Accutane - Saint Paul,MN

I use the blemish control toner from Mary Kay when I have break outs, and it drys them out so great! It is 2% Salicylic acid that is the acne medication that is in it. If you'd like to try it feel free to give me a ring. My website is www.marykay.com/L..minnema every product is 100% satisfaction guarenteed so no risk in trying.

I highly recommend accutane. It is the ONLY thing that worked for me. Sadly, I discovered this too late, as I am left with scars on my face cause my acne was so bad! Anyhoo, I had no bad side effects, and the only biggie is that you aren't preggers when you are on it, cause it causes severe birth defects. GL!

I don’t know about Accutane, but I could tell you what my daughter does. My daughter is 20 now and she has been doing this since she was around 15. She uses toothpaste on her face before she takes a shower so she can wash it off in the shower. Then she uses a prescription Klaron on her face. This seems to do the job for her. Some times she uses Oxy pads to wash her face then the Klaron. The Klaron is very mild on her face. She got the prescription from a dermatologist. My younger son who is 16 right now and has really bad acne. The doctor put him on a low dose of doryx. It is an antipiotic he takes every morning. At night he is to use a cleanser on is face first, then a foam called Evoclin then uses a cream called Differin. They are all prescriptions except the cleanser. So there are other options out there.
V.

Great article in this months Better Homes and Gardens about a young girl with just this issue and the meds that helped her. Good luck to you. She did great on the meds you mentioned

I used accutane about 5 years ago. It worked and now I don't get pimples and my skin is no longer oily. I had to be on it for six months I think. I had to be on two forms of birth control and had to go in once a month for blood testing. They monitor you very closely while on it. My side affects were my hands got super dry and my lips. My scalp got so dry that I did have excessive hair shedding. That was probably my worse symptom. It took a long time for my hair to grow back normal. But my brother was also on it and he had different side affects, he just got very dry hands. And my friend was on it and she didn't really have any side affects other than dry lips. So, I guess it really varies. I know it is a hard decision to make but I don't regret it. I too had battled acne since I was 13 and it got really bad in my early 20's. Now I have great skin and I don't ever have to worry about it. I also got pregnant 2 years after stopping treatment and had no problems.

Hi! My oldest son was on Accutane for about 1 1/2 yrs. His behavior changed. He was became angry and depressed. I did not make the connection until the reports about depression and suicide being linked to Accutane. It took about 9 months for the effects to wear off after he finished taking it. During this time he moved out of the house at 17, stole a gun from us and told me later that he thought about using it on himself, which is what we were worried about. We weren't worried about him using the gun in any other way. I am so glad that he didn't because he has grown up to be a person I am very proud of. It fixed his acne problem, but we were lucky we did not lose him in the process. I'm glad my other two children do not have the same acne problems. I would not use it, again. I would find another way. Good luck in your search for relief.

I used Accutane about 8 years ago when I was in my mid-20's. I had been doing the oral antibiotics and various topical treatments for about 10 years and continued to get cystic acne, the type of acne that forms a hard lump under the skin and takes forever to go away. I don't remember how long I was on it, possibly six months or so, but I have always felt it was worth it. I still break out, especially if I don't take good care of my skin, but I don't think I have had a cystic acne breakout since. Most of the time I will just get a single pimple that quickly comes to a head so that I don't have it for very long. I didn't personally have any bad experience with it, but it is a medication that you need to be cautious with. If you go on it, you have to use two types of birth control because it will lead to birth deformities if you become pregnant. I'm not sure how long you have to wait after you are done, in case you are considering more kids. I didn't get pregnant until three years after being done. It should also not be taken if you are nursing. You have to follow with your dermatologist closely during the treatment. Your skin and lips will get very dry, but there are things you can do to help decrease those symptoms. There are links to depression and suicide while on this medication, very small incidences but something to keep in mind and make sure you communicate with loved ones if you are having problems. Good luck. I know it isn't easy to decide whether or not to take it, but for me it has allowed me to move on from a life of hard, painful lumps on my face.

Hi J.,
I used Accutane 12 years ago, while in college. I didn't have any bad side effects. I had great results and I have no more acne. A few pimples here an dthere every once in a while but nothing like before. The thing I do remember about being on Accutane is being very dry. It dires out your oil production so your hair doesn't need to washed as frequently. My mouth and nose were dry all the time and my lips often chapped but none of this lasted very long and I loved the results.
Good luck.
Jen

I have not personally been on it but my friends brother and one of my cousins used it I think both did two rounds and now they have beautiful skin. Your skin is sensitive while on it and for awhile afterwards, don't get any waxing done or your skin will get waxed off with the hair. Also there is a very high risk of birth defects associated with Accutane so I am sure your doctor would want to put you on birth control as well.

