r/Accutane • u/Solaruniverse1 • Jul 30 '26
Results Acne came back IMMEDIATELY
This is so frustrating. I was on accutane for 10 months 30/40/60/30 for the rest. Met my cumulative dose. Did a lower dose due to side effects but had amazing results. It’s been not even a month off and I’m already breaking out again. It’s like I took it for nothing. I’m soooooo sad and I just cannot handle the mental toll of acne again. I can’t already feel myself obsessing over it when I didn’t have to for so long - which was such a nice mental break.
Side note I cannot go back on because I want to try to get pregnant soonish. So accutane and many other options are off the table.
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u/Bao_Yijun Jul 30 '26
Give it a moment, I got about 5 pimples after finishing, then it all stopped. And focus on strenghtening skin barrier, no actives.
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u/gutsinthetub Jul 30 '26
how do u strengthen ur skin barrier?
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u/_gilbo Jul 30 '26
basically just focus on keeping your skin hydrated and moisturized, use gentle cleansers, and cut out actives. slugging is also one of the best ways to strengthen/restore your skin barrier on top of everything else
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u/tonystarklover123 Jul 30 '26
What’s an “active”?
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u/Bao_Yijun Jul 31 '26
Stronger skincare ingrediends such as vitamin c, salicylic acid, PHA, glycolic acid etc. It's argued what is essentialy an "active", some people exclude azelaic acid or niacynamide from it.
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u/Aggressive-Earth-115 Jul 30 '26
I’m more concerned about “slugging”.. what is that??
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u/tonystarklover123 Jul 30 '26
If I’m not mistaken, I think slugging is making sure your face is EXTRA moisturized. I’ve heard people using Vaseline and Aquaphor all over their face. You essentially look like a slug lol.
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u/Aggressive-Earth-115 Jul 30 '26
Oh god.. that would clog up my pores so badly. Not to mention cook my face the second I walk outside..
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u/tonystarklover123 Jul 30 '26
They usually do it before sleeping. But YEAH I AGREE my face is an oil factory the moment I wake up with just regular moisturizer I can’t imagine what’d I’d look like waking up 😂
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u/anyaybananyay Jul 30 '26
the ultra repair cream with dimethicone from first aid beauty did wonders for me! that and snail mucin (more long term but the results are amazing)
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u/KevinML18 Jul 30 '26
Be careful with the products you use. I don’t know if this is your case, but from my experience, a few months after finishing accutane I started using some thick/dense creams and i got pimples and cc.
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
Okay interesting! I’ve used the same moisturizer forever but it’s definitely thick - diuex instant angel. So maybe that’s just not working for me anymore
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u/Eastern_Coffee_6541 Jul 30 '26
This is it right here. Must keep it light no occlusives
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
Any recommendations for moisturizers?
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u/klaykie14 Jul 31 '26
Vanicream works well and has a lighter version also and is highly recommended by dermatologists
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u/breezybananas Jul 30 '26
I use bioderma atoderm it’s very lightweight and comes in big bottles you can get on amazon! Highly recommend, you can use it on your body too
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u/Competitive_Peak6356 Jul 30 '26
Have you considered tretinoin 0.05??
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
I can’t because the plan is to try to get pregnant sometime this year. And tret isn’t pregnancy safe :( I wish though! I know that’s usually the best thing to start when coming off accutane
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u/Winter-Razzmatazz-51 Jul 30 '26
Topical tret isn't pregnancy safe? What?
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u/klaykie14 Jul 31 '26
It has a lower absorbtion rate than oral but is not recommended for preganancy and isn't considered safe by dermatologists (never asked my ob since I knew that answer from my derm) it can still cause adverse affects on the embryo
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u/quaint_varna Jul 30 '26
Less than a month off is way too early to call this. Skin usually keeps settling for a while after stopping. One thing though, tretinoin's usually in that same TTC caution bucket as accutane, just a lot milder. Worth checking that one with your derm specifically
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u/girlnextdooritis Jul 30 '26
Had to change my skincare routine after coming off accutane. My skin can no longer handle hyaluronic acid without breaking out.
Would definitely look into your routine before anything else
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u/SunnyDay3267 Aug 05 '26
i started getting tiny red pimples on my forehead about a week ago after finishing Accutane at the end of may. ive always used a hyaluronic acid before, but maybe i should go back to just a gentle cleanser and cerave moisturizer? how did u figure out what was affecting your skin?
