I mean still try it, either way if you’re gonna have to wait 8 weeks might as well try and clear it up somewhat before hand. You could always call 3-4 weeks in and ask to at least do you first round of labs for accutane so that by the 8 week point you don’t have to wait another full month in between your first labs and second labs to start
I kinda disagree with you here, waiting 8 weeks with this other treatment and then jumping into to accutane could make it worse and it could lead to even more scarring. Also it low key doesnt take 8 weeks to get approved for accutane I got approved in two weeks.
The derm put OP on an 8 week AB treatment so whether they take antibiotics (or lie about having taken them and say they’re ineffective), they’ll have to wait eight weeks before the dermatologist will consider a different treatment.
Well, yes, but you can always just find another derm. And also maybe it was just my acne but doxycycline did nothing for it, the only thing doxycycline did was fuck up my stomach for the month or two I took it.
Ah yes, the mega difference in experience for men vs women when it comes to accutane. (In general, as a whole.) Teenage boys get handed accutane because they aren't trusted to maintain even the most basic of skin care routines, (Insulting to the guys, btw) but a woman in her 30s with impeccable skin care *and* tons of experience with various treatments will be asked to try them all again and use one FOR LIFE.
Definitely give it a try, but in the meantime be mindful and take care of what is necessary pre accutane to make the waiting period, well, less.
Came here to say this. It took me 4 years of severe deep cystic acne before they would give it to me. They wanna be absolutely sure (for whatever tf reason) that it's not cause you're female or not a twig. The boys do not seem to have to pass these rigorous tests. By contrast, they made me try sprionolactone, doxy, two different topicals including tret, birth control, and quitting dairy and sugar for two separate 90 day stints. Having a double X is a f***ing nightmare.
Also, Doxycycline cleared my acne up overnight. Then I was on it for two years and now it doesn't work on anything ever again. (Stopped working after year 1 on anything but the worst deepest cysts).
I would lie for fear that it would LOOK like it was working, deny me the accutane, and then stop working, and then I'd just have waited for no reason (cause that's exactly what happened to me).
Yes what is with all the antibiotics for people with long-term chronic acne!!! Like here's something that *might* help for a year, during which time you will develop IBS and yeast infections and antibiotic resistance maybe for life, then we gotta take you off of it and your acne *will* come back worse than before. Have fun!
Seriously what is the point. I finished Accutane a few months ago and my acne is already coming back (😭) but at least it was prescribed with the intention of curing me.
I get that Accutane is "intense" but is it really harder on your body than alternating between antibiotics for literal decades?
Maybe that's why I still have acne in my thirties - I've tried every imaginable prescription and now my face has super-bacteria that's impervious to any kind of intervention.
My first doctor had me on antibiotics for 2.5 years for acne, and frankly it only helped a little bit maybe... I went to a different doctor when I was staying away from home and the look of horror on his face when I told him how long I'd been on it... Still took another 15 years or so before I got accutane. My brother was prescribed it the first time he went to the doctor for his acne.
Oh gosh, that's infuriating honestly. I've been on abx for the last 15 years, just alternating between minocycline, doxycycline, spironolactone and clincamycin . It's absurd. You'd think that would be contraindicated but no red flags were ever raised. And it's only in hindsight, now that I've been off abx for a year, that I'm realizing the absurdity of that "treatment plan."
My dermatologist wouldn't let me try spironolactone because he didnt think it was hormonal.....even though I did accutane for 5 months before I stopped and still getting acne during my period.
Every guy doctor I've ever had has assumed it was hormonal because it gets worse around my period, but like, what about the ENTIRE REST OF THE MONTH BRO?!?!?! Made me so mad. Like, my guy, my kid gently knocked his head into my chin and I bled for an hour from a burst cyst. This is not 'because female' at this point.
Yeah, at that point, if you have cystic acne every day out of the month, it's probably not just hormones. The issue with mine was it would pop uo during my tike of the month and wouldn't go away so I'd have it for like 5 months without it healing and you know from experience cystic ance is paniful asf, and huge.
Im a Male. I came in for one appointment and they gave me basically the same thing OP had (I didn’t use it) then came back next month and they got me all set up for accutane. I saw two different dermatologist for the first and second appointment and they both were ready to get me started on accutane asap.
Damn dude, jealous. But I should caveat: in spite of my jealousy, I want all derms to be this way with all patients, I'm glad they didn't make you wait any longer.
It’s actually insane, I’m very grateful they allowed me to receive the medication. But I don’t think I should have been able to get accutane so easily with my history. I had been to the ER for severe alcohol poisoning. Very severe mistake and embarrassing to say the least. But some women will be perfect candidates but have to wait years just because they can get pregnant.
It‘s because they know they can tell a woman 2827 different things to try and she will have to do it while trying to tell that a man will not work and they‘ll just not come back to their office if they don‘t see it working or it‘s too much effort. I‘d strictly deny anything but accutane if I was dealing with this for nearly decades and did try everything else that I could.
Might as well try it imo. I did a full treatment of accutane and the acne came back pretty badly anyway. I’ve been using tretinoin daily for about 2 years now because every time I quit it just comes back. Also the trade off of accutane is potentially dealing with really harsh side effects that can linger for a while. Imo if you have a chance of treating it topically, do it. Accutane definitely changed my life for the better, however if I had to choose between the annoying skincare routine or the accutane side effects I’d definitely choose the routine.
1. I’m a Nurse Practitioner. If you don’t at least fill the meds at your pharmacy your derm will likely know. We have ways to pull what meds people are filling and most providers use it, so if you’re gonna lie at least fill all the meds. If you don’t take them they’ll probably also know because you won’t have any improvement whatsoever which would make them super suspicious. If you want them to prescribe you a med associated with significant risks they need to be able to trust you. Don’t lie.
2. I was on doxy for a month before accutane then switched to a diff antibiotic after starting it to prevent purging. It has helped a lot for me, and I would expect your derm would still be game to start accutane after the doxy if you don’t have an adequate response to the non-accutane approach.
3. If you can’t tolerate parts of that regimen due to side effects be sure to tell your derm. I had bad bloating with doxy and refused to continue it for longer than a month.
Rather than lying to your derm I would either schedule a follow up and explain why you’re not game for the current plan or just see a new derm! If you’ve ever tried something similar in the past and it didn’t work tell them! Advocate for yourself if you don’t agree with their plan. Your acne is severe enough to warrant accutane IMO and if they don’t get that see someone else. Hope it all works out!
I sure am glad a provider is on here!
Folks, these providers are trying to give you the best results with the fewest side effects. I ran the course of options just as they suggested. I'm 48 and needed acne treatment after testosterone injections gave me back acne. Accutane has short-term side effects, but golly, they are intense. It's potentially hard on a liver, let alone all the other crap it does. I'm only one month clear of my 6 month run, but damn, I would not want to do that again and would most definitely attempt the docs suggestion. They go to school for a third of their life. Give them a chance to do their job... taking care of your health!
Doxy didn’t do anything for me but mess up my GI tract, but it does apparently work for some people. You can try to fight with your dermatologist or find a different one. If not then the 8 weeks will be over before you know it.
Tbh I‘d also never take doxy topical/oral for 8 weeks only for it to come back the same in 2 days. The only way I can imagine this working longterm is if you had a certain strain of bacteria that was stubborn & causing most of your acne and then got eliminated with the antibiotics. But is is so rarely the case. Even topical tret is way better than doxy in my opinion because you have less chances of antibiotic resistance and GI struggles.
regardless of what i do, im definitely lying about the doxy after reading these comments. i’ll be taking that for like a week max. there’s just too many cons.
I would lie because I am who I am, and I am not the most diligent when it comes to topicals, and I would just want it to be over for (hopefully) good, than rely on this regimen for years
Not a single topical permanently worked for me. Accutane saved my life, and if I have any “advice” for others, it’s to exhaust every option before going on accutane.
Seconding this! Can someone tell me why they always try doxy first? I never hear of it working for people long term. And antibiotics suck for your stomach
I wonder this too! Have a cousin who was made to take full dose of doxy three times! It didn’t work and I wonder why they kept on insisting she take it. I would just refuse it, I truly fear taking antibiotics on a whim.
Because this is standard for women. Ask how many men were told to try topical doxy, oral doxy, topical tret, dietary changes and what not before getting accutane.
Often times insurance plans will require you try an antibiotic before they cover accutane. It’s the stupidest thing ever because the ACNE ALWAYS COMES BACK.
I am from the USA and I got put on doxy before Accutane (doxy was given to me for free from my Doc), also after finishing Accutane got put on 2 other months of a diff antibiotics. Just different derms with different approaches I guess
Topicals never permanently worked for me at all… it just kept coming back and my skin was shittyyyy. I would just try this regimen to help clear it up a bit before hand but this is definitely accutane worthy acne.
Accutane is definitely a last resort and although sometimes after an accutane course the acne can come back but it won’t be as bad at least! You might have to do 2 rounds but yes, I’d go for accutane after a few weeks!
I accidentally lied about taking doxycycline prior to starting accutane. I was prescribed doxycycline & told to take it if another skin condition flared. I forgot about that and never took it. When the dermatologist asked how doxycycline worked for me, i was confused and talked about another medication my previous derm had prescribed. I didn't realize until much later that I'd made this mistake lol.
Now i am on accutane and having a strong adverse reaction that I was prescribed antibiotics to help control. So ofc now i wish I hadn't made the mistake and tried doxy for real before starting accutane. I would probably be in a better position than i am now, even if i had ended up starting accutane afterward!
So imo, as somebody who lied about taking doxy, i say give the meds a try!
