Skin Update: 12 Weeks on Isotretinoin
I have been taking Isotretinoin (otherwise known as Roaccutane, Oratane, or Accutane) for 12 weeks to hopefully cure my acne that came back after switching to a Mirena in 2020.
I went over why I began taking this medication in my first update at Six Weeks, as well as what my experience had been in the earliest stages of taking this medication. My side effects so far have still been very mild when compared to the full list of potential side effects you can get on this medication, but I am also taking a low dosage for a longer period of time due to my long history with eczema.
Like all medications, this is definitely one to take under proper medical supervision and especially when it can cause as much harm as Isotretinoin can when not taken properly. The past six weeks included my first of many blood tests and check ins with the Dermatologist about how I am going on the medication to make sure none of the more major, negative side effects is happening under the surface. In this same appointment, my Derm and I also confirmed that I will be staying on a low dose for a much longer period of time than normal to help me manage the eczema I am already experiencing and hopefully avoid seeing any further and worse side effects.
Week 7 saw no new pimples popping up on my face, but they started coming up more on my body - which I totally should have taken photos of. I also started seeing more eczema come up everywhere over my arms and back. My back was the worst area for this at this stage as it had both new pimples and eczema in the one area.
Week 8 a little patch of eczema came up above my left eye (hidden mostly in the crease) and started to really develop over the next two weeks. This is the most annoying patch of eczema so far as it was also rather itchy and having it on my eye lid made me very aware of it a lot of the time. The pimples I did pick a few weeks ago have all healed but the pigmentation they have left behind is really strong. Without being able to use any active to heal these faster I am really hoping that the extra skin turn over from taking a high dose of Vitamin A will help to clear them up.
Week 9 was when I went back to my Dermatologist to check in on progress and go over my blood work to make sure I could safely continue to take Isotretinoin. My Derm was amazed at how well the skin on my face had cleared up so far and had a look at some of the eczema coming up. He also reminded me that if my skin continued to react really well to the medication that I need to keep patient and keep going through the full planned course to ensure these results will last. Especially as I will be on this medication for a total of 14 months by the time I am done.
As the eye eczema slowly got worse over Week 9, I also started getting a dry scalp again. This time was much better than in the first few weeks as it was in a much smaller area, and didn’t feel as greasy as it did dry. But once it started to get itchier toward the end of the week I made sure to use a favourite hair mask all the way up to my scalp to help soothe things. I wasn’t sure it would work but it worked a treat within the week my scalp was back under control again. Random tiny pimples have also started popping up over my arms, in places I haven’t had them before too. They disappear usually within a day or two though, going much quicker than any of the others have so far.
In Week 10, the eye eczema hit its worst point. After a couple of days in full face make up for shoots it became a lot more irritated than even before. So I switched out my eye cream to an even more gentle eye cream that I use to help soothe the skin around my eyes when I am experiencing bad hay fever, and within a few days I saw a huge improvement. I also had to start making a much more considerable effort to drink more water to help counteract the dehydration. This medication really sucks the hydration right out of you, and I find if I haven’t drunk enough water in the day my mouth and eyes become dry really quickly.
By Week 11, the eczema on my face cleared up completely for now, but hay fever season had well and truely arrived and my eyes got even more dry than normal. Eye drops for both the allergies and to help rehydrate have become my best friends, but I still ended up needing to employ a fair few antihistamines to get the allergies under control enough for me to just focus on stopping the dry eyes.
Week 12 seems to be small lull with nothing new thankfully. I still have lots of eczema patches over my arms and back but I am getting better at managing these. The pimples on my back are finally going away which I am so glad to see. I did get a lash and brow tint this week which stung my skin way more than usual because of the increases sensitivity, but as someone with blonde lashes and brows I will definitely not be stopping these any time soon.
I have photos of all the weeks below, starting with a comparison to the before photo of my skin. As with last time, you can see more of these changes in my latest Reel or TikTok update.
