Acne and oily hair solutions?

so...
as far back as I can remember, my skin and hair have always been incredibly oily. It all hit a breaking point when I started getting these massive abscesses on my right cheek—one was literally 5cm wide!—that actually had to be surgically drained. Basically, my acne was pretty extreme. Nothing worked. Not a single cream recommended by doctors or even people on random forums 🙂 , and antibiotics were useless too. I read later that most of those creams don't even touch serious cases; they’re only good for mild breakouts. Total waste of money...

Then, they finally put me on Accutane (which is basically a Vitamin A derivative), and honestly, after being on it for maybe a month and a half, my skin has changed so much I just had to share this with you guys! My face is totally clear now—I'd go as far as saying it's flawless. My skin and hair are super dry now, too... which is a huge deal because until recently, I had to wash my hair every single day. Now? I only wash it every four days.
There's more to the story, but I'll dive into the details if you guys want to hear it.
later,

Sarah Murphy8

Sarah Murphy8 said:So... where do we even begin? I feel like I’ve been staring at this screen for an eternity—just sitting here with my coffee—trying to find the right words to actually start this conversation. It's funny, isn't it? How we all just arrive here, scattered across the country, looking for answers that sometimes feel just out of reach. Anyway, I suppose I should probably dive in.
Well, that was the turning point—they finally put me on Accutane (which, by the way, is essentially a derivative of Vitamin A). I’ve only been on it for about a month and a half now, but honestly? My skin has already undergone such a dramatic transformation.

Could you elaborate a bit more on that? I’m not quite following—did your doctor actually recommend this specific course of action, or are you just looking into it? Up until now, I’ve been strictly sticking to topical creams—I tried the Neutrogena Normaderm cream, which helped a tiny bit, but honestly, it’s been pretty underwhelming. I feel like I need to take a more serious step somewhere, but I’m completely lost on the right direction... should I be seeing an esthetician, a dermatologist, or just a general practitioner? Where did you end up going?
P.S. Honestly, let’s all just take a moment to give a little applause to anyone who has actually managed to clear their skin—really, truly clear it. If only I could find my way out of this breakout nightmare myself...

hey there, bradley ramirez5...
so, here's the deal:
I went to see a dermatologist at my local community clinic. If you're dealing with acne, I know they usually start you off with topical stuff—like Clindamycin or creams like Skinoren. Btw, ever since that Normaderm line hit the shelves, I saw girls on the forums raving about how amazing it was, so I tried it immediately. Honestly? Can't say it did much for me. But then again, most creams don't work anyway...
The real move is that after the spot treatments fail, they put you on antibiotics. And if those don't cut it, then Accutane is the answer. Mind you, if you're good at playing the "please help me" eyes, I bet you can get Accutane sooner. You can even grab it with just your medical history from the pharmacy if you don't want to wait, but apparently, that'll run you about $60 boxes worth of cash. At least that's what I was told.

Personally, I think you should handle all your skin issues with a dermatologist first. FYI, even getting a professional facial at their office is way cheaper than some boutique spa.

You have to be on Accutane for at least four months. Usually, during the first month, things actually get worse, which is basically just a sign that it’s starting to kick in. I didn't really deal with that breakout phase because I had been on antibiotics for a while right before.

Basically, in a pretty short amount of time, your skin goes from being an absolute grease trap to being super dry. You'll need to switch to heavier moisturizers, and you'll definitely deal with some serious flaking at first. I used to wake up looking like I had a Santa Claus beard because the skin around my mouth was peeling so bad. It passes, though.
And you can't go tanning while you're on it. Probably because your skin is already so dry and you shouldn't dehydrate it further, but look, I tried it once and nothing terrible happened.
With Accutane, you take it a number of times a day equal to your weight in kilograms—just remember the ratio later. And make sure you take it strictly after a meal or with some milk.
Also, women absolutely cannot get pregnant while taking this stuff because it causes birth defects. You have to sign a waiver saying you'll be careful, and you're supposed to start on oral contraceptives before you even begin the Accutane.

Got more questions?

Thanks, Sarah Murphy8, you’ve been such a huge help!!
But honestly—aside from the actual dermatologist visits, all those antibiotics and everything else... how much does this stuff really run you?

With the kind of severe acne you’re describing, topical lotions and creams are never the answer. Treatment always has to be oral. Honestly, I’m surprised your dermatologist didn't tell you that.

