Roccutane second course

[agapanthus1979]

Hi,
Finished a course of roccutane this time last year. Loved being on it, and had no probs for over six months after stopping.
Spotty skin has returned, so off back to derm tomorrow and hoping with all my might she lets me have a second course.
Just wondering whether anyone has had a second course. What was your experience? Did it work properly second time around?
Thanks.
Ags

What's your current skincare routine? Are you double cleansing after wearing make up for instance?

www.carolinehirons.com/2011/07/cleansing-cheat-sheet.html

Read all the cheat sheets on the left of the page when you open up above link

• on the right of the page sorry

You'd be best with this in medical OP. You'll be getting cleansing routine advise else.
I've been on Roaccutane, I didn't have a 3rd go at it. Never were as bad again. What sort of age are you?

I've had a second course. Been off it for almost a year. Definitely still getting spots but a lot better than after the first course.
My second course was frequently interrupted and was only six months when they suggested I continued for a year though. I had to chase every single appointment and they only offer dermatology at a hospital 40 minutes away even though there are several alternative sites much closer. My local department is short staffed, under massive strain and just can't cope. I couldn't cope with the inefficiency of it so gave up. If the department improves I will ask for rereferral - I am a GP so can keep an eye on the experience my patients are having!

Thanks everyone. In terms of cleansing advice etc, I really do appreciate your thoughts but I'm 38, have tried everything in the world and roaccutane is the only thing that has cut the mustard.
Fingers crossed my appt goes ok tomorrow. She's a really good derm and seems to be very good at empathy.
Thanks again.

I've noticed now I'm mid forties, due to perimenopause my skin has improved, one of the highlights.
Good luck with your appointment tomorrow.

Every cloud ;-)
Thanks, Vitalogy.

I gave cleansing routine advice vitalogy because I too many many years ago took a course of roaccutane and it completely cleared my skin.
However when I did get spots again a few years later it was because I wasn't looking after my skin properly.
OP you might want to get checked for pcos if you havent already.
Hopefully if you do get another course of roaccutane it will clear up for you.

I’ve had 3 courses of roaccutane previously. Each course was about 3-4 years apart and I also found it was the only thing which helped.

The most recent course (given by a different dermatologist) didn’t work as well as the first 2 which I think was due to taking a lower dose and having a shorter course. If you do go back on it, it might be worth discussing whether to have a longer course this time.

I was told when I took it that if acne recurs after a course of roaccutane it tends to be about 2-3 years later, so the fact that yours has recurred a lot sooner than this might be worth discussing with your dermatologist. And it might be worth seeing what her opinion is on why this is.

Anecdotally, I was also told that it is “older” women who tend to get acne which recurs/grumbles on after roaccutane where as in my dermatologists opinion teenage boys with severe acne are often completely cured by a single course of if.

Good luck with your appointment. Having acne in your 30s is totally shit. It’s actually shit at any time, but before you’re in your 30s you do assume you’d have “grown out of it” by then and it’s rubbish when you don’t.

Poor you, acne is miserable especially when you’d once cleared it up.

My skin was clear for 2 years after the first roaccutane treatment and never came back after the second. Definitely push for a second dose and make sure they don’t take you off it too soon.

I was on it for 2 years on a low dose. Loved it because I didn't have any grotty side effects apart from slightly dry skin and a ridiculously dry nose.
Mild but persistent spots this time. Came off the pill 6 months ago so wonder if That's provoked it. Hoping a course will blitz them and sort me out.
Thanks again everyone.

I had 3 courses several years apart. The first time I went off the pill the acne came back with a vengeance. Since the last course of Roaccutane I switched to Yasmin contraceptive pill - that was maybe 7-8 years ago and I've had no problems since.

It might be that I'll have to go back on the pill. Was also on Yasmin (well, Lucete)but wanted to give my body a break.
Does anyone have any experience of skin being ok without being on the pill following roaccutane?

I took Roaccutane when I was mid 40s, and at the time the derm did advise me that it was highly likely I would need another course in a few years again. I've done ok, and as yet all is clear. I still think it's amazing to have clear skin. So yes, clear skin post Roacc, no Yasmin. I think medics are beginning to accept that repeat courses of Roacc are often necessary.

I think going on Yasmin is fine and will help while you're on Yasmin, but you won't be on Yasmin forever. I think it's better to go the the root of the cause. Worth a discussion with your derm.

Yes I'm not on the pill and have had two courses of roaccutane. I found an almost exact to the year skin clear period but then spots came back - around 4 months ago I was getting dreadful cyst type spots on my jawline which I had never had before - dermatologist said they were classic peri-menopause and offered a 3rd course of roaccutane which I declined as my eyesight had been terribly affected. So instead I completely cut out cows milk - I used to drink a lot in tea and coffee and around 1 month in and counting, the acne has gone. Worth looking at your diet for acne triggers - cows milk apparently is so full of hormones that make any fluctuations in our hormones more marked and ultimately increase aldosterone which triggers acne.

Worked wonders for me .After years of the gp trialling all sorts of tablets.Private consultant prescribed first dose worked for me .My mother years back also had them and it took two courses to clear my aunt also had two course of ro acutane.Well worth it even with the side effects remember my lips cracking fondly but it worked.Good luck

(Forgot to add) I was 25 male when I took them my mum was 33/34 and my aunt was 38 when she had them.Def atley streea relatedness triggered us all into the cycle.My consultant said it was a cyst trapped below the skin in my case which became infected and the cycle repeats.Was well worth the private prescription charge for me .My mum managed to get them on the NHS

I'm 41 and currently finishing my 4th course of Roaccutane! My acne mainly affected my chest/neck and shoulders, so no amount of cleansing or creams would work. Had first course at 20, second at 23, and 3rd at 26. Each time they were fairly good at putting me back on it. My thirties the acne was mostly well behaved (or controlled my antibiotics), but at about 38 it came back with a vengeance. I was referred back again and prescribed a 'long and low' course, which has been great as I've had no side effects and it's kept my skin clear for nearly 2 years. I'm a little nervous about what will happen again when I come off it, but it's been a miracle worker for me, and I've always tolerated it much better than antibiotics (which gave me horrible side effects).

Good luck!

Hi.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences.
Just got back from dermatologist. She's great and just treats me like an intelligent person!
2nd course happening- just waiting on blood results. Options were 'short and sharp'and stay off the pill or 'long and low', as Tricky said, and go back on pill. Going for the latter as I don't want all the grotty side effects.

That's great. A relief to get that over with I'm sure. Best wishes.

Thank you :-)