I have taken Accutane on two occasions. Both as an adult. I can't remember if it was pre-TRT or while I was on TRT. I have always had acne issues, even before TRT, but TRT has either made it worse and/or difficult to eradicate.
I have no idea if Accutane jacked me up from a hormone perspective. It was never really even on my radar as a possibility when I was on it, so I didn't really attempt to connect any dots between my mood/libido and Accutane. I suppose it is possible that it contributed to issues that led me to TRT, but I can't say for sure.
Meanwhile, I still struggle with acne. Small, daily doses seem to be least offensive, while larger (50mg or more), more periodic doses cause breakouts. One of the biggest offenders for me is hCG. Within a few days, doses as small as 100IU per day give me greasy skin and acne flare ups. I think, but am not sure, that when I take anastrozole, my greasy skin improves. This would suggest that, at least for me, acne is either related to E2, or at least multifactorial.
I am currently on Sarecycline. It helps a little, but hasn't been great. I am seeing a new dermatologist, and the NP recently brought up Accutane. I am considering giving it a go again, but obviously don't want clear skin along with a miserable mood.
Are there guys out there that took Accutane without an obvious negative impact on mood? Do we think Accutane is as problematic as finasteride? How convinced are we that the Accutane stories are more than anecdotes? I am absolutely not dismissing anyone's concerns - just trying to get a sense of what we as a community of TRT guys think of Accutane before I consider using it again.
