Three Rounds of Accutane

If nothing else, my blog is an icebreaker. It’s gotten me in touch with many people who I haven’t talked to in years—or haven’t even talked to at all. Once I decided to be open about my acne, I found that many other people became open about their acne too.

The subject of my latest article, Jack Steiner, was on Accutane for three rounds a couple years ago. I’d never heard of someone completing three rounds of Accutane before—so I knew he had to be interviewed.

Strangely enough, I’ve only ever met Jack once in passing—almost five years ago. His sister, Brooke, is one of my great friends, and we happened to meet briefly at her high school graduation party.

While Brooke has never been on Accutane, and doesn’t suffer from severe acne, Jack says his complexion needed an Accutane treatment. In addition, Brooke says that two Steiner cousins were on Accutane too. It’s a strange thought that acne can run through families (my sister was on Accutane too!), but pick and choose which family members it preys on.

I reached out to Jack a couple months ago to see what three courses of Accutane is like, and how he’s dealing with life post-Accutane now. He graciously took the time to respond to a near stranger—and gave me some pretty uplifting answers.

Based on my research, Jack Steiner is another statistic in the “pro” column for Accutane. As he says, this drug works to make a patient’s face behave like a normal twenty-something’s face.

Sierra Gillespie: What made you decide to try Accutane?

Jack Steiner: Accutane was a no-brainer for me. I had moderate-severe acne that was not being touched by the standard treatment of topical cream plus/minus oral antibiotic.

Additionally, I had a bad habit of picking at my face (couldn't stand leaving whiteheads un-popped!), so my dermatologist was concerned about me developing scarring.

Once I saw the results of my first round of Accutane, I knew I needed another round when the severe acne came back.

SG: What was your Accutane experience like—why the three rounds?

JS: My acne was probably a bit less severe than what many Accutane patients deal with, but it was completely unresponsive to topical creams and oral antibiotics.

After my first round of Accutane (each regimen lasted ~4 months), my face and body were completely free of acne. Within half a year, however, the acne returned, and my skin looked just as bad as before.

I started another round of Accutane, and when my skin cleared was put on two other medications to prevent recurrence.

Despite this, the acne came back one more time, so I began my third and final course toward the end of college. In the end, [I had] three 4-month courses of Accutane, with about 6-8 months between treatments.

SG: What type of symptoms did you suffer while on Accutane?

JS: My side effects were all related to skin/mucous membrane dryness. I tend to get chapped lips normally, and this problem was 100 times worse on Accutane.

As a contact wearer, my eyes would become dry much earlier in the evening, and I'd be forced to take my contacts out as soon as I got home from school.

I also saw a significant increase in nosebleeds. I remember taking a school trip to Spain during one of my courses of Accutane—the medication plus the dry summer heat meant my nose would bleed with any minor rubbing or sneezing.

SG: Did dealing with the symptoms and side effects outweigh the positivity of the end result?

JS: The end results of Accutane absolutely outweighed the side effects I had during treatment—though I was fortunate enough not to experience any of the rarer, more severe side effects that can be seen with this drug.

SG: Did your previous acne cause any anxiety or self-consciousness?

JS: I did experience some anxiety when my acne was particularly bad. While it never led to social withdrawal, I was often embarrassed or ashamed at how my skin looked.

For me, it wasn't so bad in middle school because it seemed everyone—or at least all the other guys—had acne.

But toward the end of high school, and especially in college, I felt like the only one who still had acne, which made my social anxiety worse. Fortunately I never had depressive or suicidal thoughts, but I can imagine this being an issue.

Interestingly, one serious side effect of Accutane is depression/suicidal ideation; your doctor will ask you about this at each follow-up visit. Accutane actually had the opposite effect on me, especially when I began to see improvement.

I could see my pimples drying up, and my face started to look clear like my friends'. My mood was elevated and socializing/meeting new people became much easier.

SG: How did your life change after your face cleared up? How is your complexion post Accutane?

JS: Interactions with other people became easier when my acne cleared. I was actually proud of how my skin looked, and could finally take my shirt off for a day at the beach. I've now been off Accutane for a few years, and I'm certain I won't be needing any more.

It is important to remember, though, that your face will not be perfect after Accutane, but instead will behave more like the face of a "normal" twenty-something.

For example, I still use a benzoyl peroxide cream to control blemishes, and a pimple or two will occasionally still pop up.

SG: Would you suggest Accutane to others who are suffering from severe acne?

JS: Yes! I would recommend Accutane to anyone with severe acne. A dermatologist or other health care provider can help you determine if you're a good candidate for it.