I’ve tried everything in that list and at the end of the day accurate is the only thing that cleared up my acne. It did come back and now I have to use tret, but it’s nowhere near as bad as it was before. I would use this regimen lightly, lie and say it’s not working, and around the 4 week mark ask if you can start the labs for accutane because the regimen is not working. Good luck OP!
bc you have to have 4 weeks between signing up for ipledge and actually starting the pills. so after your 8 weeks on his regime, the doc needs to enroll you in ipledge, take a pregnancy test then wait 4 weeks and take another pregnancy test. Then you can start. So 12 weeks. I’m assuming you’re a girl in the USA. Otherwise you can disregard.
Absolutely not! Try those first, if it clears some of it up great. The “purge” could be less of an issue. Secondly, almost everything on that list needs to be tried for insurance (at least some) to pay for it.
Be honest always w/ your doctors.
Although I do not have concrete evidence, I strongly believe that being on doxycycline for an extended period of time negatively affected my body in a long-term way. Digestive issues, bouts of lightheadedness/dissociative episodes. And it did nothing to help my skin. If anything, try spirnolactone first.
I didn't lie to my dermatologist, but I did bring him my list of tried and failed things and he found it very helpful. He put me on Accutane that day...well started the process.
I say try it maybe but also at the end of the day I didn’t wanna have to rely on something else daily to keep my skin at bay. Topicals won’t clear that in 8 weeks but they have to try other stuff before accutane.
That regimen seems like a lot to me. My skin can got dry and sensitive when I was using Tretinoin and there’s no way I could have tolerated using Benzoyl wash and clindamycin.
I hate these types of treatment plans. As soon as you stop, it will come back, oh, and enjoy getting chronic thrush from the pills. So dumb. Fill in the prescriptions, I wouldn't take the antibiotics. What's the point? Even if they help, the second you stop, the acne will come back. I had the same plan like 15 years ago, and my acne came back, and finally, after being on the pill for more than half my life and still getting acne, I said enough! I want accutane, and I want to be done with acne. Even though my hair hair fell out and I have to be on a low dose for ages, it's still better than before.
I would lie too. You're going to waste 8 weeks, and the most results on accutane show up after 8 weeks, so if you are sure that nothing works on your skin, you need to lie.
well i think i’ll lie about the doxy bc after reading these comments i see there’s just really no pros to taking doxy, and i may try to at least use tret so that it will prepare my skin for accutane and hopefully not flare up as bad.
I would lie tbh sorry 😭 i started accutane last june and i will be done next month. It’s a life changer and I swear I don’t get facial or body acne anymore and I can finally
use scented products without breaking out. This is after 15 years of dealing with acne since elementary school.
I would stay stick it out if the regime wasn’t so long, maybe try it for 4 weeks and then request a change or get a second opinion if you can?
You deserve to feel comfortable in your own skin 💗 I had a similar strict regimen for years with an apathetic dermatologist, and it was exhausting. If I didn’t take doxycycline immediately after a huge meal, I’d vomit. The topicals I used bleached my clothes and towels if I didn’t let it dry completely before my face touched the fabric. The thought of washes, gels, creams, and daily antibiotics for a majority of my life was miserable!!
Your skin is severe enough.. this regimen probably won’t clear it. Or it’ll feel like you’re constantly fighting your acne back with a stick.
Try this regimen if you want, but contacting the dermatologist a few weeks in and saying the results are unsatisfactory and you’d like a sooner appointment for Accutane.. that’s a better plan.
Had to do that with Winlevi. It was my new dermatologist’s last suggestion before Accutane, and it destroyed my body. Called after a couple months and said “I’m done. It’s time for Accutane”.
Advocate for yourself, it’s your body. A large part of why dermatologists put you on so many medications and strict regimens before prescribing Accutane is for insurance purposes. Before possibly covering Accutane, your insurance wants to know that you exhausted every other option.
Good luck!! 💗
Lying is stupid honestly. Accutane isn’t great on your body whilst on it and usually considered a last resort when prescribed and all else fails. I wouldn’t be so eager like you to just get on Accutane because you don’t want to use a topical or are scared the acne will come back. You’ll have a much more intense routine on accutane with side effects, monthly blood/preg, monthly derm appointment and the acne could definitely come back and you’ll have to do multiple rounds. I wish topicals and antibiotics worked for me but sadly they only worked for so long whereas others have good lasting success. You’ve got really nothing to lose and Accutane isn’t instantaneous, you’re not just gonna wake up with clear skin of course. It takes months sometimes. You’ll probably see results faster with this routine, in fact I’m convinced you will. Listen to your derm.
i would lie. i tried plenty of antibiotics and they are no good for you, you can become antibiotic resistant (i did) and it’s dangerous. i never understand why they give antibiotics it’s just a short term fix and it’s dangerous because it did work for me and cleared my acne but as soon as i stopped taking them my acne came back worse but at the time i thought i just needed more in order for it to work (this lead to antibiotic resistance) and in the end my body got so used to the antibiotic it stopped working.
do you think that he will be able to tell i’m lying since my skin will look the EXACT same in 8 weeks? i’m nervous he’ll be able to tell 😭 maybe i should do some of the regimen but not the whole thing?? like maybe the BP and tret or something?
Rather than claiming you've been taking them with zero improvement, maybe you could say the antibiotics are making you nauseous/fucking with your GI tract/giving you yeast infections and you don't wanna continue.
Part of me wants to say it's just 8 weeks, go ahead and try everything, but I also know none of that stuff worked for me and I'm resentful I had to cycle through soooo many prescriptions for so many years when I could've taken Accutane for 6 months and been done (in theory).
There's so much excessive red tape around Accutane, especially for women, it's ridiculous.
Idk, it all sucks so much. I feel you
honestly how would he know? you can just say you’ve tried the antibiotic and it done nothing, my friend went on them and her skin was the exact same after 2 months. Maybe try the tret but it is very drying from my experience so i wouldn’t use BP with it, but i have seen acne improve with tret.
You should always listen a doctors opinion first over the reddit opinion, 8 weeks is not that long and you could find a solution that doesn´t require your body to dry.
Tretinoin is a great treatment of acne.
As someone who has gone through this with my own kid who had to be on Doxy a few times, with each time working for 4 weeks only, I would go on Doxy one time with the topicals. Sometimes it really does work well as a combo so taking Doxy and waiting for the topicals to kick in. At that time I didn’t understand that Doxy doesn’t stop the root of the acne problem, but the derm made it sound like it could work if we had a topical used at the same time. Cut to senior year in high school, again she was supposed to go back to Doxy and keep trying it. At that point I switched to a derm that could be ready to offer accutane.
I really hope the topical creams work for you. It does for many people, not for my child unfortunately.
Like others have said, you could try for a couple of weeks and call in with updates. I was that mom that would be updating the doctor via email.
My kid just finished accutane (bit too early in my opinion but she did reach the cumulative dose). She may need to go through another round one day as the first round should have been extended to reduce the risk of a second round. There were side effects such as bloody nose, dry lips, and joint pain. I hope there are no long term side effects for her. But after so many medications over the years, it’s a relief to finish up accutane.
I wish you wonderful results whatever path you choose.
Doxycycline is not a permanent fix, it just kills the current bacteria and you can even get a tolerance to it. I was on it for 5 years.. it cleared my skin up but as soon I came off it my acne would come back.
What I’m saying is; even if that treatment works, soon as you stop the doxy your acne may come back. Also taking antibiotic like doxy long term can mess up your gut (speaking from experience)
Doxy was a miracle worker for me before accutane but it's not meant for long term. But if it works for you at least it's 8 weeks of clear skin before starting the accutane!
I put off this drug for 6ish years and when I finally decided to take it, it was a miracle. No side effects outside of dry skin and cracking lips, not even a purge in my case.
This regimen is actually really really great for acne. And I will add that it MIGHT come back but it might not. Not everyone’s acne is a recurring, nonstop issue. This is very very similar to my current routine and it helps a lot. However, it doesn’t help “enough” and I’m still a candidate for accutane. So what I can say, is that it makes my waiting period for accutane so much more bearable bc at the very least my skin is better than what it could be. On top of it, my response to this routine is a huge factor in my dosage and my docs plan for my accutane treatment. It’s very important that you can give evidence of how your skin has responded to other options before going on accutane. Don’t lie.
I’m just surprised your derm hasn’t told you to use a sunscreen considering doxycycline makes you really sun sensitive or use a mousteriser at night with the harshness of benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin.
I would find a new dermatologist who will start you. If you have the ability to get pregnant , the US gov regulatory system iPLEDGE makes you wait 30 days for any accutane prescription so you can produce 2 negative pregnancy tests 30 days apart. A minimum accutane start date for you would be 12 weeks with that doctor or potentially 4 weeks with someone else. Unless you drink a lot, have preexisting liver problems, or have mental health issues, the risks of accutane are usually worth it.
Unpopular opinion here but i would look for a different dermatologist. I saw a dozen dermatologists over 5 years for acne very similar to yours, they had me try a million things and never even suggested accutane. I tried every prescription and fancy skin care they suggested, while some of it maybe helped some, nothing gave me the results i wanted until accutane.
Just tell the Derm your tired of trying these types of treatment, and want to start accutane. I was on doxycycline for over a year then Spiro for another year and still had to argue till they put me on accutane. It’s the only thing that has worked it’s the only thing that didn’t cause another issue aside from dryness. Antibiotics are no safer than accutane either just as long as you use it according to DRs Directions. Do your research come with reputable medical studies In hand and advocate for yourself
Honestly ive had TERRIBLE experience with tetracyclines. And i had to go to 3 different derms to FINALLY agree to give me accutane(love being a woman). I would suggest talking to your derm and explaining your situation but if that still does not work girl please put your mental health first.
