Acne is a common factor that many teens, young adults and even adults deal with. According to the Amercian Academy of Dermatology Association,” Approximately 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 experience at least minor acne. More than 5.1 million people sought medical treatment for acne in 2013, primarily children and young adults.”  And in many eyes, Accutane has been their savior.

What is Accutane:

Though it is widely known as Accutane, it is actually Isotretinoin. It was created in the early 1980s to cure severe acne. For years, the drug was sold under the brand Accutane, but has been discontinued due to lawsuits and critics. In the acne medication family, it is under retinoid in which is one of the strongest medications. These specific pills are considered to be the last option that one’s doctor should think of, since how strong it truly is. Depending how severe your acne is, you can be on it as less then 5 to 8 months.

Requirements for Accutane

Like all medications, a dermatologist (doctor) needs to approve of your request. After they discuss the side effects and answer any questions, you will be directed to create an account on Ipledge. Before you are able to start, you will need to take two pregnancy tests–each thirty days apart from one another. By doing so, it will inform your doctor that you are not pregnant–Accutane pills can severely harm a baby.

When you begin your Accutane journey, you will be responsible for a few things. With your dermatologist, you will need to have monthly checkups to talk about your progress. Five days before your monthly checkups, you will need to get blood work done. This is an important part of your journey, since it will make your doctor aware of any damages to your liver or cholesterol. Too much damage on your liver can result in you stopping the medication. During each visit, you are legally required to sign into Ipledge and complete the monthly quizzes. Without completing the quizzes, you will not be able to obtain your prescription–you will only have 7 days to pick it up.

An important factor that your doctor will stress about, is making sure you do not donate your blood. For a year, the medicine will stay in your blood and as you now know, it can harm a baby if a pregnant woman receives it.

Benefits:

For the exact reason as to why it was created, it will give you clear skin. Gabriella Malhado, an 18-year-old college student elaborated, “It helped me gain confidence in myself. I wasn’t embarrassed or nervous about not wearing makeup because of how bad my acne was and having people point it out.” Once finished, you will barely have any scars and breakouts. It is totally normal for one to experience a sudden breakout, especially when they are on their period.

When finished with the medication, one could notice that their skin continues to stay dry/normal. The reason why is because Accutane strips out all the moisture from one’s skin for months at a time. Like anything else, it will take time to see any change in your skin’s hydration.

Side-effects:

Though the benefits sound amazing, you should be aware of the downside to the drug. The one that many are familiar with is dry skin. As soon as you start, you will notice your skin peeling, lips burning, and nose becoming dry. Once again, it is because Accutane takes away all the moisture in your skin.

Alix Earl, a TikTok influencer has always been opened to talk about her Accutane journey with her followers. On an episode on her podcast “Hot Mess,” Earle recalls one of her prominent memories with Accutane, “I would have slits on the side of my mouth because it was just so dry and scaly and flaky.” In order for you to replenish, make sure you have Aquaphor on hand–it is a life savior. Put it on the peels of your skin, apply a thick layer on your chapped lips, and even put some in your nose–all is approved by my dermatologist.

You may not notice it, but you will become angrier. The slightest things can tick you off and leave you in the verge of a breakdown. And that is totally normal, you will soon learn how to control it. Personally, if I felt my anger bubbling at school, I would head to the bathroom and take deep breaths.

Something that I truly struggled with–while being an employee and an athlete–was my limbs. If I stood up for more than an hour, my legs would shoot up pain all the way to my arms. The only thing that would soothe it would be taking a nice hot shower.