I am coming up to nine months of taking Isotretinoin (known as Roaccutane) and I have a while to go before I complete my course, so I thought I would share another update.

This is an experience I am choosing to be transparent about as I have shared so much of my love for skincare and journey with my skin over the years. After coming off the Pill and switching to a Mirena, my skin became the worst it ever has been. After two years of trying to manage it with high quality skincare and the help of skin therapists, I saw a Dermatologist who told me this was my best option.

These results are not something I could have achieved with skincare alone this time and I do not want to create the illusion that this is not the result of some heavy hitting medication.

I am still on a low dose for my weight to lower the aggravation to my eczema, and will be continuing for a while yet to finish a full course. With the huge list of side effects this medication comes with, I am quite lucky to have experienced quite few so far. However, I have noticed that the longer I am on it the more I experience.

Cracked lips, redness, more eczema and increased sun sensitivity have been the main side effects. But on top of this I have noticed my ability to handle the Queensland heat is very reduced this year. I flush easily, constantly break out in fine sweat, and no matter how much SPF I apply each day I am collecting pigment like it’s the latest skincare launches at Mecca.

More generally, I am still finding that my whole system feels really dry all the time and I am constantly drinking a lot of water to try and counter this.

I have almost completely cut out alcohol, which is highly recommended as Roaccutane can harm the liver and kidneys, and now I notice that if I have had a one off drink I am often more generally red the next day.

This medication is known for being hard on the body as high dose Vitamin A has many side effects for anyone who takes it. The dosage and duration taking Vitamin A like this will really affect how many you experience, but all the literature and medical advice my Dermatologist has given me says that there will be some.

I am hoping to speed up this process when I next see my Dermatologist and move up to a more normal dose for my weight, but even then there will still be a while to go.

As of my last check in back in December, I was looking at another almost twelve months to go on this current dose, and at nine months in I am not sure I want to go for that much longer. I feel as though I can deal with more dryness and itchy skin if it means I can feel normal again sooner and have a cocktail or two again.

There will definitely be more to come as I complete my course, whether that is maintaining this lower dose or increasing it. Either way I will give some more updates as I go!

You can see more of this process in my latest Reel or TikTok

Skin Update - Nine Months on Isotretinoin

Daily Skincare Routine