Skin Care Review: Accutane

When I read that someone felt that depression from Accutane was "bogus", I was forced to write in. It is not bogus; it is a genuine, albeit (thankfully) rare, reaction. I first took Accutane when it first came out in the early 80's. I was on 40 mgs. for about six weeks, and aside from the dry lips and some subtle skin changes, it went well. My skin stayed clear for about 8 months, and then the acne gradually returned. Years later, another Dermatologist placed me on it again, only this time, on a full dose (40 mgs. AM and PM). After about 10 days, I fell into a gradual depression until one morning, I found myself crying for no reason. I didn't take the AM dose, and by the afternoon, I was fine. Several years later, a third Derm put me on Accutane. When I told her about my bout of depression, she also placed me on Prozac. That worked, except I ended up with bleeding gums, another rare side affect. It wasn't meant to be. But just because it hasn't happened to you, please don't say that it's "bogus".