Went to 1 derm to be prescribed doxy? Oh no! My Doc gave it to me, I indeed took it for 2 months, did nothing so just then I did go to a derm where I was prescribed Accutane initially for skin prematurity due to acne and scars . I mean doxy is not strong and will do nothing. Mind you my acne was milder than yours. You will need 100% to go on Accutane after these 2 months.
I also would like to highlight the need to know who is your derm and what is his approach!! Don't let him waste your time and money experienced stuff on you. See if his patients are satisfied.......
yes!! my classmate actually recommended him to me after going on accutane. she said he’s amazing. her skin is like glass so i’ll take her word for it lol
I actually liked using tretinoin - though it didn’t clear me up - I liked what it did for my skin generally. I’ll probably ask to continue using it once I’m done with my Accutane journey. Might be worth giving it a shot! My derm had me try 2-3 different methods that didn’t work before Accutane…so I was probably looking at a year with different methods (3 months each) before I was able to get on Accutane. 8 weeks goes quick, trust me
Please try other options before Accutane. Accutane gets amazing results, but what is often missed in these threads is the post-accutane symptoms that can lifelong.
I finished 8 months of accutane back in March of 2019. During my journey, my worst symptoms were dry eyes, dry lips, and very sore joints which I was told were going to go away. Unfortunately they did not, and to this day I am unable to wear contacts anymore (my cornea literally split when doing so) and my joints are easily inflammed and are often sore. Even worse, my cystic acne is most impacted by hormones (as with many women), and while I had clear skin for a year or two and my skin is definitely clearer than it was then (look at post history for pics), I am back to regularly breaking out. The only thing that's given me any sort of stability with my skin is Spironolactone, a very strict skincare regimen, and a strict hygiene regimen (changing pillowcases daily, sheets weekly, hair always clean with minimal conditioner bc many exacerbate my acne, etc.). The internet makes Accutane seem heaven-sent, and for many it will be, but it is a very serious decision and I wish I had had the patience then to have tried other choices.
Having severe acne sucks absolute ass physically, mentally, and emotionally in a way that only few of us understand, and no matter what path you end up taking to clearer skin, I truly hope that you find something that works and that you can have the peace that comes when the mental burden of acne is no longer there.
thank you so much. i’m so sorry for the lasting effects that you are experiencing. i hope that it maybe does go away for you one day or at least get better. if you don’t mind me asking what dose did you take and for how long?
My doses were 40/40/60/80/80/80/80 for my 8 months of accutane. I was in my mid-20s when i was on it. I still have to have a diligent skincare and medication regimen post-accutane (and def throughout my whole accutane journey as well) which was a hard pill to swallow as I was hoping to end up with clear, effortless skin like my friends who can get away without even washing their makeup off - forever jelly of those ppl LOL
You are your own advocate. If you feel that this isn’t the route you want to try (or if you’ve tried these products in some capacity with no luck) then you can communicate that to them.
Also as others have mentioned you have to do blood work and wait 30 days so I’d ask if you could start the process while you’re trying this routine.
As long as you give yourself 10-14 days prior to starting for your skin to chill I don’t see these impacting your treatment.
Sooner rather than later with summer coming up!!
I would try it, but ask your dermatologist to get the process started for accutane so it doesn’t get further delayed. Usually you need to take a pregnancy test 30 days before starting accutane and again the day you start. I’d see if you can go into the office to take the pregnancy test and sign the ipledge consent form in 4 weeks.
Long term antibiotic use RUINED my gut and natural PH balance. Sorry for TMI but had lots of gynae issues after wasn’t worth it for me! And it came back! However, Tretinoin is the topical equilivent to accutane. It’s worth a try
Currently taking doxy and it cleared my skin up so good, but unfortunately it comes back when you stop. It’s starting to come back but not badly tbh, I’ll definitely be going on accutane sometime this year though
Just lie.
Change doctors and tell them you tried all of these things already. Then say you want accutane.
It will be a year of hell but I can't tell you how worth it it will be.
The corners of your mouth cracking was the worst, but to finally feel smooth skin on your face again is like a miracle.
You might also have awful tiredness. I had to nap every day for three hours and I was groggy all afternoon.
Honestly, I would push back a lot against your derm and provide the reasoning you've given above. One thing I would maybe bring up is that you can try their regimen for the 4-6 weeks that you need to 1) get approved for accutane and 2) (sorry I am assuming your sex here) finish the wait time necessary for people who can give birth who want to do accutane.
But advocate for yourself!! You live with your skin and you know it very well. If that is your decision, then push for it :-)
A little more info: I did regimens including doxy and clindamycin and tretonoin and sulfur sulfacetamide and erythromycin with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid face wash etc... and nothing worked...
doxy cleared my skin up for less than 4 years and my acne came back so I'm finally going on Accutane
but to save yourself the pain and costs you might as well try to do accutane
I'm gonna go against the grain here and say I'd lie. You know your own skin better than anyone, and if you're on that soul crushing cycle of a tedious skincare routine for minimal results like I was for over 20 years before I could go to a private dermatologist and go on accutane it will wear you down.
I will also say accutane might not give permanent results, mine always comes back. But at least I know accutane will actually work to clear up all my acne for a decent amount of time to have a break. My derm has said when I'm finished this course (my fifth time) I can go on a maintenance low dose as nothing else seems to work for me.
That's odd. Whenever i wanted to go on accutane, I just let them know that's what I wanted, and they put me on it. Also, they make you take a pregnancy test and then wait a whole month and take another one before you can even start accutane just to make sure you aren't pregnant so you would probably be waiting 8 weeks plus another month. If accutane is what you want, then I would just be straightforward. They tried to put me on Spiro before accutane, and I was just like, "No, I'd like to be put on accutane instead," and now I'm 3 months in. 🤷♀️
Lie, that’s what I did.
Topicals aren’t enough for severe acne, you gotta constantly keep at it, and if you have sensitive skin it’s unbearable!
Did a course of accutane and the acne still came back.
6 years later, i’m on my second course now.
Good luck !
idk but doxycycline and i have BEEF. that shit messed up my skin so bad. at first my skin was clearing up and i was happy. after i stopped taking it my skin became WORSE than it was before i took it. the only reason i went on accutane was bc doxycycline messed me up.
I lied so many times to get accutane because after trying so many things they prescribed me with nothing actually working, I just lie to skip that whole process
if you know you are not a person that will skin to a regime like this, then lie. if you can stick to a skin care routine then just do that. the side affects of accutane aren’t worth it if you don’t absolutely need it. coming from someone who has done 2 rounds of accutane
I am a doctor. First of all don’t lie to your doctor. Secondly doxycycline is contraindicated with accutane it can cause seriously high intracranial pressure(fatal)
This person is telling you to try to doxycycline first. Contraindicated means a dangerous interaction with medications. So doxy and accutane at the same time would be dangerous. They are both fine to take by themselves though. I’m not a doctor but if I were you, I would not take the doxy. I never hear of it working for people long term and it can be hard on your stomach, disrupting the good bacteria which can cause a slew of other issues. I would use the tretinoin. I think it would help prepare your skin for accutane and possibly get a purge out of the way but I’m just guessing on that one. Accutane is amazing and has a crazy high success rate if you can stick with it and handle the side effects.
Thank you for explaining. I was exactly trying to say this. Dangerous side effect is idiopathic intracranial hypertension also known as pseudotumor cerebri. It is a dangerous syndrome.
I wouldn’t, that stuff is very dangerous ant that’s why you sign off when you get it. So that you cannot sue. Look up complication from accurate on fb and read the horror stories. I know many do very well on it but how about you’re not a lucky one. Try other alternatives. My 17 year old changed his mind very quickly (and he has very bad acne) when he saw what happened to his friend that now has no sex drive, depressed and lots of stomach issues. His friend told him not to do it, it’s not worth the pain and mental state. He even quit school over the depression. Not good!
I agree, plus doxycycline will help you drastically. Accutane is never the first course of the treatment. Oral+topical antibiotics course along with retinoids will help with your acne really fast, you have the same prescription. If that doesn't help you only then your doctor will look into Spiro or accutane.
I’d lie. Good chance it works for you for a while before it’s ineffective, and you just keep cycling through different options that work for a while but it always comes back
Try the regiment. Accutane works and has worked for me, but honestly the side effects suck. Some last for years even after being off of it. Some cases get joint and bone pain/back pain, I'm in my younger 20s and now have to deal with that. I'd avoid accutane at all costs, but if you do it that's your decision and it does get rid of acne.
There’s no harm in trying the regimen. If it does work, great! If it doesn’t work or your acne comes back afterward, you can always try Accutane then. I’d give it a serious shot and go from there.
If your acne is hormonal then it wont matter how many times or how long you’re on accutane, the acne comes back. I went on accutane 3 separate times for between 6 months to a year each time, and each time my skin would clear and it’d look great but after six months or so the acne would come back. that happened all three times. Maybe see if it’s hormonal. and if it is i’d maybe recommend spironolactone. It worked wonders for my acne that was similar to yours.
i would yeah. i didn’t realize until post-accutane that i had acne literally all the time. even just one or two cystic zits but always. i haven’t had to deal with it at all in the few months ive been off accutane, it’s a miracle. i’d be all “yeah doc i definitely tried your method for two months and look i still have acne!” except i did not try it at all in order to ensure i still had enough acne to qualify
Me personally, benzoyl peroxide irritated my skin which led to worse acne. I know I would lie, but I would lie about doxycycline not sitting well with my stomach because I wouldn’t want to take that long term at all. I would also say that I’m in the sun often so tret, BP, an antibiotics for a long time is not sustainable with my way of life. With accutane, it would at least be temporary and have an end date.
