Hello doctors, I just wanted to come here and get the approval of the gainzZz experts before proceeding with Accutane. I am 18 years old and have been on Doxycycline 100mg/day to help keep my acne under control. I have been on it for around 5 months now until I stopped last week. I do not want to be on this antibiotic any longer. I honestly despise taking medicine of any sort and I still got some acne while on Dox. My dermatologist said studies have shown it is fine to take this stuff for long periods of time (>1 year), but everything I have read says short-term is best. I do not want to mess up any gut flora or have to continue taking an antibiotic for several more months. Thus, I have recently considered going on Accutane to treat my mild-moderate acne and pretty much clear me up for life. Do you guys think Accutane is relatively safe? Most importantly, will it alter any of my hormones? I do not want my testosterone or anything to be messed up at a young age or hinder my gains. Will Accutane impact me in such a way, or would you encourage me to go along with it?
Has your dermatologist actually offered to treat you with Accutane? It is not typically used for the treatment of mild/moderate acne, but I suppose they may consider it if you’ve tried all other options without benefit.
As with any intervention, it may be recommended when the potential benefits (e.g., clearing up acne) outweigh the potential risks (which your dermatologist would discuss with you prior to starting). It is a drug that requires a degree of regular monitoring for potential side effects. I would not have concerns about it affecting testosterone levels or influencing your training progress.
Yes, my dermatologist said at my last appt., “You can just keep taking your doxycycline until you feel it is not necessary, and if you come off of it and want to try something else, then we can possibly consider a light dosage of Accutane.” He was telling me there are many studies that have shown good heart and joint protection benefits from Doxy and how safe it is for long-term usage, but I would rather just take Accutane and get it over with and never have to deal with acne again. I am sure my acne will start fading away as my hormones calm down a little, so that is the only thing holding me back from starting at 18. On the other hand, it could be something that I struggle with for many more years to come, so that is why I am considering Accutane now to just wipe it out for good. I don’t really know what to do here. I clean my face 2x/day, wash my pillowcase weekly, use tretinoin every other night, drink a lot of water, and have recently eliminated milk and cheese products, except whey of course. It seems as if nothing is helping, though.