Why you should give Sotret (accutane) a try

note: sotret is the same thing with accutane. The only thing that differs is the brand name. But both of them contain the same substance: isotretinoin, which helps control the acne. So whether I'm using "sotret" or "accutane", I am talking about the same thing.

I am sure everyone thinks deeply before starting a Sotret (or accutane) treatment. And I'm saying that because I did that too. I knew that this new dermatologist was going to prescribe Sotret (as I have a colleague that was on this treatment and visited the same doctor) so I had thought before if I should go for this treatment or not. And I did it.

Well, let me say my opinion about this. First of all, you should think whether you need the sotret/accutane treatment or not. If you have mild acne and you haven't tried anything before, I would suggest you not to jump right into it. Just try to see the reason why you suffer from acne. It may be the hormones, the dirty skin etc. And of course, visit a doctor. If everything seems to be fine but you can't get rid of that acne, then ask your dermatologist if he is ok with you following sotret treatment. 

But to stick to the treatment you have to be motivated. Of course, while some people are motivated by their extremely bad acne, others still try to inform as much as possible about the treatment. Before starting out, read the sotret side effects (see my 2nd months side effects here). The first side effect you will notice is the dry skin and lips (I wrote about it here). Keep in mind that your skin will peel and it will not look that good in the first months. I accepted this challenge because my acne looks damn crappy anyway. So why would that side effect bother me, while the pills may cure my acne? The other side effects you may notice are: back aches/joint pain, lack of concentration (I notice both of them), bleeding nose etc. Not to forget the fact that you may experience breakouts (during the entire course, periodically, rarely or never, depending on your luck). Also, you should take regular blood tests (1 test per month/a month and a half would do), to make sure the liver is not affected by the sotret treatment. And if you notice some weird or bad side effects, let your doctor know. 

Now that you are aware of all the sotret side effects and you know for how much time you will take the pills (some people do it for 5 months, others for 8 etc), maybe you should start the treatment. By the way, don't even think about following the sotret treatment without seeing a doctor. 

And to mention what motivated me: there are lots of chances to get rid of the acne. I know I'll have cracked lips and skin for months, I know I can breakout so I may look worse than ever. But who wouldn't prefer this for a couple of months than having acne for a long period of time?