Punch. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

My dermatologist and parents were both saying "Accutane is a last resort, your skin is not so bad..." blah blah blah. The fact is that I have had acne since I was 15, and although an objective external observer may say that it wasn't too bad, that was irrelevant. It killed my social life and made me a recluse. My problem, maybe, I am too shy and need to just 'get out there'. Whatever, I just needed clear skin.

One day I went to my ripoff of a dermatologist, and luckily for me he caught me on a REALLY bad day, then finally relented after I begged to be put on the 'Tane. That was in February 2008.

For the first 3 days, my skin magically cleared, but this was not a slam dunk. It did come back, and I was shattered and thinking to myself "not another f*cking phoney treatment...". HOWEVER I gave it time. I'm not going to deny it, I looked like a beetroot for the entire treatment. My skin was extremely dry, and for my skin piling on the all-hailed moisturisers such as as Jojoba Oil didn't help. It made me look greasy, but didn't soak in and truly moisturise. So I was a beetroot, but after the 3-day clearup and breakout for 3 weeks afterwards, my face finally decided to get with the program and get rid of the acne.

As far as exercise goes, it seemed like the best thing for me to do was absolutely nothing. Eat healthily and keep the body clean, but don't exercise to 'clear out the pores' and so on. All that did was further irritate my already-irritated skin.

So, my last day on the prescription was October 5, 2008. Since then I've been getting less-and-less red. For the last few months the redness has basically gone, and my skin *is* clear, and for the first time in my life I've actually been complemented on it. I've gained confidence and been able to go out and socialise without feeling like I don't deserve to be there. WARNING: there are occasional breakouts if you eat badly, and don't keep washing your face regularly (non-irritating cleanser + sunscreen/moisturiser is still crucial!!!!)

Accutane has given my life back. I wasn't in the 'severe' acne category, but it's not about that. It's about how it makes you feel inside. After all acne is not a fatal disease, just a disfiguring one that kills your self-esteem.

I know there have been horror stories, but PLEASE for your own sake if you're wavering about whether or not to go on Accutane, I urge you to go for it. If you've tried out the weak treatments and they don't work, i.e. your acne is not severe but persistent as hell, but you know it's taking a heavy toll on your social life, take the plunge. It'll most likely be the best decision you ever make. I know it was for me.

There is light at the end of the tunnel!