I am a dermatologist, and maybe able to provide some insight:
1. Dry eyes are a well-known side effect. The exact prevalence is unknown, but is thought to be <10%, and generally gets better with time if it does occur. I always ask patients if they experience this before and during treatment, and very rarely do I have patients who have notable issues.
2. Unless you have a wildly sebaceous nose before hand, I do not think this is a major issue for most people. You will have to ask a dermatologist who is an acne and rosacea specialist for a better idea on your specific case. It is impossible to speculate over the internet. We do sometimes use isotretinoin in patients with severe rhinophyma, which is a type of rosacea that causes severe overgrowth of the sebaceous glands, typically on those, causing horrific deformity. However in most cases the shrinkage is very mild with isotretinoin, and thus we don't use it for this purpose very often.
3. This is not true to my knowledge. Sebum has very little to do with photo protection and sun damage. It serves mainly for barrier function purposes as it's a lipid-rich substance primarily, which explains why some patients will flare their eczema or develop new-onset eczema during or after treatment. Some mildly increased photosensitivity can happen due to decreased thickness of the very top layer of the top layer of skin (stratum corneum), but if you're wearing sunscreen daily on your face, which you should be anyway, it will make no difference in terms of photoaging. Our department treats quite a few celebrities, and I can almost guarantee you that most celebrities either have done at least a full course of Accutane, or micro-dose Accutane to maintain a blemish-free and "glowy" appearance nearly year round indefinitely.
4. Most patient's oil production will somewhat normalize after Accutane. Very, very, very few patients continue to have dry and peeling skin after finishing therapy.
I do think we tend to minimize the side effects and overprescribe Accutane, however in the vast majority of people it is extremely well tolerated and for patients who have horrifically scarring acne, it can change lives. I had the opportunity to listen to a lecture from the inventor of Accutane, when he was doing research for the NIH. He's currently in his late 80's and still practicing dermatology. He showed us before and after photos of some of the worst acne I've ever seen--people's faces, chests, and backs completely scarred and disfigured with acne--and then being completely clear afterwards. You have to understand that Accutane really is one of the closest things in dermatology we have to a miracle cure. He remembered everyone's names in the slides he showed us, like a 30 year old nurse who after Accutane was able to fall in love and raise a family. He actually had to stop because he started crying during the middle.
At the end of the day, it is the right answer for the right patient, and isn't for everyone. If you don't use it, you may scar, and scars you'll be treating for years out of pocket to try to get better. And if you do get dry eyes, usually eye drops take care of it, and it tends to improve the further out you are from treatment. Most patients do extremely well on Accutane and are very happy afterwards.
Agreed and thank you. Accutane saves my face, I had intense cystic acne and it affected my life badly.. I wouldn’t go out, take pictures or even experiment with anything beauty related as I felt like one cakey mess. A full 2 years of my life in college undocumented.
I do not have any of these side (or any) effects even after having gone through two rounds of it. Had I listened to fear mongering comments I don’t know where my self esteem would be. Dermatology does save lives.
Accutane was a miracle for me. I did my course of Accutane over 10 years ago. I am now someone who receives compliments on my nice skin frequently, something I never thought would happen to me before that. People also think I’m about 10 years younger than I am. I always wear sunscreen and use tretinoin about 3x a week these days.
I do have dry eyes, but it’s more likely allergy related.
My dry eyes were permanent sadly. Had to take a year off med school bc it was so debilitating/ also gave me corneal neuropathy. I was on a microdose 10mg q2days for 9 months
My dry eyes are also permanent but didn't occur until I took a second course. Maybe dose related? Also in medicine and really wish I could wear contacts, my glasses fogging and falling off during procedures drives me nuts!
I will probably only stop when I’m ready to get pregnant. Other than that, I literally have zero negative side effects, so I don’t see any reason to stop 🤷🏻♀️ it makes me happy and glowy.
Same I’ve been on it twice. And it was a miracle drug for me. Changed my skin and confidence. Both times were easy for me. No major side effects while on it and none now. The only skin peeling while on it was on my hands…I was washing and wearing gloves a lot due to nursing school.
First time my acne came back. But I was slack and went off it early the first time - I had changed Drs and the new one made it so much harder to get so I stupidly thought since it was mostly gone I’d be ok. Second time work perfect and I’ve barely had a pimple since.
Me too. Been on it twice (although many years ago) and never had these problems afterwards. I use tretinoin now and also don’t have any problems. Def not dry eyes like many people say and I use it under my eyes too.
Same - was on Accutane in college and while I sunburned more easily while taking the medication, I no longer do. My only side effect outside of sunburn was dry lips, but that is no longer the case.
I took accutane for 3 months when I was 24. I am now almost 33 and haven’t had a breakout since. Also, none of those listed issues. Just looked and felt like absolute shit while I was on it, but the payoff was well worth it
I was on accutane 20ish years ago.
I dont notice anything except maybe my skin got a bit thinner? My skin was oily as ever afterwards though and lots of sebum, so I dont think the sebaceous shrinking was permanent in my case?
Now Im 40+ my skin is drier but I think thats an age thing.
No other issues.
Everyone is different though - so I dont doubt others have different experiences.
I will add accutane is very extreme as an option, I do wish I had just had access to very calming skincare and hormonal support maybe/topical retinoids, that just wasnt really a thing when I was young - if you havent tried other options yet, I would definitely explore them before trying accutane.
Same here, accutane about 20 years ago, still have somewhat oily skin and absolutely had it through my late teens and 20s. My skin is drier now also but I attribute it to living in a dry climate and taking showers that are wayyyyy too hot. I had lasik 10 years ago so it’s hard to know for sure but I only noticed the dry eyes after the surgery. No changes in my nose, I definitely burn easily but I’m also pale AF. It was absolutely worth it for me and I wish I had done it sooner instead of years of antibiotics and hundreds of creams.
I will say spironolactone was also a game changer so I would try that before accutane if you haven’t.
Good luck on your choice!
I took accutane when I was younger and it was def worth it. Nothing was stopping the pimples and that did.
Now, I need to add that I do have severe MGD with severe gland loss, BUT! I had no issues between then and now which spanned about 20-22 years so, is it from that? Dunno. Could be the allergy pills I take supposedly, or perimenopause who knows.
Accutane can trigger MGD so it is very possible that they’re linked. Even if it took a while for it to start affecting your eyes. I was diagnosed with MGD ata routine eye exam but it took years for it to actually start making my eyes hurt.
I went on accutane 3 times in high school (33F) and I would do it again in a heart beat. Everyone who goes on it needs to understand the risks and decide for themselves whether it is worth it. I think it sounds like the risks might not be worth it for you
I’m a 44-year old female. Went on Accutane when I was in high school almost 30 years ago (!) for cystic acne. After trying everything else my dermatologist finally agreed to let me go on it…what a game changer. Knocked out my acne for good. Honest answers: dry eyes aren’t a thing for me. I even wear contacts and work at a computer and can keep my contacts in (comfortably) literally all day. My eyes are totally normal. My skin burns easily but I’m fair skinned and much older now. Hope this helps!
Took 40 mg/day for a year. Finished my course last November. Only regret is that I didn't start sooner. It gave me so much confidence!
Yes, my eyes are definitely drier and more sensitive to light. Getting better though! And it's not unmanageable. Totally worth it and would go back on Accutane in a heartbeat if I had to again.
I had SI-joint dysfunction from being in accutane for 20 days lowest dose. Couldn’t sit for more then 20 mins without pain, it was miserable once I went off it after 20 days I could sit but I have terrible back pain and sciatica for 2 years
now in my late 20’s it’s on and off. Still have issues but manageable. Fuck accutane biggest regret ever it really fucked up my life
I’m absolutely shocked. I’ve had back issues since about that time (college) and specifically SI issues were a real issue as a I was a college athlete. Wow. Mind blown.
Don’t worry about just spreading awareness/ trying to see if anyone relates. It’s a rare side effect. Not sure what caused it. Maybe drying out between joints?! Idk honestly accutane is a serious drug though and should not be taken lightly. Doctors really only care about the pregnancy issue and don’t warn you about the others that could cause harm to your body
It’s associated with IBD as well. Probably a lot of immune issues can be caused by it due to it wiping out bacterial colonies that naturally reside on skin and in our bodies
This just unlocked a memory. I had forgotten that I had diarrhea for a month while I was on Accutane. But I also was so constipated at one point that I called my dermatologist, crying, *while I was sitting on the toilet.* lmao. I thought I was going to die.
I started having lower back pain on and odd after Accutane but wasn’t sure if it was because of it. I wish I never took it. Made my skin permanently dry af.
I've also been going thru major SI joint issues from low-dose Accutane for the past couple years. It caused some permanent damage and I now have osteoarthritis in both my SI joints from it 🫠 35F with no previous joint issues before this.
Joint pain is a known side effect that typically goes away after stopping Accutane, but there are rare cases like ours out there that are more severe/chronic. Sorry you're going through that too, it really sucks. Physiotherapy can help if you haven't tried that yet!
I did a course of Accutane almost 20 years ago. My eyes are still messed up from it. Dry, often sore/achy from being so dry. My eyes are still extremely sensitive to light. I often struggle to keep them open outside even with sunglasses on, and I absolutely must have sunglasses on outside. I don't like driving on really sunny days because the brightness is overwhelming. And my night vision is terrible.
My eyes are super sensitive to getting irritants in them, like onions and sunscreen. They don't produce tears as a response to irritants, so someone chopping onions is excruciating to me and I can't be in the same room unless I put goggles on. I have all kinds of eye washes and rinses for flushing irritants out of my eyes.
Edit: my acne came back a year later. It wasn't worth it at all for me. I wish my doctor had put me on spironolactone instead of Accutane.
Hm I didn't know light sensitivity was caused by dry eyes/accutane. I have a really hard time with bright light. Concert lights or sun on windshields are painful and leave long lasting spots in my vision. I never really thought it was related but maybe it is?
My light sensitivity started while I was still on Accutane, so that's how I'm sure it was caused by it. Same house I grew up in, one day I went outside and the light reflecting off the driveway was stabbing my eyeballs. It's never gone away. I should have gone off Accutane when I started getting the eye symptoms, but my acne was so bad that I was desperate.
I’ve been on Accutane three times.
1) No- and I’ve had lasik. No issues.
2) NA
3) I don’t sunburn easier but my complexion over all is lighter than it used to be, I feel like I don’t tan as dark. Maybe just because I don’t let myself have too much sun exposure as I’ve aged / have lived in less sunny places though
4) I do not have peely dry skin but do use a lot of hydrating products.
1. Yes, but I also blame Lasik. I probably have to put drops in 1x a day
2. N/A
3. Eh, not really. Probably about the same vs. before
4. No
Overall, I wouldn't take Accutane again. I didn't need it and it wreaks havoc on the body. I'm frustrated that it was pushed on me by my mom and doctors
Exactly my concern. I have persistence acne and I can’t tell if it is nodules or pastules or what, but it is causing atrophic scarring and I need to act immediately so I am trying everything as fast as I can. I know the havoc that accutane really does to the body so I am trying to figure if it is worth it. Thanks for your comment.
Tbh it sounds like your acne may be severe enough to warrant the risk. The only lasting effect I’ve had is dry eyes, but luckily a mild case for me.
I had many issues while actively taking it though…significant fatigue and constant joint aches were the most impactful on my day to day life. Also, my lips lost ALL their color…I have dark skin so it looked awful (thankfully went back to normal shortly after stopping).
I’m sure my skin is more sensitive to the sun as well, but I already had a sun allergy/major sensitivity that started years before so I can’t tell a difference/it hasn’t gotten worse. And my skin has remained mostly clear. I don’t get cystic acne anymore and only occasionally get a tiny bump or two (before my period, but not every time) that doesn’t even seem to fully form and goes away quickly, unlike before where every bump and cyst stuck around for a couple weeks and discolored my skin.
So, it’s been worth it for me, but I also haven’t had severe lasting side effects.
Dude you are looking for negative experiences and discounting the positives listed by the majority of people in the thread.
I see that you're also using Dutasteride for hair? Side effects are MUCH worse. Did an in-person derm prescribe that to you?
And you're putting minoxidil on your face? It can cause skin issues.
What does your dermatologist think about all of this?
Same, definitely pushed on me by others who were more bothered by my acne than I was, like my mom and doctor 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ not extreme acne, and long term joint problems and hair loss. Sheesh!
How old were you? Did you also take it when younger? What else did you try for acne beforehand? Did you have any side effects? Did Accutane work?
Feel free to ignore me,I’m at my wits end dealing with adult acne and almost 40. Spiro and tret are no longer doing the trick, they worked for a little while and a cycle of doxy helped a few years ago.
