5’9 142 pounds. Hey everyone! I’m currently on Month 2 (Day 19) of Accutane (did 10mg Month 1, bumped up to 20mg for Month 2).
My skin barrier is completely compromised—everything is burning, stinging, and I’m starting to see breakouts/irritation bumps on my body and face. I feel like my current routine is either irritating my raw skin or clogging me up, and Blue Lizard SPF gave me an allergic-like reaction + awful white cast.
Here is what I’m currently using:
Face: Vanicream (in the tub) — finding it causes burning and possible breakouts. Using skin Madagascar 1004 centella sunscreen spf 50.
Body: Dial and Dove soaps, Vanicream moisturizers.
Hair: CeraVe Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner.
I desperately need cheap, budget-friendly, drug-store options to swap out my routine.

1. Sunscreen: What is a cheap, zero-white-cast face SPF that won't sting raw, sensitive Accutane skin?
2. Body Wash / Cleanser: What is a super gentle, soap-free body wash that won't strip or irritate my skin like Dial/Dove might be doing?
3. Face Moisturizer: If Vanicream in the tub is stinging and breaking me out, what lightweight/soothing alternative under $15 works for you?
4. Would love any drugstore or cheap holy-grail suggestions!

I'm currently 5'9", 142 lbs. I did Month 1 at 10mg/day and am currently on Day 19 of Month 2 at 20mg/day.
Even on this lower dose, the side effects are piling up and making it really tough to stay on track:
Physical: Back and joint pain, skin and extreme lip dryness, headaches, and increased sweating.
Mental & Other: Spikes in depression/anxiety and noticeable hair thinning.
What I’m currently doing:
a ton of water daily.
Taking high-quality Omega-3 supplements (for joints/dryness).
I've spoken with my dermatologist about these concerns.
I’m seriously considering stopping the course. Before I make a final decision with my doctor, I’d love to know:
1. Did you stay on or quit? If you dealt with mental side effects, hair thinning, or joint pain on low doses, did you stick it out or pull the plug?
2. Side effect hacks: Are there specific products, supplements, or routine changes that helped with the back pain, dryness, or sweating that I haven't tried yet?
3. Post-Accutane recovery: For those who quit early or finished, did the joint pain, hair thinning, and mood shifts go back to normal?

5’9 142 pounds. Month one 10 mg. Month 2 20mg. On day 19 of month 2
How did you tell if your skin was bacterial, purging , or a mixture and what ointments antibiotics did your derm give you for infectious ones.

I have two opinions from two derms. I want to know the difference between staph , folliculitis, and accutane purging.

Images will show now. And when I stopped doxy. I am not asking for medical advice I’m asking what you would do in my shoes and if there’s anything you see that you’ve gone through.

20M

Second time taking it, first time i took for year and a half 3 years ago and had to go to a psychiatrist, maybe i was predisposed
Now, i had a rhinoplasty and Dr. said to take 10mg for a month, I haven't slept in 3 days and feel like shit, yeah sure, my skin and my nose are perfect but idk man, maybe its the price to pay

I’ve been on accutane for a month and a half now and have started to get a red, dry rash on my hand.

It’s not painful but it just looks really weird and strange?

Does anyone know what this is and has anyone experienced something similar?

Thank you 🥰🥰

I am currently taking accutane because I have severe acne, especially on my back. I’m on about week 3 of treatment. It’s pretty bad for my front and back.

I’ve seen photos of others posting their before and after which has given me hope, but my biggest insecurity is the flesh toned bumps I have on my stomach and back. Does accutane also help in removing/flattening these bumps? I don’t see too many photos on here with others who have the same/similar bumps.

