# How bad does your skin condition need to be to be prescribed accutane?



## XL (Aug 12, 2009)

I was wondering if I would qualify.

I wouldn't say I have bad acne but occasionally I get spots on my face & recently have been getting quite big spots on my back. I'm not a dirty person & I wash/dry myself properly but for whatever reason I still get spots.

I've heard that accutane cleans up spots pretty well but I'm open to any other suggestions.

Any help would be much appreciated because I'm becoming more & more self conscious about my skin.

Thanks. . .


----------



## T_Woody (Jul 16, 2008)

Cleanliness generally isnt the problem, although it doesnt help.. excess Sebum oil in the glands is, Accutane attacks the glands. You will have ad to try around 2-4 different methosd before Dermo will prescribe. If you get a few spots.. dont worry.. fcuking hell lol, i wish i just had a few wen i went on Tane.


----------



## Irish Beast (Jun 16, 2009)

Its a bit of a postcode lottery. Normally you will get tried with several courses of antibiotics before getting a referral.

However I know a few people (a few out of obout a hundred) who have got referred straight away. If you have bad acne and the GP has any sense then he should refer you. From what you have said you would be unlikely to get a referral


----------



## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

Tbh mate you gotta try a lot of stuff, accutane they don't like to pescribe due to it's side effects, nose bleeds, skiny drying out, sensitive to sunrays, dry eyes, possible to affect the liver. However lots of people don't get most of the symptoms, but they have to monitor you. Im personally not on it, but once my liver tests come back fine and the head doctor okays it I will be given it.

Tbh my spots are as you say, alough I don't get any on my body tbh, just on my face, they pop up and sometimes it can flare up and look bad. Keep moaning about it, saying your depressed and hate yourself because of it etc they will give you more stuff, but say it don't work etc and they will give you it. Failing that if you get a good source you could get the stuff, but not adviseable imo due to the type of drug it is.


----------



## bsmotorsport (Jan 19, 2010)

I got put on this when I was 16, my acne wasnt terrible but my mum was!! She had had bad acne as a kid and didnt want me to go through the same, she gave the GP a proper hard time and they referred me after trying 2-3 other treatments. It worked a treat but **** me did it give me serious depression, sat in darkened room for hours every night. Touch wood though I havent got any spots on my face since (28 now) although I do get the odd belter on my back but I can live with that.


----------



## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

bsmotorsport said:


> I got put on this when I was 16, my acne wasnt terrible but my mum was!! She had had bad acne as a kid and didnt want me to go through the same, she gave the GP a proper hard time and they referred me after trying 2-3 other treatments. It worked a treat but **** me did it give me serious depression, sat in darkened room for hours every night. Touch wood though I havent got any spots on my face since (28 now) although I do get the odd belter on my back but I can live with that.


Yeah this is another side effect, depression can affect some worse then others, it's not a good thing though and can be serious this is why they are warey of juts giving it out like cakes these days.

Imo anyone wanting to take it should fully read up on it, understand the side effects and make sure they want to go thru with it. It's not just a case of take a tablet or two for a few weeks. It's months of taking the tablets and being monitored, so it could affect ones body worse then an others, you could be fine touch wood all the way through, or you could get some or several of the side effects.


----------



## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

I got reffered after trying a few courses of antibiotics and duac. They all worked but after a few months or so it felt like I was back to square one.I asked about roacutane as the rest acne products was wasting my time and I wanted it sorted

Started prob last June on a 4 month course.My back cleared right up but my chest had a few still so I got another 2month course and finished up just before xmas so I am due to me my dermatologist soon to disuss my results.

Don't get to worried about the sides, dry lips and skin was about all most people get.

You might need to wait a while to get an appointment with your local dermatologist

Anyone can get roaccutane whether you have 5 spots on your back to 1000 as it is the amount and size of the spots you have and your weight that determines your dosage I probably had about 8 to 10 on my back ranging on different sizes and about 2 or 3 on my chest some were big though and could be sore. If you feel you need another course don't be afraid to ask as many people require an extra course to clear it up

Best thing I have done. I just wish I did it earlier, 30 now


----------



## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

^Mate, just out of interest, im in the same boat as you were, basically I've had every topical and pill form there is available, duac, dalacin, retinal A, minicyline, tetracycline, etc etc and alough some at the start worked they started to stop working as if I built an immunity to it. Basically my spots after sunbeds fade away, but there comes a time where it flares up, say one day during the week out of the blue it flares up bad and it gets very sore? swolen and somewhat itchy. Blemishes to, so I get paranoid and go on sunbeds etc and it eventually fks off. But I never get rid of them completely. I get a few on my back but nothing really. And nothing anywhere else.

Also is is true in the first 1/2 months of roaccutane your spots get worse? Cheers.