Before starting any kind of treatment, you need thorough testing done. You have to figure out what is actually causing the breakouts in the first place. Severe acne isn't just some cosmetic annoyance; it's a medical issue.

I’ve known about Accutane for ten years now. Back when I was dealing with my own skin issues—though nothing quite as extreme as yours—a girl I knew, a model, recommended Accutane to me. She explained that models and celebrities pop them like candy because they clear everything up incredibly fast. But when I took that advice back home to the US and consulted with doctors here, they were absolutely horrified. They told me "Accutane is a hard NO." They view it as something that "destroys" the body and is extremely dangerous in the long run. Just the fact that you can't get pregnant while on it, combined with how much it dries out your skin and mucous membranes to the point of heavy bleeding, shows just how aggressive this drug is. Now, everyone reacts differently. It looks like you're handling it quite well and are actually thrilled with the results. I know firsthand what it’s like to suffer because of bad skin; I would have been willing to take a pill meant for a horse 🙄 just to make it all go away. I truly hope your health remains fine after the Accutane course and that your skin stays this clear forever.🙂

That said, I wouldn't recommend Accutane unless it is absolutely necessary. I'd rather try everything else first. That's just my opinion.👋

Just please be extra careful about your birth control when you're on Accutane and for a few months after you finish...

Linda Peterson, I’m with you on this...
This stuff isn't meant for long-term use; they say you top out at 8 months (maybe 4 minimum, then take a break and restart if needed). Honestly, it's not even that big of a deal. We need to stop being so dramatic. If everyone on this forum actually followed their own advice, I probably would've kicked the bucket from Yasmin ages ago. You guys totally spooked me with all those warnings and horror stories, but when life happened and I had to start taking it, I didn't have any bad side effects at all. In fact... nothing! And I've been on it for 3 months now.
And yeah, you can't donate blood for two weeks after finishing Accutane. It's not like your blood composition changes drastically or anything; it's just because there's a risk a pregnant woman might get it, and we already established it causes birth defects.
Also, you have to avoid getting pregnant for a month after.
The reason I brought up creams and lotions is because I was stuck on that kind of therapy for years, and only when things got worse did I finally move on to antibiotics and eventually Accutane.
Anyway, those abscesses have an endgame: after an incision that was—by the way—totally botched (done at some crappy local clinic), I ended up with these weird scars that barely healed. I actually had to go to a private surgical center to get them cut out. Currently sitting here on sick leave because of it.

btw, Bradley Ramirez5...
It doesn't cost you anything, really. You just head to your primary care doctor and ask for a referral to a dermatologist. It didn't cost me much money (not getting into the weeds there), just a massive, massive amount of time spent waiting around. Good luck!
Before I started Accutane, I went through three different types of antibiotics. Then they sent me for blood and urine tests. They wanted to run some hormone panels too, but I just ran out of time. That was pretty much it.

I never ended up taking Accutane because I didn't really need to go that far; my issues were just minor breakouts caused by PCOS.
Honestly, I don't personally know anyone who has used it either. From what I understand, doctors here still don't prescribe it very often—it's much less common than it was even ten years ago. When I brought up the idea of Accutane to my doctor, he basically lost it.

About two years ago, I stumbled upon this incredible international skincare forum where people share all their experiences, and they had an entire sub-forum dedicated strictly to Accutane. Reading what people were posting there actually made me want to gag. 😢 They were posting before-and-after photos showing massive transformations, but a huge number of people ended up quitting because the side effects were just too brutal. That said, those were mostly people dealing with the most severe cases of acne. I agree that you should only consider this medication if you’re truly out of options—like, if you have deep, painful cysts on your face, then maybe you look into it.

I'm not trying to scare anyone off, and I don't usually give medical advice on forums, nor do I take it from others, since everyone's experience is different. Take Yasmin, for example—the experiences are mostly negative. Some girls on here swear by Ortho-Cyclen, but Yasmin nearly ruined my life.🙄 What you can do, though, is do your own research online and read everything you can find about Accutane. Even with all the intense side effects and the struggle of the treatment itself, you'll see that for many, the acne often comes right back after finishing the course.😢 That's why it's considered such a "heavy-duty" drug. It doesn't guarantee a permanent fix. For instance, I was treated with Clindamycin, and just a few weeks after I finished, everything returned to exactly how it was before.
I really hope things go smoothly for you🙂 and that you can power through this treatment until the end. Definitely let me know how it turns out.😉

