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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

should ds start Roaccutane in GCSE year?

30 replies

MissyB1 · 20/10/2024 13:24

Feeling down about my parenting today. I feel like I have let ds down. So he's nearly 16 and in his GCSE year, studying hard for mocks at the moment plus exams in a couple of extra curriculars, and applying for a 6th form scholarship. His life is really full on.

He's had acne for a couple of years, and has been under a dermatologist who first suggested roaccutane a year ago. We decided not to go down that route as I have an older ds who went on it at that age and he looks back and says it really affected his mental health (and I do remember him suddenly going off the rails not long after starting it). Also teen ds has eczema and im worried roaccutane could flare that up.

Dh and I have talked it through with ds a couple of times and he says he's happy to contiue on his prescribed cream - Epiduo and his antibiotics. But today I noticed quite bit of scarring on his face, I'm so upset because I feel thats our fault! We should have got him started on it when the Consultant suggested it, now he's about to do his mocks in November. Is this a terrible time to start it? I feel so guilty as I feeel i steered him away from it and now his face is scarred. I was trying to do the right thing but I've fucked up.

OP posts:
purplebeansprouts · 20/10/2024 17:50

As someone who has been on it, no. Absolutely not. It can be grueling.

Tupperwarefan · 20/10/2024 18:11

I did the same with my DC, OP. I put it off because I took it myself in my 20's and it was hard on my MH. At 17 nearly 18 the acne has got better on just the antibiotics and cream the scars (and mine from my 20's) have started to fade.

Contigo · 20/10/2024 18:14

One of my DC had just over a year of roaccutane between 15 and 16 after two years of antibiotics. It was fine.

Original poster
MissyB1 · 20/10/2024 18:14

OK I feel a bit better reading these replies. Dh says the scarring will probably fade and if not he could possibly have treatment for it. I do think his skin will eventually calm down. I wish there was an easier alternative to roaccutane!

OP posts:
jadedagain · 22/10/2024 17:14

My son was on roaccutane through GCSE's -no issues at all and no side effects. Scars very often fade so don't worry. As parents we blame ourselves for whatever decision we make I find!

Original poster
MissyB1 · 22/10/2024 17:18

jadedagain · 22/10/2024 17:14

My son was on roaccutane through GCSE's -no issues at all and no side effects. Scars very often fade so don't worry. As parents we blame ourselves for whatever decision we make I find!

That's good to hear. I think it's the thought of only just starting it now that worries me, his mocks literally start in 3 weeks time.

OP posts:
Namerchangee · 22/10/2024 17:20

There is an easier option to roaccutane - I had nlite laser treatment, a few years after a course of roaccutane landed me on a psychiatric ward. My skin was beautiful but my head was an absolute mess. It’s well
known that it can have very detrimental side effects. The laser treatment really worked for me.

Original poster
MissyB1 · 22/10/2024 19:55

Namerchangee · 22/10/2024 17:20

There is an easier option to roaccutane - I had nlite laser treatment, a few years after a course of roaccutane landed me on a psychiatric ward. My skin was beautiful but my head was an absolute mess. It’s well
known that it can have very detrimental side effects. The laser treatment really worked for me.

I have actually thought that after his exams we might investigate laser treatment. I'm sorry you had to go through such an horrific side effect of Roaccutane, it's my worst fear.

OP posts:
NewDogOwner · 22/10/2024 20:06

It would not be wise. Teenagers can end up suicidal. It can affect your vision. I went night blind which was really scary.

Original poster
MissyB1 · 22/10/2024 20:38

NewDogOwner · 22/10/2024 20:06

It would not be wise. Teenagers can end up suicidal. It can affect your vision. I went night blind which was really scary.

That sounds horrible!! Bloody hell the potential side effects are truly awful.

OP posts:
Namerchangee · 23/10/2024 10:24

Honestly @MissyB1 I would urge you not to allow your son to take it. I have DC and have often thought the moment acne rears its head I would take them to a private dermatologist and explore options like laser treatment or whatever else there will be at that point in time.

I’m fine now but the experience was horrendous. Acne is a pain but good mental health is precious. The impact of acne on my mental health was minor compared to the impact of roaccutane. Truly the only thing that sorted my skin out was getting older and pregnancy!

angstridden2 · 23/10/2024 10:59

My child had Roaccutane at 16/17. Prescribed privately and very carefully monitored. Worked brilliantly, tbh I think acne affects mh dreadfully anyway in teens

Original poster
MissyB1 · 23/10/2024 11:12

angstridden2 · 23/10/2024 10:59

My child had Roaccutane at 16/17. Prescribed privately and very carefully monitored. Worked brilliantly, tbh I think acne affects mh dreadfully anyway in teens

If we were going to consider it, it would definitely have to be after GCSEs now I think, possibly in lower 6th. Just feels like too much of a risk at the moment.

