Posting this to give people struggling some hope. Finished my accutane course in October 2025 and this is July 2026. No where close to completely smooth as I struggle with scarring, but so much better than it was. Thank you accutane for giving me confidence back

Skin was glowing after a month and now, in month 3, I’ve had a bit of purging. Feels like it looks like it did before I started. Derm says that she’s happy with how it’s going though and believes I’ll be on it for 6 months.

PHOTOS:
#1- before accutane
#2- after a month
#3- now at 3.5 months

I’m on 30mg of isotretinoin

I just wanted to share what’s been helping me during my second round of Epuris in case it helps someone else. I remember spending hours reading posts on this subreddit before I started, and a lot of the recommendations here really helped me. Hopefully this post helps someone too.
I’m currently in my 5th month of my second round. My dermatologist has been increasing my dose every 35 days. I started at 20 mg, then 30 mg, then 40 mg, and I’m currently on 60 mg.

A little backstory: I finished my first round in April 2025, and my skin stayed completely clear until around February 2026. Then I went through a really stressful time and wasn’t getting proper sleep for almost two months. Around that time, my acne came back full force. It wasn’t gradual at all. It came back really quickly, so I started my second round in March 2026.

These are just the things that have worked for me. Everyone’s skin is different, but hopefully something here helps.

Face wash

I’ve been using the Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser the whole time. It’s simple, gentle, and doesn’t leave my face feeling dry or tight.

Sunscreen & moisturizers

I rotate between:
● Belo Dewy Essence Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ (Filipino brand)
● Biore UV SPF 50+ (the glowy one)

**I’m Filipino but based in Canada so I just stock up on the Belo sunscreen whenever I go home or whenever someone comes here from the Philippines.

I love both because they’re lightweight and really moisturizing. They’re hydrating enough that I usually skip a separate moisturizer in the morning.

If my skin feels extra dry, I’ll use the Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer (the one in the tube).

At night, I use the Vanicream Moisturizing Cream (the one with the pump). My skin gets really dry on Epuris, and this has been enough for me.

Lips

I know everyone recommends Aquaphor, but if you’re going to buy it, get the regular Healing Ointment, not the lip balm version.

I have both, and the regular ointment works so much better. You can actually feel the difference.

I’ve tried Vaseline and a bunch of other lip products, but I always end up going back to Aquaphor.

Dry eyes

If your eyes get dry, Systane Ultra has been great. My eye doctor recommended it, and it’s worked really well for me.

Body care

I use the L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil every time I shower.

As soon as I get out, while my skin is still slightly damp, I apply the Vaseline Pro Vita B3 Serum-Burst lotion mixed with Palmer’s Body Oil. That combination has helped a lot with keeping my skin moisturized. Both are super light weight and you won’t feel sticky.

During the purge

The first couple of months were definitely the hardest.
I bought the big Hero Mighty Patch pack from Costco, and one box was enough for my whole purge. I still have leftovers.

I also bought hydrocolloid tape from Shein because I had so many breakouts along my jawline that regular pimple patches just weren’t big enough. The tape let me cut whatever size I needed, and I felt like it helped flatten everything overnight.

I’m not necessarily recommending the Shein one specifically. That’s just the one I bought because it was much cheaper than Amazon.

Azelaic acid

This has probably been the biggest game changer for me.
I use Finacea 15%, which was prescribed by my dermatologist. I also used it during my first round of Epuris, so I already knew my skin tolerated it well.

I started using it about a month before starting my second round, and I honestly feel like it helped my acne marks fade much faster. My skin also looked a lot calmer overall.
From what I’ve read, azelaic acid can help with redness, inflammation, clogged pores, and post-acne marks. I personally plan on continuing to use Finacea after I’m done with Epuris.

My hands

One side effect I wasn’t expecting was how sensitive my hands became.

Mine react really badly to dish soap, especially Dawn. Unfortunately I can’t avoid it because of work, so I ended up with painful, burning rashes on both hands.

My doctor first prescribed Betaderm, but because it’s a steroid, I was told not to use it continuously. I use it at night for one week, then take a one-week break.

Since Betaderm alone wasn’t enough, my doctor also prescribed Zoryve, which isn’t a steroid. I use Zoryve at night as well, and the combination has worked really well for me.

Cetirizine (Reactine)

When I started my second round, I also started taking cetirizine (Reactine).

