Starting Accutane
- Sierra Gillespie
- Aug 12, 2015
- 2 min read
The day has finally come: my day to start Accutane! Since making my initial appointment and convincing myself that Accutane was really the route I wanted to take, 93 days have passed. You read that correctly.
NINETY THREE.
Let's add up the numbers, shall we?
14 years of sporadic acne suffering
+
2 months waiting until an avaliable dermatologist appointment
+
1 month waiting period until pregnancy test came back negative
= way too long
Essentially, from the day I first made my dermatologist appointment until the first day I could take an Accutane pill was 93 days.
That means I lived with severe acne for long enough (14 years) to decide to take the drastic measure of Accutane, plus the combined waiting period of getting an appointment (2 months) at the always busy dermatologist, and going through the rest of the Accutane process (1 month) before actually taking a pill. As every millennial will at some point say: MY LIFE IS AVERAGE.
Acne is something I have battled with since I was eight-years-old. My mom first brought my complexion to my attention my third grade year, and it has never left my mind since then. I matured quickly, and suffered with hormone changes much earlier than the rest of my peers. Therefore, I had acne before kids even knew what acne was.
Debatably the worst part of the acne is the fact that it has a mind of its own. Regardless of whether or not I wash my face twice daily, apply my dermatologist prescribed acne cream and moisturizer, and take my oral, dermatologist prescribed medication, my face refuses to clear. My complexion sometimes reacts to the medicine/face wash/acne cream I am using, but only temporarily. It's almost as if my face becomes immune, and pushes through the intense acid I'm trying to combat it with. If nothing else, I can say my acne has perseverance and strength.
My biggest insecurity is my face, and while it has gone through highs and lows throughout my life, I have always categorized myself as a person struggling with acne. It's hard. It's not a life-threatening disease or a death in the family, but it's a gigantic blow to the ego and a sworn enemy of self-esteem.
I'm writing this blog to share with the world my acne struggle. Accutane will work. It has worked for everyone I've known who used it. We each suffer the intense side effects and risks of this drug because those risks outweigh the sadness we have grown to feel about ourselves. There is something we can do to change the way we feel about ourselves and our acne. We are not alone as people who suffer from acne. You don't want to leave the house because you hate the way you look and feel? Me neither. But let's decide to leave the house together.
Kommentare