Accutane
    The following is a summary of my experience with Accutane.  During my course of treatment, I took comfort in the numerous success stories of others.  This website shall provide an opportunity for me to make a similar contribution.  Whether you are attempting to decide if Accutane is right for you, or have already started treatment, I hope that you find the information contained herein useful.
What is Accutane?
    Stating the obvious, Accutane is a drug used to treat severe acne.  In most cases, it is only used after other treatments (i.e. antibiotics) have failed to produce satisfactory results.  Instead of repeating the wealth of information already out there, I'm going to suggest a few online resources:
Roche Pharmaceuticals:

Complete Product Information


Accutane Medication Guide

Web MD:

Should I take Accutane for severe acne?
    Some of this information can be intimidating.  Your decision regarding the use of Accutane is an important one, because Accutane is a powerful drug.  It is also an extremely effective drug.  This information is not supposed to frighten you, but rather allow you to make an educated decision.  That said, there are a few things to keep in mind so that you can maintain perspective.  Remember that Accutane was approved by the FDA, and has been on the market for over twenty years.  Since its introduction in 1982, over 12 million people have used it worldwide. Severe side effects are rare.
What you should know before starting treatment:
    Since Accutane is only available by prescription, the first step is seeing a doctor. The drug is prescribed by both general practitioners and dermatologists, so the choice is yours.  I would think dermatologists write prescriptions for Accutane more readily than family physicians, simply because they are more specialized in the treatment of acne.  Generally, Accutane is only prescribed after other treatments have failed.  My dermatologist, however, prescribe Accutane right away.  Because acne was affecting my face, chest, and shoulders, it was pretty much the only option.  Before you can begin a course of Accutane, a blood test is needed to ensure that you are in good health.  Blood tests are then repeated once a month or once every other month during treatment.  This protocol helps to significantly reduce the risk of permanent liver damage.
     Once you begin taking Accutane, there are several common side effects.  For most people, these will be limited to dry skin and chapped lips.  Some people experience dry eyes, which can make wearing contact lenses difficult.  I never had this problem, and I'm not sure how common it really is.  Drying of the mucous membranes can also occur, making nose bleeds somewhat frequent.  I found this side effect most annoying.  It is also not uncommon for people to experience joint aches while taking Accutane, and some suffer from lower back pain.  There are some severe, but quite infrequent, side effects as well.  It is a good idea to look over the medication guide, just so you're aware of these possibilities.  At the same time, remember that these more serious side effects are very rare.
My progress during treatment:
Month 1:
     I am a 19 year old male weighing 150 lbs., and was started on 40 mg of isotretinoin per day.  Upon starting treatment I was worried about potential side effects, but this feeling quickly faded after the first week or so.  After approximately one week, my face began to dry out.  At the time I was using Panoxyl face wash with 10% benzoyl peroxide followed by Neutrogena Sensitive Skin lotion.  It was surprising how quickly my nose dried out.  Saline spray really helps keep everything moisturized.  After three weeks I started to see some improvement.  The amount of inflammation on my face seemed to be going down and my shoulders were beginning to smooth out.  I'd just like to point out that I experienced no initial worsening of acne.  Some say Accutane can cause breakouts early in treatment.  From what I've read, however, this seems to be a fairly rare occurrence.  As such, the possibility should not deter you from taking the medication.

Month 2:
     My dermatologist kept me on 40 mg per day, as it was still too early to tell whether or not this dosage would be sufficient.  By the second month my lips had started to dry out, but with a little chap stick it was bearable.  My skin continued to improve.  My shoulders were progressing very nicely, and both my face and chest had begun to smooth out.  At this time I was working outside and was being exposed to quite a lot of sun.  It's really important to wear sun block, because hyper-sensitivity to sunlight is noticeable.