Products I Love: Accutane

Hi Ladies,

So today's post is a bit different than most of the products I post about, however I figured it would be nice to share my experiences with you all so you can decide if Accutane is right for you. For those of you who don't know, Accutane is a prescription drug for those with severe acne, often used as a last resort once you have tried other methods.

As a teenager I had severe acne, which wasn't only limited to my face but also my back. I was so self-conscious that I didn't feel I could wear a bathing suit on the beach or even wear my hair-up because the acne was visible on the back of my neck.

My doctor prescribed me everything from topical ointments to prescription drugs and nothing seemed to work for me. I even spent hundreds of dollars buying products that claimed to "get rid of acne." I have very stubborn pimples, so literally nothing worked. When I turned 18, I told the doctor that I was fed up with all of these methods and I just wanted the acne gone. He then told me about the great results that come with Accutane, but also warned me about the risks. At that point, I just wanted it all gone, so I agreed to go ahead with the treatment.

Since Accutane comes with many risks, mainly the risk of birth defects to an unborn child, the process to get this drug is complicated. First I had to get blood tests to make sure I was healthy as well as a pregnancy test to prove I wasn't pregnant. Once those two things cleared, I had to log online to a website, "iPledge" where I read material and took a quiz showing that I was aware of the effects and the correct method of taking the drug. If I passed, the pharmacy was then given the go-ahead to dispense the drug. This cycle was continue every month for the next 6 months.

I wasn't able to see the change instantly; it took a few months for me to start noticing the decrease in size and severity of my acne. However I did notice that my extremely oily skin was starting to get dry, and the corners of my lips were usually cracked from the dryness.

One particular incident, I was shopping at Sephora when a salesperson stopped me and asked if I was on Accutane. I said "Yes," and she told me that she knew because she was on Accutane before and her lips were always cracked. She told me that it was a "Miracle drug," and that it completely took all her acne away.

Fast forward to a year later, and I could not believe the results. My face was completely clear, and even better, my back was completely clear! I wish I would have taken "before and after" pictures to show you all what a miraculous change it was. I finally braved wearing no makeup out the house, with a tank top, and I felt more confident than ever before.

It's been a few years now, and I still get pimples every now and then, but nowhere close to what I had before. One of the great things that I noticed was that after using Accutane, my skin became very receptive to pimple creams. Before, no amount of creams or gels would work on my pimples. However, now I use a tube of Benzoyl Peroxide 10% from Walgreen's and dab it on the pimple at night, and in the morning the inflammation is greatly reduced.

If you are one of those who has literally tried all kinds of acne products and are waiting for that God-send, I would definitely talk to my dermatologist about Accutane and see if it would be a good fit.