Accutane cleared my acne but gave me severe treatment resistant keratosis pilaris all over my face and body. Please help me.

I am currently crying in my bathroom over my severe Accutane induced keratosis pilaris. I finished Accutane in April 2022. My KP is all over my face, my neck, my back, and my upper arms. It even goes down my sides.

It’s not just a little bit of redness, it’s huge keratin filled bumps. My skin looks and feels like sandpaper.

I went on Accutane in September 2021 to get rid of my face and chest acne, partially because I struggled so much with skin picking. For a few blissful months last winter, my skin was smooth all over my body and face. I was thrilled, as I’d had acne since I was 12. I felt like I was finally free and that I’d conquered my skin issues once and for all.

The bumps started around February during my course on my upper arms and forearms. It spread to my shoulders, back, sides, and even butt for a while. The ones on my forearms and butt seemed to get a bit better once I got off Accutane.

I no longer have acne, but I cannot stop picking at the KP bumps on my arms and face. I am covered in red welts and bruises on my arms and back. I am constantly covering my body because I’m so embarrassed of my skin. When I do manage to stop picking for a few weeks, the bumps get bigger and bigger no matter what I do.

In the past six months I have tried steroid creams, fish oil pills, vitamin D supplements, glycolic acid, lactic acid, urea, OTC retinol, salicylic acid, you name it. Salux cloths, dry brushing, Dead Sea salt baths, oatmeal, even antifungals. I tried getting sun on it and going in the ocean, both made it worse. I’ve tried using bland lotion and not scrubbing at it. I tried tretinoin for my face per my derm and it gave me perioral dermatitis which she now put me on an antibiotic for.

I’ve seen the dermatologist multiple times in the past six months and they just suggest a new OTC cream and throw their hands up like its no big deal, when this condition is ruining my life. They repeatedly told me it would “go away” a few months after Accutane. It’s been four months and it hasn’t.

My most recent visit to the dermatologist ended with her recommending Differin, but a lot of people on Reddit have said it doesn’t work, so I’m hesitant, especially because it takes months to see if it would even work for me. I’m going to give it a try but I’m not hopeful.

I am so at a loss with what to do with my skin. I’m going into see a different dermatologist next week to beg her to help me. I’d spend thousands if it meant getting rid of this.

Please, anyone who had severe, Accutane induced KP, please tell me what you’ve used that has actually worked. I’m so desperate. I just want my life back. I’m too embarrassed to go to the pool, to wear sleeveless clothes, to date, and to leave my apartment.

Discloser: I am in therapy once a week with a therapist specializing in anxiety, OCD, and body focused repetitive behaviors, I am on an anti-anxiety medication/antidepressant, and I take NAC every day. My bloodwork is all normal currently.