Regarding those scars, you might want to look into hydro-dermabrasion or microdermabrasion. I'm not entirely sure which one yields better results...👋

So, I was on Accutane for a month, and honestly, it was hands down the worst month of my entire life. My eyes were bone dry, my nose, my lips—everything was parched. I was constantly getting these little nosebleeds, too. And once my vision started getting all blurry after that first month, I just grabbed those pills and took them straight to the pharmacy to dispose of them as medical waste.
And yeah, sure, my complexion improved, but only like a tiny bit, maybe two or three notches, after I stopped taking it. While I was actually on it for that month, my skin looked three times worse than before; it only started settling down much later on.
And what’s my skin like today? It sucks. It's exactly the same as it was before the Accutane. And don't even start with me about how it's bad because I didn't finish the full four-month course. I bet my acne would've come roaring back regardless.

When I went to the pharmacy for the first time to pick up my Accutane, the woman behind the counter looked at me and said, "That stuff is pure poison, be careful what you're doing."
The way Accutane works is that it basically drains your sebaceous glands dry. So, naturally, the oil stops producing, and the acne, the greasy skin, and the oily hair all vanish.
But for how long?
My skin looked gorgeous for maybe five or six months, and then everything slowly started going downhill again.

Sarah Murphy8, quick question: what’s actually causing your breakouts? Is it ovarian issues, like PCOS, or something else?
When women deal with adult acne, it's pretty often tied to the ovaries or some kind of hormonal imbalance.
That’s definitely my situation.

Oh, and I used to take Yasmin, too. Back then, my skin was amazing. Only problem was my blood work went totally sideways—my platelet count was through the roof, I put on weight, and I was just constantly irritable.

Right now, I'm not taking anything. My health is great, but the acne is still hanging around. It's nothing extreme, just small bumps—people tell me they can't even see them (ugh, please, just stop trying to comfort me 😁).
My mom had the same issues, and she cleared right up after she had her baby. Well, I haven't exactly tried that option yet.

Also, just a heads-up: it is absolutely not a smart move to take Accutane during the summer. Your skin becomes incomparably more sensitive. Even for me, back in the winter—February, specifically—I ended up with burns on my hands unlike anything I've ever experienced:

As for you, Sarah Murphy8, cover up. Wear a hat, sunglasses, and at least SPF 30.
Good luck.

Ashley Flores said:When I first walked into the pharmacy to pick up my Accutane, the woman behind the counter looked me dead in the eye and said, "That stuff is straight-up poison, be careful what you're doing."
The way Accutane works is by basically drying out (draining) your sebaceous glands. Naturally, once the oil production stops, the acne, the greasy skin, and the oily hair all disappear.

I had the exact same thing said to me. They even added that Accutane is sometimes given to people with terminal cancer. Why? Honestly, I have no clue. I didn't even have the guts to ask for an explanation.

Look, I'm not going to get all philosophical about it here. If Sarah Murphy8 thinks this is the best move for her, then she should go right ahead. It’s her life, and she has every right to do what she thinks is best for herself. But it is absolutely wrong to just casually recommend this medication to people on a forum. It's better not to take it at all than to take it blindly. That's all I'm saying.

And honestly, it absolutely blows my mind that you can actually get your hands on Accutane without even needing a prescription. It’s pretty shocking to me that they just let that happen here.😕

When my doctor was getting my Accutane prescription ready, she made me go through all this hoops first—I had to photocopy my entire medical history from my dermatologist, and then she had to log his name into her system too. Then, she sent me off for blood work, and she wouldn't even touch that prescription until she saw my liver enzymes were totally fine.
She actually told me straight up that out of everyone she’s treated in her career, I’m only the second patient she’s ever prescribed this stuff to, and she’s been practicing for like 10 or 15 years.

$60 You're telling me people actually keep the boxes?! Man, I tossed two whole boxes in the trash!! Seriously, what a waste... I could've probably sold them and made some extra cash if I hadn't been so careless.
😉
On the Accutane packaging, there's this big red warning symbol—kind of looks like an exclamation point—to make it super clear that you can't get it without a prescription.

Sarah Murphy8 said:By the way, Bradley Ramirez5...
It doesn't actually cost you anything—you just head over to your primary care doctor and ask for a referral to a dermatologist. For me, it didn't cost much in terms of cash (we won't get into the weeds on that right now), but man, it took a massive amount of time—just endless waiting. Good luck!

