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Original poster

POSITIVE roacutane stories please

62 replies

mrssunshinexxx · 11/11/2023 06:57

Seeing a dermatologist in a few weeks have suffered back acne for Aslong as I can remember tried all the creams and tablets. It either doesn't work or works for a few weeks then comes back in certain it's hormonal as only time it's clear is when pregnant.
Going to discuss roacutane with the doctor but would love some success stories as everywhere I look I read negative about it which is scaring me equally don't want to have my head in the sand but it must work for some people.
I know it's a 5 month course
Can dry your eyes / nose/ skin out badly

My questions are can it really work as in could I never experience acne again?
Could I go on holiday whilst taking it or is the sun going to be avoided ? ( hot abroad temps)

OP posts:
PragmaticWench · 11/11/2023 07:02

My dermatologist told me that for hormonal acne they use spironolactone rather than roaccutane. I've had roaccutane as mine isn't hormonal.

PointeShoesandTutus · 11/11/2023 07:06

I had it when I was 15. It dried my skin out and made it look red/peeling/sunburnt whilst I was on the treatment. I can't remember if I went abroad during treatment but my skin was ridiculously sensitive so if you did go abroad you'd need to cover up and be super careful. I had to wear SPF 50 in UK springtime it was so sensitive.

BUT 100% success. I think I've had 2 spots since, and it's been almost 25 years. My skin is perfect as a result (well until the wrinkles started!!) Zero regrets here.

scrunchmum · 11/11/2023 07:08

If you're on Instagram have a look at @_jessyoga
It's a skin positive account but she used it and had great results.

Original poster
mrssunshinexxx · 11/11/2023 07:46

@PragmaticWench isit similar strength / length do you know? I've never heard of it, it's just my thoughts that it's hormonal, I could be wrong but presuming they'll be able to figure that out.

@scrunchmum I'm not on insta but will see if she's on fb thanks

@PointeShoesandTutus this is good news. I hope it's as successful for me! How quick did the acne actually disappear once starting it?

OP posts:
FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 11/11/2023 08:02

Mine was a 4 month course. When dh was dying I had to wear a mask at work and in the hosp to visit him and I got a fungal infection on my face which I used Daktarin on. After that I did start to get spots and blocked comedones everywhere which was new, so I used Acnecide which after a flare up initially did the trick.

So there you go.

God knows what else could cause acne but hormones, kids don’t get it and I doubt they give spironolcatone to men.

They still don’t know why some of us react to p.acne bacteria with acne but others don’t or why antibiotics don’t kill the bacteria like other infections in under a week.

Eva90 · 11/11/2023 08:11

I went on it when I was 19. I had facial acne which was beginning to scar. After years of antibiotics and creams my doctor finally put me on roaccutane. I think I was on it for around 6 months or and whilst my skin, lips etc did dry out on my face, hands I didn't experience any really terrible side effects.

I was on it during the winter months so if you go somewhere sunny I would just make sure that you wear SPF 100 and a hat as your skin will be more sensitive.

My skin also got a little worse before it got better for a few months but I'm now 28 and my skin has truly been amazing ever since! I couldn't recommend it more. I also had 3 cousins all go on it before me and it saved their skin too.

I know the horror stories seem scary but I the majority of people will only have mild side effects, nothing that you can cope with for a few months. Just ensure you have a great moisturiser and lip balm with you all the time :)

Before I went on it I also read stories about it really effecting people's mental health, but personally my MH was already really low from having bad skin so if anything it only improved my mood as I know that I was finally taking something that was going to help.

Let me know if you have any other questions. X

snackprovidersupreme · 11/11/2023 08:11

It was amazing for me. I spent my teens and early twenties taking various antibiotics, dianette , various forms of the pill all to avoid roaccutane. The stuff online just terrified me. I finally took roaccutane when I had hives at work from antibiotics and it felt like a new low. Anyway, it took 5 months and my lips were so dry, I didn't go in the sun at all (no you can't go on a sunny holiday) and my skin felt a bit weird. But since then I occasionally get a small spot and am surprised. It no longer is the first thing I look for in the mirror and the painful cysts are a thing of the past. It has been life changing for me and I wish someone had been more reassuring when I was in the same boat.

You need watertight contraception because it causes serious birth defects. And you need to have support around you so that you are ok with the restrictions. But it is a short period of time and when it works, it is brilliant.
Good luck!! Acne is just horrid and painful.

Eva90 · 11/11/2023 08:14

Eva90 · 11/11/2023 08:11

I went on it when I was 19. I had facial acne which was beginning to scar. After years of antibiotics and creams my doctor finally put me on roaccutane. I think I was on it for around 6 months or and whilst my skin, lips etc did dry out on my face, hands I didn't experience any really terrible side effects.

I was on it during the winter months so if you go somewhere sunny I would just make sure that you wear SPF 100 and a hat as your skin will be more sensitive.

My skin also got a little worse before it got better for a few months but I'm now 28 and my skin has truly been amazing ever since! I couldn't recommend it more. I also had 3 cousins all go on it before me and it saved their skin too.

I know the horror stories seem scary but I the majority of people will only have mild side effects, nothing that you can cope with for a few months. Just ensure you have a great moisturiser and lip balm with you all the time :)

Before I went on it I also read stories about it really effecting people's mental health, but personally my MH was already really low from having bad skin so if anything it only improved my mood as I know that I was finally taking something that was going to help.

Let me know if you have any other questions. X

Sorry I meant to say, even if you wear SPF 100 and a hat I would still just stay covered / completely in the shade or you will burn.