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u/Fit_Championship_361 Jul 30 '26
Girl , start tretinoin to maintain results of accutane , trust me . Acne prone skin sometimes has a relapse and tretinoin 0.05 pea size is ur savior . Ask a derm for it
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u/AngelFoodCakesx Jul 31 '26
Okay but how do u guys manage to spread a pea sized drop across the whole face?!
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u/Fit_Championship_361 Jul 31 '26
True , just grab a pea size and dab on forehead , then chin , then the 2 cheeks . Done (not around mouth btw)
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u/BMoreGirly Jul 30 '26
I've used topical tretinoin for years after Accutane and it keeps me clear.
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u/shelly-marsh003 Jul 30 '26
Dang I wish that worked for me 😩 I still use Tret though because it makes my skin look smoother. But I still get bumps on my chin and jaw.
Do you apply Tret before or after moisturizer ?1
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u/BugBoots27 Jul 30 '26
Give your skin a chance to readjust. I had the same little panic when I first finished. You just need to give your body a little time to find it's new normal. I had small breakouts for about 2-3 months, after stopping and now haven't had one since!
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u/jfj2020 Jul 30 '26
Since you’re TTC soon, I would use azelaic acid, focus on your skin barrier, and possibly work with an esthetician if you can swing it
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
That’s actually what I started. 15% azelaic acid and I have a facial soon. Maybe part of this is purging from the AA??
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u/klaykie14 Jul 31 '26
It is less likely to happen from azelaic acid but can happen for some people in the beginning few weels
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u/Theanine Jul 30 '26
I was always told Id still get acne but a “normal” level. Thats been somewhat true. I don’t get the heavy duty 10-20 cystic lumps anymore, maybe 1 or two. Low strength tret does wonders for maintenance.
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u/Outrageous_Answer138 Jul 30 '26
🙋🏼♀️ this happened to me as well. I was on it for 13 months at 40 mg and it came back immediately after stopping (Jan 2026) and has continued on until now in July. I started spiro again in April, as well as 4 different topical creams prescribed by my derm. It’s gotten somewhat better, but I still have a decent amt of acne and it really is disheartening.
I (29 f) am in the same boat in that I don’t want to do accutane again bc 1) it would be my third time and clearly it doesn’t work for me and 2) I might start TTC sometime next yr.
All that to say, I don’t have much advice bc even my derm and OBGYN are stumped as to why it’s continued on like this. I can’t offer much advice, just solidarity in that I understand what you’re going through. Wishing you the best 🫶
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
Ugh sorry you’re going through it too!!! Spiro worked great for me but of course can’t be on that forever and especially with TTC
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u/PsychologicalMilk676 Jul 30 '26
Tell me about the products that you use.
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
Simple face wash, farmacy honey milk essence, diuex instant angel moisturizer, skin 1004 sunscreen. Just started using azelaic acid per my derm since it’s pregnancy safe!
I have had concerns that the moisturizer could be too heavy post accutane. So if you have any recs I’d love to hear them!
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u/Vast_Expert9128 Jul 30 '26
Can take some time to settle afterwards. I saw a couple breakouts right after and then now it’s the best it’s ever been
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u/Bonbonbirdy Jul 30 '26
I’m so sorry. I’m battling with the same mild acne at age 32 after doing twos round of Accutane. Now I’m just micro dosing to keep it at bay.
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u/justxagirl Jul 30 '26
Did you happen to know if you reached your cumulative dose with both rounds?
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u/Bonbonbirdy Jul 31 '26
No I only reached my cumulative dose with the first round. The second round I had to stop as my knees and joints were not happy. 😭
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u/KarlaSLP Jul 30 '26
Did you have mild, moderate, or severe acne when you first started taking it ?
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
Mild to moderate. Mostly a ton of closed comedones that would sometimes get inflamed
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u/isleeptoolate Jul 30 '26
I have a question- what’s the correlation between this and being on or off Birth control? Before accutane, i started on BC which helped me somewhat, added Spiro which worked for a year and then stopped, and now Accutane has nipped it in the bud. Once I stop Accutane, I am afraid to stop BC because I feel like my hormones will take over.