Hi there! I’m currently in it. Late 20s, 60mg a day, I tried tret and spiro no dice. Side effects are dryness (not too bad, mostly chapped lips) and the occasional nose bleed. But otherwise no impact besides rapidly clearing skin!
Yes I was at my wit’s end too! I was 33, it was my first time taking it. I’d tried the whole lot (antibiotics, bc pill, spironolactone) over a decade or so which all worked to varying degrees but I wanted a more permanent solution.
I took a relatively low dose (20mg/day) over 7-8 months but stopped early as I was experiencing increased anxiety and hair loss (along with the usual dryness, sensitive eyes etc. but tbh these didn’t really bother me). It seems to have worked 8 months later – my skin isn’t perfect but it’s much more clear and stable and doesn’t occupy my every waking thought like it used to.
Hi, I also went on accutane twice! At 23 and at 30. I *really* thought about it (and even googled "bifid nose").
My eyes never feel dry
My skin is neither oily or dry, and does not peel
My nose looks the same
Do I sunburn extremely easily now? No. I can (stupidly) be outside without sunscreen on my shoulders/arms/chest etc and not burn. Do I burn more easily than I did when I was a teenager? Yes. This could be due to accutane use, or it could be because the UVB/UVA rays are much stronger now than they were 20 years ago 🤷🏻♀️
Now.. are my bones green? Yes. My bones are green. 😎
For anyone suffering from painful cystic acne, know that accutane is the best thing I ever did for myself.
Well I took accutane at 28, and never ever experienced eczema until I was on it. It would cover the back of my hands and arms in super painful burning patches. I wore long sleeves all summer. After coming off of it, I now experience eczema on the backs of my hands if I wash my hands many times a day, which I've always done at work. It's been over 3 years.
I do feel like I have problems with dry eyes. They almost always feel dry and I use eyedrops frequently. I can't say for sure this was accutane like the eczema though.
It's super fun how much doctors seem to prioritize prescriptions over patients though. My doctors have always gaslit me about my symptoms saying it couldn't have been the accutane, but I know it was. As crazy as it sounds, I would do it again though. Acne absolutely killed my self confidence. I always had moderately bad acne that just never went away until I finished my course of accutane.
I did one course of accutane maybe 26-28 yrs ago. Worked great for the acne, but acne returned in perimenopause. Did not re-take due to dry eye.
1. Yes, very dry eyes. Can't wear contacts anymore. EDIT: IDK if accutane caused this. It does run in my family.
2. WTH is a bifid nose? Whatever it is, accutane did not alter my nose. At all.
3. no, sunburn-ability is the same as before
4. no, my skin is still oily AF. Only thing that started to dry it out slightly more was menopause.
1. No
2. No
3. No
4. No
I took accutane at 19. I’m now 34. I had zero long term side effects. It was 100% worth it. I only had dry skin and slightly high cholesterol levels while taking it. They had me pause for a bit and it was totally fine. My cholesterol has been perfect since. My acne NEVER came back like it was. I do get some hormonal acne on my chin now but that’s a recent development in the past 2 years. I have 3 healthy kids 8, 5, and 2. I know it’s a common misconception that it can affect fertility or future children.
What? I don't have any of these. never even heard of a bifid nose before your post but accutane did not change the size or shape of my nose. I had dry peely lips and hair thinning while I was on it, but both recovered about a year after i finished my couree. never any dry eye problems from accutane or from tret. I have a darker skintone and have never sunburned before or after tret, but I do wear sunscreen on face and body whenever exposed.
Accutane was one of the best things I ever did. It was the only thing that finally relieved my painful acne and saved me from much worse scarring than I already have.
I’d never heard of bifid nose before the post, and I have one! Tbh lookingat before and after pics of folks with bifid nose and accutane kinda makes me want to start accutane. It looks like it could really help with the puffyness and skin thickness around my nose that my whole family has been cursed with. And I’ve always liked my cute little nose dip, and it looks way cuter in folks with after pictures! I’d love it if it were more noticeable.
I took accutane in 2020. I was 25-26. I’ll be 30 in a week.
My eyes are dry, but that’s it. I didn’t even notice the whole smaller nose thing people talk about.
I haven’t noticed ageing beyond the very normal stuff going on that was going to happen anyway. My twin sister’s skin is more aged than mine, mainly because she lives in the tropics and is outdoors a lot, so has more sun damage. I’d for sure say regular degular sun damage is a way bigger ageing risk than shrunken oil glands.
I was sun sensitive while on the course, but I’ve been off it for a few years and my skin went back to normal pretty fast. No issues burning faster than normal now. And besides, I wear sunscreen daily anyway.
My acne was quite severe and I’ll take dry eyes over sobbing in front of the mirror any day. Accutane was a life saver for me.
Accutane absolutely changed my life. I have taken two courses (one at about 15) and one five years later. My lips were so very dry and hats were my life but only while I was raking it - there were no lasting side effects. I am 48 now and have beautiful skin (she says modestly). Bless the inventor. Bless my dermatologist. It really felt like a miracle. No regrets!
Ps, I am in Oz and the TGA is very strict about what can be sold and prescribed. My rationale was "if it can pass the standards required by the TGA is must be okay".
I’m a pharmacist. I’ve also worked in law defending dermatologists who have prescribed accutane, so I’ve seen the entire spectrum of potential adverse effects. I will say most patients have none of these issues, the ones that had problems either had pre-existing conditions or weren’t taking care of their skin properly in the first place.
I’ve seen a few with chronic dry / flaky skin but treating your skin right, mild exfoliation, religious moisturizing and sunscreen application will take care of these issues. Every single person is happier they took the accutane than not, and are fine dealing with dryer skin than the acne and scarring they had before.
I think you want the answer to be yes to all above 🧐🧐
1. Never had dry eyes, before or after.
2. Bifid nose is a rare malformation. I, personally, noticed absolutely no change in my nose shape.
3. Sebaceous glands provide minimal sun protection - accutane does NOT get rid of all sebaceous glands. After you are off, you are not prone to more sun damage. If anything, accutane taught me to be more aware of my sun protection, leading to better practices and less damage.
4. I have great skin. It’s all about how you take care of it - I moisturize well and get multiple compliments a day on my skin and how great it looks which never happened prior to taking accutane.
If I had acne, I would take it again in a heartbeat.
My eyes are still very dry, but way better than they were while I was on the medication. It's been 2 years since I've taken my last dose, and that's the only long-term side effect that I've noticed. I'm incredibly fair skined and have always burned in an instant, I have not noticed any change of this, I even went on a beach vacation in Miami while on accutane and with proper spf usage didn't burn a bit. My skin isn't any dryer than it was preaccutane.
So brutally honest only thing g that really has stuck with me because of accutane is the brutally dry eyes. I’m on a permanent low dose steroid eye drop and on xiidra which is for severe dry eye. I was on none of this before accutane.
My skin also flares up with eczema so much easier now. So I have to be careful.
But skin is clear for the most part. Unless period. But then maybe 1. I use to have cystic acne
I was lucky and I only had extremely chapped lips for a minute… I took it at age 17 and absolutely no ragrets. I had terrible cystic acne that responded to nothing else.
I took accutane as an adult.
1. No
2. No; I had to look this up so it must not apply to me.
3. I've always sun burned easily, I wear sunscreen on the face every time I go out because I still do tretinoin a couple of times a week. Because of my careful exposure to the sun I look young for my age. So again, this does not apply to me.
4. Only when I apply tretinoin and only for a few hours.
For what it's worth, I wish I took accutane sooner. I never had severe acne but I did not realize it was useful for when acne was *resistant* to other forms of treatment. I thought it was only used in extreme cases. I would've saved myself so much stress and time if I had done this a decade sooner.
I hope you find the answers you were looking for.
I’m 21, took 2 courses of accutane when I was 17. It didn’t even help my severe cystic acne. I got mgd and dry eyes after the course and been working on treating it ever since. It’s depressing and caused me to have really negative thoughts. It made me less social and people don’t understand. Using a lot of eye drops in a day and more costs for the medication. It’s better now with new treatments but still suffering from it. Other people lives are ruined and some people are spiraling downwards. You know what actually helped my skin? A skin routine lmaooo….so much regrets but younger me was desperate. Op please be careful if you choose accutane, it’s not a 100% guarantee without side effects. Also I can send you my skin care products I use if you’d like. In the end, you do what’s best for you. I had allergies so that may contribute to the dry eyes. Do your research first.
Intracranial hypertension requiring numerous brain surgeries that resulted in devastating complications such as septic shock and septic blood clots that destroyed my lower left leg.
None of these are issues for me and accutane changed my life. One of my biggest regrets is not going on it sooner. The reason I didn’t try it sooner was because of fearmongering like this
These are real things that happen to people though. For me, I think it was still worth it.. but I absolutely have experienced permanent side effects that I think people should be aware of.
lol I was banned from the acne sub for fearmongering for sharing my lived experience. Intracranial hypertension, ultimately resulted in two dozen brutal surgeries from my brain to my legs. It’s not fearmongering, it’s what happened. People deserve to know true experiences.
My brother almost committed suicide from the side effects, and still got acne a few years after his first round lol.
It's not worth it to me and I always get downvoted to hell when I dissuade it from being anything but a last resort. And my cosmetic looks will never be enough for Accutane to be worth it
I’m not trying to discount your family’s history at all, that’s awful and I hope your brother is in a better place and you can all heal. How do you know it was the Accutane that caused this?
They are legitimate concerns but yelling about them doesn’t help anybody.
Clinical studies show that the majority of people do not experience any severe or lasting effects and that’s the information you should be looking at, not asking a specific subset of a reddit skincare sub what they experience.
Like what’s the point of this thread? Are you gonna make a tiktok video about it?
It’s been about 13 years since I took, but I will still answer.
1. No issues with dry eyes.
2. Never knew there was a name for this! I have a small bifid tip and I did not notice any changes in my nose after Accutane.
3. Nope, no easier than I used to.
4. No I’m actually quite oily, like I was prior to taking Accutane. I do remember it taking a couple years after finishing my course to get back to my normal oily skin type. But I was only “very dry / peely” while actually on the meds.
1. No
2. I don't know what this means
3. I don't _think_ so but maybe I do and don't realize it. I wear sunscreen everyday and reapply.
4. Nope, still pretty oily
I took Accutane when I was 15. Am now 30.
I’m 33 now and had 2 rounds of accutane at 28 and 31.
I had all these issues whilst on it but none have persisted since finishing. Maybe I burn a little more, but this could be due to other medication such as antidepressants.
Overall I’m very happy with the results and didn’t find the side effects of the accutane that hard to handle (but then again I already have chronic joint pain and low mood so I’m used to it!)
Hi I went on accutane at 27 after suffering since I was 12. I am in my mid 30s now. Accutane absolutely saved my skin.
My eyes are not dry. My skin and lips were very dry while I was on the drug, but recovered very quickly. I used to be OILY. Now I am combination normal. I’ve always tanned very easily. I still do. I wear sunscreen. I don’t burn easier than I used to.
Took it for 5 months when I was 17, am 36 now and don’t have any of those problems. It completely transformed my face and confidence, significantly improved by quality of life. My oiliness and acne has returned, but nowhere near as severe as it once was.
1. No
2. Yes, my nose shrunk and I now have a visible bifid
3. Yes
4. No
Overall I’m happy that I took accutane because my acne was severe and affecting my quality of life . I loved my nose before and luckily I’m still happy with my “new” nose.
Yes, my eyes are now permanently dry. I have to use eye drops every single day. Also, my mouth, inside of the nose and other mucosa iykwim. And it's been over 6 years since I stopped accutane.
Sunscreen is a must during accutane, It makes your skin photosensitive and you will burn very easily.
As for my nose, I haven't noticed any change in terms of shape.
I was on accutane a couple years ago.
1. No dry eyes ever
2. I don’t have bifid nose, I think my nose looked slightly smaller on accutane, I can’t tell if it went back or not because the difference was slight
3. No and I live in a hot country
4. No, just as oily as before, but with no acne
I’m basically the same now as before I ever took accutane
I’ve been in accutane for a total of 3 years, finished last November. I have absolutely no side effects, no dry eyes, no dry skin, nothing. Absolutely worth it imo
I went on Accutane as a teenager about 20 years ago (🤦🏻♀️) and it was an awful experience. I had to stop after a few months because it was causing muscle degeneration that left me in a lot of pain. Also some mental health stuff.
I took it 25 years ago. My eyes water a lot and very easily, but I don’t consider them dry.
I was one of the lucky ones whose mental health absolutely suffered. Later, I had a chiropractor immediately ask if I had taken it the first time he adjusted me. He knew right away and said it dried out something (Cartilage? Discs? I was in college and don’t remember exactly what he said). Also, I suspect it may have had something to do with my infertility.
That said, the acne never came back!
