Accutane Side-Effects

Photos taken 3/9/08 Keep in mind, I have make-up on.
Click on 'em, they're even scarier enlarged!


Today is the day I gripe about all my ailments related to Accutane. Other blogs that contained a list of adverse effects were super helpful to me, in that I knew what to expect.

At the end of the 1st week, I already had chapped lips.

That has become consistent---3 MONTHS with no reprieve, always, always applying aquaphor--to the point of embarrassment. One evening, while meeting my "boss" for the very first time, I actually had to explain why I was doing such a personal thing over and over again. There was no hiding my dip into the huge tube and slathering goop all over my lips

NEXT on my list would be, dry nasal passages. As in CRACKED, CRUSTY & BLEEDING!

Now, I'm not getting any perks for recommending a product (i should be with the amount of times i mention it), but the ONLY thing that has any effect on both the lips and the inside of my nose is

Aquaphor healing ointment.

I actually swab some on a q-tip and shove it up there a.m. & p.m.

The reason for all the epidermal dryness is the very same reason Accutane works in clearing acne>it drys out sebaceous glands. Which as we know, protect and moisturize your skin by producing oil (and also the bane of my existence.)

Moving on, (btw, these are in the order they appeared in my life!) the 3rd side-effect that happened was facial redness. Initially, this presented itself in splotches of red here and there. Now it's more of a generalized facial redness, kind of like I was out in the sun for the first day of summer. You know what I'm talking about, you're sooo excited to be laying out in the sun after a long, pale winter and you refuse to put sunblock on...well, we know how cute that is. lol.

NEXT! was the pure joy of shiny SHINY, maybe even waxy facial skin. With an outcropping of huge, underground and above ground cysts on my cheeks.

Hard to pop, irritated, red, inflamed nodules. Which currently still loiter on my cheeks. They've set up camp, with no intentions of relocating.

Nodulocystic acne: A severe form of acne that is characterized by numerous deep, inflamed bumps (nodules) and large, pus-filled lesions that resemble boils (cysts). The nodules tend to be tender when touched and feel firm. The severe inflammation can cause the acne to become very red or even purple. Scarring often results when the acne heals.

I've spoken to my Dermatologist about this during my monthly visits (mandatory also, and I mean Federally mandated, or no medication for YOU!), and he explained that it "gets worse before it gets better", huh...so how long do I have to wait?

He claims I should be clearing by the 4th month, but at what price I ask? Irreparable scarring? This is risky business. Still unsure if I've made the right decision by going on Accutane.

MORE Adverse Effects to come...

HOLD TIGHT!!!

Let's recap,

We learned that Accutane decreases sebum (oil). Sebum promotes inflammation, thus acne, thus scarring, thus TERRIBLE.

My first signs of side-effects included:

1. severely chapped lips
2. bloody, cracked nasal passages
3. the "sun-burned" look
4. waxy, shiny skin
5. the eruption of GI-Normous, painful, impossibly worsened pimples than prior to Accutane. Did that last sentence work?