I'm finally starting Roaccutane! I've had spots since I was 11 and they remained mostly on my forehead through my teenage years. By the time I went to University they were anywhere on my face and since I graduated I had acne on my face, particularly on my jawline, cheeks and neck, but also on my chest, thighs and back. It feels like it's everywhere and sometimes it's really quite sore. It particularly gets in the way when I get my partner to massage my back due to Fibromyalgia pain and these cystic spots hurt when you touch them. I have tried multiple different medications and creams/gels but nothing has worked so far. February 10th is the date I get my pills and I really hope it works. They have allowed me to do same-day urine sample tests instead of day-before blood tests due to me needing someone to bring me to the hospital and back. I've been watching content online and doing some reading so I'm going to write down things I can expect and things I'm going to do to prepare my skin.
Dry skin
I know it's going to dry my skin out, including my scalp which will affect my hair too. My GP has prescribed my Aquaderm to keep my skin moisturised and I've bought a big tub of Vaseline for my lips. My hair is naturally curly and dry so I only wash my hair once a week anyway. I don't wash it because it's greasy I wash it because I have product in my hair that needs rinsing out so I can start my curl routine again. I don't think this will change anything, aside from me looking at a shampoo with oil in to help my scalp.
Sun exposure
Your skin is more sensitive on Roaccutane so you must wear an SPF of at least 15. I plan on buying the La Roche Posay SPF 50 for when I'm outside and wearing an SPF 30 inside. At least I start my treatment in February so I have some time until the sun is high in the sky and really warm. I don't tend to go out in the sun a lot anyway as it's not good for my POTS.
Knowing things will get worse first
I have watched Katie Snooks' videos and she said multiple times to prepare for your skin to get worse before it gets better. I know that I need to be kind to myself and to my skin and a bit of patience and moisturiser is what I need. She also said not to pick your skin when on Roaccutane as it can make it worse so I'm going to try my hardest not to as hopefully I will only have to be on one course of it so I need to make every day count.
Mental Health
Another side effect of Roaccutane changes to your mental health. You can get "anxiety, aggression and violence, changes in mood or suicidal thoughts". I have already been diagnosed with depression and anxiety since I was 16 due to problems at my previous home and I have been managing well for the last few years. I still have bouts of both depression and anxiety, as you would because they don't ever fully go away. I am expecting for some changes in my mental health and I am being fully honest and open with my partner and my lovely future Father-in-law and Stepmum-in-law. I will promise to update my best friend and my favourite online friend Kirstie as both of them know my history well too.
Sunglasses are a must
With the effects of the medicine kicking in, my eyes will most likely be dry and sensitive to the sunlight. Well, with Fibromyalgia they are already sensitive to both sunlight and artificial lights, so I am fully expecting this to get worse. Along with my glasses, I'll bring sunglasses everywhere with me to try to prevent migraines.
i think the next thing I need to do is buy other skincare including SPF so I am fully prepared. If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear about it on my Twitter on Instagram. The more I read people's experiences the more I understand what I should and shouldn't do.