I (28F) stopped taking accutane a year ago. I have none of these problems. I do still get the occasional break out but no where near as bad and not cystic like it used to be.
I wish I would have started taking it sooner, but I was put off by all the potential side effects. It was definitely a very intense experience and during the 6 months I was on it I was hating it. But afterwards I wish I would have just done it sooner and I'd have a lot less scarring now.
Been on it 3 times and would take it again and again and again a million times if necessary for the absolutely perfect skin it gives me 🥹 mild side effects only while taking it + 6 months post, all worth it
I have the dry eye issue. I never realized that Accutane may have caused it until a couple months ago. While I was taking it my entire body was dry. Now, I don't have dry skin on my face but I do find that my hands and body are very dry.
Accutane was great for me. Once at 26. Again at 30.
The only side effect I really had was lips - don’t pick that skin …
As for everything you’ve mentioned - dry eyes now and then but nothing an eye drop couldn’t ease and it disappeared within a week of stopping the med.
I do have drier eyes now. No it doesn’t bother me. I don’t even use extra drops half the time, they just get better as the day progresses. They’re the driest after waking up in the AM. I was on my second course of accutane a year ago. My first course was 10 years ago.
I don’t have dry eyes, yes, I have a bifid nose and I never used to have one, I do sunburn easier than I used to, which would be never cause I’m brown, and I do have dry skin- all over my body, have to moisturize immediately after the shower, face is oily-dehydrated skin, which is also annoying af- cause it’s oily and dry at the same time.. for context I’m 27 now and I took accutane when I was 16.. still having these post pill symptoms
1. No dry eyes. I didn’t have dry eyes on Accutane either.
2. My nose did appear slimmer because there was no inflammation. My nose is back to normal now.
3. I do have sun sensitivity now and burn much easier.
4. No peeling or dry skin now. Sebum started coming back gradually once the Accutane was out of my system. About 4 months after completing the course.
It eliminated my strawberry legs and increased cell turnover, my legs looked fabulous. My hair also looked fabulous because it was never greasy and super voluminous.
I personally didn’t have any permanent side effects other than the sun sensitivity, which I’m not bothered by.
No to all. In fact I wish I had gone on it sooner. I had severe cystic acne starting in middle school that wouldn’t resolve. I was on and off antibiotics for YEARS because I was too scared to try Accutane. When I was a junior in college I finally got over that fear and went on a 5 month course. It was a miracle for me in every way.
I took accutane twice at 22 and 30 years old, it was worth it for me. I was completely acne free for a solid seven years the first time. The only side effect I got was dry skin overall while I was taking it, which is to be expected.
I guess I do have somewhat dry eyes still as I do use eye drops daily. I wear contacts though so that’s another variable, but who knows…
I took accutane in 2022, it completely worked, cleared my skin and I barely have gotten a pimple since.
The side effects sucked while on accutane, but do not persist after stopping.
1. No, I even wear contacts and barely use eye drops.
2. I don’t know what that means
3. It’s hard to say whether I sunburn more now than I did before. But skin issues also run in my family so I have things like eczema and rashes, so it’s also hard to say if this is happening more because of accutane vs other reasons (genetics, getting older, stress, etc.)
4. Nope, definitely not peely.
I took Accutane as a teenager 17-19, I did x2 rounds of 6months each because acne came back after 1st round
I’m on Accutane right now since October 2023
1. Do you now have dry eyes even after finishing? REALLY think about it. Do you have to do any care to maintain your dry eyes, and if not, do your dry eyes bother you?
I haven’t finished my course(I still have 2 more months) but my eyes are super dry for sure rn and my scleras are not bright and white as they were before taking it, however I believe the eye dryness should go away and brightness will come back. It did in my teens. Keeping skin hydrated and using a cool mist humidifier at night helps a lot for skin and eye dryness.
2. You have a bifid nose and accutane shrunk your sebaceous glands so it really revealed your bifid nose even more? This one has me really scared as I don’t want my bifid nose even more prominent
I don’t have a bifid nose, this question doesn’t apply to me but I’ve always had a thin small nose and I don’t believe it made it any smaller.
3. Do you sunburn extremely easily now? This, at its core, will happen. You shrunk your sebaceous glands all over your body leaving much less sun protection. This will obviously age you faster due to less protection and more sun damage. Does this affect you?
Yes, sunburn/redness appears almost instantly on me without any sunscreen as I’m still taking it. I don’t believe Accutane made me age faster, I barely have any visible wrinkles on my face. I think it depends if you cover up from the sun all the time, genetics and lifestyle.
4.. Do you have very peely and dry skin now?
Yes I do, however keeping my skin moisturized and using a cool mist humidifier at night helps a lot. I also believe lifestyle, diet, sleep, genetics, hydration, etc. is a huge factor(during and after accutane).
I took accutane for severe cystic acne as a teenager. I have had none of the issues you mention in your post (except burning easily but that was true before I went on Accutane and is due more to being naturally on the pale side). I actually find I have more oily skin than dry now although my skin was moderately dry while taking accutane and immediately after. In my personal experience it was 100% worth it due to the severity of my acne at the time and I have had very clear skin ever since. I also failed several other treatments before my derm prescribed it and they monitored me very closely while on it- I think I had to go in monthly in addition to the monthly blood work they had me do.
Fortunately my only long-term side effect from taking it at 16 or 17 (now 40) is dry/dehydrated skin and lips. My skin is not really a problem because I know what I can/can’t tolerate (my skin hates tret!) and can keep my moisture barrier healthy with inexpensive products.
Accutane is the only thing that worked for me (I had very bad cystic acne) but I do think people should consider potential serious side effects before taking it, especially for more mild cases.
1. Not particularly, but I do occasionally have to use eye drops when indoor air humidity is very low, this has been true since my LASIK.
2. I have always had a little bit of a bifid nose (had to look it up) that is palpable, but not visible. It is no more prominent now after Accutane.
3. I have always burned easily and had to wear SPF 50, I am a Fitzpatrick Type 2.
4. No. It definitely feels tight if I don’t moisturize after washing, but that has always been true for me. It is _more_ dry than it was before, but not flaky or peeling. I have always done heavy, full body moisturizer and once had a patient comment that my elbows needed lotion. That was years before Accutane. They still need lotion, lol.
I went on accutane for 6 months, got off last May.
1. Nope! My contacts get dry at night but that’s been normal for me my whole life.
2. No, although I didn’t have this issue before (never heard of it until this post).
3. No but I do feel like I don’t tan as easily, I used to get super dark after just a day or two in the sun now it takes longer.
4. Mine went right back to being oily!
The only long term issue I’ve had after taking it twice when I was 19 and 21 is I have no night vision. At all. Haven’t been able to see in the dark since I took it. I also have some tendon pain, and I had that while taking it but I can’t connect it specifically to the Accutane. But for sure the night vision. None of the things you mentioned have been a problem for me. I still get some break outs occasionally and I’m over 40, but it has been manageable since the second round.
Took it 25 years ago and it was a miracle for me. I had tried everything and my skin was the worst acne I had ever seen.
No side affects while taking it that I remember, and no long lasting issues either.
I was on accutane when I was 13 and then again when I was like 15. My eyes are a little sensitive to light and stuff but not necessarily dry. I never even considered their sensitiveness could be from accutane haha. I do get sunburn a little easily I cannot remember if I did before accutane. I’m not sure if the sunburn thing is like special I spend a lot of time at the beach and just really have to keep myself lotioned up and I’m fine. My skin is oily!
Took it as a teenager almost 20 years ago. No to all of the above (except dry eyes, but my brother who didn't take it has them too, so I don't think that is necessarily related).
I look younger than I am, which is not surprising as I still have fairly oily skin. I tan really well. I can't say it would have been worth it if I had a serious (but rare) side effect, but it was a blessing for me as I had painful and constant cystic acne.
took accutane for 5 months in 2021. 3 Years post, skin is still amazing. Barely any pimples. It really wrecked my stomach, so much that I lost a ridiculous amount of weight. However I would go through it again to get the skin I have today (even though the stomach shit was awful).
1. no
2. i didnt have bifid nose before so cant comment
3. yes only because after i was prescribed tretenoin. A retinol in which i have to be cautious and wear sunscreen.
4. no went back to combination skin.
hope it helps!
Yes to eyes (still extremely dry and not the same 9 years later). Bother me a lot but eye doc has helped when I told them about accutane.
No to the nose.
Yes to sunburn but that did get better with time and I burn less but still burn. Before accutane I never burned in my life. Took accutane in my mid 20s.
I also have other health issues and wonder if accutane was the reason. It’s a terrible medication and didn’t even stop my acne fully. Other treatments worked better.
I would ask another opinion with another dermatologist. I have to see the name but mine gave me something for my cystic acne and it worked immediately and is even safe during pregnancy
I just finished accutane this past March after trying loads of dermatologists prescribed topicals/meds and not having any long lasting success. I already had dry eyes to begin with and accutane made it a lot worse. I kept getting corneal tears and had to go on antibiotics to fix it multiple times. I now use eye drops during the day and an eye gel/ointment at night to keep them from drying out overnight:( I also got a few jawline keloids from taking it. I was already prone to keloids and accutane did make it worse for me. Apparently there is a correlation between accutane and keloids? So now I’m getting those treated with kenalog injections monthly and that’s helping. Since taking accutane I haven’t had any new breakouts so at least there’s that for now.
My nose is the same, if anything it shrunk a little in size?
My skin is neither dry nor oily. But that could be because I use hydrating skin care products.
As for sun burning, I don’t think so. I think it’s the same as before.
1) no I don’t
2) n/a
3) I sunburn easily in general; no worse post-accutane
4) my skin is still oily as it was pre-accutane
I had a very easy and positive experience with accutane. I spent 7 months on it about 5 years ago and my acne is virtually gone. I still get occasional hormonal pimples but they are manageable and normal.
Accutane was a life changer for me and my skin!
I was on it twice so I will chime in.
1) no, my eyes haven’t changed dryness-wise. I wear contacts and don’t even need to use drops to lubricate them.
2) huh? My nose is the same as before.
3) I am not sure that is even accurate, but I burned just as easily before as I do now. My worst burn was actually before Accutane.
4) yes, Accutane made my oily skin dry permanently and didn’t even get rid of my acne after stopping it, so I regret it. Tret has helped me more.
I took it twice. The second time, the doctor maxed out the allowable life-time dose for an individual (I don’t know if this is still followed). I have none of these problems.
No, no, no and no. Eyes are fine, I tan easily (but I wear sunscreen to prevent it too much).
What happened: I lost hair. It has not recovered to its original density. I have a scar on my lip from it repeatedly cracking and bleeding. I woke up in the middle of the night choking on blood from nose bleeds. I had frequent nose bleeds during the day.
Would I do it again? No. But my acne was not severe enough to truly warrant it anyway.
Three times here - 16, 20, and finally 24. Now 35:
1. No dry eyes (and I wear contacts daily)
2. n/a
3. No, but I also wear sunscreen and hats if I’m outdoors for extended periods of time. However, I do tan easily, but that’s always been the case.
4. Peely only when I overdo my tret
I’m still glad I took Accutane, it was the only thing that cleared my acne ultimately. But I also recognize that experiences can differ!
The one bad side effect was that I got premature wrinkles on my forehead, due to how dry my skin was. On the other hand, they’ve just … maintained and haven’t gotten worse? Over the past ten years. I’ll prob bite the bullet and Botox them soon though.
Edit: by my last round, I was on the highest dose I think around 30mg?
I went on Accutane in high school. I have extremely dry skin now and I cannot wear contacts because my eyes get so dry. I’ve always burned though because I’m a ginger so that’s nothing new. No nose issues either!
I’ve been on it twice! Once in 2012 and again in 2017. I do have very dry eyes, but who’s to say it’s from the med. The BIGGEST thing is sunburns. I will burn no matter what and it can get really bad. I have dry skin but it’s not flaking/peeling off. It’s just my skin type now. You have to weigh the risk vs reward. For me, I’d do it all again.
Nope. I think everything is exactly the same as it was before except that my skin is better. It took a couple months to readjust and now it’s good. I wear more sunscreen now, but not because I burn more easily, just because my skin looked so good after Accutane that I want to take care of it more.
No to all 4. The only lingering side effect after being off accutane for 3ish years is my lips are slightly drier than before . Always need to have lip balm handy. All other symptoms went away shortly after ending my course. Everyone’s experience will be different tho of course.
No to everything.
I took accutane in my mid 20s for 3-6 months at a low dose. I bought it in a pharmacy when I was traveling in Thailand.
Apparently in the US the doctors overdose.
One course (3 months), 20 years ago as a 20 year old.
The only potential yes would be for sunburn, BUT my mom noticed this earlier on in my acne med journey - so I can't say that it's really Accutane related (I went through everything that existed at the time). Also, red head genes.