----------



## T_Woody (Jul 16, 2008)

SK-XO said:


> ^Mate, just out of interest, im in the same boat as you were, basically I've had every topical and pill form there is available, duac, dalacin, retinal A, minicyline, tetracycline, etc etc and alough some at the start worked they started to stop working as if I built an immunity to it. Basically my spots after sunbeds fade away, but there comes a time where it flares up, say one day during the week out of the blue it flares up bad and it gets very sore? swolen and somewhat itchy. Blemishes to, so I get paranoid and go on sunbeds etc and it eventually fks off. But I never get rid of them completely. I get a few on my back but nothing really. And nothing anywhere else.
> 
> *Also is is true in the first 1/2 months of roaccutane your spots get worse? Cheers.*


More then likely in most cases, they drug shuts down the oil glands, forcing all the oil out, and the only way out is throuh you're skin.. hence causing more spots.. after that tey will start to try out and clear up


----------



## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

SK-XO said:


> ^Mate, just out of interest, im in the same boat as you were, basically I've had every topical and pill form there is available, duac, dalacin, retinal A, minicyline, tetracycline, etc etc and alough some at the start worked they started to stop working as if I built an immunity to it. Basically my spots after sunbeds fade away, but there comes a time where it flares up, say one day during the week out of the blue it flares up bad and it gets very sore? swolen and somewhat itchy. Blemishes to, so I get paranoid and go on sunbeds etc and it eventually fks off. But I never get rid of them completely. I get a few on my back but nothing really. And nothing anywhere else.
> 
> Also is is true in the first 1/2 months of roaccutane your spots get worse? Cheers.


I never got a bad breakout at all mate but I have heard that it can get worse before it gets better,mine just got better. It sounds like you are in the same boat as me and don't have to many spots to have a bad breakout. Plus the results I have had using roaccutane well out ways 1 or 2 months of a break out could give,don't let it hold you back.

I never used sunbeds to control any spots that come out of know where. I know where you are coming though and its usually a big sore spot that comes out. I used to use Liz earl anti-septic. It cost around £10 for a small tube that has a roller on the end to roll over the spot but this just irritated it further so I used to rip this part off and just dab my finger on the end of the tube and gently rubbed my finger on the spot,this way I got more anti-septic over the spot than what the roller could do. This used to dry the spot right out and send even the biggest spot away after 2 days or so.

Since i started roaccutane I have not used the antiseptic since June last year


----------



## LittleChris (Jan 17, 2009)

Never had any of the sides. Worst was sore lips and a little dry skin, easily solved.

Acne was bad on back and shoulders, AAS induced.

Sourced the stuff myself- easy enough and didn't have to waste time with topical treatments that invariably fail to cure major problems.


----------



## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

LittleChris said:


> Never had any of the sides. Worst was sore lips and a little dry skin, easily solved.
> 
> Acne was bad on back and shoulders, AAS induced.
> 
> Sourced the stuff myself- easy enough and didn't have to waste time with topical treatments that invariably fail to cure major problems.


Quite risky that imo, but fair play to you. Just the fact of were you on aas at the time of use of roaccutane? or even the fact of being able to use roaccutane but know how much to use etc... did you have your blood tests monitored etc? doubt I'd do that tbh, not got the balls just to throw it all in and see what happens lol.


----------



## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

amurphy said:


> I never got a bad breakout at all mate but I have heard that it can get worse before it gets better,mine just got better. It sounds like you are in the same boat as me and don't have to many spots to have a bad breakout. Plus the results I have had using roaccutane well out ways 1 or 2 months of a break out could give,don't let it hold you back.
> 
> I never used sunbeds to control any spots that come out of know where. I know where you are coming though and its usually a big sore spot that comes out. I used to use Liz earl anti-septic. It cost around £10 for a small tube that has a roller on the end to roll over the spot but this just irritated it further so I used to rip this part off and just dab my finger on the end of the tube and gently rubbed my finger on the spot,this way I got more anti-septic over the spot than what the roller could do. This used to dry the spot right out and send even the biggest spot away after 2 days or so.
> 
> Since i started roaccutane I have not used the antiseptic since June last year


Cheers for reply t-woody.

And cheers m8, atm it's weird I've ended up with spots on one side of my face but none on the other side it's clear wtf!!

Sunbeds it is though. Went to see doctor today and they said they are waiting on confirmation from head surgeon to say weather I can go on it or not because of liver problems.


----------



## The Oak 2009 (Sep 14, 2009)

SK-XO said:


> Quite risky that imo, but fair play to you. Just the fact of were you on aas at the time of use of roaccutane? or even the fact of being able to use roaccutane but know how much to use etc... did you have your blood tests monitored etc? doubt I'd do that tbh, not got the balls just to throw it all in and see what happens lol.


I think you think the doctor will do more 'monitoring' than they actually do. Been on it twice and both times just got a blood test before I started and then at the end of the 4 months, nothing inbetween.

Also never had the initial breakout in first 1-2 months. Strangely the 2nd time I had a breakout for about a month immediatly after I came off it which then cleared up and have had no skin problems since - touch wood - which was 3 years ago.


----------



## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

The Oak 2009 said:


> I think you think the doctor will do more 'monitoring' than they actually do. Been on it twice and both times just got a blood test before I started and then at the end of the 4 months, nothing inbetween.
> 
> Also never had the initial breakout in first 1-2 months. Strangely the 2nd time I had a breakout for about a month immediatly after I came off it which then cleared up and have had no skin problems since - touch wood - which was 3 years ago.


Sounds promising lol. No sunbeds though  . lol.


----------



## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

SK-XO said:


> Cheers for reply t-woody.
> 
> And cheers m8, atm it's weird I've ended up with spots on one side of my face but none on the other side it's clear wtf!!
> 
> Sunbeds it is though. Went to see doctor today and they said they are waiting on confirmation from head surgeon to say weather I can go on it or not because of liver problems.


good luck


----------

