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products to use while on accutane

I have been on accutane for about 3 months and I haven't found a product that agrees with my already sensitive skin. I am just looking for a gentle cleanser and moisturizer. any suggestions? please help

Re: products to use while on accutane

Hi @Nomekeee,

 

I highly recommend the FARMACYHoney Savior All-in-One Skin Repair Salve with Echinacea GreenEnvy™ Honey! It's great for those that have dry and even sensitive skin. You can use it on your face, body, and even lips. My skin has been extremely dry, flaky, and sensitive for the past month and this product has worked wonders. Not only is it hydrating, it helps calm and soothe the skin. 

 

https://www.sephora.com/product/honey-savior-all-in-one-skin-repair-salve-with-echinacea-greenenvy-h...

 

Always,

Danee

Re: products to use while on accutane

I did two full rounds of Accutane about two years apart. I have had really severe acne and redness since I was about 8 (I'm 19 now) and accutane were LIFECHANGING!! That being said, it is hella drying (as you know). It is important to moisturize, protect, and be very gentle on your skin - it is probably in one of the most delicate places it will ever be. Your skin is probably very sensitive and for this reason, it is extreemly important to go easy and gentle on your skin. This means no exfoliators chemical of physical (unfortunate because of the dryness but you don't want to damage your skin further - I would suggest that you could use a wet, warm washcloth with some moisturizer to gently exfoliate 1-2 times a week but please check with your derm first), consistently following a routine, and not overdoing it or overwhelming your skin.

 

I would recommend the following products to take care of your skin while on Accutane.

 

-To cleanse your face and your body, the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser - this is very, very gentle and creamy

-To moisturize your face, the CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion - the gel-like formula is very hydrating and soothing

-To moisturize your body, any CeraVe or Cetaphil lotion that is mild - I have had good luck with the Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion and have heard great things about it's creamier cousin the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for very dry skin

-For your lips or literally anything, Aquaphor Healing Ointment - if I could recommend one product this would be it. It is seriously life changing and I continue to use it today. My lips were so dry the bled and cracked until I found this. It will also help with protecting any very delicate skin and promote healing. I hoarded this stuff back then, and I hoard it now. Whenever a friend goes on Accutane I buy this for them. (I would maybe avoid the rest of your face- I believe it is petroleum based and while I don't think it will irritate your skin it may clog your pores).

-Sunscreen is a must. It would suck to work so hard for amazing skin (and I promise it is worth it) and have it damaged by the sun. Continue to use this after you stop taking it as accutane can remain in your system for up to a year. Any gentle ("baby" formulations worked great for me), non-irritating sunscreen will do. I living at the beach, being very fair, and being on accutane in the summer is a recipe for several severe sunburns which, let me tell ya, are not fun. I seriously would get sunburnt after 10 minutes in the sun (I ended up staying inside most of that summer).

-Two other miscellaneous products I would recommend are vitamin E oil for any other dryness or spots that need nourishing (I liked to use this around my delicate eye area at night and still do; it is a little sticky so I would avoid during the day) and rose water for an extra kick of moisture (I would put this over my face after moisturizing and the vitamin E and MAN did I wake up with radiant skin; it is also great for when (because it will) your skin feels tight or itchy). These are both products I would try to get the purest forms of (you should be able to get pure vitamin E oil and rosewater with glycerin to help preserve it - I really like the one you get in the pinkish-purple bottle at Whole Foods I think its called VorMag or something) as any extra ingredients may interact with other products or irritate your skin.

-Finally and maybe the most important is water. Not only is your skin very dehydrated but your body likely is too. The best way to moisturize is from within. This will improve your skin, how your body is handling the accutane, and may will help prevent/relieve the nasty headaches and joint pain that could ensue. Besides, you have to be hydrated for those monthly pregnancy tests anyway! (The first time I did accutane was in middle school and my locker was so stuffed with water bottles my teacher made me clean it out and throw them away - tbh the whole school knew I had more water bottles than books in there!)

 

These worked great for me when I was doing my two rounds but it is important to remember that everyone reacts differently to products and you should talk to your derm to see what they suggest. I hope you have an amazing experience (it may be tough while you are doing it but I promise the confidence I gained changed my life for the better - I hope it will do the same for you).

 

My final advice would be to take everyone's advice with a grain of salt. It is easy to look back and see your experience as something positive but I feel that people often forget how hard of an experience it truly is. It is hard physically and emotionally and is a very big commitment financially. Try not to stress about it too much. You may miss a dose or two and that's okay - it is not worth getting worked up over. People often forget what a powerful drug isotretinoin is and all the stress it is already putting on your body. Reach out to the community. When I was younger I did not know that there was such a huge community of people going through a similar experience to me or that I had the potential to reach out and befriend these people (that being said, they were probably a few years older than me - I don't know too many 12-13 year olds doing a full round of accutane). Remember that what other people are telling you is a reflection on their experience - this is your experience and it is okay to view it and handle it as you want. If you don't feel like you are getting the results you may want to ask your dermatologist to switch your brand. I could always tell a difference in the quality of my skin when I was on the brand that worked best for me. Always call or talk to your dermatologist first - they should be able to answer any questions or give you any advice you may need. They are there to help you through this. Dermatologists are not mind readers. If you want to know something specific you need to ask them. It is perfectly fine to have plenty of questions everytime you go in.

 

I know that this is an extreemly long answer to such a simple question and I hope I did not overwhelm you. I imagine that you have gotten a lot of similar advice from friends, your dermatologist, and others. I have had a lot of experience with this drug and just wanted to share some tips or knowledge that I wish I had known going into this. I was the first person I knew using isotretinoin but I have come to see that I am far from the last. I hope that you have a positive experience and that you see the results you are seeking. It is also okay if you don't - this drug, while the closest thing to a cure, is just another treatment and may not work for some people.

 

Good luck!

Re: products to use while on accutane

Also, your skin is different from normal dry, sensitive skin. Your skin is chemically induced dry, sensitive skin. In my opinion and in my experience, it is best to stay away from many higher-end creams and lotions that are multi-purpose. I know that you are posting on Sephora's website and pretty much everything I recommended was drug store, but often these products contain ingredients the I found irritating. Just my experience but obviously we have different skin that reacts differently.

RE: Re: products to use while on accutane

Thank you so much beautiful. This was really helpful

Re: products to use while on accutane

I have dry, sensitive skin and DRUNK ELEPHANT - Lala Retro™ Whipped Cream has been a dream in helping my skin to stay moisturized and hydrated. If I need extra hydration I also use Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum with Hyaluronic Acid 1.69 oz/ 50 mL

The Drunk Elephant Beste™ No. 9 Jelly Cleanser 5 oz/ 150 mL is pH balanced and gentle, but you might want something more moisturizing like an oil cleanser. The Tatcha The Camellia Oil 2-in-1 Makeup Remover & Cleanser 5.1 oz/ 150 mL is very nice. 

 

You can also search "Accutane" in the search bar, and you'll be able to find multiple suggestions from others 😊 Good luck @Nomekeee!

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