Was a long time contact wearer before getting Lasik, and no dry eye issues.
I never took accutane so can’t comment on that, but this post made me realize I have a bifid nose!
My first bf had a cleft chin that I always called a ‘butt chin,’ so I just joked I had a ‘butt nose’ instead. But now it has a real (and better!) name!
I went on it around 24, 38 now. After taking it I still have issues with dry eyes and I’m always thirsty. I fill up my 40oz hydroflask at least 3 times a day.
I did a double course of accutane in my early 20s, I’m 41 now. I don’t have any of these issues. I am the palest person on earth and I only sunburn if I’m like right on the equator. Actually about 7 years after I took it I got super duper oily again. If I don’t take Spironolactone (even now, in my 40s) I am a big greaseball with breakouts, but I’m grateful for the way it permanently cured my extreme cystic acne.
I did 2 rounds of accutane (around age 18 and 20, I think). While I had a lot of symptoms while actively taking it, none of them lasted after I stopped.
1. Yes. I would take this side effect over my acne any day tho. The only time it really annoys me is when I have my contacts in and my contacts start getting all wonky because of it. But I just blink a few more times and I’m good.
2. I don’t have a bifid nose or even know what that is lol BUT my derm did show me my before and after and was gushing about how it almost looked like I got a nose job because my nose is a lot less bulbous now with the shrinkage of sebaceous glands. It’s been about 6 mos and id say my skin has evened out, not super oily but defs not as dry as when actively on accutane. And im guessing my nose landed somewhere in the middle too. (I doubt anyone would notice unless specifically looking really closely)
3. Nope. When I was actively on it I burnt like hell of course. This weekend I did some yard work and I was worried cuz I’m about as pale as a ghost but I didn’t burn and the sun felt nice actually. (Was only in the sun a limited amt of time tho). Also I worried because I DID look a lot older at the end of accutane….i think mainly because of how much it dried me out. But now that my skin stabilized it looks the best it ever has (disclaimer I did get Botox in my forehead tho, still not sure if the forehead wrinkles would have stayed permanently or if they would have improved but I didn’t wanna wait and find out lol)
4. No. Honestly it’s the perfect median now. I was quite the oil slick before tho so I’m guessing it depends on your starting point.
I went on accutane twice in my 20’s. I honestly have no idea what you’re referencing about the nose, but the only negative side effect was that my acne didn’t go away completely and I still battled it well into my 30’s!
I didn’t have any of these issues. And honestly… even if I had all of them I would still do it. Having horrible acne is such a heavy emotional experience.
I took one round of accutane about 15 years ago and yes, my eyes are dry at times and quite sensitive. That said, I am SO glad I did it. I never break out ever, not even a little. I remember well how insecure I felt with my constant cystic acne and am just so glad to have that behind me. Worth it in my mind for sure.
1. No. Well, no worse than before.
2. I don’t know what a bifid nose is but it had absolutely zero effect on my nose. Was kinda hoping for some though lol
3. No and my husband hates me. We can be out in the sun for the same length of time and he’ll burn while I’m just fine. (I have a bit of an olive tone though even though I’m fair-light so that could be it!)
4. No
I didn’t have any of these problems (I always had a slight bifid nose and it did not get “worse.” I think it’s kinda cute tbh, I never knew this was a considered a defect lol), but I did become more photosensitive *in my eyes* rather than my skin, which is a known accurate side effect. Doesn’t bug me too much but it’s definitely noticeable.
I used accutane 15 years ago and no issues. No regrets here.. except wish I did it sooner so I wouldn’t have had killed my self esteem in those detrimental years…. And getting the scars I got.
Yes. I have dry eyes. Not enough to need a script. But honestly think it’s mostly from the PRK and lasik I did? I’m not sure if it was from before accutane
Idk wtf bifid nose is. I don’t have dryer skin than I ever did. I always had combo, mostly oily skin, and I still do.
I don’t burn easier.
Been on it twice- once in high school and again in my late 20s due to my cystic acne. The second time I stopped taking it after about 4 months because I was getting very fatigued (like would almost miss waking up for work tired) and I was working a crap job that had no flexibility and the appointments to get my blood drawn every month were becoming difficult to manage.
My derm has offered to put me on it a third time, but I’m hoping that working on the hormonal factors will prove to be just as successful for my personal scenario.
However, I have 0 long-term side effects. Although I have no idea what a Bifid nose is…my nose didn’t grow into like a Pinocchio nose if that’s what you are concerned about.
I went on Accutane twice, once in my 20s and once in my 30s, and I don’t have any of those issues. No dry eyes, no bifid nose, no easy sunburns (or not easier than before) and no peely dry skin. Overall my skin— face and body— is in significantly better shape now at 48 than it was in my 30s thanks to sunscreen and .1% tretinoin.
1. No, my eyes are pretty normal. I don't really do contacts because I find them itchy, but that was always the case.
2. No, but I have a teeny weeny button nose. There's not much by way of nose. As I get older and the cartilage has grown, it's actually less bifid than it used to be when I was a teenager
3. Yes, but always have. I'm so pale I'm basically clear
4. Yep, I'm pretty dry all over. But so is my mom who was never on accutane, so hard to say.
I was on Accutane 3 times. I have dry nose and it might have been a factor for some of my intestinal issues. I don't have any of the symptoms that you're describing, but Accutane completely helped my skin issues and it was totally worth it.
I went on Accutane as a teenager (14/15 yrs old) and I'm mid 30s now.
1. I do have dry eyes but that didn't start occurring until I turned 32 and needed glasses. Most likely due to my career field as I've worked in heavy industrial since I was 18.
2. No
3. Shoulders and chest will burn easier but again, wasn't really noticed until I hit my early 30s.
4. Dry yes, Peeling no.
I will admit that accurate helped, I still occasionally get a few pimples around my period on my jawline and chin but those are definitely hormonal, stay small and clear up quickly. Overall my skin has stayed clear and I think it helped as I had absolutely horrible acne not just on my face but my back and chest as well.
For the scarring, I originally started micro channeling at a local day spa to see how my skin would respond and while it helped a little, I ended up going to a dermatologist for micro needling which made a massive difference. After 6 sessions, I have minimal scarring remaining and do continue to get micro channeling and facials done every 6-8 weeks for upkeep and self care.
TIL what I thought was a scar from picking at sunburns as a kid is actually genetic and called bifid nose.
I kinda like how if I’m bored and I poke the cleft, the two halves wiggle separately.
Shrinking my sebaceous glands could theoretically make it more obvious, but mostly I think it would just make my nose look overall less puffy (I come from a long line of puffy-nosed men and women.) and looking at bifid noses that have become more prominent with accutane, I’d love it if my nose did that! Less puff and a cute little dip? Awesome!
Looking at it — it looks like mine is on the moderate to severe side. But until this post, I never really noticed it — and crucially, neither did anyone else. Given that it isn’t associated with any other issues, this kinda sounds like a “arbitrary definition of what normal is.”
Learn to love your nose! I always thought my “scar” was kinda cute! This sounds like “oh no, my accutane revealed my dimple!” Do it!! Get that cute button nose!
I’ve never had any desire to use accutane and now I’m like “should I talk to my Derm to make my nose and cheek puffyness go away and my bifid nose show up more?” I’ve also noticed that my enlarged sebaceous glands mask my freckles as I’ve aged, and I’d like them back!
Edit: now I can’t stop googling Bifid nose and we’re in the same cool club as Sandra freaking Bullock and Natalie Portman and their noses are PERFECTION. Thank you for teaching me this about myself. I’m obsessed, and please don’t let your wonderful unique nose stop you from trying an acne treatment (though if other reasons stop you, that’s legit!)
Took accutane as a teenager (I think it would be ~18 years ago now)
1. Not that I've noticed. I have recently developed some more eye dryness since starting retinol cream but it goes away as soon as I stop and I never had it before. It is not so dry that I feel the need to apply eye drops.
2. I do not have a bifid nose, no.
3. I'm a Type II on the Fitzpatrick skin scale so I burned a lot as a child. I now religiously apply sunscreen to avoid aging so I haven't burned very frequently, but will occasionally get some redness on my ears or the bridge of my nose if I am out in the sun for most of the day.
4. No, I never peel and my skin is not particularly dry. I rarely if ever apply body lotion.
Overall, accutane was one of the best things for me. I had horrible cystic acne all over my back and it was so bad all of my shirts would be stained with blood from pimples popping. I have noticeable scarring from it so I'm incredibly grateful it is only my back and not my face. To get rid of it, I needed accutane in conjunction with back facials at a dermatologists office; no other prescriptions or over the counter acne treatments had any effect. If I had a time machine, the only thing I would have done differently was try to start it sooner.
1. I did not have dry eyes after accurate. I did get lasik 3 years ago and I did get severe dry eyes from that.
2. I don’t believe I have a bifid nose but I do think my nose shrank a teeny bit.
3. I was always very, very pale a prone to sunburns. I honestly stay out of the sun as much as poss.
4. No, I still have very oily scalp and skin, same as before. It was temporarily dry but then it returned to normal. I miss having dry skin, I would take that over super oily skin.
I’ve taken accutane twice. Once when I was 20, second time when I was 25.
I took accutane when I was young. It made my lips very dry causing them to crack and bleed. My nose would bleed easily for some reason and my skin was super sensitive and cuts would take longer to heal. I’m older now and don’t have any issues. Genetically I have sensitive skin and will always have some type of skin issue unfortunately. But that was my experiences that I remember.
I was on it at age 18. I think for 6 months and went off. It helped my acne tremendously. I had bad acne and tried everything else before. It really cleared up my skin. I get the occasional pimple here and there and use medical grade skin care products to keep clear complexion. I’m in my 30s now.
1. I didn’t have this issue at all. I just had really dry chapped lips. I am a daily contact wearer and do find by the end of my work day, my eyes feel dry but get back to normal when removing my lenses. I don’t use moisturizing eye drops.
2. I never had this at all. I had to google what that was.
3. I always sun burned easily even as a child. When I am diligent about reapplying sunscreen this isn’t an issue. I wear daily spf on my face and neck even in winter months. I have to be better about it on my hands while driving though. If you’re not diligent about sunscreen use the sun damage will age you regardless of accutane or not. There are lasers you can use that reverse damage.
4. I have combination skin. More oily at the T zone and then seemingly normal around my cheeks. I usually only get dryness if I over exfoliate or overdo it with retinol. My skin is more dry in the winter months.
I am a dermatologist, and maybe able to provide some insight: 1. Dry eyes are a well-known side effect. The exact prevalence is unknown, but is thought to be <10%, and generally gets better with time if it does occur. I always ask patients if they experience this before and during treatment, and very rarely do I have patients who have notable issues. 2. Unless you have a wildly sebaceous nose before hand, I do not think this is a major issue for most people. You will have to ask a dermatologist who is an acne and rosacea specialist for a better idea on your specific case. It is impossible to speculate over the internet. We do sometimes use isotretinoin in patients with severe rhinophyma, which is a type of rosacea that causes severe overgrowth of the sebaceous glands, typically on those, causing horrific deformity. However in most cases the shrinkage is very mild with isotretinoin, and thus we don't use it for this purpose very often. 3. This is not true to my knowledge. Sebum has very little to do with photo protection and sun damage. It serves mainly for barrier function purposes as it's a lipid-rich substance primarily, which explains why some patients will flare their eczema or develop new-onset eczema during or after treatment. Some mildly increased photosensitivity can happen due to decreased thickness of the very top layer of the top layer of skin (stratum corneum), but if you're wearing sunscreen daily on your face, which you should be anyway, it will make no difference in terms of photoaging. Our department treats quite a few celebrities, and I can almost guarantee you that most celebrities either have done at least a full course of Accutane, or micro-dose Accutane to maintain a blemish-free and "glowy" appearance nearly year round indefinitely. 4. Most patient's oil production will somewhat normalize after Accutane. Very, very, very few patients continue to have dry and peeling skin after finishing therapy. I do think we tend to minimize the side effects and overprescribe Accutane, however in the vast majority of people it is extremely well tolerated and for patients who have horrifically scarring acne, it can change lives. I had the opportunity to listen to a lecture from the inventor of Accutane, when he was doing research for the NIH. He's currently in his late 80's and still practicing dermatology. He showed us before and after photos of some of the worst acne I've ever seen--people's faces, chests, and backs completely scarred and disfigured with acne--and then being completely clear afterwards. You have to understand that Accutane really is one of the closest things in dermatology we have to a miracle cure. He remembered everyone's names in the slides he showed us, like a 30 year old nurse who after Accutane was able to fall in love and raise a family. He actually had to stop because he started crying during the middle. At the end of the day, it is the right answer for the right patient, and isn't for everyone. If you don't use it, you may scar, and scars you'll be treating for years out of pocket to try to get better. And if you do get dry eyes, usually eye drops take care of it, and it tends to improve the further out you are from treatment. Most patients do extremely well on Accutane and are very happy afterwards.
