New' Bachelorette' Hannah Brown Reveals She Struggled with Acne While Filming 'The Bachelor '

The newest Bachelorette revealed she took prescription acne drug Accutane while filming The Bachelor

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Published on March 14, 2019 11:59 AM

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Our newest Bachelorette Hannah Brown got candid about her battle with acne while she was vying for Colton Underwood’s heart on the last season of The Bachelor.

The 24-year-old Alabama native opened up about her skin struggles during a very honest question and answer Instagram Live with her fans. Brown said that the acne had gotten so severe, that she ultimately decided to go on Accutane — a highly potent prescription treatment taken for four to five months to reduce severe breakouts.

“I was on it during the show, but I was in the purging stage,” Brown said of the stage where the drug expels oil from the pores.

ABC's "The Bachelor" - Season 23 — Josh Vertucci/Getty

The “purging” period Brown referenced is first four to six weeks of Accutane, otherwise known as isotretinoin, treatment. “We tell patients that the acne can increase in severity during that time,” N.Y.C. dermatologist Dr. Cindy Bae tells PEOPLE. “It is dreaded by many because the acne worsens, but it is just temporary.”

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Since starting her Accutane treatment, Brown switched up her skincare routine too. Refinery29 reports that now, the Bachelorette prefers to wash her face with a gentle cleanser from Alastin, then give her skin a dose of moisture with the SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel ($82). She completes the routine with a radiance-boosting vitamin C serum and Aquaphor ointment ($13.55), which soothes dry, flaky patches.

“I had a lot of blemishes during that time, so I have to be really careful about what I use on my skin,” Brown said on her Instagram Live.

Brown isn’t the first Bachelor star to get real about breakouts. Alum Bekah Martinez, who appeared on Arie Luyendyk Jr.‘s season of The Bachelor, frequently talked about her acne on social media.

She says that what some people don’t understand is the emotional toll it takes.

“I may seem overly emotional when I talk about it, but unless you’ve experienced it, you cannot possibly understand how cripplingly humiliating it is to have your face literally covered in severe acne,” she reveals. “It’s demoralizing. Ask anyone who’s suffered with severe acne and they’ll tell you the same — how they’ve broken down into tears just looking into a mirror, how they’ve avoided parties or leaving the house altogether for long periods of time.”

Martinez also shared two photos on Instagram, one showing the original condition of her skin (above), and one now (below).

“REAL TALK: my skin used to look like this for YEARS,” she writes about the photo above, adding, “and now (thank god) if you swipe left it looks like this!”