This post’s headline is a compilation of questions I’ve received from people struggling with the terrible dryness caused by Accutane, a prescription acne medication that pretty much shuts down the body’s sebum production. With its supply of natural oils cut off, skin can’t retain moisture. Aaaand it’s winter — the very worst time of the year to be stuck dealing with Accutane-dry-out, which can lead to painful cracks in the skin and the lips (my friend Susan underwent Accutane treatments several winters ago — torture, until she got to know several key Avène and La Roche-Posay products).
To soothe the extreme dryness and make skin and lips more comfortable, start with these two steps:
Get a humidifier — or get two, one for your living room or home office and one for your bedroom. Your poor skin needs any extra moisture you can put in the air.
Stock up on La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Recovery Accelerator ($19, well.ca) — the stuff is miraculous for traumatized skin and lips — read about Cicaplast here. Apply it after serum to flaky skin, and to lips, too.
Now here’s what you need for face, lips and body. You’ll notice a lot of La Roche-Posay and Avène mentions; both lines specialize in soothing stressed-out skin. In fact, Avène has a cleanser and moisturizer designed specifically for people coping with severely dry skin as a result of acne treatments.
Face Care
1) Switch to a creamy cleanser. Try Spectro Derm cleanser for dry, sensitive skin ($7.79, well.ca), or Avène Clean-AC Cleansing Cream ($27, drugstores) for face and body, which is formulated to soothe irritation and reduce inflammation in skin undergoing harsh acne treatments.
2) Mist face with thermal water.Try Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray ($16, well.ca). Let moisture sit for a minute, then apply serum/face cream while skin is still a bit damp. (I tend to go on about thermal water, La Roche-Posay and Avène in particular, because they’re sooo good for delicate and upset skin. Read more about La Roche-Posay and Avène thermal spring water here.)
3) Apply hydrating serum on damp skin. Try any of these: all-natural Consonant HydrExtreme ($72/10 mL, consonantbody.com); Guerlain Super-Aqua Serum ($150, Guerlain boutiques and department stores); Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum ($44, drugstores); La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum ($38.50, drugstores); and Vichy Aqualia Thermal Daily Care Serum ($38, drugstores).
4) Moisturize with a face cream designed for sensitive and/or traumatized skin. Try Avène Clean-AC Hydrating Cream ($24, drugstores), which moisturizes with thermal spring water, helps skin retain moisture with safflower oil, coconut oil, shea butter and glycerin, and reduces inflammation, too. Sunscreen is a must; La Roche-Posay Hydraphase UV SPF 30 ($41, well.ca) has it built right in. La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Rich Texture ($38, well.ca) could work as a night version. The La Roche-Posay Toleriane soothing moisturizers are also good bets.
5) Treat super-dry patches with La Roche-Posay Cicaplast. (Seriously, amazing stuff.)
Lip Care
1) Do not use a toothbrush to buff your lips smooth. That’s just too rough. Instead, very gently rub lips as smooth as you can with a wrung-out hot washcloth.
2) Dab lips with hydrating serum before you apply balm. This one little move made such a difference for me that it’s my new favourite winter tip.
3) Treat lips with Cicaplast if necessary.
4) Layer on a highly emollient, conditioning lip balm formula that helps keep moisture in while it attracts moisture from your surroundings. A waxy balm is not going to do the trick — you need something more like an ointment, a soft texture. Try La Mer The Balm or Rodial Glam Balm Lip. If you’d like something at a lower price point, consider Live Clean Baby Non-Petroleum Jelly ($7.49, well.ca), or Burt’s Bees Baby Bees Multipurpose Ointment ($13.29, well.ca), both of which are non-petroleum alternatives to Vaseline. They’re made of natural oils and beeswax, which will help nourish your lips as well as keep moisture in. (Vaseline might actually help; it’s so good for noses rubbed raw by tissues when you have a cold.) Also, the new Polysporin Lip Health Overnight ($5.99, drugstores) balm, a creamy, unmedicated blend of petrolatum, lanolin, mineral oil and cocoa seed butter, is pretty good.