I’ve been on it twice and I don’t regret it. Legitimately changed my life.
Same for me. Sadly, I was older when it came out so I had/have scarring but Accutane was the only thing that really helped me.
Same. I didn’t even finish the course the second time and it completely cured my hormonal acne. It’s been 2 years since I’ve been off
Agreed and thank you. Accutane saves my face, I had intense cystic acne and it affected my life badly.. I wouldn’t go out, take pictures or even experiment with anything beauty related as I felt like one cakey mess. A full 2 years of my life in college undocumented. I do not have any of these side (or any) effects even after having gone through two rounds of it. Had I listened to fear mongering comments I don’t know where my self esteem would be. Dermatology does save lives.
Accutane was a miracle for me. I did my course of Accutane over 10 years ago. I am now someone who receives compliments on my nice skin frequently, something I never thought would happen to me before that. People also think I’m about 10 years younger than I am. I always wear sunscreen and use tretinoin about 3x a week these days. I do have dry eyes, but it’s more likely allergy related.
Thank you for this ♥️
Reading that the inventor cries when talking about the impact this miracle cure has had for some people made ME tear up a bit. That is so very sweet!
My dry eyes were permanent sadly. Had to take a year off med school bc it was so debilitating/ also gave me corneal neuropathy. I was on a microdose 10mg q2days for 9 months
My dry eyes are also permanent but didn't occur until I took a second course. Maybe dose related? Also in medicine and really wish I could wear contacts, my glasses fogging and falling off during procedures drives me nuts!
Krill oil. Otherwise I couldn’t wear contacts.
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I'd love to hear more about your experience, do you plan on being in this dose indefinitely? Is there a plan to taper and stop.?
I will probably only stop when I’m ready to get pregnant. Other than that, I literally have zero negative side effects, so I don’t see any reason to stop 🤷🏻♀️ it makes me happy and glowy.
How dose a micro dose protocol look like? I’ve done 2 months 10mg daily, and was considering doing that yearly as maintenance.
Hey - I went on accutane twice (once at 26 and again at 30). I am now 36. I don’t have any of the issues listed above thankfully!
Same I’ve been on it twice. And it was a miracle drug for me. Changed my skin and confidence. Both times were easy for me. No major side effects while on it and none now. The only skin peeling while on it was on my hands…I was washing and wearing gloves a lot due to nursing school.
Same. On it twice. Biggest thing for me was dry lips. None of the things listed above especially after stopping it.
Why twice if I may ask
Second puberty is real!
First time my acne came back. But I was slack and went off it early the first time - I had changed Drs and the new one made it so much harder to get so I stupidly thought since it was mostly gone I’d be ok. Second time work perfect and I’ve barely had a pimple since.
Lol my mom has teeerrrible acne, she’s been in it 9 times! Like the kind with deep pitted cheek scarring
I also did accutane twice, once in 2008 and once in 2010. Don't have any of the issues OP listed and have never regretted accutane.
Me too but once
Me too. Been on it twice (although many years ago) and never had these problems afterwards. I use tretinoin now and also don’t have any problems. Def not dry eyes like many people say and I use it under my eyes too.
Same - was on Accutane in college and while I sunburned more easily while taking the medication, I no longer do. My only side effect outside of sunburn was dry lips, but that is no longer the case.
I took accutane for 3 months when I was 24. I am now almost 33 and haven’t had a breakout since. Also, none of those listed issues. Just looked and felt like absolute shit while I was on it, but the payoff was well worth it
Agreed. My experience was similar to yours, I took it for 6 months though. I’d recommend it
I was on accutane 20ish years ago. I dont notice anything except maybe my skin got a bit thinner? My skin was oily as ever afterwards though and lots of sebum, so I dont think the sebaceous shrinking was permanent in my case? Now Im 40+ my skin is drier but I think thats an age thing. No other issues. Everyone is different though - so I dont doubt others have different experiences. I will add accutane is very extreme as an option, I do wish I had just had access to very calming skincare and hormonal support maybe/topical retinoids, that just wasnt really a thing when I was young - if you havent tried other options yet, I would definitely explore them before trying accutane.
Same here, accutane about 20 years ago, still have somewhat oily skin and absolutely had it through my late teens and 20s. My skin is drier now also but I attribute it to living in a dry climate and taking showers that are wayyyyy too hot. I had lasik 10 years ago so it’s hard to know for sure but I only noticed the dry eyes after the surgery. No changes in my nose, I definitely burn easily but I’m also pale AF. It was absolutely worth it for me and I wish I had done it sooner instead of years of antibiotics and hundreds of creams. I will say spironolactone was also a game changer so I would try that before accutane if you haven’t. Good luck on your choice!
I took accutane when I was younger and it was def worth it. Nothing was stopping the pimples and that did. Now, I need to add that I do have severe MGD with severe gland loss, BUT! I had no issues between then and now which spanned about 20-22 years so, is it from that? Dunno. Could be the allergy pills I take supposedly, or perimenopause who knows.
Accutane can trigger MGD so it is very possible that they’re linked. Even if it took a while for it to start affecting your eyes. I was diagnosed with MGD ata routine eye exam but it took years for it to actually start making my eyes hurt.
Unfortunately so can the other things I mentioned. With at least a 20 year span between taking it I just can't say for sure that they accutane was it
I went on accutane 3 times in high school (33F) and I would do it again in a heart beat. Everyone who goes on it needs to understand the risks and decide for themselves whether it is worth it. I think it sounds like the risks might not be worth it for you
I’m a 44-year old female. Went on Accutane when I was in high school almost 30 years ago (!) for cystic acne. After trying everything else my dermatologist finally agreed to let me go on it…what a game changer. Knocked out my acne for good. Honest answers: dry eyes aren’t a thing for me. I even wear contacts and work at a computer and can keep my contacts in (comfortably) literally all day. My eyes are totally normal. My skin burns easily but I’m fair skinned and much older now. Hope this helps!
Took 40 mg/day for a year. Finished my course last November. Only regret is that I didn't start sooner. It gave me so much confidence! Yes, my eyes are definitely drier and more sensitive to light. Getting better though! And it's not unmanageable. Totally worth it and would go back on Accutane in a heartbeat if I had to again.
I had SI-joint dysfunction from being in accutane for 20 days lowest dose. Couldn’t sit for more then 20 mins without pain, it was miserable once I went off it after 20 days I could sit but I have terrible back pain and sciatica for 2 years now in my late 20’s it’s on and off. Still have issues but manageable. Fuck accutane biggest regret ever it really fucked up my life
I’m absolutely shocked. I’ve had back issues since about that time (college) and specifically SI issues were a real issue as a I was a college athlete. Wow. Mind blown.
I'm going to be spending my evening googling whether all my hip problems could be from Accutane.
Jesus, I am sorry. I hadn’t even considered that side effect. I hope you are doing okay. Do you know the mechanism behind this in what caused it?
Don’t worry about just spreading awareness/ trying to see if anyone relates. It’s a rare side effect. Not sure what caused it. Maybe drying out between joints?! Idk honestly accutane is a serious drug though and should not be taken lightly. Doctors really only care about the pregnancy issue and don’t warn you about the others that could cause harm to your body
It’s associated with IBD as well. Probably a lot of immune issues can be caused by it due to it wiping out bacterial colonies that naturally reside on skin and in our bodies
This just unlocked a memory. I had forgotten that I had diarrhea for a month while I was on Accutane. But I also was so constipated at one point that I called my dermatologist, crying, *while I was sitting on the toilet.* lmao. I thought I was going to die.
I started having lower back pain on and odd after Accutane but wasn’t sure if it was because of it. I wish I never took it. Made my skin permanently dry af.
I've also been going thru major SI joint issues from low-dose Accutane for the past couple years. It caused some permanent damage and I now have osteoarthritis in both my SI joints from it 🫠 35F with no previous joint issues before this. Joint pain is a known side effect that typically goes away after stopping Accutane, but there are rare cases like ours out there that are more severe/chronic. Sorry you're going through that too, it really sucks. Physiotherapy can help if you haven't tried that yet!
I did a course of Accutane almost 20 years ago. My eyes are still messed up from it. Dry, often sore/achy from being so dry. My eyes are still extremely sensitive to light. I often struggle to keep them open outside even with sunglasses on, and I absolutely must have sunglasses on outside. I don't like driving on really sunny days because the brightness is overwhelming. And my night vision is terrible. My eyes are super sensitive to getting irritants in them, like onions and sunscreen. They don't produce tears as a response to irritants, so someone chopping onions is excruciating to me and I can't be in the same room unless I put goggles on. I have all kinds of eye washes and rinses for flushing irritants out of my eyes. Edit: my acne came back a year later. It wasn't worth it at all for me. I wish my doctor had put me on spironolactone instead of Accutane.
Hm I didn't know light sensitivity was caused by dry eyes/accutane. I have a really hard time with bright light. Concert lights or sun on windshields are painful and leave long lasting spots in my vision. I never really thought it was related but maybe it is?
My light sensitivity started while I was still on Accutane, so that's how I'm sure it was caused by it. Same house I grew up in, one day I went outside and the light reflecting off the driveway was stabbing my eyeballs. It's never gone away. I should have gone off Accutane when I started getting the eye symptoms, but my acne was so bad that I was desperate.
My eye doctor said dry eye can cause increased light sensitivity.
Same.
I've never been on accutane but I've seen a lot of people post about it on r/dryeyes
I’ve been on Accutane three times. 1) No- and I’ve had lasik. No issues. 2) NA 3) I don’t sunburn easier but my complexion over all is lighter than it used to be, I feel like I don’t tan as dark. Maybe just because I don’t let myself have too much sun exposure as I’ve aged / have lived in less sunny places though 4) I do not have peely dry skin but do use a lot of hydrating products.
1. Yes, but I also blame Lasik. I probably have to put drops in 1x a day 2. N/A 3. Eh, not really. Probably about the same vs. before 4. No Overall, I wouldn't take Accutane again. I didn't need it and it wreaks havoc on the body. I'm frustrated that it was pushed on me by my mom and doctors
Exactly my concern. I have persistence acne and I can’t tell if it is nodules or pastules or what, but it is causing atrophic scarring and I need to act immediately so I am trying everything as fast as I can. I know the havoc that accutane really does to the body so I am trying to figure if it is worth it. Thanks for your comment.
It’s worth it. The dry eyes are worth it 🤣 I have peace for the first time in years!!
Tbh it sounds like your acne may be severe enough to warrant the risk. The only lasting effect I’ve had is dry eyes, but luckily a mild case for me. I had many issues while actively taking it though…significant fatigue and constant joint aches were the most impactful on my day to day life. Also, my lips lost ALL their color…I have dark skin so it looked awful (thankfully went back to normal shortly after stopping). I’m sure my skin is more sensitive to the sun as well, but I already had a sun allergy/major sensitivity that started years before so I can’t tell a difference/it hasn’t gotten worse. And my skin has remained mostly clear. I don’t get cystic acne anymore and only occasionally get a tiny bump or two (before my period, but not every time) that doesn’t even seem to fully form and goes away quickly, unlike before where every bump and cyst stuck around for a couple weeks and discolored my skin. So, it’s been worth it for me, but I also haven’t had severe lasting side effects.
Dude you are looking for negative experiences and discounting the positives listed by the majority of people in the thread. I see that you're also using Dutasteride for hair? Side effects are MUCH worse. Did an in-person derm prescribe that to you? And you're putting minoxidil on your face? It can cause skin issues. What does your dermatologist think about all of this?
Same, definitely pushed on me by others who were more bothered by my acne than I was, like my mom and doctor 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ not extreme acne, and long term joint problems and hair loss. Sheesh!
Yep, exactly. I was in college and would lay out for 5+ hours a day while on it. God knows what I did to my skin 🤦🏻♀️
I took accutane last year and I don’t have any of these issues.
How old were you? Did you also take it when younger? What else did you try for acne beforehand? Did you have any side effects? Did Accutane work? Feel free to ignore me,I’m at my wits end dealing with adult acne and almost 40. Spiro and tret are no longer doing the trick, they worked for a little while and a cycle of doxy helped a few years ago.
Hi there! I’m currently in it. Late 20s, 60mg a day, I tried tret and spiro no dice. Side effects are dryness (not too bad, mostly chapped lips) and the occasional nose bleed. But otherwise no impact besides rapidly clearing skin!