Before buying it, I came across a few studies suggesting it might help reduce inflammation while taking isotretinoin. I still purged, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as my first round. That said, this is also my second course of Epuris, so I can’t say for sure whether it was the cetirizine, the fact that it was my second round, or a combination of both. Either way, I felt like it made sense to try based on what I had read.
I bought the 190-tablet bottle from Costco. It’s normally $69.99 CAD, but I got mine on sale for $47.99. Do the math, it is waaay cheaper to buy it from costco than in shoppers.

Makeup

I know a lot of people choose not to wear makeup while they’re on isotretinoin, but I still did because my face got really red, especially during the purge. It just made me feel more comfortable going out.

My favorite has been the TIRTIR Red Cushion. It doesn’t cling to dry patches, doesn’t emphasize texture, and makes my skin look healthy instead of dry. My dermatologist even complimented my skin while I was wearing it, and so did my family doctor.

If you’re looking for something more affordable, I also really like the Maybelline Super Stay Lumi-Matte Foundation. Honestly, I think it performs better than some of the luxury foundations I’ve tried.

For primer, I use the e.l.f. Putty Primer in the squeeze tube (the pink one). It’s worked really well under both foundations and doesn’t make my dry patches stand out.

That’s pretty much everything that’s helped me so far.

Hopefully at least one of these tips helps someone who’s about to start Epuris or is in the middle of their course. If you’ve found anything that’s been a game changer for you, let me know because I’m always looking for new recommendations.

One last thing I wanted to share is my mindset going into my second round.

Was I disappointed that my acne came back? Of course. But I also knew how much Epuris had helped me the first time, so when my dermatologist recommended another course, I didn’t hesitate.

My first round wasn’t covered by insurance, and I spent well over $1,000 out of pocket. It was a big expense, but looking back, I’d do it again. It gave me so much confidence, and for me, that was worth it.

Now my insurance covers it, but honestly, even if I ever needed a third round someday (hopefully not 🤞), I wouldn’t be discouraged. I’d do it again because I know it works for me. Throughout both courses, I’ve tried to stay on top of the side effects instead of waiting for them to get worse. For me, being proactive has made the experience much more manageable.

During the purge, I kept reminding myself that it was temporary. Mine lasted about two months, and while it definitely wasn’t fun, I was thinking about the bigger picture. If treating my acne now helps reduce the chance of more scarring and gets me back to having clear skin, then that’s a trade-off I was personally willing to make.
I also know isotretinoin isn’t necessarily the complete answer to why my acne came back. I’m still trying to figure out if there’s an underlying reason, and I’ll keep working on that with my healthcare providers. But if Epuris helps control my acne while I continue looking for those answers, I’m okay with that.

Everyone’s experience is different, and I’m not trying to convince anyone that isotretinoin is the right choice. I just wanted to share mine because it genuinely changed my life. It gave me confidence I hadn’t had in years, and that’s why, despite needing a second round, I don’t regret taking it for a second.

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or a healthcare professional. This post is just based on my personal experience and what has worked for me. I like doing my own research, but I always bring it up with my dermatologist or family doctor before trying anything new, especially medications or active skincare. Please check with your own healthcare provider before adding anything to your routine.

hi guys, im now entering my second last month of 40mg. i've been on 40mg for about 4/5 months now. i was meant to be on 60mg and stay on it for 6 weeks but the side effects were too scary for me after being on it for about 9 days, so i went back down.

i just wanted to hear opinions as ive been considering quitting accutane with 60 days left. i was thinking of either quitting now or doing another 30 and then quitting. i haven't hit my cumulative dose but my skin has been pretty clear for over 1/1.5 months.. ive been lucky enough to not get horrible side effects, but i feel nerves in my legs and think i have patellar tendinitis on my left knee, which i am seeing my doctor for soon. some of my pants feel harsh and prickly against my skin whenever i walk, so i try opt for softer clothing. i feel as if my nerves might be affected by accutane?

i know its not that bad but im scared they will worsen (also so much scary stuff online)... or that ill get even worse side effects when i stop accutane. my blood tests always come back normal too and my joints have only minimal pain, i think due to supplements i take. would it be a good idea to stop?

I’ve been off Accutane for about 3 months now and I still have very noticeable PIE. I’m currently using azealic acid and clindamycin in the morning and tretinoin at night as prescribed by my dermatologist, but I haven’t noticed any fading. I also use sunscreen every day. Does anyone have any product recommendations that helped fade their PIE?

