I am a 23 year old female who has been struggling with acne for the past seven years. I never had it very bad at all as a teenager, in fact, it didn't get bad enough to even see a dermatologist until I was seventeen, and then ever since then, it has gotten worse and worse. I have been on and off prescription acne medications ever since I was seventeen, and although the medications would clear my acne up while I was on them, whenever I had to go off of them, my acne would come back worse than before. I am a mother of two kids, a 2 1/2 year old, and a 7 month old, and whenever I wanted to have a baby I had to go off my acne meds, and then my acne would come right back.
My dermatologist recommended that Accutane might be a good option for me, since I have been struggling with acne for so long, and he told me that 80% of Accutane users' acne never returned after the treatment, so since I am not done having kids yet, if I can just hold off long enough to do the Accutane treatment and make sure the drug is out of my system (Accutane causes SEVERE birth defects), then next time I have a baby, I won't have to worry about struggling with severe acne throughout my pregnancy. I never realized there was a medication out there that could potentially get rid of acne permanently, and although I am nervous about all the potential side effects, I have decided to try it.
I already met with my dermatologist, but I haven't started taking it yet, because I am planning on going on vacation in about a week, and after I did some more research, and started to realize that the side effects of Accutane can be pretty severe, and I don't want them interfering with or ruining my vacation.
From what I have read, it seems like Accutane tends to make your acne A LOT worse before it gets better, and it severely dries up your whole body (skin, hair, eyes, nails, etc.). It can also sometimes cause mental problems, such as depression, suicidal thoughts or attempts, and psychosis. It is a very strong drug, and there are definitely risks to be considered. Since I don't know for sure how this medication will affect me personally, and it doesn't sound like an easy treatment, even though I still think it will be worth it when it is done and over with, I want to wait until after my vacation to start treatment.
Some important facts to consider:
1. Accutane causes SEVERE birth defects if a woman has the drug in her body at any time during a pregnancy. It is such a teratogenic (birth defect causing) drug that if a woman was to even receive donated blood from someone who had even the smallest amount of Accutane in their body, her baby will be VERY likely to have severe birth defects if the baby even survives the pregnancy at all. Accutane can also cause premature birth. For that reason, women should not become pregnant while on the drug or for at least 1 month after stopping the drug, since it takes at least a month before the drug is gone from your body. Women who can get pregnant must use at least 2 forms of birth control at all times, using them EXACTLY as instructed.
Also, patients taking Accutane should NOT donate blood during Accutane treatment or for at least one month after their last dose.
2. Accutane may cause serious mental health problems, such as depression, suicide, or psychosis in some patients. Any one taking Accutane should be aware of the symptoms of depression and other mental health problems, so they can tell their doctor if any of the symptoms arrise.
3. Accutane can be hard on your liver and pancreas, and other organs, so you should only take it while under close medical supervision. Your doctor should do blood tests to monitor things like lipids, triglycerides, and cholesterol, since Accutane can affect these. You should not drink alcohol during treatment, since alcohol is already hard on your liver and pancreas, as well as other organs.
4. Accutane makes your skin much more sensitive to light and sun damage, and you can get severely sunburned, so you should wear sunscreen every day, of at least SPF 15 or higher. The drug also makes you heal slower, and makes your skin more easily damaged. You should NOT wax or do any kind of dermabrasion or things like that while on Accutane, because they could cause severe scarring.
You should consider these risks and talk to your doctor before going on Accutane, to determine if the benefits will outweigh the risks. Not having to deal with acne would be SO nice, and it would help me feel less self conscious about going out in public, but it is definitely something to be taken seriously.
