products when taking roaccutane

[justjuanmorebeer]

I have just started taking this drug.
Can anyone tell me what skin products they got on well with during treatment please.

Everything I already have is for oily and acne skin so will obviously need things less drying.

I found that my biggest side effect was my lips and the skin on my hands. I had to use E45 wash for my hands, as they became dry and cracked. And loads and loads of lip balm.

With regard to my face, I didn't have an extreme reaction at all. My skin was definitely dryer and I used more gentle cleanser, but actually my face was ok, not painful or dry or itchy, just less greasy and less 'coarse'.

Good luck. I felt that although I had some side effects, they were definitely worth it to be rid of the acne.

I stopped taking roaccutane at the end of October, to combat the dry skin I used Eucerin. They make products especially to be used alongside roaccutane. I tried a few other things before discovering this, it really, really helped.
With regards roaccutane, it has been a miracle drug for me. I had acne for 20 years but am completely spot free and have been since July! I no longer cover my chin with my hand or look down at the floor. Good luck!

Effaclar face wash v gentle
And body shop Vit E night cream.

Carmex for lips

Aveeno for body.

A good face SPF for the day - I switched between Olay 30spf and body shop Vit c face SPF. I found the french pharmacy brands too heavy.

It is a great drug and really does work but by heck it dries you right out.

I went from needing to wash my hair everyday to only once a week

However now I have good skin and normal hair.

Wish I'd done it sooner than I did.

I just started taking it 12 days ago so still figuring out what works best for me. They have put me on a low dose of 30mg/day to start with and it's only in the last week that I've started to get side effects. So far I've found foaming cleansers are too drying, I tried a cleansing milk but that stung on application so have just ordered some Ultrabland from Lush that I'm hoping will be a little more gentle. I use Hydraluron as a serum which is great and have been using the No7 moisturisers I already had but they're starting to sting as my skin is becoming more sensitive and I'm starting to get flaky.

As far as lips go I've been getting good results with Eucerin Intensive lip balm during the day. I bought a couple of tubes the day before starting Roac, tried to buy some more today as I'm nearing the end of my first tube and typically it looks like it's no longer available. If you find it I'd recommend stocking up! At night I use Lanolips on top of the Eucerin as the Lanolips is thick enough to stay on overnight. The one night I forgot to put it on I woke up to cracked lips and the skin around them bright red, peeling and sore. The same thing happened to my face (red, sore and flaky) when I forgot to put moisturiser on whilst rushing one morning last week. I've learnt my lesson and won't be forgetting again!

Toleraine range by La Roche Posay is great for this. Incredibly non-irritant. They do a dry and normal/oily range. It's probably the only time in your life you'll buy products for dry skin! And you'll find your makeup stays put, no more sliding off your face. Its a few years since I took Roaccutane I managed on a low dose) but I am still spot free and no more fussing over spots. It is fabulous. (Pronounced fab.u.lous for effect )

My skin did go back to being a little oily when I stopped the treatment but never as bad as before. The relief! Good luck with your treatment.

Oh and for lips I tried LOADS and found Eliz Arden 8 hour lip balm (the lipsticky version) to be the best

Thanks everyone!
I already use the effarclar range but sure this is going to be too drying very soon. Also have avene facewash that I like.
Was considering trying cetaphil, any thoughts on this?

Even though I am still a greaseball I am layering on the carmex overnight straight away and blisteze cream in the day.

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream for lips and other very dry areas.

Vaseline for nostrils (a bit gross but was recommended to me to help stop the nosebleeds I was getting).

Eucerin - the really intensive one for body - my arms got quite dry and sore. Also the face one, think it might have been the replenishing one.

Good luck!

I'm 10 days in too!! I'm really suffering with lips today. Have been using lip balm (various) but only a couple of times a day. Feel like my lips may fall off today so upping the anti on that one. Love the nuxe reve de miel lip balm tho when I've had chapped lips before.

My acne comes from pcos. I don't have oily skin at all so am used to slapping on a good moisturiser all the time. Love the intensive one from Avon. 2.50 for a large bottle so quite the bargain and it doesn't interfere with your perfume either. I also like the oil beauty one, can't remember what it's called right now.

For face I use either the nude cleansing oil or the oskia renaissance cleanser (stupidly expensive but I love it) then currently using elemis pro collagen marine cream freebie from harpers bazaar. Usually use la roche posay. Using a zinc based sunscreen I got in the states f50.

Have you seen any improvement so far or worsening? I'm getting lots of very small, fast and aggressive spots that actually have a head. Never have those usually. Normally have large face misshaping angry lumps, that never do anything bar get angrier and angrier. Sometimes they swell so much they break the skin.so actually having spots with something in is a novelty. (Very gross sorry)

You can get an outbreak when starting on Roaccutane. Depends on your derm, but sometimes they hit it hard with a short course of steroids and antibiotics, works a treat. But with or without treatment, the breakout will settle. And then, bye bye spots!

