As I embark upon the next phase of my acne journey, I thought it would be wise to document my experience from start to finish. The next phase begins as I decide to try to clear my skin once and for all. This has been a long time coming and I hope this is the final chapter of a very long saga!

I have written this article chronologically, detailing the various phases I have gone through from my first breakout to where I am now. It is worth noting that this is just my experience, an anecdotal perspective if you will, and one thing I have learnt is that something may work wonders for one person, may do the complete opposite for another. If you or someone you know is struggling with acne, I hope this blog provides some reassurance that having acne is not the be-all and end-all, although at times it can feel that way.

Bad Decisions

There is often the belief that spots start in the teenage years when puberty is in full flow and hormones are raging. This is why, aged 10, I found it quite distressing that my forehead was a minefield of hard, painful zits, particularly as I wasn’t much of an early bloomer. I had a good diet, was very active and was just like every other 10 year old in my class… except I was the only one with bad skin. I remember my mum doing everything she could to help, and she still does to this day, but I was a determined young girl and thought I knew exactly what to do… cue the bad decisions.

Trial and Error

The acne carried on into my teen years at a consistent level, I was always broken out in some way and my skin was really oily. As I got older, the spots seemed to travel downwards, and by 13 my whole face was covered. I was beginning to feel helpless, and the only thing that made me feel better was that many of my classmates were now developing spots, and whilst I didn’t want anyone else to suffer from acne, I no longer felt like an anomaly.

My parents saw it taking a toll on my happiness and as the spots were not budging, I decided to see a doctor. I left with a prescription of benzoyl peroxide and zineryt, feeling hopeful and excited to start using them. 4 weeks down the line and my skin was sore, dry, and still as spotty. I was then given erythromycin (antibiotics) and saw some improvement, but the spots returned soon after I finished the course.

By 15 I needed more specialist help, so I went to see a dermatologist who put me on a course of light therapy, alongside weekly microdermabrasion (a facial vacuum cleaner essentially). Unfortunately, the microdermabrasion didn’t work for me, instead of producing smooth, rejuvenated skin as I had hoped, it popped my active acne (whiteheads) and spread the infection around my face. I then went to several facialists and had acid peels and extraction facials (it's as painful as it sounds) which again made no difference…To cut a long story short- you name it, I’ve tried it. It got to the point where I felt bad that my parents had invested so much money and effort into my skin, and nothing was improving. It sounds pretty dire, but the story goes up from here.

If we then go to the beginning of 2021, I decided to see a dermatologist in the hope of finally clearing my skin. I had a consultation with Dr Clayton at Derma Reading, who was understanding, empathetic and listened to me whilst I explain every product, antibiotic and cream I have tried, chapter and verse. I suspected she would suggest Roaccutane, a very serious acne drug, and the only thing I had not tried, however, I was very wary of this drug and ruled it out as an option due to my anxiety regarding the side effects. She appreciated this and instead suggested I tried Treclin gel, a combination topical gel containing clindamycin (an antibiotic) and tretinoin (a vitamin A retinoid). I applied this gel for three months and to my surprise, my skin cleared tremendously, albeit not completely. I was happy with the results but as time went on, the level of acne clearance was beginning to plateau. I returned to Dr Clayton and asked If I could try something stronger. She suggested Tretinoin cream on its own which is the retinoid element of the Treclin that seemed to be working well for me. I applied this consistently for a further 3 months and the condition of my skin continued to improve, and I was generally happy with my progress, however, as with many of the other topical preparations I had tried, the results begin to dwindle at the 3-month mark.

It is now the end of August 2021, and I had persisted with clearing my acne topically for a good 5/6 months, but I still wasn’t completely happy with my skin. It was time to go back to the drawing board and back to Dr Clayton to reassess Roaccutane, the final resort. I don’t want to put anyone off considering Roaccutane as it is widely considered a miracle drug for clearing acne and surprise (!)… I am about to go on it.

I want this blog to give a little hope to anyone suffering from acne, or who may be considering Roaccutane. If you are apprehensive about starting acne medication then please do follow my journey as I document the ups and downs of Roaccutane with the goal of getting closer to better skin once and for all.

Read Part Two >