Acne can be a nightmare.
I remember the first time I saw a pimple surface on my face. I didn’t think too much of it. But to my surprise, it quickly hit me like the plague – my entire face, chest and body were covered in it. It happened so fast. I had little time to adjust.
Growing Up With A Skin Condition
My face was covered in nodules, blackheads and cysts. Having all three is considered the worst bout of acne a person can experience.
I was a young teen back then, probably around 13/14 years old. I felt useless in tackling the issue. I almost didn’t want to because I just felt doomed. Like it would be with me forever.
With all the name picking at School, the pitiful looks and the disgust expressed by strangers, I just wanted to hide.
I remember avoiding mirrors and becoming disillusioned from it getting better. I pretty much adapted to the thinking “what I can’t see doesn’t exist”.
It wasn’t too soon when the public attention it attracted began to mentally affect me. I remember people pointing out the acne on my face like it was their entitlement. It made me feel ashamed…and embarrassed. During this time, I tried using creams which quickly turned into steroid creams, prescribed by my GP to remedy the acne. I even thought make-up was a good solution. Just cover it all up with foundation – what they can’t see they will never know. But my skin was constantly red, hot (inflamed) and covered in all types of acne…it was pretty painful and becoming difficult to manage.
My confidence was knocked and I remember it taking me a few years to pucker up the courage and seek further help. I I guess at this stage I felt useless and could not see a way out.
At 18 I visited my GP again but this time with some luck I was referred to a dermatologist by my general practitioner. They observed the condition and diagnosed it as cystic acne and scarring as a result of the acne.
The Remedy
To remedy my acne, my dermatologist took into consideration my age and prescribed me with Accutane. From what I recall, Accutane is quite strong and isn’t the first resort for acne sufferers.
I was taking Accutane for 12 months. Taking Accutane could have some serious side effects (such as suicidal thoughts), which is why I was involved in an intense programme where I visited my dermatologist every Friday to log the progress and check on my mental health.
As in most cases, acne occurs due to overactive oil glands, I believe the purpose of Accutane is to reduce the amount of oil released by oil glands.
I began to see the results very quickly. It wasn’t until my third month my acne had almost disappeared on my face.
7 years later and I have not had a crazy breakout on my face…which is a success for me!
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Disclaimer: The purpose of the article is to share my personal experience and opinion using Accutane. This article is not based on fact. This is not an advertisement or endorsement to use Accutane. I am not a skin expert. Anyone suffering with acne should consult their dermatologist to seek the best remedies for their skin. Accutane should only be used as prescribed by your dermatologist.