Accutane was a brand name for an oral, anti-acne medication that is no longer being prescribed, but the active ingredient in it (isotretinoin) is now available as a generic. Accutane/isotretinoin has the potential to cure acne or at the very least make it go away for awhile. Once a round of isotretinoin is done, the acne may still return; however, if it does, it is rarely as bad as before.

Regrettably, isotretinoin is a difficult drug. There are lots of serious side effects such as elevated cholesterol, liver problems, loss of hair, unbelievably dry skin, birth defects if you get pregnant while taking it, depression (though that side effect is controversial), headaches, bloody nose, and on and on. But for me, my acne was even more difficult than all of those health risks, which is why, once I was fully informed about the risks, I still opted to take this medicine to help my acne.

Prior to Accutane, every morning for me was a living nightmare of having to look in the mirror to see what had happened to it overnight. It was agonizing and it was rarely good news. And then during the day I could feel eruptions developing as I touched my face or felt the small throbs where swollen bumps were growing. I even hated the word “pimple.” I found it embarrassing and insulting. I am sure anyone struggling with acne knows just how I felt, and how strong the desire for clear skin becomes.

When I finally decided to try Accutane it was with utter abandon. I would do anything to not have this struggle of seeing red, inflamed, white dotted lesions on my face.

When I started my prescription I noticed a difference within the first week. I’ll never forget the moment when I touched my face and felt nothing that I was so used to feeling. All I could feel was smooth skin! Much to my continued surprise, it remained that way for weeks. I had some of the side effects I was told about, including bloody nose, dry lips, and headaches. No one tested for liver function and cholesterol levels in those days and I was beyond getting pregnant so there is much I don’t know for what did or didn’t go wrong for me internally. What I do know is that it was the first time in my life since the age of 11 that I liked looking at myself in the mirror.

At the three month point I started experiencing hair loss and that freaked me out. As a result, I stopped taking the drug and, as expected, the hair loss stopped. The trade-off for stopping too soon to save my hair was my acne came back about two months later. I did a great deal of research and found that the dosage and timing was a big deal. A lower dose taken over a longer period of time seemed to be far better. I discussed this with a new physician and started another cycle of Accutane. Thankfully, it went much better the second time around.

Today, almost 17 years later, I still struggle with breakouts but nothing like I did before Accutane. I sometimes think I should have taken another treatment cycle but never did, not because of the risks, it was just that I never got around to it and I was happy enough with the results two rounds of Accutane provided.

Given everything known about isotretinoin/Accutane my only personal regret is that I waited so long to take it. I can only guess what my mornings would have been like in my 20s and early 30s had I taken the drug back then, and not wasted so much time and money on irritant-laden products that made matters worse not better. Like many of you, I just didn’t know any better and just kept buying product after product hoping something would work.

Everyone has to weigh the pros and cons of many things they do in life; for me, Accutane was a no-brainer. Whether you feel the same way is a decision only you can make, but if you decide to take isotretinoin, be certain you’re fully informed of the risks, particularly if you’re a woman of childbearing age.