My Experience With Roaccutane

For context, this was initially written a few years ago for something else that never happened and I’ve just been sitting on it since then. I underwent the treatment in my teens while still at high school.

Isotretinoin capsules (also known as Roaccutane and other brand names) are a treatment for severe acne (spots). You can find out more information about them from the NHS website.

What was your skin like before you started taking it?

Before I started taking it my skin was bad, blotchy with breakouts of spots. Parts of my face and neck could be red for days, painful to the touch. It also made me feel horrible, I couldn't stand the “white spot stage” of acne.

I knew it had gotten bad when people started asking questions about my face, like I would be totally cool with it. Yea just approach me and point out my face to my face, like that’s a totally normal thing to do. Once, in high school we were getting class pictures taken without prior warning and I borrowed concealer from a girl in my class because I was worried about being so acne-ridden in the picture.

What were your concerns about taking it?

My concerns were about side effects, and how bad they might be. I was also cautious to take anything that required getting a blood test beforehand. I had heard people talk about how it would make things worse or give you bad headaches and my worries were re-enforced after speaking to a nurse who came into the school, she was there to administer vaccines. While she was pricking me in the arm, she opened up the conversation bluntly with “Have you been to the doctor about your spots' ‘, if you were looking for an indication as to how bad my face was, she just came out with it. I told her that I had and that they were considering on putting me on Roaccutane, the look she gave me was what I’d describe as ‘kind concern’ before saying “ok, but make sure they're doing that as a last resort”

What was your GP's advice? What was your derm's advice?

I had already been back and forth to the doctor who had put me on everything under the sun before trying Roaccutane. I remember they were reluctant to put me on it initially as they wanted to give other drugs and creams a chance. Eventually I was referred to the Dermatologist who examined my face, asked me some questions and put me forward for a course on Roaccutane.

Had you heard much about Roaccutane before?

My older sister had taken it and it worked pretty well for her, we both had bad acne and she was quite supportive. I had heard of a couple of people at school who took it but it was by no means a common thing, I’d say it’s more common or at least more talked about now.

How long was your course of treatment?

I had it for a year, that was the maximum you could take it for. Although I had the option to stop if it was working quicker than expected. I was also given access to what was referred to as an ‘open appointment’ while on the drug, so that I could come in and talk over any worries or excessive side effects I might be experiencing.

What was the first week like?

It wasn't immediate, It was at least a week before I started to notice anything happening. It was the lips that got dry first then everything else. The effects were slow so I got used to them without any dramatic or overnight change.

What was the midway point like?

In full swing, I felt a bit like a prune. Dry skin, face, lips and eyes. Everything around my mouth and under my nose felt tight and sore. People noticed my dry face but the spots did begin to subside, I had far less ‘white spots’ to worry about. I also had my; ‘So Roaccutane. is…’ chat well rehearsed whenever I had to explain the dry, moon-like craters on my cheeks.

What was the end like?

I took the full 12 month course as I still had some redness towards the end but it was a drastic improvement compared to before taking the drug.

What was the worst part?

The worst part was getting up in the morning, my lips would be so dry after a night of sleep they would crack painfully and bleed, making me like some kind of wincing vampire most mornings. Also while on the drug I had a slit down the middle of my bottom lip that didn’t close up fully until after I finished the treatment, the reduced amount of saliva meant there was no real period in which it could heal properly.

What were you most surprised by?

What surprised me most was how thorough it was. As much as it did dry me up it worked well and cut right through the terrible acne I used to have, by the end of high school my skin was in a place I was happy and comfortable with.

What is your skin like now?

Now my skin is far from what it was at the time of peak acne. I still have the occasional small breakout but nothing dramatic and I'm far more conscious of looking after my skin than I used to be. Plus the attitude to men undergoing some regular skincare routine has changed a good bit.

What advice would you have for someone taking it?

Moisturize! - This is probably the biggest piece of advice to give to someone taking Roaccutane as well as: