She gets up and drags herself to bathroom. She looks in the mirror… “Oh no!” A huge zit on her forehead. There were three choices, pop it, disguise it or doctor it. 

  “When I get a pimple, I put a pimple patch on it,” senior Damaris Gallegos said. “It usually helps.” 

  Pimple patches, which came in clear or colors and shapes, were one option.  Facial washes or medicine prescribed by a dermatologist was another option.

   One such medicine was isotretinoin capsules of which the most common brand was Accutane. 

  “I go to a dermatologist in Midland,” senior Rachelle Neufeld said. “I was prescribed to be on Accutane in middle school.”

Medicines like Accutane come with a variety of side effects.

  According to the Cleveland Clinic, Accutane has been linked to allergic reactions like skin rashes, itching hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. 

  It could also come with change in vision or hearing as well as headaches. 

  Accutane has also been linked to liver injury, right upper belly pain, loss of appetite, pancreatitis, severe stomach pain that can cause fever, nausea and vomiting. light-colored stool, dark yellow or brown urine, yellowing skin or eyes and unusual weakness or fatigue. 

  It could also cause mood and behavior changes such as anxiety, nervousness, confusion, hallucinations, irritability, hostility, thoughts of suicide or self hard, worsening mood or feelings of depression. 

  People who have used Accutane also had redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, as well as dryness or irritation of the eyes, lips and mouth or joint or muscle pain.

  “My nose bled for days on end,” Neufeld said. “I had really dry skin. I had to use Chapstick every other second because everything was so dry. It was just not a good time in my life. You get really sad, you get mood swings, your mental health kind of plummets, but once you get off it, it gets a lot better.”

  According to GoodRx Health, Accutane works well for people with severe, scarring acne. There are, however, alternatives if a person’s skin doesn’t respond to Accutane which include topical retinoids, antibacterial medications and hormonal treatments.

Topical retinoids are medications derived from vitamin A formulated as a cream, lotion, foam, emulsion or gel. They work by helping unclog pores and regulate skin cell growth so pores don’t get clogged as often. One popular brand, CeraVe, contains topical retinoids, such as CeraVe Anti Aging Retinol Serum. 

  The polar opposite skin is relatively problem-free. Senior Erick Ramos, for instance, said he doesn’t have as many skin issues. 

  “I just use a bar of soap to wash my face,” Ramos said. “It keeps my skin clear, so I’m going to keep doing it.”

  Other options include hyaluronic acid or niacinamide. Hyaluronic acid occurs naturally in the body’s connective tissue. It is a main component to giving the skin structure with a plump, hydrated look.  Niacinamide, also called nicotinamide, is a form of vitamin B3 found in foods like meat, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables and cereals. It helps to maintain healthy cells. 

   When a student woke up with that zit, the options were as varied as the price range or effectiveness.