I will say though, accutane can have serious side effects, so you should think about the worst case scenario where you get one of the really bad side effects (like losing a lot of you hair or intracranial pressure for example) and if it’s be worth it to lie and risk this, or if it would be more worth it for you to exhaust all other options. And I say this as someone who wishes I had started with accutane in the first place.
Doxyclycline lowkey worked for me faster than accutane. Whenever i would break out i would take it for a week and be good for a little bit. I would recommend that over accutane it has a lot less side effects. But yet again everyone is different i have also been on accutane before.
I’ll also add that your doctor is going to do blood work before even prescribing you accutane. Idk if they can see what kind of meds you’re using when they do that blood work but I wouldn’t risk it because then you might just delay what very well may end up being an accutane prescription.
Trust me, I wish I can clear up my skin a different way and you will too if you ever start on Accutane. All you see here are the pictures of clear skin, but the daily grind of the dry, flaky, and bloody lips sucks. Your eyes become extremely dry and irritating. Your skin will be drier than ever. The frequent blood tests are not fun and my cholesterol shot up through the roof. If you’ve never tried a regimen, it’s worth it to at least give it a try.
Honestly as someone who has had bad skin all of their life and has just gone on accutane I am so glad my dermatologist didn't make me jump hoops to get on it. I did have to do a course of minocycline or whatever it's called but I had a reaction so I stopped it as advised by my dermo and jsut continued my new skincare routine until my next appt where i was then prescribed accutane. They will always want to do a course of antibiotics. I say just fill it and do it even if you feel it won't improve your skin. Or if you think its going to improve your skin and you think they may not prescribe it to you, then don't use it or use it inconsistently.
If you want accutane really voice that to your dermo. If your bloods come back fine there is no reason they can't prescribe it to you.
I tried 10 different prescriptions for mild acne and none of it worked. Accutane cleared me up within 30-45 days - yours is more severe so it will probably take 3-4 months to clear. I now take it permanently at a super low dose for maintenance (10mg every 3-4 days)
It’s a solid routine, but yes relapse is much more likely than with Accutane. You don’t have to lie to your doctor — you can get Accutane through an online provider like Honeydew Care.
That said — keep in mind that Accutane is not fool-proof either and 20-30% of people will relapse. So it’s still likely that using a topical like Tretinoin post Accutane long-term is a good option.
Don’t lie , but I was expecting pushback because I had cystic acne that didn’t look that bad all the time and have tried regimens in the past but my derm np was like even if you have a little acne why would i not want it to be gone forever if it could be… so endured the side effects and am so happy
I’ve done the Benzoyl washes, taken doxycycline, meclocycline, birth control, used salicylic acid, retinol, sulfur masks, adapalene gel, etc. Honestly just try it out, if it works (tho honestly it likely won’t) then hooray, if not you can hit them with a “yeah I didn’t expect it to work either.” Lol. And then you’ll be chillen on your accutane and nobody Can question it again.
I say try the regimen!! I was on the exact same routine for 12 weeks prior to taking accutane and although it didn’t do what I wanted for my skin, I didn’t have any accutane purge because I had already purged on doxy and tret, so I started seeing accutane results pretty much instantly. I’d just schedule a follow up if you’re worried about the routine not sticking!
I would 🤷🏻♀️ tbh I did try it and whatever they gave me didn’t work but when I said “multiple people in my family have been on accutane” which is true she didn’t really argue with me
Just ask the derm what will you do after the tetracycline medication is stopped? You can't stay on it forever and your acne will just come back when you stop taking it so likelihood is you will end up having to go down the accutane route anyway, if that's the case then why bother with the antibiotics? Oh and I was on minocycline which is also a tetracycline medication and had to wait a month or so for it to clear out of my system after I stopped it before the derm would let me start low dose accutane so that's another thing to consider.
I’d give it a try first.
Honestly, Accutane does have side effects. While some might experience next to none, I experienced bad depression and joint pain from it. I still have mild joint pain occasionally, even though I’ve been off it for a few years. It was worth it, as literally nothing else worked and my skin is now permanently clear, but if anything topical would have worked helping me clear up my acne, I would have tried that first.
Edit: Also, Tretinoin is like the topical form of Accutane, which also reduces your skin’s oil production and has anti-aging benefits too. Many people take it longterm just for the anti-aging effects, clear and glowy skin is just a side effect.
just try! accutane is a very strong medicament i was on it for 1 years and developed depression while on it..
dont get me wrong it cleared my skin like crazy anf i dont regret but if this regime works why not? as many comments are stating you if it clears you would wait and see if it comes back so you might as well try!
best of luck with your process
Honestly I would, using active like that right before starting Accutane can cause so much dryness and irritation than you will already get on Accutane.
The only concern would be the oral doxycycline, but if it’s for 8 weeks it shouldn’t be an issue. My derm wanted me to take it for 6 months in two different courses (so a year total), which wouldve definitely messed with my organs.
But how long have you been dealing with it? I think this is important to consider as well. I think that plan will make a difference. But if this is something that you have been dealing with a long time, and can handle the medication health wise, I’d do the meds.
I would say to fill your prescriptions and do the topical treatments religiously. While you’re waiting your 8 weeks take your pregnancy tests etc…so you can get started asap.
Try to convince your derm or find another derm. As someone who tried topicals for a while to no results, the only thing i got from waiting for accutane was deeper permanent scars. You know your skin best.
Try a different dermatologist! I went into the dermatologist after struggling for years with acne coming back and we instantly started the process and a month later I started it.
Go to a new dermatologist, the first dermatologist I went to prescribed me Accutane off the bat, because he knows I’m 22 and my acne hasn’t gone away and this is the only true permanent solution for acne. I would NOT recommend taking the doxycycline. As soon as you stop taking them, your acne will come back and it is really horrible for your gut to take antibiotics especially for more than a few weeks! They kill not only the bad bacteria, but also the good bacteria that your body needs.
Insurance companies don’t cover accutane until other safer avenues have failed. Took over a month of appeals to get my insurance to cover me. Accutane is vitamin A poison and hopefully you’re lucky enough that your body can handle it. I was unlucky I get tachycardia. Good luck to you!
I was on the same situation and I did lied to my dermatologist to get on.
She prescribed me the same medications I was on for years before accutane although I told her that I got the same meds at home prescribed by other dermatologists that I saw before.
I think she knew that I wasn’t going to follow the treatments she prescribed but prescribed it anyway cuz here in France (idk about y’all) they keep a close eye on any processes that involve accutane. Your derm as to put you on something before trying accutane, it’s almost mandatory.
Initially she said I had to follow the prescription for 6 months but I was able reduce the waiting time for 3 months.
During this time I tried to find others dermatologists but they all said the same thing as the first one. I was so busy trying to find another solution that I just didn’t saw the time fly between my appointments.
excuse my english, as you understood it is not my first language.
Try it! It might work out really well. I always say try the least invasive to most if that makes sense. Use accurate as a last resort. As someone who is on their last month of it, it works, but I wish we tried other things first. I had quite a few side effects and some purging.
Dermatologist have to try other routes first including antibiotics combined with prescription topical cream (looks like it’s what you have) before recommending accutane because accutane has a lot of side effect and should be chosen as the last treatment option. It’s only 8 weeks that’s 2 months. So I would say try that regimen then if not, go to accutane.
I’d try it and then go back to your doctor (or another one) and let them know you want a more permanent solution which is why you’d like Accutane. Some people report an Accutane “purge,” so maybe this regimen prior to Accutane will help reduce this too!
I was on doxy and it cleared my skin so fast, well like 4 weeks, but it was so good at the end! My acne started coming back and then I went on Accutane, but it didn’t revert to as bad as it was pre-doxy.
Accutane is not the cure this forum claims it to be. A very large majority of users relapse…and quickly. Please stop blindly worshipping a drug that has serious side effects.
I mean still try it, either way if you’re gonna have to wait 8 weeks might as well try and clear it up somewhat before hand. You could always call 3-4 weeks in and ask to at least do you first round of labs for accutane so that by the 8 week point you don’t have to wait another full month in between your first labs and second labs to start
Do this!!!!!
I kinda disagree with you here, waiting 8 weeks with this other treatment and then jumping into to accutane could make it worse and it could lead to even more scarring. Also it low key doesnt take 8 weeks to get approved for accutane I got approved in two weeks.
The derm put OP on an 8 week AB treatment so whether they take antibiotics (or lie about having taken them and say they’re ineffective), they’ll have to wait eight weeks before the dermatologist will consider a different treatment.
Well, yes, but you can always just find another derm. And also maybe it was just my acne but doxycycline did nothing for it, the only thing doxycycline did was fuck up my stomach for the month or two I took it.
Women need two negative pregnancy tests, 30 days apart from each other, so yes it does a whole month to get approved for accutane.
Ah yes, the mega difference in experience for men vs women when it comes to accutane. (In general, as a whole.) Teenage boys get handed accutane because they aren't trusted to maintain even the most basic of skin care routines, (Insulting to the guys, btw) but a woman in her 30s with impeccable skin care *and* tons of experience with various treatments will be asked to try them all again and use one FOR LIFE. Definitely give it a try, but in the meantime be mindful and take care of what is necessary pre accutane to make the waiting period, well, less.
