Reclaim Your Skin

Hi Chrishimba, Hang on in there! - I’m coming to the end of week six and its really clearing up. Just have a few little red patches where the break out I had last week is clearing up! I expect there may be another break out at some point but its definately getting less and less as the weeks go by.
Good luck!

April 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm

Hi Chishimba

Boy am I glad to find you. Another person of colour suffering from the grey face/red lip look! Now while I am not happy we both look like freaks, i am happy someone else can understand the peculiarities of black skin and how it reacts to roaccutane.

What is your daily dosage? I started on 40 mg a day and after day 10 nearly had to be hospitalised. My lips borke out in blisters which actually bled, my nose had no moisture and was very painful, my eyes were scratchy and their severe dryness made me blink constantly so I looked like a mad woman - grey face, bright pink reddish lips and blinking like a fool. It was a story i tell you.

I stopped taking the med and consulted my derm she said as far as she was concerned i shd b happy cos the side effects confirm the stuff is working!! she also accused me of punking out and basically being a wimp. (!!) She also said same thing as yr derm - that dry skin and lips is the worst roac will do. She refused to lessen my dosage but i quietly stopped taking my pills and only went back on them when the sores and blisters on my lips healed. The blisters were so bad I had to cover the lower half of my face when i went out, like a Moslem woman.

Anyway after they healed I started talking half the dosage, but only every other day! Then i slowly built back up and now, six weeks after that awful reaction, am back to 40mg per day. this is day 3 of 40mg per day and I am a bit scared am just watching my face very carefully as I don’t want it to get painful blusters again.

Let me add a few things - I am 34 and first had acne at age 11. Do your maths and understand my suffering…

Plus it has never been mild acne. I have only ever had severe acne. Having such a wack face made me determined to keep the body nice so I have always kept my weight good and gone to the gym to get nice and toned. Its a crazy combination though - good figure and wack face. Guys don’t know whether to step away from me or step up to me!

Last point - this is my SEVENTH time on roaccutane!!! My med aid will not cover it and every single time i have run out of money around the 3 month mark. I hope to be able to do six months this time and hopefully never take it again

pls keep me posted so we can check each other’s progress!!!

take care God bless

April 20th, 2008 at 3:26 pm

Hie Zenina

I am 25 years old and i have had acne for the past 11years since I was 14, that’s when i can say it got serious. i am on the 3rd week now and i have had breakouts. this is not the first time i’ve taken Roaccutane, i once took it and stopped in the 3rd week coz of financial difficulties. i was thrilled to find this website now i know there r many of us out there, at least we can comfort each other.

i am an African from the Southern parts of the continent where very few people sympathise with acne sufferers, u get stigmatised, just the stares u get when u walk in town r enuf to send u home in a hurry, and the thousand questions and home-made remedies?!9they claim to have worked, believe me some even suggested drinking one’s own urine, ALL FOR THE LOVE OF BEAUTY). I had some fellow students at University (who were not even my friends) who said they were praying for me, How touching it was but the Real world was a bit cruel. I ended up being anti-social anf the worst part was that my Mum and Sister have very smooth skins and I am the first to get acne (severe for that matter) in the whole clan. I hate family gatherings.

My medical aid doesn’t cover the drug but i was fortunate this time around, i had a well-wisher who bought me all 4 (20mg) boxes and I am on 40mg a day.

About the side effects, i have red lips and very dry sore skin especially after washing it. i still get breakouts and my chest sometimes gets tight and sore but i say endurance shall pay.

May 8th, 2008 at 2:21 pm

Hi im new to this site but was happy to hear all the symtoms you guys have been discribing. I to am black and have gone several shades darkers with a greyish tint. Ive had friends who didnt recognise me and my younger brothers think I do not look like me. My lips are pink and i had a patch that turned black im not sure if this is because i peeled off the dry skin. At one point my top lip went black in parts. The corner of my mouth cracked and my body aches constantly. It also makes you just feel tired all the time. One thing I will say about the dry lip thing is vaseline does not work I was using vaseline for several months and my lips were constantly sore and peeling I would suggest going for something medicated Carmex has helped so did chapstck medicated. The skin thing im now just using E45 face cream and plently of coco butter for the body. Ive been on 60mg since just before christmas but have gone weeks without taking it and sometimes just forget. Ive decide to be serious now and just finish the course I think i have a month or so now left.

My skin is soo much smother if it wernt for the skin discoloration i would look real good and many have commented one of my friends asked me the other day if i was wearing foundation and i dont even own a make up bag she didnt belive me when i said no. So if your on it take it when you should on time and it does work i think if you take the course properly it shouldnt come back.

June 15th, 2008 at 3:49 pm