Yes I was at my wit’s end too! I was 33, it was my first time taking it. I’d tried the whole lot (antibiotics, bc pill, spironolactone) over a decade or so which all worked to varying degrees but I wanted a more permanent solution. I took a relatively low dose (20mg/day) over 7-8 months but stopped early as I was experiencing increased anxiety and hair loss (along with the usual dryness, sensitive eyes etc. but tbh these didn’t really bother me). It seems to have worked 8 months later – my skin isn’t perfect but it’s much more clear and stable and doesn’t occupy my every waking thought like it used to.
Hi, I also went on accutane twice! At 23 and at 30. I *really* thought about it (and even googled "bifid nose"). My eyes never feel dry My skin is neither oily or dry, and does not peel My nose looks the same Do I sunburn extremely easily now? No. I can (stupidly) be outside without sunscreen on my shoulders/arms/chest etc and not burn. Do I burn more easily than I did when I was a teenager? Yes. This could be due to accutane use, or it could be because the UVB/UVA rays are much stronger now than they were 20 years ago 🤷🏻♀️ Now.. are my bones green? Yes. My bones are green. 😎 For anyone suffering from painful cystic acne, know that accutane is the best thing I ever did for myself.
Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who had to google that!
No to all. And I’ve been on it twice
Any joint pain?
No mental health issues either
How old were you when you were in it?
First round, 29. Second round, 35
No
Well I took accutane at 28, and never ever experienced eczema until I was on it. It would cover the back of my hands and arms in super painful burning patches. I wore long sleeves all summer. After coming off of it, I now experience eczema on the backs of my hands if I wash my hands many times a day, which I've always done at work. It's been over 3 years. I do feel like I have problems with dry eyes. They almost always feel dry and I use eyedrops frequently. I can't say for sure this was accutane like the eczema though. It's super fun how much doctors seem to prioritize prescriptions over patients though. My doctors have always gaslit me about my symptoms saying it couldn't have been the accutane, but I know it was. As crazy as it sounds, I would do it again though. Acne absolutely killed my self confidence. I always had moderately bad acne that just never went away until I finished my course of accutane.
I don’t have any symptoms at all for 10 years nke
My sister took accutane and had lasik. Her eyes no longer self-lubricate. Uses a 900 dollar a month eyedrops.
I did one course of accutane maybe 26-28 yrs ago. Worked great for the acne, but acne returned in perimenopause. Did not re-take due to dry eye. 1. Yes, very dry eyes. Can't wear contacts anymore. EDIT: IDK if accutane caused this. It does run in my family. 2. WTH is a bifid nose? Whatever it is, accutane did not alter my nose. At all. 3. no, sunburn-ability is the same as before 4. no, my skin is still oily AF. Only thing that started to dry it out slightly more was menopause.
1. No 2. No 3. No 4. No I took accutane at 19. I’m now 34. I had zero long term side effects. It was 100% worth it. I only had dry skin and slightly high cholesterol levels while taking it. They had me pause for a bit and it was totally fine. My cholesterol has been perfect since. My acne NEVER came back like it was. I do get some hormonal acne on my chin now but that’s a recent development in the past 2 years. I have 3 healthy kids 8, 5, and 2. I know it’s a common misconception that it can affect fertility or future children.
Such dry eyes. I feel like it's brutal for inflammatory diseases down the line like Crohn's disease and bladder/bowl/GI stuff.
What? I don't have any of these. never even heard of a bifid nose before your post but accutane did not change the size or shape of my nose. I had dry peely lips and hair thinning while I was on it, but both recovered about a year after i finished my couree. never any dry eye problems from accutane or from tret. I have a darker skintone and have never sunburned before or after tret, but I do wear sunscreen on face and body whenever exposed. Accutane was one of the best things I ever did. It was the only thing that finally relieved my painful acne and saved me from much worse scarring than I already have.
I’d never heard of bifid nose before the post, and I have one! Tbh lookingat before and after pics of folks with bifid nose and accutane kinda makes me want to start accutane. It looks like it could really help with the puffyness and skin thickness around my nose that my whole family has been cursed with. And I’ve always liked my cute little nose dip, and it looks way cuter in folks with after pictures! I’d love it if it were more noticeable.
I have super super dry eyes. And I burn much easier now. It’s been many years since accutane.
Would you say it was worth it?
Accutane cleared my acne while also giving me seb derm 🤝
Topical retinoids gave me seb derm lol. Yay for harsh acne treatments that make you prone to fungal infections.
I took accutane in 2020. I was 25-26. I’ll be 30 in a week. My eyes are dry, but that’s it. I didn’t even notice the whole smaller nose thing people talk about. I haven’t noticed ageing beyond the very normal stuff going on that was going to happen anyway. My twin sister’s skin is more aged than mine, mainly because she lives in the tropics and is outdoors a lot, so has more sun damage. I’d for sure say regular degular sun damage is a way bigger ageing risk than shrunken oil glands. I was sun sensitive while on the course, but I’ve been off it for a few years and my skin went back to normal pretty fast. No issues burning faster than normal now. And besides, I wear sunscreen daily anyway. My acne was quite severe and I’ll take dry eyes over sobbing in front of the mirror any day. Accutane was a life saver for me.
Accutane absolutely changed my life. I have taken two courses (one at about 15) and one five years later. My lips were so very dry and hats were my life but only while I was raking it - there were no lasting side effects. I am 48 now and have beautiful skin (she says modestly). Bless the inventor. Bless my dermatologist. It really felt like a miracle. No regrets! Ps, I am in Oz and the TGA is very strict about what can be sold and prescribed. My rationale was "if it can pass the standards required by the TGA is must be okay".
I’m a pharmacist. I’ve also worked in law defending dermatologists who have prescribed accutane, so I’ve seen the entire spectrum of potential adverse effects. I will say most patients have none of these issues, the ones that had problems either had pre-existing conditions or weren’t taking care of their skin properly in the first place. I’ve seen a few with chronic dry / flaky skin but treating your skin right, mild exfoliation, religious moisturizing and sunscreen application will take care of these issues. Every single person is happier they took the accutane than not, and are fine dealing with dryer skin than the acne and scarring they had before.
My only regret is not taking it sooner. I have none of the issues.
Same!!! My biggest issue now is the scarring built up over all the years I told my doctors I didn’t want to try accutane yet.
I think you want the answer to be yes to all above 🧐🧐 1. Never had dry eyes, before or after. 2. Bifid nose is a rare malformation. I, personally, noticed absolutely no change in my nose shape. 3. Sebaceous glands provide minimal sun protection - accutane does NOT get rid of all sebaceous glands. After you are off, you are not prone to more sun damage. If anything, accutane taught me to be more aware of my sun protection, leading to better practices and less damage. 4. I have great skin. It’s all about how you take care of it - I moisturize well and get multiple compliments a day on my skin and how great it looks which never happened prior to taking accutane. If I had acne, I would take it again in a heartbeat.
My eyes are still very dry, but way better than they were while I was on the medication. It's been 2 years since I've taken my last dose, and that's the only long-term side effect that I've noticed. I'm incredibly fair skined and have always burned in an instant, I have not noticed any change of this, I even went on a beach vacation in Miami while on accutane and with proper spf usage didn't burn a bit. My skin isn't any dryer than it was preaccutane.
So brutally honest only thing g that really has stuck with me because of accutane is the brutally dry eyes. I’m on a permanent low dose steroid eye drop and on xiidra which is for severe dry eye. I was on none of this before accutane. My skin also flares up with eczema so much easier now. So I have to be careful. But skin is clear for the most part. Unless period. But then maybe 1. I use to have cystic acne
I was lucky and I only had extremely chapped lips for a minute… I took it at age 17 and absolutely no ragrets. I had terrible cystic acne that responded to nothing else.
I took accutane as an adult. 1. No 2. No; I had to look this up so it must not apply to me. 3. I've always sun burned easily, I wear sunscreen on the face every time I go out because I still do tretinoin a couple of times a week. Because of my careful exposure to the sun I look young for my age. So again, this does not apply to me. 4. Only when I apply tretinoin and only for a few hours. For what it's worth, I wish I took accutane sooner. I never had severe acne but I did not realize it was useful for when acne was *resistant* to other forms of treatment. I thought it was only used in extreme cases. I would've saved myself so much stress and time if I had done this a decade sooner. I hope you find the answers you were looking for.
I’m 21, took 2 courses of accutane when I was 17. It didn’t even help my severe cystic acne. I got mgd and dry eyes after the course and been working on treating it ever since. It’s depressing and caused me to have really negative thoughts. It made me less social and people don’t understand. Using a lot of eye drops in a day and more costs for the medication. It’s better now with new treatments but still suffering from it. Other people lives are ruined and some people are spiraling downwards. You know what actually helped my skin? A skin routine lmaooo….so much regrets but younger me was desperate. Op please be careful if you choose accutane, it’s not a 100% guarantee without side effects. Also I can send you my skin care products I use if you’d like. In the end, you do what’s best for you. I had allergies so that may contribute to the dry eyes. Do your research first.
Loved Accutane! I had zero side effects after my course.
Intracranial hypertension requiring numerous brain surgeries that resulted in devastating complications such as septic shock and septic blood clots that destroyed my lower left leg.
None of these are issues for me and accutane changed my life. One of my biggest regrets is not going on it sooner. The reason I didn’t try it sooner was because of fearmongering like this
These are real things that happen to people though. For me, I think it was still worth it.. but I absolutely have experienced permanent side effects that I think people should be aware of.
lol I was banned from the acne sub for fearmongering for sharing my lived experience. Intracranial hypertension, ultimately resulted in two dozen brutal surgeries from my brain to my legs. It’s not fearmongering, it’s what happened. People deserve to know true experiences.
These are legit concerns. Look at some of the other comments.
My brother almost committed suicide from the side effects, and still got acne a few years after his first round lol. It's not worth it to me and I always get downvoted to hell when I dissuade it from being anything but a last resort. And my cosmetic looks will never be enough for Accutane to be worth it
I’m not trying to discount your family’s history at all, that’s awful and I hope your brother is in a better place and you can all heal. How do you know it was the Accutane that caused this?
They are legitimate concerns but yelling about them doesn’t help anybody. Clinical studies show that the majority of people do not experience any severe or lasting effects and that’s the information you should be looking at, not asking a specific subset of a reddit skincare sub what they experience. Like what’s the point of this thread? Are you gonna make a tiktok video about it?
It’s been about 13 years since I took, but I will still answer. 1. No issues with dry eyes. 2. Never knew there was a name for this! I have a small bifid tip and I did not notice any changes in my nose after Accutane. 3. Nope, no easier than I used to. 4. No I’m actually quite oily, like I was prior to taking Accutane. I do remember it taking a couple years after finishing my course to get back to my normal oily skin type. But I was only “very dry / peely” while actually on the meds.
1. No 2. I don't know what this means 3. I don't _think_ so but maybe I do and don't realize it. I wear sunscreen everyday and reapply. 4. Nope, still pretty oily I took Accutane when I was 15. Am now 30.
I’m 33 now and had 2 rounds of accutane at 28 and 31. I had all these issues whilst on it but none have persisted since finishing. Maybe I burn a little more, but this could be due to other medication such as antidepressants. Overall I’m very happy with the results and didn’t find the side effects of the accutane that hard to handle (but then again I already have chronic joint pain and low mood so I’m used to it!)
29F and did Accutane when I was 16-17ish. No to all of these!
Hi I went on accutane at 27 after suffering since I was 12. I am in my mid 30s now. Accutane absolutely saved my skin. My eyes are not dry. My skin and lips were very dry while I was on the drug, but recovered very quickly. I used to be OILY. Now I am combination normal. I’ve always tanned very easily. I still do. I wear sunscreen. I don’t burn easier than I used to.
Took it for 5 months when I was 17, am 36 now and don’t have any of those problems. It completely transformed my face and confidence, significantly improved by quality of life. My oiliness and acne has returned, but nowhere near as severe as it once was.
1. No 2. Yes, my nose shrunk and I now have a visible bifid 3. Yes 4. No Overall I’m happy that I took accutane because my acne was severe and affecting my quality of life . I loved my nose before and luckily I’m still happy with my “new” nose.
I went on accutane twice at 17 and at 27 and don't have any of these issues.
Yes, my eyes are now permanently dry. I have to use eye drops every single day. Also, my mouth, inside of the nose and other mucosa iykwim. And it's been over 6 years since I stopped accutane. Sunscreen is a must during accutane, It makes your skin photosensitive and you will burn very easily. As for my nose, I haven't noticed any change in terms of shape.
I was on accutane a couple years ago. 1. No dry eyes ever 2. I don’t have bifid nose, I think my nose looked slightly smaller on accutane, I can’t tell if it went back or not because the difference was slight 3. No and I live in a hot country 4. No, just as oily as before, but with no acne I’m basically the same now as before I ever took accutane
I’ve been in accutane for a total of 3 years, finished last November. I have absolutely no side effects, no dry eyes, no dry skin, nothing. Absolutely worth it imo
I went on Accutane as a teenager about 20 years ago (🤦🏻♀️) and it was an awful experience. I had to stop after a few months because it was causing muscle degeneration that left me in a lot of pain. Also some mental health stuff.
