What It’s Like To Be Anti-Drugs But On Accutane

The choice to use Accutane is one that shouldn't be taken lightly. As our own assistant editor chronicled in a personal essay, this is a serious drug that can lead to life-altering effects on a person's skin and body. Still, cystic acne can have such a drastic effect on women's opinion of themselves that many make this tough decision knowing the potential side effects — even if they'd normally avoid something like aspirin.

Such was the experience of xoVain writer Christina Seimenis. Despite the fact that Seimenis is so averse to medications that she avoids painkillers even in the face of serious migraines, she decided to take Accutane to help her "painful, hormonal, cystic acne" — risking everything from dry skin to sore joints and severe stomach pains in the process.

Seimenis' story is a reminder that, however desperate one may feel to clear up his or her skin once and for all, Accutane is a serious drug that needs to be thoroughly researched and taken responsibly. While both our own Gabrielle and Seimenis decided that the trade-offs were worth it, we're hoping that newer, gentler acne medications will soon be available, so that acne sufferers won't have to make such grave choices in the quest for clear skin. The choice between physical pain and acne-related emotional trauma is one we're hoping future generations won't have to make. (xoVain)