could accutane be the answer?

i am a 17 year old girl and have been suffering from acne for about a year now.the zits are usually around my jawline and chin area and a couple on my forhead. i went to my doctor and he prescribed me 6 weeks worth of anti biotics. after i finished the course my zits had gone and my skin was really smooth but they had left pink marks.now after about a month after the course had finished i have noticed the zits are coming back. i have been researching about successful acne treatments and accutane seems to have excellent reviews.i have read that accutane is only prescribed to people that are suffering from moderate/severe acne,i would say mine is mild as it isn't really that bad but it really is getting me down. could accutane be the answer?

thanks.

[loiloi]

Accutane is usually prescribed as a last resort as its expensive and has side effects. Go back on the antibiotics and also use a topical lotion such as differin or dalacin. going on a contraceptive pill such as yasmin or diane35 also helps. You're young so you should grow out of acne. good luck. x

[KathP]

I am 23, and have been suffering from Acne since I was 10 years old. I tried every product under the sun and Roaccutane is the ONLY treatment that gets results. However, there are cases (such as myself) that have relapses. I first went on Roaccutane when I was 15 - it completely changed my life! My second course was when I was 18. I have been on Diane35/Minerva since I was 19 and had a couple of breakouts over the years. Now I am experiencing more frequent, severe and lasting breakouts and am considering going on a third course. I know there is nothing out there besides this medication that works for me and I will be forever indebted to it. A good dermatologist will put you on the correct dose according to your weight (which should last around 4-6 months). Do NOT waste your time/money on low doses to avoid side affects/ treat mild acne. If you have a problem that cannot be solved by over-the-counter remedies and topical creams, there should be nothing stopping you from going on Roaccutane. Do it properly the first time and you will get the best results. I have watched many friends go on low doses only to stay on it for ages and get mediocre improvements. The side affects are worth every second of joy you will experience from having great skin after the treatment. Another thing - follow the safety guidelines! This medication is not to be taken lightly.

Best of luck.

[tuthfxer]

Be aware that acctuane has severe side effects that could be permanent.  If your acne is mild try topicals and antibiotics.  I went on a very low dose of accutane, 10mg, for 5 months last year for severe adult onset acne.  NOthing was working and I was having severe nodular and cystic acne.  It does work well, but during the course I felt very anxious and down....depression is a side effect, but I didn't recongnize it at the time.  Now that I have been off for 8 months....my hair is falling out like crazy and it has thinned significantly.  I am female and losing my hair is NOT okay.  NOthing I'm trying is improving the hair loss. Please use this as the last resort only.