Roaccutane

Hi! For the first course of my accutane intake, I took it for one week every month for six months. After several months off the drug, acne came back.

The second course, I took it everyday for six months. After waiting to get rid of it in my system, I got pregnant ( while still getting occasional acne) and delivered a healthy baby boy. 3 months after the delivery, I kept getting big cystic acne again.

Since Im not breastfeeding, my dermatologist put me on a one week a month accutane cycle again for  six months (my 3rd course of accutane). After 4 months off accutane, cystic acne appeared on my face again, non-stop.

Im currently on my fourth course of accutane and this time my new dermatologist (I moved to another country) put me on a 1 tablet of 40mg accutane a week and he said I would have to be on it for years. He said maybe 2-3 years. Is this low dose accutane cycle going to work? Right now Im just on my second week, meaning I have taken only 2 40mg tablets total and my cystic acne hasn't stopped yet.

I've had acne for 12 years now, very very frustrating already! I believe it's hormonal since it hasn't stopped since and the only time that I have great skin is when Im on accutane. Is there still hope for me to be cured by this supposed to be "permanent cure" drug, accutane?

Thanks

[loiloi]

Hi. Acne occurs when androgens (male hormones found in both males and females) stimulate the sebaceous glands which produce oil. Bacteria on the skin then feeds off this oil causing acne.
Accutane works by shrinking the sebaceous glands so they cannot produce so much oil. When you stop taking Accutane the sebaceous glands grow back to their normal size very slowly. This means the patient experiences a longer remission from acne than she would after other acne treatments such as antibiotics. Accutane is not a permanent cure for acne, but it is your best hope of a long term remission. 80% of patients only need one course of Accutane, 20% including myself require further treatment.
Best Wishes, Eloise.