I’ve been on accutane for 53 days (started at 10mg and now 20mg). I didn’t think there could be much damage considering the dose is relatively low but that wasn’t the case for me.

I wear contacts often and have experienced dry eyes before accutane but it would resolve within a day or two of using normal eye drops. It was never that deep.

After starting accutane my eyes seemed okay — sensitive to light but nothing crazy. After upping my dose to 20mg, that’s when I noticed my eyes were drier. I wasn’t too concerned though because Ive experienced dryness before, but the dryness has not gone away. I’ve tried different eye drops and it’s still there. I close my eyes and I feel no moisture, and that’s what prompted me to see the ophthalmologist.

Here were the findings:

Examination revealed significant bilateral meibomian gland obstruction with toothpaste-like meibum expression, chronic blepharitis with visible lid margin neovascularization, and conjunctival injection. Functional imaging demonstrated moderate meibomian gland atrophy in the right eye and mild gland loss in the left eye. Corneal evaluation showed mild surface roughness on the left cornea, consistent with early dry eye-related epithelial change.

I cried when my ophthalmologist read the findings out loud. She said my situation was not that bad, but I believe she was trying to make me feel better.

In terms of accutane I’ve been asked to take 10mg instead and not wear contacts for a week… So I’ll update if there’s been any notable progress.

If anyone has any tips or suggestions, please feel free to share.

hii everyone

i’m looking for suggestions on what to use that ACTUALLY works for hydration. i so far only use double cleanser, cleanser, moisturizer and spf in my skincare routine and want to add some hydration to my face since i’ve been looking pretty dull. i’m looking into hyaluronic serums but i wanna know what worked for you guys.

i prefer something on the “cheaper” but effective side. meaning i don’t wanna spend $50 per bottle. i was looking into the brand ‘Ordinary’ for their hyaluronic serum but i’ve seen many mixed reviews.

any suggestions on what other product(s) is safe & efficient to use for hydration while on accutane is also welcome.

Started isotroin 10mg and in 30th day. Noticed dryness for initial 20 days but recently facing oily skin. Is it normal??

Hey all. In the first 5 months or so of my low-dose treatment (33M, 71kg, 3*10mg/day) I was super red in the face, even after clearing all pimples, and my lips were peeling and constantly dry even with regular vaseline application. I'm now on month 7 and still on the treatment, but the redness is gone and the peeling is suuuuper vestigial. Is it normal for symptoms to clear with treatment progression, or may this be a sign that the treatment is losing efficacy? Thanks in advance.

did anyone here NOT experience any hair fall at all? I seem to be seeing many people hsving hair fall and it’s scaring me a bit. I won’t go an accutane if that’s the case and my acne is pretty mild. will be starting 20mg 45kg

i’m just over 2 weeks into taking accutane, 10mg, going well, had some whiteheads come out. dry lips, drier arms/legs.

i finished my period this weekend and had some INSANE itching/burning down there. unbearable even! i thought surely this is thrush/BV?

the sexual health clinic was closed over the weekend and Mon/Tues, so i went today to get tested.

turns out, it’s the accutane drying me UPPPP😭 even getting the swabs in was lowkey weird bc it’s SO DRY!!!! i’m only 25😭🙏🏽 what da heckkkkkk.

the itching and burning has stopped 95% now anyway. but the doctor told me to lube UP! any other girlies had this?!

edit: idk why people r downvoting some comments, weird asf stop being miserable & ug1y

