Problem Skin? My Roaccutane Story

As a teenager I always had problems with my skin. I always suffered with cystic acne and pimples on my face. It got to the point where I would regularly attack my face with a needle and try to get rid of them...

By the time I reached 17 I decided I wanted to do something about it. GP’s in the UK will always try and put girls with acne on a contraceptive pill called Dianette, however I didn’t really want to go on this because I didn’t have a boyfriend and because I was still quite young. So I was given multiple topical zinc treatments. They made my skin sting and did NOTHING to help my acne. Next up was antibiotics, a long course of tetraycycline and then another long course of doxycycline. Nothing. Frustrated and tearful I went with my mum to the GPs and was prescribed Dianette.

And 6 months later nothing had changed.

I’d heard about a strong drug called Roaccutane/Accutane (Isotretinoin), but was worried about the side effects which came with it plus I wasn’t sure my spots were severe enough to go on it. And so for 2 more years, I carried on as normal.

Now I have always been self-conscience about my skin. Which I why I have always worn makeup since about the age of 14. It frustrated me when people told me I that should stop wearing so much makeup because it was making it worse. How could they expect me not to wear makeup when I had a spotty face?! I didn’t want people looking at my skin and grimacing. So I gathered up the courage to go and see a dermatologist and he prescribed me Roaccutane. 6 months later I had finished the course.

Over the 6 months the main side affect I noticed was extremely dry skin and lips. I used to get split lips all the time and so I used Lucas Paw Paw to sooth them. It remains to be the best lip balm I have ever used. The best ways of dealing with the dry skin and lips is to constantly moisturise your skin and drink plenty of water, which will do wonders for your skin anyway.

Well 2 years later, my skin is still all I ever wanted it to be. It is slightly more sensitive (when I use very cheap skincare products) and I have to be even more careful in the sun. But I have no spots and as a result, I wear less makeup (I still wear some). Also my skin is amazingly soft. Which is a nice bonus! Very infrequently I will get a small spot, but that is probably due to my lazy cleansing ritual...which has now changed (but I’ll save that for my next post).

Many people are put off by the long list of side effects associated with this drug and at first I was concerned about it from things I had read. Certainly at the moment, cases of suicide are being reported amongst young people taking Roaccutane, mostly young men. Although this is extremely devastating, it is in no way common. However the press seem intent on glamorising this drug in a negative light. 

So please, if you are an acne sufferer, do your research. This drug was the best thing I ever took and I know many people who feel the same. 

Personally for me the most common side effect is the dry/split lips and skin as I mentioned above. But for flawless skin, I certainly was willing to live with this. If you’re suffering with acne and it’s affecting your self-esteem, go and talk to your GP about Roaccutane… more people than you think have been on it.

Let me know if any of you have been on it and your experiences!