<p>My cousin took Accutane for two months and went from perfect vision to needing glasses over those two months. Her doctor discontinued her medicine immediately. Over time, some of her night vision came back, but she still needs to wear glasses.</p>
<p>For her, birth control pills (I don’t know what type) took care of her acne. Not an option for guys.</p>
<p>Honestly, I know this isn’t going to sit well, but I’m going to pose this question anyway…
The kids I know who have taken Accutane have had heartbreakingly bad cases of cystic, pustular acne.
Would you trade wearing glasses for clear skin, if your face was that scarred and unsightly?<br>
That is the dilemma facing many acne-sufferers.</p>
<p>I think it is usually boys who have the type of acne that I am thinking of- and actually it must be pretty rare, because I can’t think of anyone offhand who had it.
However, it does leave scarring and I can understand taht someone faced with that sort of skin condition would be thrilled at a medication that could produce dramatic results</p>
<p>I knew of many kids at my sons’ high school who took Accutane. You might be surprised if you knew how many have been on it, because usually they are put on it before the acne becomes so bad it leaves permanent scarring. Many times, it’s diagnosed early by a specialist who can tell from family history and the early signs that things are not going well. No, it is not the first line of defense, but for the worst cases, usually a kid doesn’t have to suffer through all the other ineffective meds for much more than a year before he/she is put on Accutane.</p>
<p>For my son’s mild acne, the dermatologist recently recommended Nutrogena Acne Wash and a perscription for Cleocin which is an antiobiotic lotion applied topically twice a day. He just started using it, so I can’t really vouch for it yet.</p>
<p>I really think topical treatments are much harder for boys to use than girls. My kids used some topicals at various times- usually a BP product of some type- and it’s very difficult. First of all, boys are not as “used” to following skin care regimes as girls are (I know it sounds chauvinistic)- they don’t use makeup, they typically do not use “moisturizing creams” and the like- basically, they are not used to going through skin care rituals. Shower, shave (sometimes!), and done- that’s it. </p>
<p>Many boys suffer from acne simply because of their lifestyle- helmet sports, lots of active outdoor activity- which makes applying and reapplying skin meds a real pain. It’s a double whammy- the chin strap aggravates the skin and the sweating washes the medicine away.</p>
<p>Usually during the <em>winter</em> (if you call it winter in Florida) the flair ups tended to go away on their own (dryer air?), and in the summer, exposure to a lot of salt water helped keep them at bay.</p>
<p>My daughter began using Accutane a couple of months ago, after a bad year of very sudden outbreaks that caused scarring. Three different useless (or worse) antibiotics, many different topicals accomplished nothing. There are annoying side effects, as mentioned above, including very dry lips and dry nasal passages. Both the dermatologist and optometrist have assured my daughter that the minor changes in vision are temporary. She has continued to wear contact lenses, but is postponing the annual checkup until she is off the Accutane.</p>
<p>Only those who have lived with scarring acne and seen the damage it does to a teenager’s social confidence can understand why a parent would be willing to try this course of action. I postponed permission for months, and every time I look at the scars on her face, I kick myself for dragging my feet.</p>
<p><<accutane is=“” a=“” permanent=“” cure.=“”>></accutane></p>
<p>No, it’s not.</p>
<p>My daughter has been dealing with acne since she was eight years old (yes, you read that correctly). Topical meds and antibiotics did little to help. She was on Accutane twice. Both times, the acne came back within a year. </p>
<p>What ultimately worked for her: six months of laser treatment, a different antibiotic and a couple of extracting facials. These procedures are expensive, and most insurance companies don’t cover them. But they are worth every penny you pay out of pocket.</p>
<p>For maintenance now, my daughter uses a cleanser, moisturizer and spot treatment developed by her dermatologist. Those products, plus birth control pills (to control painful periods), seem to be doing the trick – knock on wood!</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Son was prescribed Adoxa a doxycycline tablet. We found that this worked best for him. He was also prescribed the Triaz pads, as well as a slew of various creams and lotions. In the end, the Adoxa was what controlled the acne. He stayed on the medication for about a year, knowing that he did not need to stay on long-term. As far as other Benzoyl Peroxide products, he never really used them. I think it is harder for boys to consider the creams and lotions. Fortunately, as he is now older, he has only “occasional” outbreaks. We are no longer using the dermatologist–but I, too, thought at times that we were being ripped off with costly prescriptions that she wanted him to try.</p>