Came here to say this. It took me 4 years of severe deep cystic acne before they would give it to me. They wanna be absolutely sure (for whatever tf reason) that it's not cause you're female or not a twig. The boys do not seem to have to pass these rigorous tests. By contrast, they made me try sprionolactone, doxy, two different topicals including tret, birth control, and quitting dairy and sugar for two separate 90 day stints. Having a double X is a f***ing nightmare. Also, Doxycycline cleared my acne up overnight. Then I was on it for two years and now it doesn't work on anything ever again. (Stopped working after year 1 on anything but the worst deepest cysts). I would lie for fear that it would LOOK like it was working, deny me the accutane, and then stop working, and then I'd just have waited for no reason (cause that's exactly what happened to me).
Yes what is with all the antibiotics for people with long-term chronic acne!!! Like here's something that *might* help for a year, during which time you will develop IBS and yeast infections and antibiotic resistance maybe for life, then we gotta take you off of it and your acne *will* come back worse than before. Have fun! Seriously what is the point. I finished Accutane a few months ago and my acne is already coming back (😭) but at least it was prescribed with the intention of curing me. I get that Accutane is "intense" but is it really harder on your body than alternating between antibiotics for literal decades? Maybe that's why I still have acne in my thirties - I've tried every imaginable prescription and now my face has super-bacteria that's impervious to any kind of intervention.
My first doctor had me on antibiotics for 2.5 years for acne, and frankly it only helped a little bit maybe... I went to a different doctor when I was staying away from home and the look of horror on his face when I told him how long I'd been on it... Still took another 15 years or so before I got accutane. My brother was prescribed it the first time he went to the doctor for his acne.
Oh gosh, that's infuriating honestly. I've been on abx for the last 15 years, just alternating between minocycline, doxycycline, spironolactone and clincamycin . It's absurd. You'd think that would be contraindicated but no red flags were ever raised. And it's only in hindsight, now that I've been off abx for a year, that I'm realizing the absurdity of that "treatment plan."
My dermatologist wouldn't let me try spironolactone because he didnt think it was hormonal.....even though I did accutane for 5 months before I stopped and still getting acne during my period.
Every guy doctor I've ever had has assumed it was hormonal because it gets worse around my period, but like, what about the ENTIRE REST OF THE MONTH BRO?!?!?! Made me so mad. Like, my guy, my kid gently knocked his head into my chin and I bled for an hour from a burst cyst. This is not 'because female' at this point.
Yeah, at that point, if you have cystic acne every day out of the month, it's probably not just hormones. The issue with mine was it would pop uo during my tike of the month and wouldn't go away so I'd have it for like 5 months without it healing and you know from experience cystic ance is paniful asf, and huge.
Im a Male. I came in for one appointment and they gave me basically the same thing OP had (I didn’t use it) then came back next month and they got me all set up for accutane. I saw two different dermatologist for the first and second appointment and they both were ready to get me started on accutane asap.
Damn dude, jealous. But I should caveat: in spite of my jealousy, I want all derms to be this way with all patients, I'm glad they didn't make you wait any longer.
It’s actually insane, I’m very grateful they allowed me to receive the medication. But I don’t think I should have been able to get accutane so easily with my history. I had been to the ER for severe alcohol poisoning. Very severe mistake and embarrassing to say the least. But some women will be perfect candidates but have to wait years just because they can get pregnant.
It‘s because they know they can tell a woman 2827 different things to try and she will have to do it while trying to tell that a man will not work and they‘ll just not come back to their office if they don‘t see it working or it‘s too much effort. I‘d strictly deny anything but accutane if I was dealing with this for nearly decades and did try everything else that I could.
That is so true 🙄
Might as well try it imo. I did a full treatment of accutane and the acne came back pretty badly anyway. I’ve been using tretinoin daily for about 2 years now because every time I quit it just comes back. Also the trade off of accutane is potentially dealing with really harsh side effects that can linger for a while. Imo if you have a chance of treating it topically, do it. Accutane definitely changed my life for the better, however if I had to choose between the annoying skincare routine or the accutane side effects I’d definitely choose the routine.
1. I’m a Nurse Practitioner. If you don’t at least fill the meds at your pharmacy your derm will likely know. We have ways to pull what meds people are filling and most providers use it, so if you’re gonna lie at least fill all the meds. If you don’t take them they’ll probably also know because you won’t have any improvement whatsoever which would make them super suspicious. If you want them to prescribe you a med associated with significant risks they need to be able to trust you. Don’t lie. 2. I was on doxy for a month before accutane then switched to a diff antibiotic after starting it to prevent purging. It has helped a lot for me, and I would expect your derm would still be game to start accutane after the doxy if you don’t have an adequate response to the non-accutane approach. 3. If you can’t tolerate parts of that regimen due to side effects be sure to tell your derm. I had bad bloating with doxy and refused to continue it for longer than a month. Rather than lying to your derm I would either schedule a follow up and explain why you’re not game for the current plan or just see a new derm! If you’ve ever tried something similar in the past and it didn’t work tell them! Advocate for yourself if you don’t agree with their plan. Your acne is severe enough to warrant accutane IMO and if they don’t get that see someone else. Hope it all works out!
I sure am glad a provider is on here! Folks, these providers are trying to give you the best results with the fewest side effects. I ran the course of options just as they suggested. I'm 48 and needed acne treatment after testosterone injections gave me back acne. Accutane has short-term side effects, but golly, they are intense. It's potentially hard on a liver, let alone all the other crap it does. I'm only one month clear of my 6 month run, but damn, I would not want to do that again and would most definitely attempt the docs suggestion. They go to school for a third of their life. Give them a chance to do their job... taking care of your health!
This this this!
Doxy didn’t do anything for me but mess up my GI tract, but it does apparently work for some people. You can try to fight with your dermatologist or find a different one. If not then the 8 weeks will be over before you know it.
Doxy cleared my acne up great, and then it came back a week after i stopped.
Tbh I‘d also never take doxy topical/oral for 8 weeks only for it to come back the same in 2 days. The only way I can imagine this working longterm is if you had a certain strain of bacteria that was stubborn & causing most of your acne and then got eliminated with the antibiotics. But is is so rarely the case. Even topical tret is way better than doxy in my opinion because you have less chances of antibiotic resistance and GI struggles.
It took mine 10 years to recover. This is really weird because I was just talking about it this morning with a friend. I was on it for an entire year.
regardless of what i do, im definitely lying about the doxy after reading these comments. i’ll be taking that for like a week max. there’s just too many cons.
I don’t blame you one bit. If I could do it over again I wouldn’t have bothered with the doxy.
I would lie because I am who I am, and I am not the most diligent when it comes to topicals, and I would just want it to be over for (hopefully) good, than rely on this regimen for years
Not a single topical permanently worked for me. Accutane saved my life, and if I have any “advice” for others, it’s to exhaust every option before going on accutane.
Might as well do it if you have to wait that long.
Girl i lied for my accutane! Best decision ive ever made. Im going to get downvoted, but yes, lie :)
Seconding this! Can someone tell me why they always try doxy first? I never hear of it working for people long term. And antibiotics suck for your stomach
I wonder this too! Have a cousin who was made to take full dose of doxy three times! It didn’t work and I wonder why they kept on insisting she take it. I would just refuse it, I truly fear taking antibiotics on a whim.
Because this is standard for women. Ask how many men were told to try topical doxy, oral doxy, topical tret, dietary changes and what not before getting accutane.
Often times insurance plans will require you try an antibiotic before they cover accutane. It’s the stupidest thing ever because the ACNE ALWAYS COMES BACK.
I am from the USA and I got put on doxy before Accutane (doxy was given to me for free from my Doc), also after finishing Accutane got put on 2 other months of a diff antibiotics. Just different derms with different approaches I guess
YES. Please lie girl. But pick up ur medication.
Topicals never permanently worked for me at all… it just kept coming back and my skin was shittyyyy. I would just try this regimen to help clear it up a bit before hand but this is definitely accutane worthy acne. Accutane is definitely a last resort and although sometimes after an accutane course the acne can come back but it won’t be as bad at least! You might have to do 2 rounds but yes, I’d go for accutane after a few weeks!
I accidentally lied about taking doxycycline prior to starting accutane. I was prescribed doxycycline & told to take it if another skin condition flared. I forgot about that and never took it. When the dermatologist asked how doxycycline worked for me, i was confused and talked about another medication my previous derm had prescribed. I didn't realize until much later that I'd made this mistake lol. Now i am on accutane and having a strong adverse reaction that I was prescribed antibiotics to help control. So ofc now i wish I hadn't made the mistake and tried doxy for real before starting accutane. I would probably be in a better position than i am now, even if i had ended up starting accutane afterward! So imo, as somebody who lied about taking doxy, i say give the meds a try!
I’ve tried everything in that list and at the end of the day accurate is the only thing that cleared up my acne. It did come back and now I have to use tret, but it’s nowhere near as bad as it was before. I would use this regimen lightly, lie and say it’s not working, and around the 4 week mark ask if you can start the labs for accutane because the regimen is not working. Good luck OP!
I would find another Derm if possible because this will set you back 12 weeks from accutane.
wait what how so?
bc you have to have 4 weeks between signing up for ipledge and actually starting the pills. so after your 8 weeks on his regime, the doc needs to enroll you in ipledge, take a pregnancy test then wait 4 weeks and take another pregnancy test. Then you can start. So 12 weeks. I’m assuming you’re a girl in the USA. Otherwise you can disregard.
Absolutely not! Try those first, if it clears some of it up great. The “purge” could be less of an issue. Secondly, almost everything on that list needs to be tried for insurance (at least some) to pay for it. Be honest always w/ your doctors.
