Before & After: What 10 Years of Accutane Did for Me

Hormonal cystic acne is no joke. Old photos of myself help me remember the severity of my breakouts, which began at the end of high school and worsened by the start of my freshman year of college. I tried everything—from Justin Bieber-approved Proactiv to birth control pills— but nothing worked…until my dermatologist recommended Accutane.

Also known as isotretinoin, the oral medication capsules are meant to treat severe acne, scarring and rosacea. As Dr. Ellen Marmur, a board-certified dermatologist, previously told me, “Accutane significantly reduces the size and activity of sebaceous glands in the skin, leading to less oil production. This is one reason it’s effective at treating acne.” 

I was desperate to try anything at that point. But although it was enticing to clear my acne once and for all, it also came with a laundry list of potential side effects like liver damage, excessive dryness, thinning hair, gut issues and even depression and suicidal ideation. There’s also the fact that it can cause severe birth defects. For that reason, any patient who could potentially become pregnant that is prescribed Accutane, must take monthly blood tests and two forms of birth control (even if one of those is abstinence). There’s also the FDA-mandated iPledge program, a website that features valuable information and a mandatory quiz to make sure you know all the risks before taking the medication. There were (and are) a lot of hoops and precautions to jump through to get on the meds, but I was serious about fixing my skin. I also felt good mentally to take it on. 

After I started the twice a day meds, I would take an off-campus trip to get my blood work done once a month. I also adopted a skincare routine that featured classics like Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. That said, the results weren’t immediate. It took about five months for my breakouts to slow down. But I was determined to see the magic of this drug. And, since I wasn’t really dealing with any side effects besides some dryness here and there, I was going to push through for results. 

I stayed on Accutane for almost a year. I would have probably stayed on longer but I was preparing to study abroad and didn’t have the foreign resources to do monthly bloodwork—and also, I wanted to enjoy myself. Plus, my dermatologist and I saw major improvement and thought it was a good time to say goodbye. 

Of course, I still deal with hormonal acne, and I’m still on the journey to reduce past scarring and dark marks, but it’s 100 percent more manageable than it was prior to 2015.  Although I haven't been on Accutane in ten years, it has been a huge component in balancing my skin. I can’t tell you to take the drug, but if you’re interested, talk to your dermatologist and learn more about it. It *still* remains the “most efficacious treatment for severe acne” out there.