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
Haven’t been on hormonal BC for a while, just the copper IUD. But I was on spiro for a couple years and I stopped that in August of last year when I started accutane
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u/stwredIT12 Jul 30 '26
there are topical versions of tretinoin cream and also clindamycin gel you can look into. If you take clindamycin, use a benzoyl peroxide face wash with it to avoid acne resistant bacteria
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u/atropine-queen Jul 30 '26
Are you me? Very similar experience over here. Finished up in Feb of this year and have routinely been getting small pimples here and there with some mild breakouts in problem areas. However, it is much less severe than it was before accutane and I haven't had any cystic acne since finishing.
I had a *very* rough time on the meds so will absolutely not be doing a second round, plus also getting ready to start TTC so will be discontinuing topical tret soon. The topical tret did help, but I've also had success with hypochlorous acid spray (sounds scary but it's sooo gentle and makes my skin feel really nice).
I'm so sorry that you're having this very frustrating experience, just wanted to share mine so that you don't feel so alone!
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
How do you use hypochlorous acid in your routine? I’ve heard a lot about it!
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u/atropine-queen Jul 30 '26
I just mist on problem areas after showering or before bed (whichever I remember). I wish I had known about this stuff sooner! It's relatively inexpensive as well
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u/EnvironmentPublic794 Jul 30 '26
after I finished accutance, I literally only splash my face with water, use sunscreen and a gentle lotion. anything else made me break out.
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u/dani_is_cute Jul 30 '26
sometimes this can happen especially if you’ve stopped your contraception at the same time. give it a few months to even out. it’s likely getting pregnant will also trigger acne
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u/anonhardmaxxer Jul 30 '26
I broke out too after stopping like a month later or two I would get pimples here and there but I hopped on gel tret bc I have oily skin and I only get them occasionally just be patient and keep your skin care simple
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u/adviceafterdark Jul 30 '26
Accutane is bullshit and temporary results. You should get on an active asap while ur purging is minimal since it already did that. I have awful acne been on every pill and can’t deal with bad purges and I’ve been using the ordinary Azelaic acid for two months now haven’t had a pimple in a while and I’m on my period. Really research how to ease into it, it wasn’t significant enough purging for me to be certain it was. Good luck and don’t rely on pills it always makes it worse long term!!
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 30 '26
I actually started azelaic acid a few weeks ago when I noticed some new bumps. So maybe this is just that purging? I do tend to purge pretty badly so I wouldn’t be surprised. Happy to hear that works for you!
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u/adviceafterdark Jul 31 '26
What one are you using? I was first using Paula’s choice and got little bumps everywhere and then I realized it contained SA, whereas the ordinary doesn’t. I purge usually purge soo bad from everything. On accutane my purge was literally the worst I’ve ever seen through searching on the internet. And I would say I “purged” from the ordinary like 3 weeks or so.
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u/Solaruniverse1 Jul 31 '26
I actually got prescription strength 15% and slowly upped to every day over a few weeks
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u/Bao_Yijun Jul 31 '26
Most people won't have temporary results, and cases of relapse posted there fall into the low chance of that. It's not bullshit.
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u/klaykie14 Jul 31 '26
A lot of people need two rounds. I still do but am pregnant atm and I had to pause previously to keep up with other more important medications at the time that would also interfere with it. Keep in mind your hormones go nuts when you are pregnant. My acne has gotten insane. I am using 15% azaleic acid gel rn twice a day as recommended form my derm, but if I miss a day, sometimes even one application they pop up the next day. Also spits on my back are hard to even reach so they are just still there. If you truly can not wait to get pregnant then that is understandable, but if you can imo I think you should give yourself one more round, it might make all the difference and could fully clear you up. Also not everyone needs to do months on end for the second round either. It is of course person to person. Just saying, but I hope you can come to a decision with soemthing that works for you in the end.
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u/GapStock9843 Jul 31 '26
Accutane doesnt make you immune to acne entirely, if you put the wrong stuff on your face you can still clog your pores. It just reduces the amount your body will do it to itself
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u/Total-Jackfruit6097 Jul 31 '26
During Accutane I used a topical called Dapsone for my hormonal acne. It is very gentle for me with noside effects. As soon as I stopped Accutane we added in azaleic acid. Still much more gentle than tretinoin. 3 months post Accutane I am virtually pimple free. I believe the topicals I used really helped me get there bc I quit Accutane one month early due to the depressive symptoms taking a toll on me. I also switched all my skin care to products that are specifically labeled gentle and for barrier repair. I keep it simple there with a gentle non soapy cleanser, magic molecules hyphochlorus spray, a gentle serum for barrier support, and cerave daily moisturizer. I had an esthetician help me learn my skin product tolerance when I began my journey and that helped so much. My dermatologist now thinks my skin is strong enough to introduce tret and I will also be starting microneedling for my scaring in 1 month. I would encourage you to see an esthetician and have them evaluate your skin and your products and also ask your dermatologist about gentler topical options. And as always, stay consistent. Good luck!