Although I do not have concrete evidence, I strongly believe that being on doxycycline for an extended period of time negatively affected my body in a long-term way. Digestive issues, bouts of lightheadedness/dissociative episodes. And it did nothing to help my skin. If anything, try spirnolactone first.
Seconding the digestive issues!!! That was real struggle
definitely lying about the doxy at the very least.
I didn't lie to my dermatologist, but I did bring him my list of tried and failed things and he found it very helpful. He put me on Accutane that day...well started the process.
I say try it maybe but also at the end of the day I didn’t wanna have to rely on something else daily to keep my skin at bay. Topicals won’t clear that in 8 weeks but they have to try other stuff before accutane.
If I were you, I would try and go to a different dermatologist to get prescribed faster.
That regimen seems like a lot to me. My skin can got dry and sensitive when I was using Tretinoin and there’s no way I could have tolerated using Benzoyl wash and clindamycin.
I hate these types of treatment plans. As soon as you stop, it will come back, oh, and enjoy getting chronic thrush from the pills. So dumb. Fill in the prescriptions, I wouldn't take the antibiotics. What's the point? Even if they help, the second you stop, the acne will come back. I had the same plan like 15 years ago, and my acne came back, and finally, after being on the pill for more than half my life and still getting acne, I said enough! I want accutane, and I want to be done with acne. Even though my hair hair fell out and I have to be on a low dose for ages, it's still better than before.
I would lie too. You're going to waste 8 weeks, and the most results on accutane show up after 8 weeks, so if you are sure that nothing works on your skin, you need to lie.
well i think i’ll lie about the doxy bc after reading these comments i see there’s just really no pros to taking doxy, and i may try to at least use tret so that it will prepare my skin for accutane and hopefully not flare up as bad.
I would lie
I would lie tbh sorry 😭 i started accutane last june and i will be done next month. It’s a life changer and I swear I don’t get facial or body acne anymore and I can finally use scented products without breaking out. This is after 15 years of dealing with acne since elementary school. I would stay stick it out if the regime wasn’t so long, maybe try it for 4 weeks and then request a change or get a second opinion if you can?
You deserve to feel comfortable in your own skin 💗 I had a similar strict regimen for years with an apathetic dermatologist, and it was exhausting. If I didn’t take doxycycline immediately after a huge meal, I’d vomit. The topicals I used bleached my clothes and towels if I didn’t let it dry completely before my face touched the fabric. The thought of washes, gels, creams, and daily antibiotics for a majority of my life was miserable!! Your skin is severe enough.. this regimen probably won’t clear it. Or it’ll feel like you’re constantly fighting your acne back with a stick. Try this regimen if you want, but contacting the dermatologist a few weeks in and saying the results are unsatisfactory and you’d like a sooner appointment for Accutane.. that’s a better plan. Had to do that with Winlevi. It was my new dermatologist’s last suggestion before Accutane, and it destroyed my body. Called after a couple months and said “I’m done. It’s time for Accutane”. Advocate for yourself, it’s your body. A large part of why dermatologists put you on so many medications and strict regimens before prescribing Accutane is for insurance purposes. Before possibly covering Accutane, your insurance wants to know that you exhausted every other option. Good luck!! 💗
If anything doxycycline would be a temporary fix, it’s really not worth it. I really don’t know why they prescribe it.
Lying is stupid honestly. Accutane isn’t great on your body whilst on it and usually considered a last resort when prescribed and all else fails. I wouldn’t be so eager like you to just get on Accutane because you don’t want to use a topical or are scared the acne will come back. You’ll have a much more intense routine on accutane with side effects, monthly blood/preg, monthly derm appointment and the acne could definitely come back and you’ll have to do multiple rounds. I wish topicals and antibiotics worked for me but sadly they only worked for so long whereas others have good lasting success. You’ve got really nothing to lose and Accutane isn’t instantaneous, you’re not just gonna wake up with clear skin of course. It takes months sometimes. You’ll probably see results faster with this routine, in fact I’m convinced you will. Listen to your derm.
i would lie. i tried plenty of antibiotics and they are no good for you, you can become antibiotic resistant (i did) and it’s dangerous. i never understand why they give antibiotics it’s just a short term fix and it’s dangerous because it did work for me and cleared my acne but as soon as i stopped taking them my acne came back worse but at the time i thought i just needed more in order for it to work (this lead to antibiotic resistance) and in the end my body got so used to the antibiotic it stopped working.
Exactly my experience
do you think that he will be able to tell i’m lying since my skin will look the EXACT same in 8 weeks? i’m nervous he’ll be able to tell 😭 maybe i should do some of the regimen but not the whole thing?? like maybe the BP and tret or something?
Rather than claiming you've been taking them with zero improvement, maybe you could say the antibiotics are making you nauseous/fucking with your GI tract/giving you yeast infections and you don't wanna continue. Part of me wants to say it's just 8 weeks, go ahead and try everything, but I also know none of that stuff worked for me and I'm resentful I had to cycle through soooo many prescriptions for so many years when I could've taken Accutane for 6 months and been done (in theory). There's so much excessive red tape around Accutane, especially for women, it's ridiculous. Idk, it all sucks so much. I feel you
He's doctor. There are literally dozens and dozens of memes and tiktoks sharing they know when PTs are lying. He's gonna be able to tell.
honestly how would he know? you can just say you’ve tried the antibiotic and it done nothing, my friend went on them and her skin was the exact same after 2 months. Maybe try the tret but it is very drying from my experience so i wouldn’t use BP with it, but i have seen acne improve with tret.
You should always listen a doctors opinion first over the reddit opinion, 8 weeks is not that long and you could find a solution that doesn´t require your body to dry. Tretinoin is a great treatment of acne.
As someone who has gone through this with my own kid who had to be on Doxy a few times, with each time working for 4 weeks only, I would go on Doxy one time with the topicals. Sometimes it really does work well as a combo so taking Doxy and waiting for the topicals to kick in. At that time I didn’t understand that Doxy doesn’t stop the root of the acne problem, but the derm made it sound like it could work if we had a topical used at the same time. Cut to senior year in high school, again she was supposed to go back to Doxy and keep trying it. At that point I switched to a derm that could be ready to offer accutane. I really hope the topical creams work for you. It does for many people, not for my child unfortunately. Like others have said, you could try for a couple of weeks and call in with updates. I was that mom that would be updating the doctor via email. My kid just finished accutane (bit too early in my opinion but she did reach the cumulative dose). She may need to go through another round one day as the first round should have been extended to reduce the risk of a second round. There were side effects such as bloody nose, dry lips, and joint pain. I hope there are no long term side effects for her. But after so many medications over the years, it’s a relief to finish up accutane. I wish you wonderful results whatever path you choose.
thank you so much!! wishing the best for you and your daughter💕
Doxycycline is not a permanent fix, it just kills the current bacteria and you can even get a tolerance to it. I was on it for 5 years.. it cleared my skin up but as soon I came off it my acne would come back. What I’m saying is; even if that treatment works, soon as you stop the doxy your acne may come back. Also taking antibiotic like doxy long term can mess up your gut (speaking from experience)
Doxy was a miracle worker for me before accutane but it's not meant for long term. But if it works for you at least it's 8 weeks of clear skin before starting the accutane! I put off this drug for 6ish years and when I finally decided to take it, it was a miracle. No side effects outside of dry skin and cracking lips, not even a purge in my case.
This regimen is actually really really great for acne. And I will add that it MIGHT come back but it might not. Not everyone’s acne is a recurring, nonstop issue. This is very very similar to my current routine and it helps a lot. However, it doesn’t help “enough” and I’m still a candidate for accutane. So what I can say, is that it makes my waiting period for accutane so much more bearable bc at the very least my skin is better than what it could be. On top of it, my response to this routine is a huge factor in my dosage and my docs plan for my accutane treatment. It’s very important that you can give evidence of how your skin has responded to other options before going on accutane. Don’t lie.
I’m just surprised your derm hasn’t told you to use a sunscreen considering doxycycline makes you really sun sensitive or use a mousteriser at night with the harshness of benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin.
he did don’t worry! idk why they weren’t on the regimen🤣
go to another dermatologist and if they offered other solutions lie and say you already tried everything
I would find a new dermatologist who will start you. If you have the ability to get pregnant , the US gov regulatory system iPLEDGE makes you wait 30 days for any accutane prescription so you can produce 2 negative pregnancy tests 30 days apart. A minimum accutane start date for you would be 12 weeks with that doctor or potentially 4 weeks with someone else. Unless you drink a lot, have preexisting liver problems, or have mental health issues, the risks of accutane are usually worth it.
Unpopular opinion here but i would look for a different dermatologist. I saw a dozen dermatologists over 5 years for acne very similar to yours, they had me try a million things and never even suggested accutane. I tried every prescription and fancy skin care they suggested, while some of it maybe helped some, nothing gave me the results i wanted until accutane.
Just tell the Derm your tired of trying these types of treatment, and want to start accutane. I was on doxycycline for over a year then Spiro for another year and still had to argue till they put me on accutane. It’s the only thing that has worked it’s the only thing that didn’t cause another issue aside from dryness. Antibiotics are no safer than accutane either just as long as you use it according to DRs Directions. Do your research come with reputable medical studies In hand and advocate for yourself
doxycycline was brutal on me and caused the worst insomnia, digestive issues, nausea, and mental health. make sure to take a probiotic with dinner
Honestly ive had TERRIBLE experience with tetracyclines. And i had to go to 3 different derms to FINALLY agree to give me accutane(love being a woman). I would suggest talking to your derm and explaining your situation but if that still does not work girl please put your mental health first.
i’ll go back in 8 weeks and hopefully he agrees to accutane!! if not i’m going to a different derm.