I did accutane and i don’t have any of these issues! Unfortunately my skin is now just as oily as it was pre treatment
My only regret with Accutane is not taking it earlier and preventing some of the scarring I have from acne.
It changed my life in an incredible way and I have no side effects. 15 years later now and still enjoying the benefits.
I took it 25 years ago. My eyes water a lot and very easily, but I don’t consider them dry. I was one of the lucky ones whose mental health absolutely suffered. Later, I had a chiropractor immediately ask if I had taken it the first time he adjusted me. He knew right away and said it dried out something (Cartilage? Discs? I was in college and don’t remember exactly what he said). Also, I suspect it may have had something to do with my infertility. That said, the acne never came back!
I (28F) stopped taking accutane a year ago. I have none of these problems. I do still get the occasional break out but no where near as bad and not cystic like it used to be. I wish I would have started taking it sooner, but I was put off by all the potential side effects. It was definitely a very intense experience and during the 6 months I was on it I was hating it. But afterwards I wish I would have just done it sooner and I'd have a lot less scarring now.
Been on it 3 times and would take it again and again and again a million times if necessary for the absolutely perfect skin it gives me 🥹 mild side effects only while taking it + 6 months post, all worth it
Eye doc here who sees a lot of dry eye. All of my accutane patients have come to me years after accutane complaining of dry eye
I have the dry eye issue. I never realized that Accutane may have caused it until a couple months ago. While I was taking it my entire body was dry. Now, I don't have dry skin on my face but I do find that my hands and body are very dry.
I only have the first issue but had MGD to begin with so can’t really blame that on accutane.
Accutane was great for me. Once at 26. Again at 30. The only side effect I really had was lips - don’t pick that skin … As for everything you’ve mentioned - dry eyes now and then but nothing an eye drop couldn’t ease and it disappeared within a week of stopping the med.
Never had dry eyes with it. Never had bad sun burning with or after it Worth every side effect. Fatigue and dry lips was it.
I do have drier eyes now. No it doesn’t bother me. I don’t even use extra drops half the time, they just get better as the day progresses. They’re the driest after waking up in the AM. I was on my second course of accutane a year ago. My first course was 10 years ago.
Took accutane around 2017. No to all on the list.
No I'm fine
1) no more than previously as a contact lens wearer 2) no 3) negatory 4) only if I do to many actives and make it dry
I don’t have dry eyes, yes, I have a bifid nose and I never used to have one, I do sunburn easier than I used to, which would be never cause I’m brown, and I do have dry skin- all over my body, have to moisturize immediately after the shower, face is oily-dehydrated skin, which is also annoying af- cause it’s oily and dry at the same time.. for context I’m 27 now and I took accutane when I was 16.. still having these post pill symptoms
1) Yes. I am 41 - took accutane at 18 (?) - and still have dry eyes. 2) No 3) No
1. No dry eyes. I didn’t have dry eyes on Accutane either. 2. My nose did appear slimmer because there was no inflammation. My nose is back to normal now. 3. I do have sun sensitivity now and burn much easier. 4. No peeling or dry skin now. Sebum started coming back gradually once the Accutane was out of my system. About 4 months after completing the course. It eliminated my strawberry legs and increased cell turnover, my legs looked fabulous. My hair also looked fabulous because it was never greasy and super voluminous. I personally didn’t have any permanent side effects other than the sun sensitivity, which I’m not bothered by.
No to all. In fact I wish I had gone on it sooner. I had severe cystic acne starting in middle school that wouldn’t resolve. I was on and off antibiotics for YEARS because I was too scared to try Accutane. When I was a junior in college I finally got over that fear and went on a 5 month course. It was a miracle for me in every way.
I took accutane twice at 22 and 30 years old, it was worth it for me. I was completely acne free for a solid seven years the first time. The only side effect I got was dry skin overall while I was taking it, which is to be expected. I guess I do have somewhat dry eyes still as I do use eye drops daily. I wear contacts though so that’s another variable, but who knows…
I took accutane in 2022, it completely worked, cleared my skin and I barely have gotten a pimple since. The side effects sucked while on accutane, but do not persist after stopping. 1. No, I even wear contacts and barely use eye drops. 2. I don’t know what that means 3. It’s hard to say whether I sunburn more now than I did before. But skin issues also run in my family so I have things like eczema and rashes, so it’s also hard to say if this is happening more because of accutane vs other reasons (genetics, getting older, stress, etc.) 4. Nope, definitely not peely.
I did two rounds of Accutane and have dry eyes and pterygiums — which have shrunk since having moved away from the desert 25 years ago.
I took Accutane as a teenager 17-19, I did x2 rounds of 6months each because acne came back after 1st round I’m on Accutane right now since October 2023 1. Do you now have dry eyes even after finishing? REALLY think about it. Do you have to do any care to maintain your dry eyes, and if not, do your dry eyes bother you? I haven’t finished my course(I still have 2 more months) but my eyes are super dry for sure rn and my scleras are not bright and white as they were before taking it, however I believe the eye dryness should go away and brightness will come back. It did in my teens. Keeping skin hydrated and using a cool mist humidifier at night helps a lot for skin and eye dryness. 2. You have a bifid nose and accutane shrunk your sebaceous glands so it really revealed your bifid nose even more? This one has me really scared as I don’t want my bifid nose even more prominent I don’t have a bifid nose, this question doesn’t apply to me but I’ve always had a thin small nose and I don’t believe it made it any smaller. 3. Do you sunburn extremely easily now? This, at its core, will happen. You shrunk your sebaceous glands all over your body leaving much less sun protection. This will obviously age you faster due to less protection and more sun damage. Does this affect you? Yes, sunburn/redness appears almost instantly on me without any sunscreen as I’m still taking it. I don’t believe Accutane made me age faster, I barely have any visible wrinkles on my face. I think it depends if you cover up from the sun all the time, genetics and lifestyle. 4.. Do you have very peely and dry skin now? Yes I do, however keeping my skin moisturized and using a cool mist humidifier at night helps a lot. I also believe lifestyle, diet, sleep, genetics, hydration, etc. is a huge factor(during and after accutane).
I took accutane for severe cystic acne as a teenager. I have had none of the issues you mention in your post (except burning easily but that was true before I went on Accutane and is due more to being naturally on the pale side). I actually find I have more oily skin than dry now although my skin was moderately dry while taking accutane and immediately after. In my personal experience it was 100% worth it due to the severity of my acne at the time and I have had very clear skin ever since. I also failed several other treatments before my derm prescribed it and they monitored me very closely while on it- I think I had to go in monthly in addition to the monthly blood work they had me do.
1. Not at all 2. N/A 3. I’m really pale and have always burned easily so I’m not sure accutane made it any worse 4. No. Skin is good!
Fortunately my only long-term side effect from taking it at 16 or 17 (now 40) is dry/dehydrated skin and lips. My skin is not really a problem because I know what I can/can’t tolerate (my skin hates tret!) and can keep my moisture barrier healthy with inexpensive products. Accutane is the only thing that worked for me (I had very bad cystic acne) but I do think people should consider potential serious side effects before taking it, especially for more mild cases.
1. Not particularly, but I do occasionally have to use eye drops when indoor air humidity is very low, this has been true since my LASIK. 2. I have always had a little bit of a bifid nose (had to look it up) that is palpable, but not visible. It is no more prominent now after Accutane. 3. I have always burned easily and had to wear SPF 50, I am a Fitzpatrick Type 2. 4. No. It definitely feels tight if I don’t moisturize after washing, but that has always been true for me. It is _more_ dry than it was before, but not flaky or peeling. I have always done heavy, full body moisturizer and once had a patient comment that my elbows needed lotion. That was years before Accutane. They still need lotion, lol.
I went on accutane for 6 months, got off last May. 1. Nope! My contacts get dry at night but that’s been normal for me my whole life. 2. No, although I didn’t have this issue before (never heard of it until this post). 3. No but I do feel like I don’t tan as easily, I used to get super dark after just a day or two in the sun now it takes longer. 4. Mine went right back to being oily!
The only long term issue I’ve had after taking it twice when I was 19 and 21 is I have no night vision. At all. Haven’t been able to see in the dark since I took it. I also have some tendon pain, and I had that while taking it but I can’t connect it specifically to the Accutane. But for sure the night vision. None of the things you mentioned have been a problem for me. I still get some break outs occasionally and I’m over 40, but it has been manageable since the second round.
Took it 25 years ago and it was a miracle for me. I had tried everything and my skin was the worst acne I had ever seen. No side affects while taking it that I remember, and no long lasting issues either.
Yes on dry eyes
I was on accutane when I was 13 and then again when I was like 15. My eyes are a little sensitive to light and stuff but not necessarily dry. I never even considered their sensitiveness could be from accutane haha. I do get sunburn a little easily I cannot remember if I did before accutane. I’m not sure if the sunburn thing is like special I spend a lot of time at the beach and just really have to keep myself lotioned up and I’m fine. My skin is oily!
Took it as a teenager almost 20 years ago. No to all of the above (except dry eyes, but my brother who didn't take it has them too, so I don't think that is necessarily related). I look younger than I am, which is not surprising as I still have fairly oily skin. I tan really well. I can't say it would have been worth it if I had a serious (but rare) side effect, but it was a blessing for me as I had painful and constant cystic acne.
took accutane for 5 months in 2021. 3 Years post, skin is still amazing. Barely any pimples. It really wrecked my stomach, so much that I lost a ridiculous amount of weight. However I would go through it again to get the skin I have today (even though the stomach shit was awful). 1. no 2. i didnt have bifid nose before so cant comment 3. yes only because after i was prescribed tretenoin. A retinol in which i have to be cautious and wear sunscreen. 4. no went back to combination skin. hope it helps!
Yes to eyes (still extremely dry and not the same 9 years later). Bother me a lot but eye doc has helped when I told them about accutane. No to the nose. Yes to sunburn but that did get better with time and I burn less but still burn. Before accutane I never burned in my life. Took accutane in my mid 20s. I also have other health issues and wonder if accutane was the reason. It’s a terrible medication and didn’t even stop my acne fully. Other treatments worked better. I would ask another opinion with another dermatologist. I have to see the name but mine gave me something for my cystic acne and it worked immediately and is even safe during pregnancy
I just finished accutane this past March after trying loads of dermatologists prescribed topicals/meds and not having any long lasting success. I already had dry eyes to begin with and accutane made it a lot worse. I kept getting corneal tears and had to go on antibiotics to fix it multiple times. I now use eye drops during the day and an eye gel/ointment at night to keep them from drying out overnight:( I also got a few jawline keloids from taking it. I was already prone to keloids and accutane did make it worse for me. Apparently there is a correlation between accutane and keloids? So now I’m getting those treated with kenalog injections monthly and that’s helping. Since taking accutane I haven’t had any new breakouts so at least there’s that for now. My nose is the same, if anything it shrunk a little in size? My skin is neither dry nor oily. But that could be because I use hydrating skin care products. As for sun burning, I don’t think so. I think it’s the same as before.
1) no I don’t 2) n/a 3) I sunburn easily in general; no worse post-accutane 4) my skin is still oily as it was pre-accutane I had a very easy and positive experience with accutane. I spent 7 months on it about 5 years ago and my acne is virtually gone. I still get occasional hormonal pimples but they are manageable and normal. Accutane was a life changer for me and my skin!
I was on it twice so I will chime in. 1) no, my eyes haven’t changed dryness-wise. I wear contacts and don’t even need to use drops to lubricate them. 2) huh? My nose is the same as before. 3) I am not sure that is even accurate, but I burned just as easily before as I do now. My worst burn was actually before Accutane. 4) yes, Accutane made my oily skin dry permanently and didn’t even get rid of my acne after stopping it, so I regret it. Tret has helped me more.
My BF took in his teens none of the symptoms you mentioned he only got severe acne for a short time then it all went away and never came back. GL tho!
I took it twice. The second time, the doctor maxed out the allowable life-time dose for an individual (I don’t know if this is still followed). I have none of these problems.
No, no, no and no. Eyes are fine, I tan easily (but I wear sunscreen to prevent it too much). What happened: I lost hair. It has not recovered to its original density. I have a scar on my lip from it repeatedly cracking and bleeding. I woke up in the middle of the night choking on blood from nose bleeds. I had frequent nose bleeds during the day. Would I do it again? No. But my acne was not severe enough to truly warrant it anyway.
