it induces).

I can't remember what it's like to have moist lips, too

Has anybody else been on a course of Roaccutane? Any other acne sufferers in the forum?

MeditationMom

Hi acne_bloke,

I live in the US, and have raised five children. It took until the fourth child to hear about this line of products that do work. My friends and sister-in laws all spent much money at dermatologists to help our kids. My sister-in-law ordered a product form an infomertial one night - that's how desperate she became -

It is called Proactive, invented by two women dermatologists from Stanford University (very highly regarded University here in California. UCLA and Stanford are the places presidents get their helathcare at.)

Check it out at
http://www.proactive.com/

My son will still break out if he eats pizza, and one of my daughters when she eats chocolate. But I don't think they use Proactive religiously as they should. It consists of three products. A cleanser, a toner and a smaller bottle of a medicine. Sometimes they skip the routine.

I use it just to keep my skin clean, without the medicine lotion.

Good luck. It's good you are getting off thosee strong drugs you have to take internally.

shane0312

I developed acne first around the age of 14, not too bad at first, but it got progressively worse. I started off just using a cleanser, then moved onto various courses of antibiotics for six months at a time. Nothing really worked, the antiobiotics slowed down the acne appearance but eventually lost all effect.

When I was 17, I went on a 6 month Roaccutane course, and my spots got a LOT worse, especially when they gradually upped the dose.Aswell as that I had a lot of the side effects you mentioned:, fatique, depression and extremely dry lips. However towards the end of the 6 months I noticed I was hardly getting any new spots at all. Its now a year later and my spots have almost completely cleared up. I get the odd one or 2 now and again, but they're generally only small and clear up in a few days.

I think you just have to hang in there because its only now as you're finishing your treatment that you'll see the benefit.

LegacyUser

oooh Id be wary of ProActiv Ive heard some nasty horror stories about it. Plus its not all that different to any other SA product. Good for mild acne maybe but when its consult a derm ProActiv just aint gonna cut it.


sounds like you had it rough on the 'tane acne_bloke. a friend of mine had siimiliar and she was delighted to get off it! her skin is doing great now though so as shane said, you'll only start to see the results now.

Remember to not stress over every little spot that may appear though, get some perspective on the situationa and remember that its been a lot worse.

the messages boards at www.acne.org have a forum dedicated solely to roaccutane, maybe take a wander over there to compare war stories, theyre a good bunch there

dulpit

I used Roaccutane couple of years ago, it 100% definitely helped me... I do occasionally get the odd spot now and then but generally i've been good since i've used them...

Unlucky about the side-effects, only thing ever happened to me was ridiculously dry lips for the entire 6 months, painful as hell but it was worth it in the end...

Good luck!