To wonder what happens if you take roaccutane but can't use hormonal/non-barrier forms of contraception?

[IAmABluebell]

And by "can't" take contraception I'm talking about on medical/health grounds and not "I'm just being awkward" grounds (I'll get back to this point later).

I realise this might be an odd thing to wonder about, but I'm bored so I thought why not ask.

I took roaccutane a few years ago and luckily for me I have no health issues which means I can't use hormonal contraception so it was no problem for me.

On the other hand my best friend (who has actually always had amazing skin) has some health issues which means she can't take hormonal contraception, so no pills, injection, implant, etc. She also has a gynecological condition which means she is unable to have any coils. She has to rely completley on barrier methods such as condoms.

However from what I understand with roaccutane you're not allowed to just use barrier methods.

Obviously I realise that having health issues which means that you can't use either hormonal contraception or coils must be rare but it did make me wonder how that kind of thing would be handled if it did come up.

I know there's that "tough luck, you can't take contraception, you don't get the medicine" outlook that some people seem to have but that seems harsh and unfair to me. Acne can make people feel terrible, lead to depression and low self esteem, etc...it's not really fair that they would have to continue living like that because it's not their fault they can't take it.

I've tried googling it but can't seem to find any information on this. Although I did come across this from the British Department of Dermatologists which states that women can be opted out of the contraception requirements, but I imagine that's quite rare. I've never heard of it before.

Can anyone in the know please shine some light on this? Or join me in my pondering?

Don't have sex. That's a really good contraceptive.

IMHO it is too dangerous to rely on barrier methods only if you are taking roaccutane.

As you say, it is comparatively rare (when compared to the general population) for there to be health issues which contraindicate the use of hormonal contraception/coil etc, but it does happen frequently in a population that may have other connected conditions. (For example, there is a link between pcos and diabetes - it may not be possible for someone with pcos to be treated with hormonal contraception as it can lead to weight gain which can make diabetic control more challenging. But as pcos can lead to severe acne, it may not be possible therefore for that person to have roaccutane treatment without hormonal contraception).

Basically the risks have to be weighed up in each individual case. If the risks are too high then there are other treatments that are available other than roaccutane (which all have varying degrees of effectiveness) which could be more appropriate.

As a separate question - apologies for slight hijack - was your experience that it worked? I've taken it twice , and now, in my late 30s, my skin is still much oilier than I'd like.