Best of luck xx

HoppingPavlova · 11/11/2023 08:26

I had a few kids who required it. They were fine, they were on it for 6 months specifically over winter months as we are in a hot and really sunny country. They just wore 50+spf including on lips, and one even played sport in full sun over that period (winter but still warm on sunny days, and you would normally need sunscreen at times). They used moisturiser and lip balm constantly, didn’t need eye drops which surprised me. They had no side effects at all except for the dry skin, but even then it wasn’t red or inflamed, just extra dry skin.

Goatymum · 11/11/2023 11:27

My dh took it in his 20s and it worked pretty well. He also had it mainly on his back. Only side effect was dry skin.
DS needs it but he has more pressing health issues inc mental health so has to be shelved for now.

lizzy8230 · 11/11/2023 13:16

My nephew took and it was transformative. He'd been really depressed about his bad skin for several years. Roaccutane completely cleared his skin permanently

lizzy8230 · 11/11/2023 13:18

He did get the dryness, particularly lips, and was very careful about keeping out of direct sun and using sunscreen when outside at all. He honestly says roaccutane was the best thing he ever did

RedDoughnut · 11/11/2023 13:24

I'm in my 50s, I took it on my 20s.

It's marvellous and I have no long lasting issues,

Original poster
mrssunshinexxx · 11/11/2023 13:47

Thanks so much everyone

OP posts:
Flamingo68 · 11/11/2023 13:59

Bit of a mixed bag here…it has always cleared my acne (face) BUT I took five courses of it between age 22 and 30ish. After the first two, it started to come back quite quickly. Third course was longer (8 months instead of 4 or 5) and that helped massively for many years. I now take a very low dose (20 or 30mg) a week and have done for about 7 years. I now only get the odd spot and my sebum production is much more normal. Any time I come off it, oily skin returns. Very thankful to have found a private dermatologist who will prescribe outside of the standard guidelines.

I’ve never had any terrible side effects - the dry lips can be a bit brutal on a standard dose though.

Think I am a bit of a medical anomoly to have needed so many courses 🤣

Flamingo68 · 11/11/2023 13:59

Oh I was also always fine in the sun with SPF50 😊

Matildahoney · 11/11/2023 14:24

It was amazing for me, I had very slightly dry lips and I did get quite badly sunburnt in the shade not long after I'd come off it, but it was still in my system & I'd completely forgotten about not going out in the sun. You'll need to cover up if you do.
I get the odd tiny spot now, but nothing in comparison. I think I was about 28 when I went on it, I'm now 41. But everyone is different, and as with absolutely anything you will always hear the bad about things as people don't need advice when things are going well.

Original poster
mrssunshinexxx · 12/11/2023 07:21

@Flamingo68 Were the first courses a lower dose? Going privately is a possibility but I have a nhs app next month not sure how much I'm expecting to battle with them aboit going on roacutane. Forgot to ask does anyone know about contraception / if you have to be on it / do they make you have copper coil or can you agree to go on the pill?

OP posts:
Burnamer · 12/11/2023 07:25

I took a few low dose for about 4 years. It was fantastic but skin was sun sensitive

Gowebbsgo · 12/11/2023 07:36

mrssunshinexxx · 11/11/2023 06:57

Seeing a dermatologist in a few weeks have suffered back acne for Aslong as I can remember tried all the creams and tablets. It either doesn't work or works for a few weeks then comes back in certain it's hormonal as only time it's clear is when pregnant.
Going to discuss roacutane with the doctor but would love some success stories as everywhere I look I read negative about it which is scaring me equally don't want to have my head in the sand but it must work for some people.
I know it's a 5 month course
Can dry your eyes / nose/ skin out badly

My questions are can it really work as in could I never experience acne again?
Could I go on holiday whilst taking it or is the sun going to be avoided ? ( hot abroad temps)

I was on roaccutane in my early 20s for around 1.5 years. I had cystic acne that came and went and the spots were always a few CMS in length and never came to a head or anything. Terrible! Since taking it I can't remember having a single spot like that again - occasional hormonal spots and 3 pregnancies obviously exacerbated that a little but not at all like what I had prior to roaccutane. The monitoring with weight and dosage is annoying and apparently it turns your bones a yellowy colour but despite that (and generally only using homeopathic remedies now) I would definitely still have taken it!

Gowebbsgo · 12/11/2023 07:38

I was on the pill. If I remember correctly,, they just ask what contraception you are taking.

Original poster
mrssunshinexxx · 12/11/2023 07:46

Thanks @Gowebbsgo I really don't want to go on any contraception it sends me really low mood the pill. Would much rather just continue to use condoms and tell them I'm taking the pill or is that really bad ? I'm already v nervous about the possible MH side affects roacutane can have

OP posts:
Gowebbsgo · 12/11/2023 08:04

I think if you are really careful with condoms and tell them you are on the pill that's fine. If an accident were to happen you would need to be comfortable taking a morning after pill. I wasn't aware of mh effects from roaccutane but tbh I probably would have taken anyway because I couldn't stand the acne any longer!

Original poster
mrssunshinexxx · 12/11/2023 08:13

@Gowebbsgo I really hope I don't suffer with that. Yes I would take morning after pill x

OP posts:
Matildahoney · 12/11/2023 09:34

I was on the pill (to stop my periods as they were horrific) and had to take monthly pregnancy tests even though my husband couldn't have children, so yes they're very strict on it. You cannot get pregnant whilst you're on it.