My tryst with pimples started when I was only 12 years old and even now, I’m no stranger to a few unwanted guests that show up on my face every now and then. Cystic acne, tiny red ones, and even the pus-filled whiteheads, I’ve had them all. However, nothing could’ve prepared me for the acne situation that I had just a few months back.
I don’t really know what the reason was but every day I used to wake up to at least 2-3 new painful additions that took about a week to go away. I tried multiple DIYs, facial creams, acne patches, and whatnot but the situation only kept getting worse! Not only were they really painful but they were big in size and brownish in colour.
I cannot really remember what exactly made my skin break out so badly but it was probably one of the new skincare products I had tried in quarantine. First I thought it was maskne but when it started getting really serious, I got my skin checked and the doctor prescribed me Accutane tablets for 4 months.
Before you try to pop some to treat your acne, please read about what happened to me.
Accutane Tablets And All The Side Effects That Came Along With Them
Accutane (a brand name for the Isotretinoin drug) is a medication that is primarily used to treat severe acne. It is a kind of retinoic acid and should only be taken after being prescribed by the doctor. I have taken them once before, so I knew what to expect.
Here are a few things that you should know:
– The tablets are really strong and should only be consumed only after being prescribed by the doctor.
– There are different types of dosage for everyone; 10, 20 and even 30 mg, depending on the acne situation.
– If you’re pregnant or hoping to be, then consuming them is a big no-no as it could affect your baby.
– The course is usually 4-6 months, depending on your acne. If your skin reacts well to the treatment, then 4 months are enough.
– You’ll start to notice that your skin is feeling extremely dry and flaky after consuming the tablets for a few days only.
My doctor prescribed me the 20 mg tablets and I started my 4-month course by consuming a tablet a day.
Note: There are other side-effects to taking Accutane tablets as well. Make sure you discuss them in detail before starting your course.
What Happened When I Started Taking Accutane Tablets
Month 1
Author’s Own
I started with my course on 6th October and during the first week, I noticed that my skin felt extremely dry, especially my lips. I was constantly slathering my skin with moisturisers, body lotions and I never went anywhere without my lip balm as my lips used to bleed if I even laughed loudly.
One month into the course and honestly, there was barely any change in my skin (except for the fact that my skin felt super dry all the time).
Month 2
It was almost after a month that I started to see small changes in my skin. Even though I was still getting new tenants almost every day, but they were tiny and went away quickly. I had started paying more attention to my skin and was constantly keeping my skin hydrated by applying facial oils (moisturisers weren’t really helping) and SPF.
If you thought that having dry skin is bad, how about a dry scalp. Yup, even my scalp started getting really dry and I could feel the pain while combing my hair.
Month 3
Author’s Own
Midway into the third month was when things started to really change for my skin. Although I was still getting pimples every now and then, these were manageable and I could actually conceal them using makeup.
I had to use a lot of hydrating products on my face before applying any makeup otherwise you could see the dry patches from a mile away.
Month 4
Believe it or not, my skin wasn’t completely fixed when I entered the 4th month. Yes, the left side of my face did not trigger my Trypophobia but still, it was far from being okay.
Once my four months were up, I sent a progress report to my doctor and also a photo of my face to show the end results. He advised me to give my skin a break from Accutane and start to use a cooling moisturiser on my face and a cleansing gel.
My Current Skincare Routine
Author’s Own
Even after the treatment, it was important for me to look after my skin and because the jury is still out on what exactly made my skin erupt like that, I only followed a simple CTM routine.
For acne scars, I started dabbling with facial acids and after experimenting with varied ingredients, I understood what worked for me. This skincare regime made my skin look good and feel great.
– I start by cleansing my face and followed it up by applying a moisturiser. Then I put on 2-3 drops of facial oil finally dabbed on sunscreen mixed with a vitamin C serum.
– I then started using niacinamide twice a day for stubborn acne scars and to my surprise, it worked.
– For new pimples, I started applying salicylic acid once every three days (I was really scared of skin purging) and when I realised that it is really working, I started using it every day.
I finished my course on 6th February and till now, my skincare routine is pretty much the same. My skin is officially acne-free now but the scars are taking their sweet time to fade away.
In the end, I just want to say that it’s better to consult a doctor before taking matters into your own hands. What may seem like a normal breakout might be something else. So, if you see any acne on your skin, book an appointment immediately.
Another thing to keep in mind is that everyone has a different skin type. What actually worked for me may not work for you, at all. The idea is to test products while keeping in mind your skin type and allergies (if you have any).
Hope this helped you in some way or the other. Just remember that getting acne is totally normal and you shouldn’t let it dull down your sparkle even a little bit.
Featured Image: Author’s Own
