Hope you're having a lovely day.
This post is going to be about acne and my experience taking the drug Isotretinoin/Accutane. I didn't think I'd ever show anybody these photos, but I'm sucking it up and putting it out there because it might be helpful to other people in a similar situation. I found the information and other peoples stories on the internet invaluable, so I'll add to it and hopefully give some people some tips. If not, well, lucky you lot, you've seen my glorious spotty face!
Up until I was about 16 I had a pretty much clear complexion. I kind of thought I'd get away with not suffering from acne, but alas, the zits found me and I got it pretty bad. I tried every drugstore skincare product you can think of (Witch, Clearasil, Clean and Clear, Nutrogena...the list goes on) so then moved onto over the counter products, which I still had no luck with. I visited my GP and tried all sorts of topical treatments which still didn't work. I also went on the pill to try and control it (amongst other reasons) - another method that didn't work for me. Some of the topical drugs I tried were so strong they made my already sensitive skin so sore - I remember crying one night because I was in so much pain!
My bad skin affected my confidence quite a lot, I remember going through a phase where I'd always wear scarves and cover my chin with them, which in turn made my skin worse. I caked on the make-up and tried to hide it as best I could for 3 years. In the end, I decided to take matters into my own hands and got a private referral to a dermatologist at a Nuffield hospital. He told me that my acne was moderate and chronic and that it wouldn't respond to topical treatments, hence my skin not improving. So he prescribed me Isotretinoin and promised me clear skin.
I don't know much about the technicalities of this drug (although you can find these online or if you visit a derm) but in basic terms, it stops oil production in order to dry up the acne. This does mean that your scalp gets dry (I could get away with washing my hair once a week, which was great!) but so do your lips and hands. There are other side effects of the drug that are more serious such as birth defects in pregnant women (you are strictly forbidden to get pregnant whilst on accutane), depression and liver damage (you have to limit your alcohol intake whilst on this drug and some hospitals take blood tests monthly). I must make it clear that these side effects are uncommon and I did NOT experience any of these other than dryness. It's not a nice drug, it's seriously strong but IT WORKS!
Here are a few photos of my face before and during the treatment:
I took the tablets for 6 months (April to October) and my skin continued to improve until about December. I was a 60mg prescription which is quite low, but as I said, my condition was moderate, not severe.
This is my make-up free face now (minus eye make-up):
See? Completely transformed!
Whilst you take the drug you should eat healthily, get regular exercise and plenty of fresh air, along with drinking lots of water.
You should adopt a gentle but regular skin care routine during and after taking the medication. I used Cetaphil cleanser and moisturiser during and I use Simple cleanser and moisturiser now. I avoided exfoliators whilst I was on the drug in order to eliminate any extra soreness and I never use toner as I think they can be quite harsh on the skin.
I highly recommend using Aquaphor on your lips and any really dry patches of skin. It's truly amazing stuff - thicker than vaseline but a similar consistency - I still use it now, nearly every day.
Please feel free to leave any questions in the comments as I'm happy to try and answer them.
I'm really pleased I took this route for my skin. Although it was pretty unpleasant, my skin is completely clear now which is brilliant.
Thanks for reading!
SOTD: Shake it out - Florence and the Machine
COTD: Claire Richards
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