Thanks—you're making me feel like it isn't quite as terrifying as I thought, though my skin is still definitely more flared up than most people's.
I'm heading out to grab that referral first thing tomorrow.

I know this is totally off-topic, but I’m hoping Ashley Flores and Linda Peterson can help me out. You all use Yasmin, and I’m stuck in a bit of a dilemma: when exactly does the new pack start? Is it after a 6-day break or a 7-day one? My last pack ended on Thursday—so do I start the next one on Thursday or Friday? I’m taking these for PCOS, and I’ve noticed there are two different sets of instructions floating around.
Thanks in advance👋

I always start them on the same day I first began the cycle... which was a Friday.

Look, I seriously didn't mean any harm by recommending Accutane. Just because I've been through it myself doesn't mean I can't share what worked for me. And here we go again with the Yasmin talk—good grief. Some people love it, some hate it, but why do we have to start a witch hunt just because it doesn't work for everyone? Personally, both have helped my life out. Am I supposed to toss them aside just because my friend, my neighbor, or some random person on this forum thinks they suck? And then fight about it too? No chance.

Bradley Ramirez5, if you want to try it, go for it. If you do, just see how your own body reacts to the meds and leave it at that. You’ve got a brain; use it to make your own calls.

Linda Peterson, you're sweet and I really appreciate the kind words, but you can't really act like that either... being thrown under the bus like this is getting old. Life isn't just black and white; there's plenty of gray area.

Ashley Flores, where on earth are you getting burns in February from? Aren't people still wearing gloves then? Btw, yeah, you totally could've made a quick buck off those pills, haha...
btw, yeah, you can get Accutane without a standard prescription, but you have to bring your medical history, and then all your info gets logged under the dermatologist. That's the only way to buy it.

In my case, genetics were the main culprit behind my skin issues. I take after my dad—oily skin, huge pores & stuff, plus stress.

So, I have this friend who was on Accutane for six months. Her skin actually cleared up—though she didn't really deal with enlarged pores, just incredibly oily skin. But looking at where she is now after those six months... her skin looks great, sure, but her body is painfully dry. She’s getting actual cracks and sores on her hands just from touching water or dish soap. Plus, her vision has taken a hit... She told me she would never go through that again. Honestly, she said she'd much rather just take Yasmin than touch Accutane ever again. I’ve been struggling with my own skin issues and was seriously considering starting Accutane myself, but after hearing everything she went through... I'm just not brave enough. I wanted to ask you: do they make you check your triglycerides and cholesterol every two weeks? They were testing her constantly. And honestly, I don't understand how anyone even gets a hold of that medication without a prescription and blood work... it seems impossible.

Sarah Murphy8:
"Ashley Flores, wait, where are you getting sunburns in February? "

I mean, even in February, the sun can still absolutely wreck you, right?😉

When you're on Accutane, your skin gets super sensitive to UV rays. At least for me, it was brutal—even my hands ended up completely fried.
p.s. There was actually a whole thread about Accutane back around February or March last year, so you should probably go dig that up and read it.

wanderinggull6:
"I know this is totally off topic, but I'm hoping Ashley and Linda Peterson can help me out. You guys were taking Yasmin, and I'm really confused: when do you start the new pack? Is it after a 6-day break or a 7-day break? (I finished my last pack on Thursday—so do I start the next one on Thursday or Friday?) I'm taking them because of PCOS, but I've noticed there are two different sets of instructions out there."

To be honest with you, I don't even remember how I used to take Yasmin anymore—like, I can't recall which days I took them or how long my breaks were.

I’m not even checking my cholesterol or triglycerides right now, but I am seeing my dermatologist every two weeks for check-ups.
I actually just went in today, and she prescribed me more Yasmin and Accutane. She mentioned she’s going to scale back my dosage now that it's summer, and she's being super strict about me using that Avene lightweight SPF 60 gel during the day—especially since it's summer... again, I'm telling you, I don't have any nasty side effects at all. And honestly, I'm a pretty sensitive person. My body has been through the wringer with surgeries my whole life; I've already had two just this year, which totally drains you. The only thing I really deal with is my lips getting insanely dry, and that's it. This stuff isn't for everyone, but I'd recommend Accutane because it worked fine for me. I think I'm in a good position to give my two cents, so please... for crying out loud, people on this forum post such nonsense anyway, so if you want to believe the garbage, go ahead, whatever. It's not like I'm forcing the pills down your throat.