"i went on accutane when i was 18 years old. you have to be on birth control before and have 2 negative pregnancy tests before being prescribed accutane. then you have to be tested every month for pregnancy. it took me about 6 months to actually begin the treatment. you need to be very strict and diligent about taking it. you will not starting seeing any improvement for at least 6 months (i was on it for a year) and your acne might get a little worse before it gets better. my skin did clear up a lot after i was on it. however, 4 years later it all came back for some reason. side effects include: very dry skin (face, hands, feet, etc.) i would recommend it for anyone who has moderate to severe acne."