"It’s a myth that Accutane is always unacceptable for women in their childbearing years"
I felt a mix of emotions reading the Inbox letter from the woman who’s come to terms with her cystic acne after years of running after every new cream, treatment, and diet. I applaud her decision to work on her self-confidence instead of focusing on the state of her face. That’s really what we should all be doing: It’s the inside that counts! However, I was extremely confused by her reluctance to go on Accutane for such a bad case of cystic acne.
I had a very similar case to the letter writer’s — some pimples in high school that turned into a terrible case of monstrous cystic acne while pregnant with my first child. I went from looking like your regular happy newlywed to being pointed at in the street, laughed at by children. I once heard a small child ask his father, “What’s wrong with that lady?”
The cysts were painful, unsightly, and did not immediately go away after I gave birth. After consulting with some of the top dermatologists in my area, I decided to go on Accutane. Six months later, my skin was perfectly clear, and over the past 15 years, it’s stayed perfectly clear, through many healthy pregnancies and births of healthy children.
Accutane cannot be taken while pregnant but may 100 percent be safely taken during childbearing years, as long as the patient is under the care of an experienced dermatologist and a comprehensive medical plan is drawn up. The letter writer bemoans the fact that “sometimes there are no options,” yet has made the unconventional decision not to try the very best option for cystic acne: Accutane. While I respect her personal decision, it’s a myth that Accutane is always unacceptable for women in their childbearing years, and it’s one that shouldn’t be perpetuated.
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