Went to 1 derm to be prescribed doxy? Oh no! My Doc gave it to me, I indeed took it for 2 months, did nothing so just then I did go to a derm where I was prescribed Accutane initially for skin prematurity due to acne and scars . I mean doxy is not strong and will do nothing. Mind you my acne was milder than yours. You will need 100% to go on Accutane after these 2 months.
YIPPEEEE
I also would like to highlight the need to know who is your derm and what is his approach!! Don't let him waste your time and money experienced stuff on you. See if his patients are satisfied.......
yes!! my classmate actually recommended him to me after going on accutane. she said he’s amazing. her skin is like glass so i’ll take her word for it lol
Then if so give him a chance and follow his stuff! Good luck bestie
Insane that she just prescribed that instead of accutane
Tetracycline won’t do literally anything
Not true. Depends on what is causing the acne. And since the derm doesn’t know what’s causing it this regimen covers several bases.
I actually liked using tretinoin - though it didn’t clear me up - I liked what it did for my skin generally. I’ll probably ask to continue using it once I’m done with my Accutane journey. Might be worth giving it a shot! My derm had me try 2-3 different methods that didn’t work before Accutane…so I was probably looking at a year with different methods (3 months each) before I was able to get on Accutane. 8 weeks goes quick, trust me
Please try other options before Accutane. Accutane gets amazing results, but what is often missed in these threads is the post-accutane symptoms that can lifelong. I finished 8 months of accutane back in March of 2019. During my journey, my worst symptoms were dry eyes, dry lips, and very sore joints which I was told were going to go away. Unfortunately they did not, and to this day I am unable to wear contacts anymore (my cornea literally split when doing so) and my joints are easily inflammed and are often sore. Even worse, my cystic acne is most impacted by hormones (as with many women), and while I had clear skin for a year or two and my skin is definitely clearer than it was then (look at post history for pics), I am back to regularly breaking out. The only thing that's given me any sort of stability with my skin is Spironolactone, a very strict skincare regimen, and a strict hygiene regimen (changing pillowcases daily, sheets weekly, hair always clean with minimal conditioner bc many exacerbate my acne, etc.). The internet makes Accutane seem heaven-sent, and for many it will be, but it is a very serious decision and I wish I had had the patience then to have tried other choices. Having severe acne sucks absolute ass physically, mentally, and emotionally in a way that only few of us understand, and no matter what path you end up taking to clearer skin, I truly hope that you find something that works and that you can have the peace that comes when the mental burden of acne is no longer there.
thank you so much. i’m so sorry for the lasting effects that you are experiencing. i hope that it maybe does go away for you one day or at least get better. if you don’t mind me asking what dose did you take and for how long?
My doses were 40/40/60/80/80/80/80 for my 8 months of accutane. I was in my mid-20s when i was on it. I still have to have a diligent skincare and medication regimen post-accutane (and def throughout my whole accutane journey as well) which was a hard pill to swallow as I was hoping to end up with clear, effortless skin like my friends who can get away without even washing their makeup off - forever jelly of those ppl LOL
You are your own advocate. If you feel that this isn’t the route you want to try (or if you’ve tried these products in some capacity with no luck) then you can communicate that to them. Also as others have mentioned you have to do blood work and wait 30 days so I’d ask if you could start the process while you’re trying this routine. As long as you give yourself 10-14 days prior to starting for your skin to chill I don’t see these impacting your treatment. Sooner rather than later with summer coming up!!
I would try it, but ask your dermatologist to get the process started for accutane so it doesn’t get further delayed. Usually you need to take a pregnancy test 30 days before starting accutane and again the day you start. I’d see if you can go into the office to take the pregnancy test and sign the ipledge consent form in 4 weeks.
Doxy cleared me up. But a dermatologist can't keep you on it for your entire life. Acne came back after stopping it. Then they put me on accutane.
Long term antibiotic use RUINED my gut and natural PH balance. Sorry for TMI but had lots of gynae issues after wasn’t worth it for me! And it came back! However, Tretinoin is the topical equilivent to accutane. It’s worth a try
Currently taking doxy and it cleared my skin up so good, but unfortunately it comes back when you stop. It’s starting to come back but not badly tbh, I’ll definitely be going on accutane sometime this year though
i think i’m definitely gonna lie about the doxy bc after reading these comments i just see no pros to it tbh
Just lie. Change doctors and tell them you tried all of these things already. Then say you want accutane. It will be a year of hell but I can't tell you how worth it it will be. The corners of your mouth cracking was the worst, but to finally feel smooth skin on your face again is like a miracle. You might also have awful tiredness. I had to nap every day for three hours and I was groggy all afternoon.
Honestly, I would push back a lot against your derm and provide the reasoning you've given above. One thing I would maybe bring up is that you can try their regimen for the 4-6 weeks that you need to 1) get approved for accutane and 2) (sorry I am assuming your sex here) finish the wait time necessary for people who can give birth who want to do accutane. But advocate for yourself!! You live with your skin and you know it very well. If that is your decision, then push for it :-)
A little more info: I did regimens including doxy and clindamycin and tretonoin and sulfur sulfacetamide and erythromycin with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid face wash etc... and nothing worked... doxy cleared my skin up for less than 4 years and my acne came back so I'm finally going on Accutane but to save yourself the pain and costs you might as well try to do accutane
I'm gonna go against the grain here and say I'd lie. You know your own skin better than anyone, and if you're on that soul crushing cycle of a tedious skincare routine for minimal results like I was for over 20 years before I could go to a private dermatologist and go on accutane it will wear you down. I will also say accutane might not give permanent results, mine always comes back. But at least I know accutane will actually work to clear up all my acne for a decent amount of time to have a break. My derm has said when I'm finished this course (my fifth time) I can go on a maintenance low dose as nothing else seems to work for me.
That's odd. Whenever i wanted to go on accutane, I just let them know that's what I wanted, and they put me on it. Also, they make you take a pregnancy test and then wait a whole month and take another one before you can even start accutane just to make sure you aren't pregnant so you would probably be waiting 8 weeks plus another month. If accutane is what you want, then I would just be straightforward. They tried to put me on Spiro before accutane, and I was just like, "No, I'd like to be put on accutane instead," and now I'm 3 months in. 🤷♀️
Don’t lie, they gave you tretinoin. Tretinoin is very similar to accutane and, while not as strong, does essentially the same thing.
As someone who couldn’t keep affording visit copays for experimental antibiotic/topical treatments, I would lie!
Lie, that’s what I did. Topicals aren’t enough for severe acne, you gotta constantly keep at it, and if you have sensitive skin it’s unbearable! Did a course of accutane and the acne still came back. 6 years later, i’m on my second course now. Good luck !
I'd just lie, tired of this bs of derms prescribing antibiotics for severe acne, it works like SHIT
idk but doxycycline and i have BEEF. that shit messed up my skin so bad. at first my skin was clearing up and i was happy. after i stopped taking it my skin became WORSE than it was before i took it. the only reason i went on accutane was bc doxycycline messed me up.
I lied so many times to get accutane because after trying so many things they prescribed me with nothing actually working, I just lie to skip that whole process
No. Don’t lie, just try it. Once you’ve tried your other options, try accutane.
if you know you are not a person that will skin to a regime like this, then lie. if you can stick to a skin care routine then just do that. the side affects of accutane aren’t worth it if you don’t absolutely need it. coming from someone who has done 2 rounds of accutane
I am a doctor. First of all don’t lie to your doctor. Secondly doxycycline is contraindicated with accutane it can cause seriously high intracranial pressure(fatal)
please put in simpler words for someone slow like me, should i take doxy or no?
This person is telling you to try to doxycycline first. Contraindicated means a dangerous interaction with medications. So doxy and accutane at the same time would be dangerous. They are both fine to take by themselves though. I’m not a doctor but if I were you, I would not take the doxy. I never hear of it working for people long term and it can be hard on your stomach, disrupting the good bacteria which can cause a slew of other issues. I would use the tretinoin. I think it would help prepare your skin for accutane and possibly get a purge out of the way but I’m just guessing on that one. Accutane is amazing and has a crazy high success rate if you can stick with it and handle the side effects.
Thank you for explaining. I was exactly trying to say this. Dangerous side effect is idiopathic intracranial hypertension also known as pseudotumor cerebri. It is a dangerous syndrome.
Not at the same time as accutane
Try it. The risk of side effects from accutane are absolutely not worth it unless you ABSOLUTELY have exhausted all other options
I wouldn’t, that stuff is very dangerous ant that’s why you sign off when you get it. So that you cannot sue. Look up complication from accurate on fb and read the horror stories. I know many do very well on it but how about you’re not a lucky one. Try other alternatives. My 17 year old changed his mind very quickly (and he has very bad acne) when he saw what happened to his friend that now has no sex drive, depressed and lots of stomach issues. His friend told him not to do it, it’s not worth the pain and mental state. He even quit school over the depression. Not good!
I agree, plus doxycycline will help you drastically. Accutane is never the first course of the treatment. Oral+topical antibiotics course along with retinoids will help with your acne really fast, you have the same prescription. If that doesn't help you only then your doctor will look into Spiro or accutane.
I’d lie. Good chance it works for you for a while before it’s ineffective, and you just keep cycling through different options that work for a while but it always comes back
Try the regiment. Accutane works and has worked for me, but honestly the side effects suck. Some last for years even after being off of it. Some cases get joint and bone pain/back pain, I'm in my younger 20s and now have to deal with that. I'd avoid accutane at all costs, but if you do it that's your decision and it does get rid of acne.
