Severe and cystic acne is something I’ve dealt with since I was in middle school. My bathroom cabinets were full of countless acne-fighting products that I would use and then forget about when they turned out to be ineffective.
During my senior year of high school, my acne, scarring and hyperpigmentation were worse than ever. I visited my general physician, along with many dermatologists, who prescribed me so many various creams and treatments that I still can’t name them all.
Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are two of the most common ingredients in acne treatments. The treatments I was prescribed had high levels of these two ingredients, and they were all extremely irritating with physical side effects that made them hard to stick with for a long time.
Epiduo and and Differin, which is now over-the-counter, were two creams that I was prescribed for periods of time, both of which made my skin worse before it got better. Red, itchy, sensitive, peeling skin was almost worse than my acne, and it made high school harder for me. When creams didn’t work, I moved onto antibiotics. I had completed many courses of Doxycycline, which I heard helped many people with stubborn breakouts. For me, this antibiotic did nothing.
Clearing my acne, scars and hyperpigmentation was one of the hardest parts of dealing with skin problems. My thought process was: if I could clear my skin, I could handle any small breakouts that many follow. This biggest obstacle was getting control over my acne and skin, which began to feel impossible.
When I entered my freshman year of college and was living in a dorm, my acne was one of my biggest insecurities. The embarrassment I felt because of my skin made me even more shy around people and even more reluctant to make friends. I had brought my myriad of drugstore acne products to college, all of which were still useless for me.
I began to research an extremely powerful acne treatment called Accutane and watched many videos of people’s treatment processes with the drug. I heard both testimonials and horror stories of being on Accutane, but I was intrigued.
Watch the video.
Technically a discontinued drug, Accutane is no longer available. Isotretinoin is a new form of Accutane that has replaced it on the market, and it is still a very powerful drug with a seemingly endless list of side effects. Accutane is still the more widely known name for the product.
I visited my dermatologist and told her that I was done with other treatments and wanted to be put on Accutane. We discussed the regulations of being on the drug and what the treatment process would be like for my specific situation.
In order to start treatment as a woman, you must pass a pregnancy test. Following this you must get bloodwork and pregnancy tests done monthly, as well as complete short online “exams” to ensure you are using two forms of birth control, and that you know the other restrictions and regulations of the drug.
I was on Accutane for just over eight months and after about six months, my skin was completely cleared. I had never had such clear and perfect skin in my life. I couldn’t remember what is was like to not have acne, so to have this treatment completely clear up all my skin problems seemed like a miracle.
I was fortunate that my side effects, which were bad at many points, were not as bad as the many I had read about or seen videos of. Dry, peeling skin and lips were completely normal and still affect me today. I had mild back and joint pain while on this drug and I would sunburn extremely easily. All of these issues are completely normal and are expected while taking Accutane.
After about eight months, my dermatologist determined that my cumulative dose of Accutane should be high enough to ensure that my skin stayed clear. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
Although my acne has never been as bad as it once was, and for that I am so grateful, it was a horrible shock for me when I had my first post-Accutane breakout. I thought, “All the time I spent, and all the side effects I had endured were for nothing.” I thought I was doomed to have bad skin forever. Breaking out for the first time after treatment was extremely traumatic for me, but I decided I would never let my skin get as bad as it had once been.
Today, I have consolidated my skin care products into a simple routine that is easy to maintain. I do try to switch products every few months to make sure my skin doesn’t become immune to the products.
Natural African Black Soap is an effective and abrasive cleanser that works very well when I’m having a bad breakout. At the moment, I’m using Burt’s Bees Pore Refining Scrub to exfoliate.
Another exfoliant that I swear by is Yes to Tomatoes Daily Pore Scrub, especially when used in combination with Burt’s Bees Herbal Blemish Stick for spot treatment.
Witch Hazel is a product that I always thought was overrated, so I never tried it. Recently I purchased T.N. Dickenson’s Witch Hazel, and it has been amazing for dealing with breakouts, oiliness and irritation. For moisturizer, I currently use Pond’s Dry Skin Cream. Another moisturizer I swear by is Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream, which was especially helpful while on Accutane.
Accutane was a very extreme step I took in clearing my skin, and it can definitely be scary. It isn’t for everyone, but if you also struggle with stubborn acne that seems hopeless, I encourage you to talk to a dermatologist.
Obviously seeing a doctor isn’t an option for everyone, but the products listed above are affordable and effective drugstore options for people who are dealing with acne on a limited budget. Just know that you are not alone in your journey to clear your skin.