An Accutane Experience in Pictures

Refresher on the foundation of sucessful treatment...

Hey all--
Yes, it's discouraging at times, and I have to tell you, as you can see in the pics: (at least with me,) it got a lot worse before it got better---but, it DID get better :)

The physical discomfort I had was made a lot more tolerable with the use of the Cetaphil cleanser (which I still use to this day, by the way-- won't use anything else on my face) and the Aquaphor Healing Ointment on my lips.
Here's a link to each so you know what they look like: 

Cetaphil Cleanser

Aquaphor

PLEASE remember, before every other piece of advice, to STAY HYDRATED-- I am absolutely serious about a gallon in your body, evenly through the day, from when you wake up to when you go to sleep.

It's as simple as getting out a frosty-cold metabolism-destroying high-fructose corn syrup sugar-bomb in a can (you might know it by it's kinder name: soda), dumping it in the sink, rinsing it out, filling it with water, and drinking 10 of them through the day-- once every hour and a half, on average. Seriously not hard, and incredibly good for your body-- I can't stress it enough.

Also, make sure you're taking a good multivitamin (at least), but remember not to take any extra Vitamin A to be safe, since your medicine is a hyper-active version of this substance. Also, while you are on Accutane, I would not take the higher-dose of Vitamin D3 I mention below (Vitamin D3 and A are very closely inter-linked in the human body, and having high doses of one directly affects the absorbtion/utilization of the other--I believe the vitamin D3 creation by the skin in the sun is why your doctor recommends staying out of the sun while on the drug--it might throw off the saturation of the isoretnoin. That is a guess-- but I don't want to have you take a vitamin that negatively impacts your treatment--even if it's only a small chance that this could be the  case. That said, don't avoid vitamin D either--it's arguably the most important single hormone/vitamin in the human body!

As an aside, but because it's such great knowledge to have:

Here's the best list I've ever found of the most important nutrients your body needs in one place, with the reasons why, and the proper amounts, (the link in the page there goes to the full PDF version) I hope you find it helpful. I personally take the D3, Iodine, Selenium, K2, B-complex, Magnesium citrate, Co-Q10, and Carlsons Fish Oil.

It's up to you if you choose to supplement your diet with this stuff-- but for me, it's the best five bucks-per-day insurance I can take out on my body. Just sayin.

I get mine through illnessisoptional.com, and picked the site and brands I did for no reason other than the fact that they offer the doses I want in the larger quantities, in one place, so I don't have to re-order it all the time or from different places, and I save money per-pill by buying the higher bottle-count versions, but there are plenty of other places, brands, and quantities to choose from-- the author linked to several more through the list I linked to--

If nothing else, the D3, Iodine, Selenium, and B-complex will dramatically improve your overall health-- read it and research it-- the government RDA of many of these vital bodily nutrients is based off of ridiculously outdated, demonstrably incorrect, and poorly conducted studies whose recommendations are dramatically below what has subsequently been shown in study after study to be the true optimal doses of these vitamins for the human body.

But back to the point:

• Stay hydrated,

• use gentle moisturizers and cleansers for your ailing skin,

• avoid alcohol or foods that dehydrate you

Before you know it, you will find yourself in the home stretch, and feeling better than ever...

And maybe, several years from now, you'll still be just as clear-skinned as everyone else.

Have faith you guys--this stuff works:

I'm living proof :)

All these years-- still clean and clear

Looking back on the years since I put this site up, I am so grateful to all of you that write to tell me how you were glad to find this place, and you have really made me feel like I may have helped cool some of the concerns or ease your questions through the tougher times (or at least show you what you may expect)

Thank you for making it all worth it--I hope that one day you and your clear skin won't need this site anymore, either :)