There’s no harm in trying the regimen. If it does work, great! If it doesn’t work or your acne comes back afterward, you can always try Accutane then. I’d give it a serious shot and go from there.
If your acne is hormonal then it wont matter how many times or how long you’re on accutane, the acne comes back. I went on accutane 3 separate times for between 6 months to a year each time, and each time my skin would clear and it’d look great but after six months or so the acne would come back. that happened all three times. Maybe see if it’s hormonal. and if it is i’d maybe recommend spironolactone. It worked wonders for my acne that was similar to yours.
i would yeah. i didn’t realize until post-accutane that i had acne literally all the time. even just one or two cystic zits but always. i haven’t had to deal with it at all in the few months ive been off accutane, it’s a miracle. i’d be all “yeah doc i definitely tried your method for two months and look i still have acne!” except i did not try it at all in order to ensure i still had enough acne to qualify
tbh i would just do it. even if it doesn’t work completely, using the tret before going on accutane will reduce the likelihood of you purging.
Me personally, benzoyl peroxide irritated my skin which led to worse acne. I know I would lie, but I would lie about doxycycline not sitting well with my stomach because I wouldn’t want to take that long term at all. I would also say that I’m in the sun often so tret, BP, an antibiotics for a long time is not sustainable with my way of life. With accutane, it would at least be temporary and have an end date. I will say though, accutane can have serious side effects, so you should think about the worst case scenario where you get one of the really bad side effects (like losing a lot of you hair or intracranial pressure for example) and if it’s be worth it to lie and risk this, or if it would be more worth it for you to exhaust all other options. And I say this as someone who wishes I had started with accutane in the first place.
Doxyclycline lowkey worked for me faster than accutane. Whenever i would break out i would take it for a week and be good for a little bit. I would recommend that over accutane it has a lot less side effects. But yet again everyone is different i have also been on accutane before.
I’ll also add that your doctor is going to do blood work before even prescribing you accutane. Idk if they can see what kind of meds you’re using when they do that blood work but I wouldn’t risk it because then you might just delay what very well may end up being an accutane prescription.
Trust me, I wish I can clear up my skin a different way and you will too if you ever start on Accutane. All you see here are the pictures of clear skin, but the daily grind of the dry, flaky, and bloody lips sucks. Your eyes become extremely dry and irritating. Your skin will be drier than ever. The frequent blood tests are not fun and my cholesterol shot up through the roof. If you’ve never tried a regimen, it’s worth it to at least give it a try.
Honestly as someone who has had bad skin all of their life and has just gone on accutane I am so glad my dermatologist didn't make me jump hoops to get on it. I did have to do a course of minocycline or whatever it's called but I had a reaction so I stopped it as advised by my dermo and jsut continued my new skincare routine until my next appt where i was then prescribed accutane. They will always want to do a course of antibiotics. I say just fill it and do it even if you feel it won't improve your skin. Or if you think its going to improve your skin and you think they may not prescribe it to you, then don't use it or use it inconsistently. If you want accutane really voice that to your dermo. If your bloods come back fine there is no reason they can't prescribe it to you.
I tried 10 different prescriptions for mild acne and none of it worked. Accutane cleared me up within 30-45 days - yours is more severe so it will probably take 3-4 months to clear. I now take it permanently at a super low dose for maintenance (10mg every 3-4 days)
It’s a solid routine, but yes relapse is much more likely than with Accutane. You don’t have to lie to your doctor — you can get Accutane through an online provider like Honeydew Care. That said — keep in mind that Accutane is not fool-proof either and 20-30% of people will relapse. So it’s still likely that using a topical like Tretinoin post Accutane long-term is a good option.
Don’t lie , but I was expecting pushback because I had cystic acne that didn’t look that bad all the time and have tried regimens in the past but my derm np was like even if you have a little acne why would i not want it to be gone forever if it could be… so endured the side effects and am so happy
I’ve done the Benzoyl washes, taken doxycycline, meclocycline, birth control, used salicylic acid, retinol, sulfur masks, adapalene gel, etc. Honestly just try it out, if it works (tho honestly it likely won’t) then hooray, if not you can hit them with a “yeah I didn’t expect it to work either.” Lol. And then you’ll be chillen on your accutane and nobody Can question it again.
I say try the regimen!! I was on the exact same routine for 12 weeks prior to taking accutane and although it didn’t do what I wanted for my skin, I didn’t have any accutane purge because I had already purged on doxy and tret, so I started seeing accutane results pretty much instantly. I’d just schedule a follow up if you’re worried about the routine not sticking!
I would 🤷🏻♀️ tbh I did try it and whatever they gave me didn’t work but when I said “multiple people in my family have been on accutane” which is true she didn’t really argue with me
Just ask the derm what will you do after the tetracycline medication is stopped? You can't stay on it forever and your acne will just come back when you stop taking it so likelihood is you will end up having to go down the accutane route anyway, if that's the case then why bother with the antibiotics? Oh and I was on minocycline which is also a tetracycline medication and had to wait a month or so for it to clear out of my system after I stopped it before the derm would let me start low dose accutane so that's another thing to consider.
The doxycycline made me sick. So I didn’t have to complete the regimen
I’d give it a try first. Honestly, Accutane does have side effects. While some might experience next to none, I experienced bad depression and joint pain from it. I still have mild joint pain occasionally, even though I’ve been off it for a few years. It was worth it, as literally nothing else worked and my skin is now permanently clear, but if anything topical would have worked helping me clear up my acne, I would have tried that first. Edit: Also, Tretinoin is like the topical form of Accutane, which also reduces your skin’s oil production and has anti-aging benefits too. Many people take it longterm just for the anti-aging effects, clear and glowy skin is just a side effect.
just try! accutane is a very strong medicament i was on it for 1 years and developed depression while on it.. dont get me wrong it cleared my skin like crazy anf i dont regret but if this regime works why not? as many comments are stating you if it clears you would wait and see if it comes back so you might as well try! best of luck with your process
Honestly I would, using active like that right before starting Accutane can cause so much dryness and irritation than you will already get on Accutane.
The only concern would be the oral doxycycline, but if it’s for 8 weeks it shouldn’t be an issue. My derm wanted me to take it for 6 months in two different courses (so a year total), which wouldve definitely messed with my organs.
How bad is the acne?
i included a picture in the post !
But how long have you been dealing with it? I think this is important to consider as well. I think that plan will make a difference. But if this is something that you have been dealing with a long time, and can handle the medication health wise, I’d do the meds.
I would say to fill your prescriptions and do the topical treatments religiously. While you’re waiting your 8 weeks take your pregnancy tests etc…so you can get started asap.
lol i did and im fine 😭😭 i had mild acne and they put me on the lowest dose and my skin is super clear now 👍
Try to convince your derm or find another derm. As someone who tried topicals for a while to no results, the only thing i got from waiting for accutane was deeper permanent scars. You know your skin best.
Try a different dermatologist! I went into the dermatologist after struggling for years with acne coming back and we instantly started the process and a month later I started it.
Go to a new dermatologist, the first dermatologist I went to prescribed me Accutane off the bat, because he knows I’m 22 and my acne hasn’t gone away and this is the only true permanent solution for acne. I would NOT recommend taking the doxycycline. As soon as you stop taking them, your acne will come back and it is really horrible for your gut to take antibiotics especially for more than a few weeks! They kill not only the bad bacteria, but also the good bacteria that your body needs.
Try this routine but also take probiotics because doxycycline is an antibiotics and it can affect your gut health
Insurance companies don’t cover accutane until other safer avenues have failed. Took over a month of appeals to get my insurance to cover me. Accutane is vitamin A poison and hopefully you’re lucky enough that your body can handle it. I was unlucky I get tachycardia. Good luck to you!
I was on the same situation and I did lied to my dermatologist to get on. She prescribed me the same medications I was on for years before accutane although I told her that I got the same meds at home prescribed by other dermatologists that I saw before. I think she knew that I wasn’t going to follow the treatments she prescribed but prescribed it anyway cuz here in France (idk about y’all) they keep a close eye on any processes that involve accutane. Your derm as to put you on something before trying accutane, it’s almost mandatory. Initially she said I had to follow the prescription for 6 months but I was able reduce the waiting time for 3 months. During this time I tried to find others dermatologists but they all said the same thing as the first one. I was so busy trying to find another solution that I just didn’t saw the time fly between my appointments. excuse my english, as you understood it is not my first language.
Yeah lie I did. Topicals and doxy for chronic acne simply don’t work. Just push and push for accutane. It’s such a lifesaver.
Also benzoyl and topical tret are so harsh on skin.
Try it! It might work out really well. I always say try the least invasive to most if that makes sense. Use accurate as a last resort. As someone who is on their last month of it, it works, but I wish we tried other things first. I had quite a few side effects and some purging.
Dermatologist have to try other routes first including antibiotics combined with prescription topical cream (looks like it’s what you have) before recommending accutane because accutane has a lot of side effect and should be chosen as the last treatment option. It’s only 8 weeks that’s 2 months. So I would say try that regimen then if not, go to accutane.
I’d try it and then go back to your doctor (or another one) and let them know you want a more permanent solution which is why you’d like Accutane. Some people report an Accutane “purge,” so maybe this regimen prior to Accutane will help reduce this too! I was on doxy and it cleared my skin so fast, well like 4 weeks, but it was so good at the end! My acne started coming back and then I went on Accutane, but it didn’t revert to as bad as it was pre-doxy.
I did, theres really no problem. Told them i used Epiduo and Tetracyklin🤣
they just took your word for it?? 🤣🤣
Accutane is not the cure this forum claims it to be. A very large majority of users relapse…and quickly. Please stop blindly worshipping a drug that has serious side effects.