Hi J..
Have you been to a dermatologist? That can be pricey but will be worth it to you, I think. I was also diagnosed with PCOS a few years ago (still not 100% convinced that I have it though!) and my skin was HORRIBLE. I wonder what the link is between those two things? The doc prescribed Retin-A Micro which worked wonders for me. It really dries out your skin - you really have to be careful about how much you put on. If your doctor suggests this, check to see if your insurance covers it. If not, it runs about $120 per tube. One tube will last a long time but that is still a lot of money! He also prescribed something else for me to put on under my makeup which controlled the oil but wasn't as drying. Can't remember the name now. Good luck!

Hi, My son Bryan ws in highschool and had bad acne they told him to go on accutane. It worked well for my son he actually didnt have any side effects. I know the side effects sound and could be really bad. Hope everything works out well.
B. Jacquest

Hi J.:
I had horrible cystic acne in college and went on Accutane. I will tell you it works wonderfully, but it's a horrible process. It will completely dry every oil in your body out and your skin will be flaky-dry and uncomfortable. In addition, they will give you a pregnancy test each month to make sure you're not pg because it's been proven to cause harm to the fetus. Like I said, it's an effective treatment but it is extremely harsh on your body an if there's another alternative to try, you may want to try that.

You may want to determine if it's the facial products that you're using that are making you oily and blemished. It's so important to pay attention to the ingredients because if there are any oils, waxes or fillers, they will clog your pores and cause whiteheads and blackheads and very oily skin. Plus, if you're not moisturizing, your skin will actually think it's dehydrated and produce more oil. I've been a skin junky my whole life and finally found a product that works. It's an aloe vera based skin care line called L'Bri Pure n' Natural and there's none of the ingredients mentioned above and it doesn't contain any artificial colors or scents that also can add to the acne problem.

If you'd like to try some complimentary samples of this line, let me know and I'll send you some. Good luck!

J. - Sorry - I haven't used accutane but do use a fabulous skin care product that doesn't have preservatives in it. It's called Sense. Preservatives or ....parabens are known to be cancer causing.

I can get you in touch with the person I purchase this product from if you're interested in trying something more natural.

Take care,

D.

J.-

I used Accutane when I was 17 years old (I am now 30). I also have PCOS. I still get breakouts and I wouldn't say my skin is flawless but it is much better then it ever was. I no longer get the cystic acne that I did before and my over all tone of my skin is better. You have to use two forms of birth control when on this medication...it is VERY strong and causes birth defects. I have since had 1 healthy child and one on the way...so it does not have any long term effects if you are still going to have more children....you will just have to wait awhile after you have taken the medication to get pregnant. Another side effect is dry, chapped lips.

I honestly think the drug is a wonder drug for acne as NOTHING ever helped me but this...I tried many many topical and pill solutions. Hope this helps!

I have struggled with acne and oily skin since 5th grade. I have never used Accutane, rather I found quality skin care products to be my best bet. I did go the medication route for a few years in middle school, but by high school I was using Mary Kay products and it really worked for me. They have great products that help clear up the acne, zap the acne if you get a pimple, as well as ways to help control the oil. Did you know if you dry your skin out too much while cleansing without putting moisturizer back you actually make your skin produce more oil? I love using the oil control lotion by Mary Kay. They also have an oil matifier and oil blotting sheets to use during the day. Their products are also 100% satisfaction money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to loose by trying them. Feel free to check out my website or email me if you have any other questions. I swear the products really helped me!
Good luck!
www.marykay.com/trishacasey

J.,

I have dealt with this issue all of my life also. In fact, it seems that the second half of any of my pregnancies, I actually had the clearest skin.

I went to many many dermatalogists and no medication ever helps, but they had side effects of course. I also tried ProActive and it didn't help either, but it did ruin all of my purple towels and my bed linens and some shirts i wore to bed. I thought if it was doing this to my linens, what is it doing to my skin?

A friend told me about Melaleuca and they have a 60 day guarantee on every product. They have an acne treatment solution that worked for me. I think the difference is that this company does not put harsh ingredients in their products and because it has the Melaleuca tea tree (T36 C5) oil in it. This oil is very soothing, it kills bacteria, it is penetrating deep into the skin and it is very effective. I highly recommend shopping with this company. Their products are awesome and you buy at wholesale.

