Ever feel like everyone is staring at you and you wanted to shrink into a ball? People who live with severe acne endure this every day, including myself. Since age 10, I began developing severe acne on my face where patches would form and the break out was a vicious cycle. My parents assured me that by the time I entered into high school my skin would clear up and to keep washing my face. I entered high school and things got worse.
Every time I looked in the mirror I winced, hating the blemished covered girl staring back at me and feeling like unlikable freak. I didn’t talk much because my self esteem was at an all time low. I went in and out of dermatologist, each one having their own methods and plans of actions. Any and every cream they prescribed me I used religiously (I had gave up on Clearasil a long time ago and proactive was fruitless) but nothing worked and most of them made me feel worse about myself.
I went to my 4th dermatologist in 3 years, Doctor David Stein and he changed my life. He was brutally honest and told me I had severe acne and it would be a struggle but that he had something that might help me. It was a medication called Accutane. According to www.webmd.com , it is used to treat severe cystic acne belongs to a class of drugs known as retinoids. It works by decreasing facial oil production. Before I went on Accutane, I had to have a blood test and every month after to make sure my cholesterol and blood pressure was low because the medication was known to raise them, I also had to be monitored and asked questions about my mental health because Accutane has been linked to suicidal thoughts and depression in very few cases. Every thirty one days exactly I had to be in the doctor’s office to receive my prescription of two pills a day. As all female patients on Accutane, I had to sign up on the I PLEDGE system, which is program through the makers of Accutane to make sure I was not sexually active because the medication could cause severe birth defects.
In order to receive the medication I was put on birth control. On May 11th 2006 I began the Accutane and my face exploded. Every blackhead and zit on my face came out and my hormones raged. There were some days in the first three months when I refused to answer my phone and I would cry for no reason. Often my moods would fluxuate and I was not a very nice person. I couldn’t be in the sun because my skin was extremely sensitive and it would turn red and make me incredibly sick. My skin became incredibly dry, where it would flake off if I rubbed it too hard and my lips were always severely chapped, which made me even more self conscience.
After 5 months I began seeing the drastic changes on my skin. Patches of skin were clearing and for the first time I was able to see my chin without acne on it in about 7 years and it actually made me cry with happiness. In the last 2 months of my treatment the effects were incredible. The acne was clearing and only light scaring was left. After 6 long months of being on Accutane I finished my treatment on November 11 2006. Now I can look into the mirror without feeling disfigured, I can wear cover up again and not run away from the camera. I am not afraid to meet new people or talk in front of large groups because my self esteem has sky rocketed.
Today I have clear skin, which does have scars but can be treated with special creams and microdermabrasion. If you or anyone has suffered with acne ask your doctor to for more information, it is well worth it.