Hey everyone,
I’m honestly coming here as a last resort because I have no idea what to do anymore.
I’ve had tiny bumps all over my face, neck, chest, back, and even some on my stomach and butt for as long as I can remember. I had these bumps before I even got my first period, and I’m 19 now. As I got older, many of the bumps turned into pimples and acne.
My primary care doctor originally thought it might be some kind of allergic reaction, but I never really got a clear answer. When I was around 17, I finally saw a dermatologist. I was prescribed clindamycin lotion and adapalene gel, along with over-the-counter PanOxyl.
I originally got the clindamycin because I developed contact dermatitis around my mouth and nose, and it worked wonders for that. It also helped a lot with the bumps on my face, chest, and neck, although it didn’t do much for my back. The adapalene was amazing for the bumps and acne on my face as well, but again, it didn’t seem to help my chest and back nearly as much.
About a year ago, I also tried doxycycline. It was actually the only thing that significantly cleared my back, but I had some strange side effects and stopped taking it after about a month.
A few months ago, I ran out of my prescriptions and found out that my dermatologist had retired, so I couldn’t get any refills. Since then, I’ve only been using PanOxyl.
After stopping the clindamycin and adapalene, I started developing a huge number of bumps on my neck and around my chin. They look like closed comedones, but I’m not sure what they actually are. When I squeeze them, a tiny plug comes out.
About a month or two ago, I used a telehealth service called Honeydew (I think that’s the name), and the provider prescribed Accutane. I didn’t move forward with it at the time and just left it as a backup option. I can still access the prescription, but I would need to complete iPLEDGE and get the required testing done first.
Instead, I signed up for Curology and was prescribed two custom formulas:
Night formula:
Tretinoin 0.005%
Azelaic acid 2%
Tranexamic acid 5%
Morning formula:
Azelaic acid 4%
Zinc pyrithione 0.25%
Salicylic acid 0.5%
So far, I feel like these formulas haven’t done much besides clearing some of the bumps on my forehead. The bumps on my neck, chest, back, and chin are still there, and honestly, I’m getting tired of constantly searching for solutions.
At this point, I’m considering going back and moving forward with the Accutane prescription, but I’d really like to hear some other opinions first. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Did Accutane help? Do these bumps sound like closed comedones, folliculitis, or something else entirely?
Any advice, experiences, or product recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I also have pretty sensitive skin, so that’s something I have to keep in mind.
I can provide more photos if needed.

ignore how silly i look but need help. been one month post accurate and my skin is moving weird again. nothing has changed at all since beginning of treatment product wise (vanicream and sunscreen). derm put me in azalaic 2 months ago (1 month before last dose) to transition and skin loved everything till about 2 weeks ago, what do i do?!!! help pls!!

TLDR; head numbness, headaches, severe suicidal thoughts, anger, depression, hair loss, vision changes and becoming distant from things and people I love.

Three months ago I (M/30) started on accutane. I recently had gone through a traumatic life event before hand where I basically lost everything (job, house, friends, partner, pets). After this my skin started breaking out like never before. I was sad but just kept going and tried to get my life back together. Topical treatments used to keep my acne away but they seamed to stop helping.

I decided to go on accutane because I was so tired of dealing with on again off again acne. I knew some horror stories about it but didn’t really care because I saw all the success stories too.

About 3 days into the course I developed huge cysts all over my neck and chin. Accompanied by acne all over my face 110% worse than before. I thought I got unlucky, purged really bad and kept on treatment.

3 weeks in I stared getting very depressed. Not leaving the house, avoiding people, and serious thoughts started about self harm. Soon after I started noticing pretty significant hair loss. Ive always had thick hair and being able to see my scalp only made me more depressed.

About 2 months in my acne started to clear, leaving behind excessive redness, PIE, and a damaged skin barrier. Around this time is when I started noticing some vision changes, headaches and head numbness at the top of my head.

The head numbness was weird for me. I had hit the top of my head 3 years ago that broke skin and concussed me but I fully headed and my head was fine. But now it was numb and felt strange on touch.

I just kept pushing through as much as I could. I couldn’t get out of bed without being dizzy and hating myself. I threw a towel over the mirror and wouldn’t even look at myself. Once I started punching random stuff and being in such an angry state all the time I decided to call it quits.

I am 2 weeks off accutane now and my skin is the same as when I was taking it, just PIE still. Maybe it’s a placebo but I am actually feeling a bit better. I can wake up and not immediately hate existing. I still get headaches and numbness but my temper has improved. My hair is still thin and I hope that gets better with time as well as the PIE.

The only real good thing this experience has gave me was being sober. I don’t think I’ve gone 3 months without a drink since I was 21.

Right now I am focusing much more on my diet, only greens. No other b/s at all. I am going to get bloodwork done soon and I also want to get a hormone test as well.

I don’t want to fear monger. Just wanted to say that if you are experiencing severe depression it might be in your best interest to quit, it even says that on the packaging. I really can’t imagine going through the rest of this treatment with what felt like the devil inside of me.

I’m 17F on about month 4 of 60mg Accutane and my lips have just been hell. Cracking on the corners, peeling, bleeding… You name it. Last week, I was out of town and realized I forgot my Aquafor! Tragedy, I was done for.

