How Vitamin A Reduced My Breakouts Naturally After Accutane Failed

2025-06-07 Vitamin Reviews Categroy：Vitamin A Views：27

Vitamin A supplements drastically slowed my severe acne flare-ups post-Accutane, offering a safer alternative to regulate oil production and accelerate skin healing without harsh side effects.

This is a review of product:

NOW Supplements, Vitamin A (Fish Liver Oil) 25,000 IU, Essential Nutrition, 250 Softgels

From Amazon.com

My Vitamin A Success Against Severe Cystic Acne

First off, I purchased Vitamin A in hopes of having a counter to my acne issue.

Here is my acne history:

I have what Dermatologists call Level 4 or Grade 4 Acne. What this means, my dear hopefuls, is that when I say I have BAD skin, I'm not whining because I get one or two pimples a month or a week. No, I had a FACE full of acne as a teenager, 18-21, which covered EVERY increment of skin on my face. For those of you unfortunate enough to understand what Level 4 acne is, it basically means NO antibiotic or topic medication can help your skin. Not only that, Level 4 acne is ONLY considered level 4 if you have what is called Cystic acne. Cystic acne is the type that grows UNDERNEATH the skin and develops into a nodule filled with bacteria. This type of acne cannot be treated without surgery or other invasive procedures. Guess how many I had? 4. I had two cystic acne the size of QUARTERS on both of my cheeks. So imagine me, an 18 year old bright-eyed college hopeful going to school with a face covered in acne that can only be described as the Acne God waging a self-esteem war on me. On top of that, I had cystic acne that inflicted SEVERE pain if I so much as touched it when washing my face.

Flash forward 4 years and I'm at my wits end. Proactive started my acne issue, neutrogena did nothing, L'oreal was useless, Skin ID did squat, eating organic foods made it slightly better. So, what's a 22 year old with a complexion of Swiss cheese to do? I went to the motherload of all Acne cures: Accutane. Yeah, I can feel you guys cringing. Accutane is the most effective but also the most destructive way to cure acne. You CANNOT be prescribed this without at least a Level 3 category acne and I had the whole clearance! Check me out! Jumping all the way to the top!

Anyways, more to the point, Accutane did everything it promised. Within 5 months, my acne stopped. My cystic acne dissolved within my cheeks and I was able to properly wash my face without wincing anymore. However, the side effects were horrendous. Accutane should have a slogan "Beauty is worth EVERYTHING" because those 5 months were hell. Depression, dry skin, terribly sore back (If I moved while I slept, I would bolt awake from the pain).

Flash forward 1 year. I am now 23, my acne is back.... Yeah, did I mention I had horrible acne? My acne is so bad, Accutane couldn't fix it. (Sounds like a yo mama joke). So a couple weeks ago, I decided to give this a try. I've read close to 100 acne blogs on the internet, cross referenced many claims (like using oil to wash your face....really?) and everything led me to just taking Vitamin A. Funny how the major skin care companies stress EXTERNAL help instead of taking a very cheap but healthy pill (Where there is money, there will always be deception and white lies). You can buy the most expensive cream in the world but if your insides are not regulated, your skin will NEVER look good, THAT is a fact.

Here is my reasoning (If you've read this far...man do you have bad acne):

Accutane is a derivative of Vitamin A much like Retin-A (another effective combatant of acne, do you see a trend? Vitamin A is acne's worse enemy!). Its medical name is Isotretinoin. When you are prescribed Accutane, the doctor takes into consideration your health, psychology, and weight. If ANY of these three are not up to standard, it is illegal for them to prescribe it. Why? My dermatologist put it best "Isotretinoin is a controlled OVERDOSE of Vitamin A". In order to control your acne, and cure it (not in my case), you have to overdose on Vitamin A to jolt your skin into producing less Sebum. Vitamin A is crucial in monitoring your oil production therefore, overdosing on it means your forcing the oil production to ALMOST cease. Of course, if you guys are thinking "Thanks guy on Amazon! I'm going to take 5 capsules a day for 5 months and cure my acne" you are DEAD wrong. Overdosing on Vitamin A without professional guidance causes liver failure, brain tumors, and death. When you are on Accutane, you have to sign a health waiver. Accutane is so dangerous, the patient must have a notarized document stating that they understand the risks. In the 5-6 months that you are required to take Accutane, you MUST come in for a monthly blood test and general health screening. I can't stress this enough. I've read Acne Blogs where young adults post about what they are going to do with this product. "I'm going to start taking 3 a day because I think 75,000 IU will be near the level of what Accutane is". Sure, you can do that but there are more peaceful ways to commit suicide. Did I mention that Accutane is prescribed according to your weight, age, and mental health history? You can't just self-medicate!

So far, it's been a week taking 1 capsule a day (Which is still 5 times more than the normal daily requirement of Vitamin A) and my skin has started to heal. I've gotten 1 new acne in a week...before taking these I got 8 in a day from stress. I'm still stressing but my acne growth has slowed considerably. So...YES this works, take it from a guy who survived Accutane and STILL gets level 2 acne (At least it divided my acne in half!). There really isn't a reason for it NOT to work because it's what Vitamin A does. For those of the reviewers who claimed it did nothing, they probably took it for three days and wrote the review. It takes a minimum of a week for any nutrients to show effect in your system.

Vitamin Basics & Tips

Understanding Vitamin A and Acne

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin critical for skin health, immune function, and vision. It regulates sebum production, the oily substance that can clog pores and cause acne when overproduced. The reviewer mentions using Vitamin A to combat cystic acne, a severe form characterized by deep, painful nodules beneath the skin. Unlike surface pimples, cystic acne often requires medical intervention due to its inflammatory nature.

Accutane (Isotretinoin) Explained

Accutane, a prescription medication derived from Vitamin A (retinoid), works by drastically reducing sebum production. However, it is a controlled overdose of Vitamin A, requiring strict medical supervision to avoid severe side effects like liver damage, depression, and birth defects. The reviewer highlights its temporary effectiveness and risks, emphasizing why they turned to safer Vitamin A supplements.

Why Vitamin A Supplements Work

At appropriate doses (e.g., 1 capsule daily), Vitamin A helps balance sebum without the dangers of overdosing. It supports skin cell turnover, reduces inflammation, and strengthens the skin barrier. The reviewer noticed fewer breakouts within a week, aligning with studies showing retinoids' anti-acne effects.

Safe Vitamin A Use

The daily recommended intake for adults is 900 mcg RAE (3,000 IU) for men and 700 mcg RAE (2,300 IU) for women. High-dose supplements (e.g., 10,000+ IU) should only be taken under medical guidance to avoid toxicity symptoms like dizziness or liver strain. Dietary sources like sweet potatoes, spinach, and eggs provide safer, gradual benefits.

Common Questions About Vitamin A

Q: Can Vitamin A replace prescription acne treatments?
A: For mild acne, supplements may help, but severe cases often require combined approaches. Always consult a dermatologist.
Q: How long until results appear?
A: Skin improvements typically take 4-6 weeks, as Vitamin A must accumulate in the body.
Q: Are topical retinoids better than oral supplements?
A: Topicals (e.g., retinol) target surface issues, while oral Vitamin A addresses internal causes like hormonal imbalances.