<p>I had acne, but not severe enough to warrant the use of Accutane. I tried like all the face wash and stuff, and have been using AcneFree for over a year. It really started to work after 2-3 months.</p>
<p>Accutane is probably the most effective for wiping out acne, but it also has the potential for lots of random and serious side effects. The most common side effect is that you will have very chapped lips and an increase in bloody noses.</p>
<p>I limit my oily food intake and thus I have almost acne free skin.</p>
<p>Diet has nothing to do with acne.</p>
<p>Sorry for that. I must be confusing pimples with acne.</p>
<p>@gk23
Acne causes pimples. So you were not mistaken. Acne is the medical term for pimples. </p>
<p>It is a myth that diet causes acne/pimples and studies have shown diet has no effect.</p>
<p>I just got a perscription for Accutane today, though I have mild acne (antibiotics didn't work), and I am so hyped. W00t</p>
<p>Pseudo-- get yourself some Aquaphor, and apply it regularly to prevent your lips from getting too badly chapped.</p>
<p>My savior = 2 rounds of Accutane. Otherwise, I would have had horrible deep scaring marks on my back and face (similar to a pizza.) My first round was in 6th grade and my second was in 7th/ or 8th? Anyways, now, as a senior, I just get a pimple once a month or so from sleeping in make-up too often...
I actually loved being forced on birth control - now I'm back on the pill from the love created during accutane (of knowing) simply for the sake of having no placebos, ever (this tighter restriction of BC only hit me on my second round strangely enough.) Though I thought the pill wrappers were a little excessive, really a need to put a crossed out pregnant woman on every pill? The dry face was a nice change to practically dripping oil (each treatment left me with a dryer face.) If you are going to go on it, definitely get some strong lip balm or Vaseline at least to sleep with for the stretch of the treatment.The bloodwork every month was horrible because of my fear of needles... by the second round they eventually weened me off topical numbing medication. Ha. You really must take the Triglyceride levels seriously, however, one b-day party with an extra helping of cake can produce a very whiny doctor.
I don't know how I would have coped without Accutane. Deep permanent scarring? No thanks.</p>
<p>Many people perceive Accutane as a dangerous drug prescribed by crazy dermatologists. It's not, but it is a treatment that has side effects and comes after many others.</p>
<p>First off, Accutane is heavily, heavily regulated. Initial doses were much higher- modern doses are much lower and have the same benefits with fewer side effects. </p>
<p>Also, the iPledge program in the US is extremely cautious. Strict limits on prescriptions, blood tests before, every month of, and a few months after treatment, regular pregnancy tests and birth control education...</p>
<p>Now, it sounds scary, but it's just healthy caution. It DOES cause severe birth defects if you get pregnant while taking the drug (it does stay in your body for a few months after you stop taking it.) Every pill has a "no pregnancy" paper above the foil. It's clear, constant reminders.</p>
<p>You have to see your dermatologist monthly. He'll see if you have any liver issues or any other rare things that would merit treatment stoppage. Also, he sees if you need the drug anymore- 2 months of a 6 month treatment was enough for me.</p>
<p>Now, the only side effect that I had is that I had to put chapstick on every 15 minutes or they'd be bone dry. Not bad, considering it saved me from scarring from severe acne.</p>
<p>EVERYONE! Go to <a href="http://www.skintactix.com%5B/url%5D">www.skintactix.com</a></p>
<p>It is THE Holy Grail of Acne treatment and information.</p>
<p>Diet CAN affect acne.</p>
<p>Benzoyl-peroxide is BAD FOR YOU.</p>
<p>Stress and caffeine make acne WORSE.</p>
<p>and MUCH MUCH more info on the subject there.</p>
<p>I've been using skintactix for a few months and I am ASTOUNDED by the results. I had the WORST acne you could imagine (I'm NOT EXAGERRATING, I'm talking acne the size of peas surrounding my face, and roughly 150 infections on my face alone, and an additional 100 from back/shoulders) </p>
<p>I don't want to sound like an advertisement here, because I know I am starting to sound like one, but this stuff really works. Just check out the site. The stuff isn't prescription and is relatively cheap.</p>
<p>Read about all their products and methods, read all the info on how acne is formed. It is quite enlightening.</p>
<p>My D started using Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel on the advice of her dermatologist. She gets comments from her friends as to how lucky she is to have such great skin.</p>
<p>my friend just started up acutane, and i've had a few friends who took it and have clear faces without any trace of acne.</p>
<p>PROACTIVE surprisingly works. At first I doubted it, but then it worked perfectly. Also, Clearasil works very well (buy at almost any drug store)</p>
<p>How do you start on accutane? should I just go to my Pediatrician?</p>
<p>Accutane worked wonders for me.</p>
<p>I had mild/moderate acne but no other treatments would work, so I went on it. Best thing I've ever done. I have been off it for a yr and half now, no major problems at all.</p>
<p>The 5 or 6 six months you'll be on itare no fun, though (chapped lips....1 yr later i still have problems) and some other minor problems. You'll go to monthly appointments to check your progress, and have blood work done a lot. The process is more complicated for females (birth control required).</p>
<p>If your looking to go on it, go to a dermatologist. I went to my doctor (pediatrician) and he couldn't prescribe it to me because he was not registered to the i-pledge program.</p>
<p>Anyway, if your struggling with acne, go to a dermatologist and see what they recommend.</p>
<p>believe it or not.. neosporin really helps to eliminate redness</p>
<p>However, excessive use of neosporin could be harmful. The bacteria could build a resistance to anti-bacteria cream, then it would be very hard to get rid of acne.</p>
<p>I'll post it again: <a href="http://www.skintactix.com%5B/url%5D">www.skintactix.com</a> go there... read all the info, and check out the products.</p>
<p>Proactive seems to work good at first and then it doens't work as well.</p>
<p>I went to the dermatologist and got put on an antibiotic (made my skin extrememly dry no matter what I put on, it hurt if the wind blew), then went on retin a (made face irritated and dry), then went on duac and differin (didn't work well & I quit taking).</p>
<p>What I currently have been using is the on-the-spot ProActive treatment and Clinique's 3 step system. If I pick at a pimple, then I put a bandaid and neosporin on it overnight and its better in the morning.</p>
<p>but isn't accutane supposedly bad for your body?</p>