Like I said, a friend of mine referred me to them. I can do the same for you. Let me know if you are interested in learning more. It will work!

I'll be 35 this year and I'm so glad to be done with this embarrassing problem.

A.

Hi,
I have used both accutane and spirowhatever. I used accutane when I was in my mid 20s and LOVED it, I had clear CLEAR skin for 5 years. It was awesome. WHen I turned 30 I tried the other and it was okay, it still left my skin oily which I didnt like. (then I started having babies and am on nothing with moderately clear skin. You would never really know from looking at me how terrible my skin was and I attribut that to accutane. Just make sure to adhere to all the warnings and testings and whatever.)
Good luck
Beht

Have you ever heard of Arbonne products. They have a vitamin and facial products designed for acne. My daughter 18 has used this since age 16 and her skin is wonderful. A niece who is 15 was going to be put on acutane and we tried arbonne first and her skin is also doing wonderful.

I swear up and down that ProActiv Solution works!!! I started it about 10 years ago in college, and I still use it! It totally works and makes your skin look healthy. I have very oily skin too.

Hello! I am a 38 yr old mother of three who has had a struggle with my skin since I was a teenager. I do not have severe acne but it is constant. It seems like my skin has not been completely clear in years, no matter how much I wash it or what over the counter products I put on it. I do have a prescription for Spironolactone that was given to me by my dermatologist. I can tell you that for me it did work very well. My derm. explained to me that it is often given to women in my 'age group' that continue to experience acne. Basically what it does is supress the testosterone levels in a womens body that for whatever reason cause adult acne. I took it for about a year and had great results. You can find out about the benefits/side effects of using Spironolactone for acne by doing a google search - there is an abundance of info available. It also however; can be linked to birth defect issues - particulary in a male fetus as your testosterone levels have been altered (at least that's the way my dr explained it to me). I did not go back and have my script rewritten after that year because my feeling is that if I need that medication (which is actually a high blood pressure medication) to control the testosterone levels in my body I must have some type of a hormonal imbalance and I think that needs to be addressed as a whole rather than just treating one symptom. So....in all that rambling I guess the point I have to make is that you may want to check with your family doctor before deciding to take a prescription medication to treat one symptom of something that may be a bigger issue. If you have a hormone imbalance that is causing both the acne and the polysystic overies, one treatment may encompas both issues. Good Luck!

Hi J.,

I am an Esthetician and there are a lot of great skin care products out there to help an oily and acne skin. Before you use the Accutane I would recommend trying some professional skin care products from an Esthetician first. As long as you don't have cystic acne, which are large nodules under the skin you should be able to clear it up with a good skin care line and good at home care. Take a look at your diet as well. These can all be contributing factors to the breakouts. I am currently licensed and practicing in skin care and work in a south suburb of the Twin Cities. Let me know if you have any questions. M.

Hi J.-
Where do you live. Before you go to extremes with meds, I'm a wellness coach- and many times nutrition and facial products take care of this alone. I have- almost have I can say now as it's there but not noticable anymore- rosacea and my skin is much better since I've used products I believe in. And a little trick- at night rub plain old bacitracin into upcoming pimples and in a couple days- they are gone!! No need for drugs as it penetrates as a topical antibiotic just like a wound.
Anyway- If you do live in mpls/st.paul area I can do a facial on you and a wellness evaluation- Free- and see what you think of what we have. If you live outside that, I can send some samples and talk on the phone.
____@____.com is my email- identify momsource in the subject line so I know it's you.
Make today great and watch the candy at halloween ;)

About me- 48yo med. prof, wellness coach and mom to 7yo twin girls.

B.

I took accutane for about 3 months in 1996. Because it causes severe birth defects, you will be required to be on some form of hormonal birth control while you take accutane. Some people have speculated that it can cause birth defects even after you stop taking it (this was years ago, I have no idea wheter it has been proven or disproven). Because it is strongly related to vitamin A, you will really need to watch your consumption of foods and supplements that contain Vitamin A. Because it causes your skin to basically shed and renew itself more rapidly than normal, you will need to use a good sunblock all of the time to prevent sunburn. Because it can cause liver damage, you will need to have a blood test done every month to ensure that liver damage is not occuring. And, it has been linked to increased suicide attempts in teenage boys. While it did work for me, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't.