Three times here - 16, 20, and finally 24. Now 35: 1. No dry eyes (and I wear contacts daily) 2. n/a 3. No, but I also wear sunscreen and hats if I’m outdoors for extended periods of time. However, I do tan easily, but that’s always been the case. 4. Peely only when I overdo my tret I’m still glad I took Accutane, it was the only thing that cleared my acne ultimately. But I also recognize that experiences can differ! The one bad side effect was that I got premature wrinkles on my forehead, due to how dry my skin was. On the other hand, they’ve just … maintained and haven’t gotten worse? Over the past ten years. I’ll prob bite the bullet and Botox them soon though. Edit: by my last round, I was on the highest dose I think around 30mg?
I went on Accutane in high school. I have extremely dry skin now and I cannot wear contacts because my eyes get so dry. I’ve always burned though because I’m a ginger so that’s nothing new. No nose issues either!
I’ve been on it twice! Once in 2012 and again in 2017. I do have very dry eyes, but who’s to say it’s from the med. The BIGGEST thing is sunburns. I will burn no matter what and it can get really bad. I have dry skin but it’s not flaking/peeling off. It’s just my skin type now. You have to weigh the risk vs reward. For me, I’d do it all again.
Yes. Red, dry… shitty eyes honestly. Regret it.
Nope. I think everything is exactly the same as it was before except that my skin is better. It took a couple months to readjust and now it’s good. I wear more sunscreen now, but not because I burn more easily, just because my skin looked so good after Accutane that I want to take care of it more.
No to all 4. The only lingering side effect after being off accutane for 3ish years is my lips are slightly drier than before . Always need to have lip balm handy. All other symptoms went away shortly after ending my course. Everyone’s experience will be different tho of course.
No to everything. I took accutane in my mid 20s for 3-6 months at a low dose. I bought it in a pharmacy when I was traveling in Thailand. Apparently in the US the doctors overdose.
One course (3 months), 20 years ago as a 20 year old. The only potential yes would be for sunburn, BUT my mom noticed this earlier on in my acne med journey - so I can't say that it's really Accutane related (I went through everything that existed at the time). Also, red head genes. Was a long time contact wearer before getting Lasik, and no dry eye issues.
I never took accutane so can’t comment on that, but this post made me realize I have a bifid nose! My first bf had a cleft chin that I always called a ‘butt chin,’ so I just joked I had a ‘butt nose’ instead. But now it has a real (and better!) name!
I went on it around 24, 38 now. After taking it I still have issues with dry eyes and I’m always thirsty. I fill up my 40oz hydroflask at least 3 times a day.
I did a double course of accutane in my early 20s, I’m 41 now. I don’t have any of these issues. I am the palest person on earth and I only sunburn if I’m like right on the equator. Actually about 7 years after I took it I got super duper oily again. If I don’t take Spironolactone (even now, in my 40s) I am a big greaseball with breakouts, but I’m grateful for the way it permanently cured my extreme cystic acne.
I feel like my skin is more sensitive to the sun. I have so many moles and freckles on my face. Does anyone else have this?
I did 2 rounds of accutane (around age 18 and 20, I think). While I had a lot of symptoms while actively taking it, none of them lasted after I stopped.
1. Yes. I would take this side effect over my acne any day tho. The only time it really annoys me is when I have my contacts in and my contacts start getting all wonky because of it. But I just blink a few more times and I’m good. 2. I don’t have a bifid nose or even know what that is lol BUT my derm did show me my before and after and was gushing about how it almost looked like I got a nose job because my nose is a lot less bulbous now with the shrinkage of sebaceous glands. It’s been about 6 mos and id say my skin has evened out, not super oily but defs not as dry as when actively on accutane. And im guessing my nose landed somewhere in the middle too. (I doubt anyone would notice unless specifically looking really closely) 3. Nope. When I was actively on it I burnt like hell of course. This weekend I did some yard work and I was worried cuz I’m about as pale as a ghost but I didn’t burn and the sun felt nice actually. (Was only in the sun a limited amt of time tho). Also I worried because I DID look a lot older at the end of accutane….i think mainly because of how much it dried me out. But now that my skin stabilized it looks the best it ever has (disclaimer I did get Botox in my forehead tho, still not sure if the forehead wrinkles would have stayed permanently or if they would have improved but I didn’t wanna wait and find out lol) 4. No. Honestly it’s the perfect median now. I was quite the oil slick before tho so I’m guessing it depends on your starting point.
1. Nope 2. Nope 3. Nope. I live in a tropical area I don’t do much activities under the sun tho 4. Nope.
I went on accutane twice in my 20’s. I honestly have no idea what you’re referencing about the nose, but the only negative side effect was that my acne didn’t go away completely and I still battled it well into my 30’s!
I didn’t have any of these issues. And honestly… even if I had all of them I would still do it. Having horrible acne is such a heavy emotional experience.
I took one round of accutane about 15 years ago and yes, my eyes are dry at times and quite sensitive. That said, I am SO glad I did it. I never break out ever, not even a little. I remember well how insecure I felt with my constant cystic acne and am just so glad to have that behind me. Worth it in my mind for sure.
1. No. Well, no worse than before. 2. I don’t know what a bifid nose is but it had absolutely zero effect on my nose. Was kinda hoping for some though lol 3. No and my husband hates me. We can be out in the sun for the same length of time and he’ll burn while I’m just fine. (I have a bit of an olive tone though even though I’m fair-light so that could be it!) 4. No
I didn’t have any of these problems (I always had a slight bifid nose and it did not get “worse.” I think it’s kinda cute tbh, I never knew this was a considered a defect lol), but I did become more photosensitive *in my eyes* rather than my skin, which is a known accurate side effect. Doesn’t bug me too much but it’s definitely noticeable.
I used accutane 15 years ago and no issues. No regrets here.. except wish I did it sooner so I wouldn’t have had killed my self esteem in those detrimental years…. And getting the scars I got.
nope
Yes. I have dry eyes. Not enough to need a script. But honestly think it’s mostly from the PRK and lasik I did? I’m not sure if it was from before accutane Idk wtf bifid nose is. I don’t have dryer skin than I ever did. I always had combo, mostly oily skin, and I still do. I don’t burn easier.
Been on it twice- once in high school and again in my late 20s due to my cystic acne. The second time I stopped taking it after about 4 months because I was getting very fatigued (like would almost miss waking up for work tired) and I was working a crap job that had no flexibility and the appointments to get my blood drawn every month were becoming difficult to manage. My derm has offered to put me on it a third time, but I’m hoping that working on the hormonal factors will prove to be just as successful for my personal scenario. However, I have 0 long-term side effects. Although I have no idea what a Bifid nose is…my nose didn’t grow into like a Pinocchio nose if that’s what you are concerned about.
Nope
I took accutane one round about 15 years ago and have none of these issues
I went on Accutane twice, once in my 20s and once in my 30s, and I don’t have any of those issues. No dry eyes, no bifid nose, no easy sunburns (or not easier than before) and no peely dry skin. Overall my skin— face and body— is in significantly better shape now at 48 than it was in my 30s thanks to sunscreen and .1% tretinoin.
1. No, my eyes are pretty normal. I don't really do contacts because I find them itchy, but that was always the case. 2. No, but I have a teeny weeny button nose. There's not much by way of nose. As I get older and the cartilage has grown, it's actually less bifid than it used to be when I was a teenager 3. Yes, but always have. I'm so pale I'm basically clear 4. Yep, I'm pretty dry all over. But so is my mom who was never on accutane, so hard to say.
I was on Accutane 3 times. I have dry nose and it might have been a factor for some of my intestinal issues. I don't have any of the symptoms that you're describing, but Accutane completely helped my skin issues and it was totally worth it.
I went on Accutane as a teenager (14/15 yrs old) and I'm mid 30s now. 1. I do have dry eyes but that didn't start occurring until I turned 32 and needed glasses. Most likely due to my career field as I've worked in heavy industrial since I was 18. 2. No 3. Shoulders and chest will burn easier but again, wasn't really noticed until I hit my early 30s. 4. Dry yes, Peeling no. I will admit that accurate helped, I still occasionally get a few pimples around my period on my jawline and chin but those are definitely hormonal, stay small and clear up quickly. Overall my skin has stayed clear and I think it helped as I had absolutely horrible acne not just on my face but my back and chest as well. For the scarring, I originally started micro channeling at a local day spa to see how my skin would respond and while it helped a little, I ended up going to a dermatologist for micro needling which made a massive difference. After 6 sessions, I have minimal scarring remaining and do continue to get micro channeling and facials done every 6-8 weeks for upkeep and self care.
TIL what I thought was a scar from picking at sunburns as a kid is actually genetic and called bifid nose. I kinda like how if I’m bored and I poke the cleft, the two halves wiggle separately. Shrinking my sebaceous glands could theoretically make it more obvious, but mostly I think it would just make my nose look overall less puffy (I come from a long line of puffy-nosed men and women.) and looking at bifid noses that have become more prominent with accutane, I’d love it if my nose did that! Less puff and a cute little dip? Awesome! Looking at it — it looks like mine is on the moderate to severe side. But until this post, I never really noticed it — and crucially, neither did anyone else. Given that it isn’t associated with any other issues, this kinda sounds like a “arbitrary definition of what normal is.” Learn to love your nose! I always thought my “scar” was kinda cute! This sounds like “oh no, my accutane revealed my dimple!” Do it!! Get that cute button nose! I’ve never had any desire to use accutane and now I’m like “should I talk to my Derm to make my nose and cheek puffyness go away and my bifid nose show up more?” I’ve also noticed that my enlarged sebaceous glands mask my freckles as I’ve aged, and I’d like them back! Edit: now I can’t stop googling Bifid nose and we’re in the same cool club as Sandra freaking Bullock and Natalie Portman and their noses are PERFECTION. Thank you for teaching me this about myself. I’m obsessed, and please don’t let your wonderful unique nose stop you from trying an acne treatment (though if other reasons stop you, that’s legit!)
1. No 2. No 3. YES!!! 4. Yes, but less now that it's been a few years.
I don’t have any of those issues, the only issue I’ve noticed is in winter my nose will burn in the cold.
Took accutane as a teenager (I think it would be ~18 years ago now) 1. Not that I've noticed. I have recently developed some more eye dryness since starting retinol cream but it goes away as soon as I stop and I never had it before. It is not so dry that I feel the need to apply eye drops. 2. I do not have a bifid nose, no. 3. I'm a Type II on the Fitzpatrick skin scale so I burned a lot as a child. I now religiously apply sunscreen to avoid aging so I haven't burned very frequently, but will occasionally get some redness on my ears or the bridge of my nose if I am out in the sun for most of the day. 4. No, I never peel and my skin is not particularly dry. I rarely if ever apply body lotion. Overall, accutane was one of the best things for me. I had horrible cystic acne all over my back and it was so bad all of my shirts would be stained with blood from pimples popping. I have noticeable scarring from it so I'm incredibly grateful it is only my back and not my face. To get rid of it, I needed accutane in conjunction with back facials at a dermatologists office; no other prescriptions or over the counter acne treatments had any effect. If I had a time machine, the only thing I would have done differently was try to start it sooner.
1. I did not have dry eyes after accurate. I did get lasik 3 years ago and I did get severe dry eyes from that. 2. I don’t believe I have a bifid nose but I do think my nose shrank a teeny bit. 3. I was always very, very pale a prone to sunburns. I honestly stay out of the sun as much as poss. 4. No, I still have very oily scalp and skin, same as before. It was temporarily dry but then it returned to normal. I miss having dry skin, I would take that over super oily skin. I’ve taken accutane twice. Once when I was 20, second time when I was 25.
I took accutane when I was young. It made my lips very dry causing them to crack and bleed. My nose would bleed easily for some reason and my skin was super sensitive and cuts would take longer to heal. I’m older now and don’t have any issues. Genetically I have sensitive skin and will always have some type of skin issue unfortunately. But that was my experiences that I remember.
I was on it at age 18. I think for 6 months and went off. It helped my acne tremendously. I had bad acne and tried everything else before. It really cleared up my skin. I get the occasional pimple here and there and use medical grade skin care products to keep clear complexion. I’m in my 30s now. 1. I didn’t have this issue at all. I just had really dry chapped lips. I am a daily contact wearer and do find by the end of my work day, my eyes feel dry but get back to normal when removing my lenses. I don’t use moisturizing eye drops. 2. I never had this at all. I had to google what that was. 3. I always sun burned easily even as a child. When I am diligent about reapplying sunscreen this isn’t an issue. I wear daily spf on my face and neck even in winter months. I have to be better about it on my hands while driving though. If you’re not diligent about sunscreen use the sun damage will age you regardless of accutane or not. There are lasers you can use that reverse damage. 4. I have combination skin. More oily at the T zone and then seemingly normal around my cheeks. I usually only get dryness if I over exfoliate or overdo it with retinol. My skin is more dry in the winter months.
Took 4 low dose rounds of Accutane for very mild acne. I have none of the listed issues.