#70. Use a great dermo

I used to have a great dermo say 15 years ago – geez I’m getting up there. Geez, I said geez.

That great dermo put me on Accutane – the highly controversial prescribed acne medication taken orally. I’m thinking if what has come out about the product now was known then my parents would not have agreed to put me on it. All I remember being told is ‘Absolutely no drinking, you will destroy your liver, and absolutely no getting pregnant – your baby will be deformed’.

This drug should only be used if all other methods have failed. The list of side effects go on forever - Extreme severe acne flare, dryness of skin, lips and mucous membranes, infection of the cuticles, cheilitis, itch, rosacea, skin fragility, skin peeling, rash, flushing, nose bleeds, dry eyes, diffuse alopecia areata, eye irritation, conjunctivitis, reduced tolerance to contact lenses, hyperlipidaemia, raised liver enzymes, permanent thin skin, headaches, temporary/permanent hair thinning (this could start or continue after treatment), myalgia and/or arthralgia, back pain. ((wiki) read up, it'll scare the pants off you)


And that’s just while you are on it, here’s what is possible afterwards:

Alopecia (hair loss), arthralgias, decreased night vision, inflammatory bowel disease, degenerative disc disease, keloids, bone disease, dry eyes, dry skin, stunted growth (in teens), birth defects, depression, Crohn’s disease, and drug interactions.

I do recall being very dry while on the medication, but 15 years later I can’t see very well driving in the dark when it’s raining, and my hair did thin out a bit last year – but I’m thinking that’s an age issue, not a 15 years later after effect?

You wonder if it’s worth it? Well as a teen I’d say yes – your body can pretty much take a beating and still have plenty of time to recover. Would I suggest going on it later in life? Probably not. It wasn't the be-all end-all to acne; it just made it easier to control with over the counter products.

So instead of Accutane I suggest something with a large dose of benzoyl peroxide, exfoliating once per week, and moisturizing – especially in the winter.

So I have no need to visit a dermo as they’ve done all they can do, with the exception of removing a cyst from my neck that is considered ‘cosmetic’ which means I pay for it, and involves slicing my neck open – nothankyouverymuch.