Acne maimed me emotionally. If you have suffered acne like I did, you would agree that it can be embarrassing, frustrating and depressing which can also lead to social withdrawal and low self-esteem. It has been a topsy-turvy ride for me battling acne and I finally found an effective solution. This isn’t one of those DIY home remedies or just another DIY beauty regimen. I’m talking about a medical intervention --- Isotretinoin or commonly known as Accutane. I know, I've taken the road less traveled but the final destination was worth the distance.
I started having acne in my early twenties and back then my pimples were manageable. When I immigrated to the US about two years ago my acne worsen. I thought it was stress induced acne due to some changes that I had to go through acclimating to a new country so I gave myself some time to be well adjusted to my new living situation. The next thing I knew my face was full of humungous throbbing break-outs and no amount of make up can cover it up. It sure did ruin my day and my already bruised self-confidence.
I started buying over the counter drugs that contain benzoyl peroxide such as PANOXYL and then switched to PROACTIVE but neither worked for me. At the time I hated to see myself in front of the mirror and be reminded of scars, acne dark and red spots, uneven skin tone, large pores, oily and flaky spots that resulted from putting on countless "organic" and chemical products on my face. Yeah, It was a horrible experience. After a few months of self-absorbed unhappiness, I later consulted a dermatologist and he told me that I had a cystic acne condition brought about by hormonal imbalance or genetically inherited. Then it came to me that my father had some serious acne issues during his teenage years that resulted to depressed facial scarring in his later years. When I became aware of what’s going on with my skin, I became determined to get help. To make the long story short, I acquiesced to the dermatologist's prescription. Medications include an antibiotic gel called VELTIN and then later on upgraded to TAZORAC gel along with an oral antibiotic called DOXYCYCLINE when the first prescription didn't work. I took the second medication religiously for five months and I was pleased that it helped managed my break-outs. My skin started to clear up on the first month of use but I still get painful bumps every now and then. On my fifth month, I noticed that my skin finally cleared up and with the dermatologist's approval I stopped taking doxycycline. I was relieved to break free from taking acne medication and also to finally go out without worrying about my imperfect skin but my happiness was short lived. About a month of discontinued usage, my acne started coming back. I thought It was just a monthly hormonal break-out but it kept going. I know I want clear skin complexion without drug maintenance but I didn’t know what to do then.
I started having acne in my early twenties and back then my pimples were manageable. When I immigrated to the US about two years ago my acne worsen. I thought it was stress induced acne due to some changes that I had to go through acclimating to a new country so I gave myself some time to be well adjusted to my new living situation. The next thing I knew my face was full of humungous throbbing break-outs and no amount of make up can cover it up. It sure did ruin my day and my already bruised self-confidence.
I started buying over the counter drugs that contain benzoyl peroxide such as PANOXYL and then switched to PROACTIVE but neither worked for me. At the time I hated to see myself in front of the mirror and be reminded of scars, acne dark and red spots, uneven skin tone, large pores, oily and flaky spots that resulted from putting on countless "organic" and chemical products on my face. Yeah, It was a horrible experience. After a few months of self-absorbed unhappiness, I later consulted a dermatologist and he told me that I had a cystic acne condition brought about by hormonal imbalance or genetically inherited. Then it came to me that my father had some serious acne issues during his teenage years that resulted to depressed facial scarring in his later years. When I became aware of what’s going on with my skin, I became determined to get help. To make the long story short, I acquiesced to the dermatologist's prescription. Medications include an antibiotic gel called VELTIN and then later on upgraded to TAZORAC gel along with an oral antibiotic called DOXYCYCLINE when the first prescription didn't work. I took the second medication religiously for five months and I was pleased that it helped managed my break-outs. My skin started to clear up on the first month of use but I still get painful bumps every now and then. On my fifth month, I noticed that my skin finally cleared up and with the dermatologist's approval I stopped taking doxycycline. I was relieved to break free from taking acne medication and also to finally go out without worrying about my imperfect skin but my happiness was short lived. About a month of discontinued usage, my acne started coming back. I thought It was just a monthly hormonal break-out but it kept going. I know I want clear skin complexion without drug maintenance but I didn’t know what to do then.
When my family switched to Kaiser Permanente, I immediately looked for a new dermatologist who can cure my skin condition. When I found one and shared my pitiful acne adventures, he recommended Accutane. I’ve known this drug to be the last resort for acne problems and I have read the potential long term side effects of it so I was hesitant to take that narrow path but I did my research and with my husband's support and my confidence in the dermatologist, I decided to go for it.
Since taking Accutane has some serious health risk, a federal program called ipledge is designed to help mitigate those associated risk and my dermatologist and nurses at Kaiser played a big role in the entire treatment process that lasted for five months. It included monthly medical consultation, monthly blood specimen check up and monthly online knowledge check on the ipledge website. It was a bit handful but all steps were necessary for a thorough and successful treatment. I actually thought everything went by so fast before I knew it.
Now that I'm off accutane for a few months my friends are asking if am I feeling any side effect. I honestly don’t feel any physical side effect. At least none that I'm aware of. My last blood specimen check up came back fine. However, while I was going through the treatment my body reacted to the strong drug. I experienced bleeding constipation so I incorporated a lot of fiber into my diet and took phsyllium capsule as per doctor’s advise. I suffered from dry cracked lips, extremely dry skin and scalp which I remedied by applying generous amount of moisturizers to the affected area. Cholesterol level spiked up but I managed my diet, exercise and moderate to no alcoholic beverage intake.
Is this treatment something that I can recommend to anyone? It is not meant for everyone. Before you jump on the band wagon make sure that you are well informed about the possible side effects of the drug by doing research and asking your dermatologist about it. Once you're in the treatment program, be responsible because your overall health still depends on how you treat your body. Am I happy with the results of the accutane? Yes, absolutely! I still have my old acne scars but I am now comfortable in my own skin, I can go out with less make up and lastly I can gladly say that my journey to clear skin has come to an end.
Is this treatment something that I can recommend to anyone? It is not meant for everyone. Before you jump on the band wagon make sure that you are well informed about the possible side effects of the drug by doing research and asking your dermatologist about it. Once you're in the treatment program, be responsible because your overall health still depends on how you treat your body. Am I happy with the results of the accutane? Yes, absolutely! I still have my old acne scars but I am now comfortable in my own skin, I can go out with less make up and lastly I can gladly say that my journey to clear skin has come to an end.
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| After Tazorac & Doxycycline but before Accutane Treatment (July 2015) No make up just a brave soul. LOL |
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| 2 months left on accutane (December. 2015) Just Lip tint, no make up. |
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| 3 months off Accutane Treatment (May 2016) Just light powder, lip gloss, eyebrows and eyeliners done. |
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| 3 months off Accutane Treatment (May 2016) Daily light make up for school. |
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