| My family has a history with bad acne. My father and his brother both had bad cases. My unlce was, unfortunately, left with very ugly pothole crate looking scars. My father seemed to have gotten away unscathed, though. Some doctors say this affliction is hereditary and some research can back it up. This is what leads me to believe why I had a bad case of acne when I was nineteen. I have a twin brother who developed a bad case of acne pimples a year before me and it totally ruined
his self esteem. Mine wasn't as bad but sever enough.His face looked like a pizza for about a year. He tried several medications which didn't seem to work until one day his dermatologist recommended acutane. It was a not so popular drug at the time because it came with many side effects and life style changes were necessary. The course of accutane is from 3 to 4 months with periodic blood tests to ensure that your liver is not over taxed. You must refrain from drinking alcohol during this time period, also.
The treatment really is not a pleasant experience. In the first month your face breaks out with horrible pimples. big disgusting pimples like a true war zone on your face. According to the dermatologist, the reason for this is because the medication is releasing the worst of your acne at once before actually treating it, leading one to believe that the treatment doesn't work. Patience is key here, because in the second month, the pimples start to go away and the light at the end of the tunnel can be seen.
During this time periodic visits to the dermatologist is necessary so he can evaluate the condition and pop some of those awful pimples to help the treatment. After the second month it becomes a waiting game and pretty much up to the doctor as how much longer you will stay on the treatment. Most of the acne and pimples will have disappeared and your complexion is soon realized. At the end of the treatment, it is easy to see that acutane really worked and you believe it is a miracle drug. The miracle drug
didn't come with out long term effects, though. Though, future outbreaks of pimples will never occur again, you skin is unfortunately drier. Yes, you are left with dry skin for the rest of your life. Some people get it really bad in that they will spend a great deal on lotion for the coming years. My case was moderate, but I do have some days where I need lotion, especially after going in the sun. Probably the biggest draw back to the treatment is the price. Acutane is very expensive averaging about $500
a month. Some insurances will cover it, but many will not. To live with pimples or without. For me it was an obvious decision. Fortunately, I could afford it and most importantly I got doctor approval. Yes, your dermatologist need to prescribe the drug for you and he usually won't do so unless you push him to do it. He will want to try many other medications before using Acutane as a last resort. My feeling is that he wants you to make many visits to him and try the other treatment which don't work like:
tretracyclin and topical ointments. He knows that Acutane is the cure all drug for bad acne and that after treatment, you will never come back to visit him. Yes, it is a business. Not everyone can take acne to cure face acne and pimple, however. A blood test to see how your liver will react and constant blood tests are need to see if the drug is adversely effecting your liver. If any complications, the drug is stopped. Would I recommend the treatment? Yes I would but only as a last resort. You need to
gauge how bad your acne pimples are. Try a treatment that doesn't require a prescription first. There are many good ones on the market these days and many more choices than I had back in 1990. |