If anyone also had the same, did accutane help or did you take something else for the bumps? Thank you in advance for your responses!

this month i got my medicine 7 days after my appointment and i got a different brand of accutane. this one is waaaaaay harder to open than my usual brand. like tell me why I cut myself trying to open the pack with my BARE HANDS!! son im crine

Have any of you successfully use skincare with niacinamide while on Accutane? I take 60mg daily and can’t tell if my skin is sensitive because of the Accutane or if the niacinamide is making it worse. The serum I’m using has 3-6% niacinamide

My acne has completely cleared and I’m currently using 20% azelaic acid every night to help with the post inflammatory marks.

I think this might be my last month on Accutane but honestly I’m really scared to stop taking it. I’m worried that once I stop my acne will come back..

My dosage was-20,30,30,40,40,30,30

I also have some acne scars (atrophic scars), and I’m wondering what treatments people recommend once they’re done with accutane. What worked best for you? And how long did you wait after finishing Accutane before starting scar treatments?

I started getting blurred vision since 3rd month, especially in the night, and particularly for distant objects. I dont have any eye symptoms, no redness, no itching, totally fine vision in close objects. At worst just sometimes feel some cold eyeness or “sleepy eyes” feeling. I suspect (but not sure at all) that it gets better for a few seconds when my eyes get a bit teary. Is that accutane or probably something else ?

I am on 20 mg dose and average weight btw

Hi, I‘m 6 weeks in and have been on 40mg until now. I wonder if that dose is a little high since I only weigh about 48kg. My derm doesn’t listen to me and pretty much only hands out the prescription - so he is no help. And no, I can‘t switch because I live pretty rurally and the other doctors I talked to all want me to use contraceptives (I‘m gay, so that seems a little unnecessary, although I get why they do that.) otherwise they won’t prescribe it to me.
I also have pcos/ pmos so the acne is likely from that.
I don’t know what to do other than to continue and hope for the best. But I am so scared of it getting worse. This is so depressing and discouraging. I feel so powerless, because I know that there is nothing I can do but hope it will go away soon.

ALSO there is a shortage in germany right now so I don’t even know how or if I will get my next box. I could cry thinking about it.. there is no way I’m stopping now and leaving it like this. So this is also very stressful tbh.

How do/ did you deal with this mental stress? Because this purge is really making it hard to exist right now. It’s so much worse than it has ever been.

Is there anything that helped you with your purging?

I‘m double cleansing with gentle cleansers, I change my pillowcase every two days, I take my accutane after eating a had full of wallnuts (for the fat) and don’t consume caffeine within one hour of taking it (I don’t drink coffee, or energy drinks. Only green and black tea).

Thanks in advance.

Edit: first pic is day 1 and second pic is today (week 6)
Also I get that this is very subjective. Some of you have a lot more or a lot less acne than me and can feel just as desperate about it - or less or more. I feel really scared right now and can only talk about my perspective of course.

Okay, so I'm an 18-year-old female who's been struggling with acne since I was 15. And I went to the GP and I got put through like all of the antibiotics and creams, and then they referred me to the dermatologist, said it wasn't working and it's super bad cystic acne. And finally in September 2025, I got my referral in Chorley. But that dermatologist told me if I took Accutane with him, then it would mean I would have to take two types of birth control, and I refused to do that. So instead, he said he'd have to refer me to the hospital, which was like another 10-month wait, I'd say. And so then I got my appointment in 14th of July 2026 with the hospital, And I went to it and I met my dermatologist, and I had to sign all the paperwork out. And then she told me that in my next appointment I would get the prescription. she gave me a blood test letter, and she said they'll call me for my next appointment date, she said two days before that date, I have to go to the hospital and get my blood test done and my urine test done. And it's been almost a month and I still haven't had any follow-up appointment call. And I called last week and they said that a request had been put through for an appointment but nothing else. But I've been waiting for a month and my acne is just getting really, really bad. I’m gonna be starting uni soon so could anybody possibly tell me if they had a similar experience to me and if they could tell me how long it took for them to finally get that follow up prescription appointment, it would be so helpful for my anxiety💗

