Monday, January 11, 2010

About three years ago I went on Roaccutane to improve my skin. The drug is a working miracle. And it worked. Until this past August, I noticed my skin began getting bad again. I gave it four months before deciding it wasn't a 'phase'. I went back to my dermatologist today and he prescribed me some more. Yay. I think it's going to be another 180 or so days of treatment. He said that it's a harsh but brilliant drugs, and for nine out of ten people it works first time, but there's always that 3% of people who need a second round (not sure about his maths there but anyway...) and I fall into that 3%. With my history of medical minority lotteries I seem to win, this doesn't surprise me.

The drug is a strong one, and stops your body producing any oil at all. So the risk of side effects is long. And to even get a prescription for it, I had to pass a pregnancy test! And you *have* to go on the pill with it, it's pretty much a legal requirement. Too bad, I fell into a minority of suffering a dangerous side effect of that one too! (I swear they should just post my photo at the end of those warning leaflets and say 'go ask her' for the rare side effects). It also means I have to get my hair done this week before starting because your hair goes crazy dry on it too. Inevitably I will have lots of people offering their own solutions to their skin problems when I tell people I'm on this. Kind of a "what would you be wanting to be on that for? My auntie Josephine always swears by grapes before bed time for her skin" etc, etc. Akin to telling someone your drive took 6hours and they respond with, "did you know it's possible to walk and you'll still get there?"

But I digress. I am vain. I like my skin and my hair. And I'm impatient and this drug works. Or it's supposed to work. Fingers crossed!