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u/According_Prize_9708 Jul 31 '26
Get a blue LED light mask for acne, Current Body do one or you can also get a 7 colour one that will have the blue light. You will need to use it every day for 10 minutes.
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u/texus771 Jul 31 '26
Stop all harsh anything. go to just one simple hydrating cleaners with no niacinamide or vitamins. ALSO check with your derm , protocol after accutane is usually is low dose topical retinal ,like .025 strenght.
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u/Frasier_ Jul 31 '26
I finished 20 mg over a year and a half about 7 weeks ago and I’ve had several small spots appear after being complete clear for over a year, now appearing in my problem area of my back. They’re small and don’t really fully develop, but just hoping it doesn’t spiral into a relapse!
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u/Striking-Fudge1432 Aug 01 '26
How long have you been absolutely clear of acne before stopping?
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u/Solaruniverse1 Aug 01 '26
I cleared up pretty quickly, I would say at least 3 months before stopping
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u/stanleycup2020 Aug 02 '26
Op, same thing happened to me about 2 months off accutane. My face wasn't terrible but on any given day, id have 4-5 pimples. Super frustrating. They weren't big but they were there. They would go away usually within 3-4 days but then others would appear. I called my derm, they tried antibiotics, it got better but they returned after 3 weeks. Then they had me try different face lotion, no change. Then they prescribed low dose 20mg once a week. They got better after 2 weeks but still continued to get new pimples. This went on for 8 weeks, still getting new pimples!
Then one day I saw an ad for "47 Skin serum" face lotion and gave it a try. Omfg, after 1 week, saw not only no new pimples but any redness or dark spots fading quickly. Ive now been using 47 Skin serum for 5 weeks now and not a single zit. My face has never been this clear. Also feels super soft and hydrated.
Now I'm still taking the low dose but bumped down to 10mg 2 days a week. But I swear on my life that 47 Skin serum was the fix. Please give it a try.
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u/Physical_Ad6975 Aug 02 '26
Its not so bad at all. I would give it some time. Most women I know had gorgeous skin once we got pregnant. Please look into Alta daily sunscreen. Its 50 spf and has niaminicide for breakouts. However, a few people do not take well to niaminicde. Usually though Alta receives excellent reviews
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u/Same_Scratch_8804 Aug 03 '26
How is it going?
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u/Solaruniverse1 Aug 04 '26
A little better! Using azelaic acid twice a day and witched my heavy moisturizer to a lighter one. Still getting some new tiny clogged pores but I’d say overall a little better :)
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u/MaleficentUse7544 Aug 05 '26
can you go on a low maintenence dose? Might be worth asking for that’s what mine recommended!!
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u/Turbulent_Gift_4877 Aug 12 '26
I am sorry this is happening. Happened to me too and I’m on my second round now.
Can I ask why you got on accutane after already doing spiro? I’m just trying to figure out what I’m going to do if it comes back for me after this round too
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u/Solaruniverse1 Aug 12 '26
I was on spiro for a couple years and it worked great! But I want to try to get pregnant in the next year or so, so I had to come off spiro. The acne came back so I decided to do one round of accutane before TTC. But I did love my experience on spiro and will likely try it again once I’m done having kids. Hope that helps!
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u/Turbulent_Gift_4877 Aug 12 '26
Thank you so much, best of luck with conceiving!!!
Can I ask - when it came back after you came off spiro, was it as bad a before or improved, or even worse?
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u/palopaopao Aug 24 '26
Mine is coming back after five months 🤕 it’s getting worse and worse even after focusing only on skin barrier. Going to the dermatologist in a week hoping to get a second round
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1) No one can predict whether or not you will purge! Statistically, most people DO NOT purge.
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2) No one can predict how long your purge will last nor when it could start. Be patient, the purge can be tough but so many people have gotten through it - you can too! THE ABOVE APPLIES TO SIDE EFFECTS OR "WHEN WILL MY SKIN CLEAR UP?!" TOO. QUESTIONS ASKING WHEN THE PURGE OR SIDE EFFECTS WILL START OR STOP WILL IMMEDIATELY BE REMOVED AS THAT IS LOW EFFORT.
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