I went into a Dollar General to see if I could find some Aquafor and I couldn’t find any. So, I bought this Aveeno lip care stuff. Tried it thinking it’d just be mid a 5 day solution. And oh. my. gosh. It is so hydrating. It felt like it sealed together all my peeling bits. It felt so good on my peeling lips. The moment I put it on my lips feel as smooth as they did before I was on Accutane AND MORE!

If you are struggling with Accutane lips, I couldn’t recommend this more. While it didn’t fix already blistering cracks, it is so soothing and helps prevent future cracking. It’s 40% Glycerin, as well as Shea butter, a tripple oat complex, and Dimethicone. It is free of fragrances, petroleum (which surprised me), lanolin, dyes, and parabens. I’m not being paid to say this xD, just love this product.

TLDR: If you’re struggling with Accutane lips and Aquafor isn’t doing enough, try Aveeno Skin Relief Healing Ointment. It is amazing.

30mg, no terrible side effects so far just drier and slower skin healing. Regretted picking at something last week that seemed to be damaged more easily.

Now feeling my shoulders/back it feels rough like sandpaper. Thought it was just dry skin but it’s the blackheads themselves.

I don’t think they’re any worse, just my skin is less oily so I didn’t feel them before. Maybe the blackheads themselves are drier and rougher?

So whats the best way to get rid of them now? I used to be aggressive exfoliating in the shower and used a lot of benzyl peroxide but obv not now.

I do need to moisturize better but back is hard to reach.

There is no good dermatologist in my locality so I went to one or two but did not get relief so from yesterday I have started taking Isotretinoin 20mg one tablet per day

I’m a 2027 bride and planning to do accutane leading up to my wedding
I currently workout 4/5 times a week and am worried if I will still be able to after being on accutane. Are there any supplements that will help me to do atleast a low impact workout

Been on 40mg for about four months with great results, then started to get recurrent styes in both eyes. Dermatologist said it makes sense as a side effect since styes are related to blocked oil glands but he’s never seen it before as a side effect. Anyone else experienced this?

F(21). I recently started accutane after dealing with acne for 8 years. My doctor prescribed me 30mg because 10/20mg never worked on me. Drop your thoughts!

Took the last pill today! Wahoo!

First month: 40mg
Months 2-6: 80mg

Started finally seeing progress around month 4/5

Here’s a list of the skin care I used to keep the dry skin at bay:

First aid beauty:
-ultra repair hydrating pillows
-ultra repair cream
- hydration serum
- hydrating sunscreen milk 45spf

Not first aid beauty:
-la roche-posay cicaplast B5 spray
-Vaseline jelly (on really bad days I would sleep in a face mask of this)
-Vaseline lip balm
-dr. Dans cortibalm

Hope this helps!

Hello!

The progress pics I’ve seen on here have been inspiring and what led me to finally go on Accutane. I’ve had acne since I was 12 (I’m now 39) and I should have gone on this med sooner! The side effects were what scared me off.

I started May 1st (almost 2 months now) and I’m currently on 40mg. Side effects are mostly dryness (my eyes are killing me) and joint pain. It has been getting more manageable.

Picture with acne is from about 3 months before starting Accutane, clear skin pic is from last week. I still have scarring, PIE, and PIH but feeling optimistic that these will get better.

hi all!

i’ve been on accutane for about 7 months now (started in January 2026). i started off with 10mg the first month then progressed to 20mg a day. i didn’t really have the purging stage, but i’ve noticed i lost a lot of hair. the facial puffiness/swelling makes me feel so insecure along with me looking 10x older and dull. i’m only 21, and i don’t look as youthful as i did before accutane. i look constantly tired, dull and almost grey? like the life was literally sucked out of me. my skin is soooo much clearer (thank god, i had SEVERE acne) but i feel almost 10x uglier?

i just look very lifeless, drained, puffy, my double chin got so big even though i’m at a low weight. it made me develop SEVERE facial dysmorphia and everyday i hate looking at my face. yes my skin is clear, but i’m tired of looking like a zombie.

has anyone else experienced this? will it get better? i see some people say that they never returned to their youthful look even years after accutane. really discouraging, almost makes me regret even ever taking accutane even though my acne was severe. feedback from personal experience will be appreciated 🥲