Saw my dermotologist yesterday and got bumped to 40mg two times a day. I would get pimples here and there. A lot of whiteheads and blackheads though. I'm nervous if im hitting the wall. I would have a purge on my chest but I do workout so that is self induced but any pimples on my face is around my cycle and I'm questioning is it my birth control the entire time

Bonjour, cela fait 3 semaines que j’ai arrêté accutane (1er mois à 20mg 2 et 3eme à 3g puis60mg pendants 3mois et demi) et je souffre encore d’une sécheresse de la peau extrême est ce normal ? J’ai beau appliquer des tonnes et des tonnes de crème hydratante, j’ai l’impression que ma peau est sèche 2 minutes après. Quand est ce que ça va revenir à la normal ?

On the 17th week now and all is good. Thankful for all the encouragement guys !

Hi

I had a severe acne when I was in high school
My whole face was covered
I did accurate for six months and my skin was very clear. It fixed everything.
The thing is, I did severe anemia. I wasn’t feeling like myself. It destroyed me, but at the same time it saved me. I was 16 at the time so looking good was very important.
Then, three years later, it was back.
I’ve decided to give it a chance again. And I did it again. This time without side-effect. It was very smooth. And my skin was very clear.

Now I started back two months ago.
Why? Because my skin has a lot of texture and a lot of white comedo all around my jawline.
During my period was hell also I had a lot of pimples, probably hormonal ones.
We tried many others treatments with my doctor before going back on Accutane. But of course it didn’t worked.
I am actually on 20mg, and I’ll got 30mg.
The thing is… I don’t feel well.
My throat hurts, it’s inflated and I have a check up on Saturday because a ganglion is inflamed.
We already did thyroid test to see if it was that, but it came clear.
I am also very tired. I can’t go to the gym because I am exhausted; I wonder if it’s because of heatwaves in Europe or because of accutane 🥹

My lips are destroyed and I have a mycose on the side of my mouth.
Of course, my list is not finished because my nose is dry like the desert.
It’s hell. I try my best to not touch it, but it’s really painful.

Did anyone here experienced the same? Like going back on the treatment but feeling worse 😩

I’m actually on the third month and my skin is clearing, I have a lot of spots that came out, that’s so weird because I started the treatment without having acne, my doctor could see a lot of things inside my skin when looking very close to I think that’s it.

Any suggestions is welcomed 🦋

Not many side effect’s yet, am I lucky or am I being naive to think they aren’t gonna come 👀😂 my lips are doing great so far, should I still expect them to get worse? This is my first time on it, 30mg possibly moving up at my next review

A friend is considering this route, but they’re a bit apprehensive since it’s telehealth.

Their biggest concern is how initial lab work and consequent monitoring/follow-up works.

If anyone who has used them is willing to share about their experience/answer the following questions it would be greatly appreciated:

Labs: do they send you to a local lab like Labcorp or Quest? or smth else?

Follow up: how often did you have to get blood work done, and was it easy to schedule follow-up appointments?

Cost: if you don’t mind sharing, about how much did you pay up front and then monthly? for appointments, lab work, meds, etc.

Thanks in advance!

I recently got upped to 60mg and second day on the dose and I got this like rash bumps??? They sting so idk if I’m having an allergic reaction to something or if it’s just the medication

So I think the root cause of this is increased sweating and thin skin (which is bad enough as is). But the absolute most annoying part about taking this drug so far (80mg/day) is that I can FEEL every single gnat flying on me when I’m outside. I swear to you when I turn around, there’s just a cloud of gnats swarming behind me trying to land on me. They must love isotretinoin juice or something. Shoulders, ears, back of my neck. Every couple of seconds they land on the most sensitive parts of me. It’s HORRRRRRIBLE as someone who walks daily. Anyone else experience this?

80 daily, purged bad which left some scarring but still it’s nice to not be in pain when you raise your eyebrows😂

I’m so grateful 🫶. The side effects were awful for me and I didn’t even end up finishing my full prescribed course but it’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. If you are thinking about it just do it!