Body care
1) Use a moisturizing body cleanser. Try La Roche-Posay Lipikar Surgras Concentrated Anti-Dryness Shower Cream (drugstores) or CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($17.49, well.ca), or previously-mentioned Avène Clean-AC Cleansing Cream ($27, drugstores), which can be used on the face, too.
2) Apply body lotion to still-damp limbs. Try La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm ($34, larocheposay.ca), or CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion ($17.49, well.ca) or CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($25.49, well.ca). Note: if your skin stings when you apply body lotion or cream, don’t freak out. Traumatized skin can do that sometimes; the stinging will go away as the skin heals.
3) Keep a thermal water spray around in case you need to re-apply body moisturizer — mist skin first so there’s moisture to seal in.
Has anyone else had to deal with Accutane? In winter? Do you have any tips to share?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh god, I still remember the lip balm addiction I experienced during my Accutane days. It was so bad that if I left the house without a tube I would have to immediately go to a drugstore and purchase something new. (And if only I had known about these products back then!)
Another thing for Accutane peeps: DO NOT get anything waxed while you’re on it. Unless you want to replace the hair removed from your eyebrows, say, with giant scabs.
I’m like that about balm everyday! And thanks for the waxing tip — such an important reminder. (Also, you have such lovely skin!)
Why thank you :) I did the Accutane thing when I was 15…. and didn’t have a single pimple or blackhead for 7 years. (But the last 7 years… not so much.) My skin is certainly better now than when I was 14 but I wish the results could have lasted longer!
is this something like, if not better than, the celebrated eight hours skin protectant by EA? I can’t decide between the two. Come winter my skin gets super-dry and the upper line of my lips is a disaster…i’ve tried almond oil, argan oil, hydrating serums…apart from the usual lip balms, to soothe the irritated skin, nothing works.
Actually, I love EA’s Eight Hour Skin Protectant! I think the key is that whatever you use needs to be rather thickly emollient and have good staying power — the staying power of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, frankly. Petrolatum is a serious sealant; that’s why it works. So far I’ve found the Live Clean and Burt’s Bees versions hold up pretty well and nourish the skin with natural oils and antioxidants.
Did you apply balm over the oils/serums?
yes, have a serious balm addiction…have to have a tube of it everywhere!
So you suggest 8 hours? my skin is pretty ok otherwise, no major healing issues. It just needs to keep that moisture in!
Definitely worth trying — and actually, this month Elizabeth Arden released a brand new Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm ($28) you might want to try. It contains petrolatum as well as shea butter, palm tree butter, an essential-fatty-acids complex, honey extract and antioxidants.
I did a long course of Accutane in my early 20s. I have since developed many skin allergies and have continuing problems with dry skin.
I am now 37 and dealing with a non-melanoma skin cancer on my face. (Can’t help but think Accutane may be partially to blame).
PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO USE SUN PROTECTION (Yes, even in winter)!
Have you tried Avène or La Roche-Posay for your skin, Ferney? Those two brands are so well known for their soothing abilities. Am so sorry to hear about your ongoing struggle. Thank you for the hugely important reminder about SPF!
Hey Janine,
Thanks for your well wishes.
Yes I am a huge fan of Avène which a dermatologist put me onto years ago. My poor skin just loves it!
I have less experience with La Roche-Posay, but am thinking about picking up some Cicaplast for the scarring post-op.
Cicaplast is SO GOOD! I’ve been stocking up on Cicaplast Balm every time I go to Paris; it should soon be available in Canada, but I couldn’t wait. (Liza’s fault — she brought a tube of the balm back for me a few months ago, which triggered an obsession…)
EUCERINE aquaphor soothing skin balm was the ONLY thing that seemed to work on my cracked horrible lips when i was on accutane couple of months ago.. try it out.
So many people love Aquaphor — thanks for your suggestion, Gabriela!
Hi, thank you so much for your helpful tips! I was recommend the Avene products which lead me to this post. I have just started Accutane, today is only day 2. So I plan to be well prepared and will also document what products I have used and that worked the best. I wish you could just make me a shopping list of things to buy! Thanks agian! :)