<p>I had ordinary teenage acne, and Clearasil with 10% benzoyl peroxide was very helpful for me.</p>
<p>My best friend had severe, inflamed acne at one point during high school. A course of Accutane made her skin smoother than mine. She didn’t have another flare-up until she was 21 or so, and a second course did the trick again.</p>
<p>My kids ( D & S) both use Benzaclin, which is by prescription. I know it’s really expensive without insurance; with our copay it’s $25/month/kid. They tried everything they could in terms of over the counter products, but nothing worked. Benzaclin has been a godsend for them.</p>
<p>My older brother(50 now) suffered — and I do mean SUFFERED — with acne as a teen. He actually spent time in the hospital having treatments. My mom had to put sulfa masks on him every night. His acne definitely affected him. While it was most certainly not the “cause,” I have no doubt that this severe and at-the-time-untreatable acne helped to set in motion the issues that have contributed to the debilitating depression that he now battles. I would pay whatever it took to help my kids avoid what my brother suffered. And while Accutane <em>may</em> be a factor in users’ suicides, I would take the chance if the acne was bad enough to warrent Accutane. I have seen what severe acne can do, and it is devastating.</p>
<p>I used a BP cleanser for a little while right after I had my two babies- for some reason I developed a mild case although I never really had to worry about it in my teen years. </p>
<p>The thing about BP that I didn’t care for (besides the fact that I had to go out and buy new towels all the time) was that it tends to redden the face, and for me (because I have fine skin and pores), it changed the texture a little to make me more ruddy. I felt like I looked like I’d been drinking all the time. Of course that was better than being broken out though.</p>
<p>And once I had a mishap with a bottle and accidentally squirted a whole bunch of BP cleaner in my eyes, which caused major problems for a number of years with my tear ducts. I ended up having silicon implants (for my ducts), which helped tremendously.</p>
<p>Kelsmom, I’ve often wondered if the correlation between Accutane and depression/suicide is really more coincidence, or related to the debilitating psychological effects of the acne itself rather than the Accutane.</p>
<p>Doubleplay, I definitely think it’s a mix of the factors.</p>
<p>My kids had a tough time when they first started using Benzaclin, but their skin got used to it & the redness went away … it’s best to start it in summer or over a break.</p>
<p>My son’s skin was never the red raised stuff. For that really bad stuff I think you do have to go to Accutane.</p>
<p>My S suffered from terrible scarring acne on his back and chest with very little on his face. After many unsuccessful prescription body washes and creams, he tried Accutane which cleared him up immediately. He was left with a minor scar on his chest which eventually was covered up by chest hair. I did notice a slight change in his behavior. His temper or attitude seemed a little “short”. He normally is a quiet mild mannered kid. His good disposition returned when he was finished with his course of Accutane. It was well worth the trouble and I would recommend it to anyone suffering from disfiguring acne.</p>
<p>I will chime in. My D2 used many OTC products, including Proactive clones. Nothing helped. We did the dermatologist route, and this Dr. Mom paid for all the expensive stuff that insurance didn’t cover. Some of it so strong it blistered her face. Nothing helped in the long run. During all of this she begged and pleaded for Proactive. I said no over and over. One day, she listed the friends who had used it and who had wonderful skin. I didn’t believe for a minute that the Proactive would help. But I finally gave in to “prove” that it could not help. My D’s skin started to improve in 2-3 weeks, and in a few months the transition was startling. She used all four of the products as instructed. She has ruined quite a few towels–it takes the color right out. But I recently discoverd Bleachproof brand towels online. </p>
<p>When BF’s acne got even worse than D2’s, with nodular changes, I ordered a box for him. Somehow we got a coupon for one box free for a friend. His mom was not convinced. But it worked for him as well. His pictures with D1 before and then after are quite striking. So much so you would think they were photoshopped. I am a believer. I know that it does not work all the time. But I have seen first hand two responders. They both continue to use the products. Best money I ever spent. </p>
<p>I also have personally seen dramatic responses to Accutane, with none of the “dire consequences” or side effects. I have many patients who have undergone a course (sometime two) of Accutane. For the majority, the results were permanent. For a small percentage, they were not.</p>
<p>I think it is wise to try various OTC solutions (including Proactive) before resorting to prescriptions.</p>