What is Accutane? Is it dangerous?
Accutane or Isotretinoin is an oral Vitamin A derivative used to treat severe cases of acne. If you do a quick Youtube search you can find tons of Accutane videos both positive, negative, and horror stories. I was on Accutane for six months (aka one cycle). At the time I was around twenty and suffering from extremely oily skin in all areas of my face with painful cystic acne, primarily in my cheeks and jaw line.
There are many controversial stories and varies opinions on Accutane-many of them poor- and for once I’d like to shed some light on my experience with Accutane and why it was an overall positive one. As well as some reasons why I had a good experience and others-including yourself- may not.
I have many more topics to cover surrounding my experiences with other acne treatments both before & after Accutane, as well as product recommendations that worked for me on Accutane that will come in later posts. For now, here are some of key concepts you should know about the Accutane experience, as well as how to combat some undesirable side effects.
Disclaimer: Accutane is a serious drug; I am not a Doctor nor am I indorsing it in any way. Accutane is not for everyone. This post will not include medical facts. Accutane is known to cause serious birth defects and is not to be taken if one is or plans to become pregnant. Please speak with your Dr./Dermatologist to ensure that the benefits of this drug outweigh the side effects for you as an individual. This post is based off personal experience and is for informational purposes only.
- Having all around oily skin to begin with (Is good)
A well-known side effect of Accutane is its ability to dry your skin out to the extreme. However, let it be known that although my skin became drier, the “painful” Sahara Desert experience many boast, was not the case for me. So, if you’re a very all over oily kinda gal, you may be in luck.
On another note regarding dryness, around month four I had rather dry lips that could crack and occasional nose bleeds from the insides of my nostrils getting dried out. I combatted this with some good ol’ Aquaphor (or Vaseline) on my lips, and yes, also up my nostrils. The only time my face itself appeared dry was if I wore too much foundation/makeup. Basically, flaky skin would show up much better with makeup sitting on top of it. But with proper moisturizing, it was neither tight nor painful.
Bottom line: oil slick girls, it’s your time to shine. Pun definitely intended.
2. The Accutane “glow”
We’ve all heard of the “pregnancy glow” but I found that the Accutane glow is less widely known about. The Accutane “glow” as my dermatologist referred to it, is essentially a flushed look to the skin which for me wasn’t particularly relevant until I committed the sin of picking at my spots, then it was really relevant. If I picked a spot, the marks from my fingernails and the surrounding area were bright lobster red for hours.
Bottom line: Don’t pick at your face, especially on Accutane.
3. Eye infections
Evidently, Accutane can increase your chances of getting an eye infection. Who knew? In my case specifically, a Stye. A Stye is a very red swollen spot typically on the lower eyelid/lash line area. I had two during Accutane both of which were quite sore, red, and itchy, although they only lasted a few days. I applied a warm compress and bacitracin to the area (be careful not to get it in your actual eye) and it seemed to really soothe and speed up the healing process. I want to say each case lasted no longer than a week. And of course, do your best not to rub our scratch at your eyes, and wash your hands often.
4. Be wary of overusing topical products
As previously discussed, the primary symptom of Accutane is skin dryness. Many topical skincare products can often have skin drying side effects as well. If you’re an oily skinned gal, you can get away with more sometimes, but it’s still safer to be on the side of caution. Your skin is also more sensitive and slower to heal whilst on Accutane. Products with Retinols, Retin-A’s, Benzoyl Peroxide, AHAs, BHAs, or Tea Tree oil, should go on the back burner for a little while during your treatment.
Keep an eye out for an upcoming post on the products I loved and used while on Accutane.
5. Monthly blood draws & no drinking
As previously stated, accutane is a serious drug, and although a skin saver for many, much like the majority if not all drugs, it has side effects. Besides dryness, accutane can also effect your liver. My dermatologist had me go in for monthly blood draws to monitor my labs closely. Due to the fact that both accutane and alcohol consumption can effect your liver, no drinking was allowed.
6. Cautious use in women
Any responsible dermatologist, much like mine, will discuss the topic of birth defects. Accutane has been known to cause serious birth defects should a woman become pregnant while on the drug. If you’re currently pregnant or trying to conceive, this is not the drug for you, at least for now. Once again, I am not a Doctor, but I can assure you that if you’re a woman, your Doctor will touch base on this subject and will likely discuss contraception while on the drug.
Finally, my best advice while on Accutane is to be patient and trust the process. It is understandable to be anxious about the changes your skin will go through, but it’s certainly a process and may be worth it for many people suffering with severe and persistent Cystic acne on the face and/or body.
Disclaimer: I am not a physician. All articles are for informational purposes and based off personal experiences regarding the topic. Articles are not intended to treat or diagnose any conditions nor should they be taken as medical recommendations. Please consult your Doctor/Dermatologist for diagnosis or treatment. Individuals will experience treatments, procedures, and medications differently and your Doctor will determine if a treatment is right for you. Posts may contain affiliate links, for which I may receive a small compensation at no additional cost to the reader when a product is purchased. All opinions on products, treatments, and procedures are my own and based off personal experience. Photos used on the website and all social media accounts for femininefacets.com are either free for use stock images or taken by me unless otherwise stated. All content is written by me unless otherwise stated.