Accutane tips
So I've got 3.5 more days on accutane (isotretinoin as it's actually called). I did 6 months on it and I just wanted to give some tips based on what I experienced.
You must have a high fat diet. When I was taking 80mg a day (two 40mg) the dermatologist told me that I needed to be consuming the same amount of fat as is in 4 Big Macs. That's 120g of fat which is nearly impossible to get unless you are actually eating 4 Big Macs. I ended up going into a fat deficit of sorts bc I wasnt having enough fat in my diet. I got severe stomach pains and a fever that lasted a week and a half.
You dont need a fancy 5 step skincare regimen while on accutane. You shouldn't use any sort of acne treatment like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide no matter how much you want that pimple to go away. For me I used cetaphil face wash, a physical exfoliator every other day, and eucerin advanced therapy lotion.
By the 4th month when my skin really started to change it was just shedding of layers like crazy it was so gross so I reccomend getting a mild physical exfoliator to help clear away the dead gunk.
Your lips will become so incredibly dry. My fave chapstick while I've been on accutane is the chapstick brand coconut oil one (it's in a silver tube with a brown banner around it).
Getting the damn prescription every month was absolutely tedious. The ipledge program is a pain but totally necessary. When you have your appointment make sure to watch and double check that your dermatologist confirms you with ipledge every month.
You wont see improvements immediately. I still had pimples up until I was starting my 6th month.
If you are prone to eczema or psoriasis or any other autoimmune disease you might have a relapse of it. I had eczema as a kid and my arms and legs became covered in eczema spots. Check out the ketogenic diet and the AIP diet they are good for autoimmune diseases as well as the high fat diet needed for accutane.
Accutane is super rough on your liver so limit your alcohol consumption.
DRINK THAT WATER
Seriously drink lots of water.
There is no actual scientific evidence to link depression and anxiety to accutane. I myself suffered from severe anxiety and depression but I did not get worse while on accutane.
So my tips are just based on what I've experienced. Medications react completely differently for different people. Somethings that happened to me might or might not happen to you. If you are considering taking accutane it should be your last resort. If you have tried absolutely everything with little to no results then try accutane bc its a heavy duty drug. And make sure to do your research beforehand.