Month Two On Roaccutane (NHS)

So, I've now been on Roaccutane on the NHS for two whole months?! Whaaaaat. Where has that time gone? After years of problems with my skin, I genuinely cannot believe that we're actually coming out of the other side AND WE ARE GLOWING. Who'd have thought we'd see the day?

In case you're new around here and have no idea who I am or what my acne journey has been so far, I've previously written about my first month on Roaccutane which will more than get you up to speed. But, in short, I've had acne for the last seven or so years, and in 2020 I finally got referred to a dermatologist to have Roaccutane on the NHS. 

As you can see, my skin is definitely improving and I am SO pleased with how it is looking already. My face is no longer as sore and red, and for the first time in a good few years, it's actually looking smooth??

Now, during the first month of treatment, my lips and the skin around my nose was SO dry. I'm talking flaking off in chunks and could probably have been served on top of pasta and called parmesan kinda dry. But, I'm very fortunate that this has very much calmed down, and besides some expected dryness to the lips, I'm really not suffering with any superrrrr dry skin at the moment! 

I've mentioned it before, but I recently updated my Roaccutane skincare routine and I feel like I've finally found a good combination of products that are working for me, so I definitely also attribute some of my skin success to them too. 

One bizarre side effect I did have over the course of last month was bleeding gums. Now, this isn't something I've ever had before but for a couple of days, my gums were bleeding when I brushed my teeth. They weren't hurting at all, I'd just notice it when I spat the toothpaste out. Fortunately, this hasn't happened again since! 

On the topic of things I'd never had before Roaccutane: eczema. About three weeks into my treatment I started developing eczema on the backs of my hands and up my arms. Now, we can't fully blame the Roaccutane for this, seeing as we're currently amidst a pandemic and all washing our hands far more than usual, but I'm pleased to report that the eczema has very much calmed down and is now more than manageable. 

Two more things I'd like to mention in this update; my hair doesn't get as greasy as it once did and I'm able to go daaays without it being desperate for a wash, wahey, but, I'm still getting some muscle soreness after exercise, boo. If/when I do a particularly strenuous workout, I find that my limbs really ache for far longer than usual, so I'm still sticking to doing things a little less impactful. 

At 6 weeks I had a blood test, and my results all came back clear, meaning I got the green light to continue with the treatment. My mood has also been absolutely fine meaning my dermatologist suggested upping my dose to 60mg as this should reduce my treatment time without disrupting things too much!  

I had a bit of a palaver trying to get my next supply of tablets, but am happy to report that it's now been sorted and the next prescription is currently being written. The current plan is to take 60mg of Isotretinoin for the next three months and then go back and see the dermatologist for a review after that. 

And there we have it, my second month on Roaccutane. Again, it's not been anywhere near as bad as I was expecting and I'm very pleased with the results so far... I cannot wait to see how it's all looking in three months' time! I try and post weekly video updates on my Instagram story, so if you'd like to follow my Roaccutane journey even more, that is definitely the place to go... 

Day 1 of Treatment / After 1 Month of Treatment / After 2 Months of Treatment