Has anyone tried facials/skin peels? and I mean done by skin professionals.

OP posts:
HaleyBrookeandPeyton · 23/10/2024 11:18

I had it at 14, best thing I ever did. The state of skin ruined my confidence and reduced my self esteem to nothing. It was a horrible time in my life and roaccutane was the miracle drug that solved my skin issues and gave me back my confidence. I had no side effects other than dry lips/inner nose and they were manageable.

My brother had a few years after me and did suffer mentally & came off it quite quickly, which was the right decision for him, but as an adult his skin is horrendous - very scared & it has affected him a lot.

My dd has been on it under private prescription for 4 months now and again it's been a wonder drug for her.

What I'm saying is that not everyone suffers when using it and I think you should give him the opportunity to improve his skin before deciding if it is for him or not. Just because it wasn't good for your older ds doesn't mean it will be the same for him.

AnellaA · 23/10/2024 11:23

My dh had some acne scarring and other scars due to a facial problem. He’s now 40s with quite greying facial scruff and he looks so rugged and, I don’t know, somehow gladiatorial (always had a bit of a Russell Crow thing going on). I wouldn’t have his face any other way.

I know that might not be wholly reassuring but wanted to mention that my dh has never felt self conscious of the scars and somehow as a result I never really notice them as a negative.

Wn38475 · 23/10/2024 11:25

It sounds like you have done the right thing for your DS OP

LinkEEDin · 23/10/2024 11:36

My DD is in GCSE year and was prescribed roaccutane after an extremely bad period of MH, when we realised acne was a factor. It is a risk to MH and she is being monitored closely but her MH was also badly affected by her acne. Had I known we would have seen a private dermatologist earlier.

Hedgerow2 · 23/10/2024 11:41

purplebeansprouts · 20/10/2024 17:50

As someone who has been on it, no. Absolutely not. It can be grueling.

As someone who has been on it I can honestly say it changed my life and I had no side effects other than very dry skin.

I do accept that for some people it affects their mental health. But my mental health was already dreadful because of the state of my skin - borderline suicidal.

pearldiamond · 23/10/2024 14:25

My friend's son went on this and within a week was severely depressed. Within 2 weeks he could not get an erection (a known side effect apparently). That is now permanent. He was only 18yo.
Within 3 weeks he started taking drugs to cope with the fact he may never have sex again.
He is now 28yo and a heroin addict.

His mum, a nurse, will never forgive herself - that she encouraged him to take it 😕

My son's girlfriend took it, however, had no side effects and is now 21yo with amazing skin!

🤷‍♀️

Oblomov24 · 23/10/2024 14:40

Ds1 was on it for as very shirt time, no big side effects but he felt his hair was thininng at the temples and so he stopped quickly, but it had already had the desired skin effect.

WonTheCup · 23/10/2024 14:49

Ds2 had Roaccutane through GCSEs. He's now in 6th form with clear skin (and yes a bit of scarring...). Just make a positive effort to monitor your son's mood- as the Consultant will ask you to do, at that age.
The incidence of mental health problems amongst teenagers on Roaccutane is about the same as the teenage population generally- suggesting it does not cause MH problems - this is what the Consultant said to us.
The acne was affecting my son negatively anyway- poor self confidence and low self esteem because he hated his appearance.

Fedupcreative86 · 23/10/2024 15:05

As someone who took it for bad acne as a teenager, I'd say no, especially as he's in his gcse year and going on to college.

It cleared up my acne very quickly and of course my confidence got better, but I developed depression and suicidal thoughts and it gave me myopia when I'd previously had 20/20 vision and never needed glasses. I f*d up my A-levels and uni because of the mental side effects. I was 18/19 when I started it, 38 now and still suffer mild depression (taking sertraline). But this was the mid-00's, where being pretty/sexy/cool was everything and that's all I cared about (yes I was warned by my doctor and then dermo of the side effects).

So no, especially not that young and when he's getting his education.

thismummydrinksgin · 23/10/2024 19:39

Share your guilt, my 16 year old has keloid scarred on his chest 🥲

WonTheCup · 24/10/2024 17:47

@thismummydrinksgin same for my DS.... 3D bumpy scars at top of chest, fortunately much much less obvious on face- it's not caused by Roaccutane but by GP leaving him on ineffective antibiotics for 2 years- all through Covid- and not seeing his acne with a f2f appointment, so it was allowed to go on way too long without a referral to dermatology....

AzureLemon · 26/10/2024 08:25

My son started taking roaccutane at 16 (pre gcse) after tetracycline failed to help. It's been brilliant for him physically and really helped his confidence. He takes it at low dose - 1 tablet every second day - to guard against side effects. He also gets a bit of eczema and the dermatologist prescribed a cream that cleared that up almost instantly (way better than anything we ever got from the gp). He now has a good moisturiser which helps too.

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