I'm on a low dose but yes derm did warn that things often get worse before they get better. I figure it must be doing something so that's a good sign.

Am so pleased to hear the good stories lurking and others. Also good to connect with other people starting their experience justjuan

Only on day 3 and not taken my ones today yet.
Thry have only started me on 25mg for now which I am a little annoyed with but hoping to increase dosage in 4 weeks to get cracking.

I only weigh 52 kg though so won't be able to take that much.

I have had acne for 17 years so I really hope it works. I want clear skin!

Although I'm currently in the initial outbreak stage I'm finding it's really speeding everything up. I started with a good crop of little spots that quickly came to a head and disappeared. Painful nodules and cysts that usually last for weeks, go scabby and scar are now popping up all over the place, but are only swollen and sore for a day or two at most. And although they're getting dry on top they're not doing the usual thing of stretching the skin so much that they start to weep and scab. It's great!

Oh, and this morning I woke up and the skin between the spots looks amazing! It's all smooth and glowing and as for my huge pores, well they're almost invisible. After over 20 years of acne it's so good to see my skin changing, I'm finally starting to believe I can have good skin.

justjuan don't worry about the small dose. I started on 10mg, and my highest dose was 20mg. 20mg worked perfectly for me. You'll see, when ou go back for review your skin wil have already improved. Give it a little while. Patience!

I'm on 20 but I understand that's more typical for the type of acne I have/my age/already dry ish skin.

Totally agree it's all so fast already. Nothing to a full on white head in a matter of hours. I never ever have white heads. It's all very odd.

Lthewife...how long have you been on it now?

Just out of interest how old are we all? And how long have you suffered with the acne for? I'm 33. Had no problems as a teen and then it started 10 years ago after I had my daughter. I have seen a private derm tho as it was such a long waiting list on the nhs and I wasn't able to sleep properly due to how painful the cysts were. Have never had any relief from the pill/antibiotics/topical stuff.

I was 40 when I went on Roaccutane. Grumbling persistent acne since late 20s.

Do you take it at all now lurking? The derm mentioned for some people it helped but that might be cos of the pcos, not sure

DS is taking this at the moment. He is not keen on any products at all but has been persuaded into Hemp Lip Salve from the Body Shop. Vaseline for nostrils and I bought him La Roche Posay Cicaplaste Baum which is doing a great job of healing and calming his face and getting rid of dryness.

He started on 25mg and is now on 55mg. It really is working. He now looks like a more normal, occasionally spotty teen. It was terrible before. He too has noted the end to greasy hair as a bonus!

Derm did say to me that teenage acne often requires a higher dose than persistent adult acne. It must be very hard for a teen boy. I have been very grateful to dermablend make up so can't imagine not having that option.

Yes. However, the higher dosage might also reflect the fact that, while very, very skinny - he is also 6ft and still growing! Our concern was to get the acne sorted before he was also dealing with a beard.

No Neena, I don't take it at all now. And ne'er a spot since. It is fantastic. Like a lot of people, beacause my acne was persistent, I may need a small repeat course in a few years but so far so good. I don't have PCOS.

I'm on day 14 today, 33 yrs old and have had acne since I was about 12. I was put on antibiotics and dianette by my GP in my teens which got rid of the normal spots but never touched the nodules and cysts. Derm insisted I tried newer antibiotics and epiduo before roac

I was 46 when I went on it after battling acne for a good 20 years. Possibly the oldest person ever in the history of the world to have severe cystic acne (while at the same time worrying about middle-aged wrinkles) . Worked a treat - I only wish I'd pushed for a referral sooner.

I have had acne since I was 10. I am 27 now.

I have tried everything. Seriously everything. I even tried being vegan.

Dianette helped in my late teens (was on it from age 13 to 20 nobody thought to take me off!) but my skin was never sorted, it just lessened it. I also tried various courses of antibiotics from the age of 12 and all the prescription topical solutions.

I am still on dianette now but only on month 4 of that this time round. Before that I tried yasmin which sent my skin crazy. Would love to go hormone free but obviously not an option now when taking the roacutane.

Since finishing breastfeeding in 2012 I have had a few more antibiotic rounds with no luck and out of pure chance finally got my derm referral on 2nd Jan this year when seeing a locum doctor as I had shingles.
I ended up crying infront of her as she mistakenly thought the shingles were on my face too and I had to say no that isn't it and she said right I will refer you to the hosp. Nice doctor she was.

So yes referral 2nd Jan and appt wasn't until March 16th!

I have been waiting a long time for this drug.