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Does Accutane Stunt/Stop Growth?

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(@overtness)

Posted : 05/30/2006 12:13 am

Hey Guys,

This is really important to me (as probably to most people) but, does accutane stunt growth? I've heard that it causes 'premature epiphyseal closure" - meaning you wont grow. Has anyone here continued to grow taller while taking it or afterwards- even if only one inch? My argument has been countered with whats written on this link -

 

http://www.teengrowth.com/index.cfm?action...&ID_Advice=4666

 

Ive also been scrambling online to see any reports of stunted height - very few but theyre there.

 

I've talked with at least three doctors and they said that they 'it doesnt'. But I'm still not too sure. Is it a common thing that accutane would do this? Considering that Isotretinoin comes from Vitamin A; Dont you need Vitamin A for bone growth anyways? I know that pharmacutical companies have to report EVERYTHING in the warning label and Im sure some short kid blamed his shortness on the drug. But is stunted growth a common thing? And to think that they prescribe it to 12 year olds? Its hard to think they would allow this on the market if it could stunt a 4'10" 12 year old boy in his height.

 

The reason I'm asking this is because my uncle, when he was 21, was 5' even - he joined the military when he was 21 and a half. When he got out (he was 24) he stood a full 6'. My pediatrician doc says theres a chance of something like that happening to me but I dont want accutane to mess anything up even though I already took a light moderate dose of it. I'm 20 now and stand 5'6" but come from a reletively tall family.

 

I might as well jump off a building if it completely stunted my growth.

 

acne sucks!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyways, I'm looking forward to see what you write.

 

Chris

 

 

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(@nair)

Posted : 05/30/2006 12:24 am

on one of russian acne-related boards ive spotted some guy telling that as a result of taking accutane, his "i-dont-remember-which (ephitarium or something like that...)" zones of growth were "closed" so he will not grow anymore. anyway, he said accutane was a good experience for him besides this problem. i guess it doesnt hapen to everyone, but there is a chance...

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(@moose79)

Posted : 05/30/2006 2:45 am

well exercising alot increases growth hormone in your body so maybe thats why your uncle got so tall same problem with me im worried about that side effect but actually ive been growing so ya just excercise alot youll be fine and my derm said the same that it doesnt cause that so its all good

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(@_lara_)

Posted : 05/30/2006 5:23 am

Ok so epiphyseal growth plate fusion is caused by oestrogen and accutane is basically pure vitamin A so I can't see how that would work. I wouldn't worry, I'm sure it won't stunt your growth. Unless the body has made a new way of converting vit A into oestrogen which isn;t possible.

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(@overtness)

Posted : 05/30/2006 6:29 pm

Ok so epiphyseal growth plate fusion is caused by oestrogen and accutane is basically pure vitamin A so I can't see how that would work. I wouldn't worry, I'm sure it won't stunt your growth. Unless the body has made a new way of converting vit A into oestrogen which isn;t possible.

 

 

 

idk.......ive heard ppl grew after taking it but some said that it stopped them from further growth. that really sucks. roache is a whore company if it makes medicine that stunts kids growth.

 

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(@_lara_)

Posted : 05/31/2006 4:37 am

 

Ok so epiphyseal growth plate fusion is caused by oestrogen and accutane is basically pure vitamin A so I can't see how that would work. I wouldn't worry, I'm sure it won't stunt your growth. Unless the body has made a new way of converting vit A into oestrogen which isn;t possible.

 

 

 

idk.......ive heard ppl grew after taking it but some said that it stopped them from further growth. that really sucks. roache is a whore company if it makes medicine that stunts kids growth.

 

 

I think that you are being way to concerned about it. A Lot of medical research is extrememly flawed and you can't do proper trials on children anyway so it would be hard to know how accurate their data was. If it was a real problem then they would not be allowed to make the drug. I've done a lot of biochemistry whilst being at medical school and as far as I can see there is no way that vit A and oestrogen (that causes bone fusion) are related. If you think that people grow after stopping taking accutane that is again a little hard to imagine as the production of growth hormone and thyroxine (the hormones responsible for growth) are not affected by vitamin A which is what accutane basically is. Also thyroxine is carried by vitamin A to cells therefore, in theory you should grow better as there would be more Vit A in your system to carry the thyroxine. I think you need to check your sources again and see how reliable they actually are.

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(@screw_acne)

Posted : 05/31/2006 10:23 am

dude ur uncle was 5 feet exactly at 21 and grew up to 6 ft by 24 ??? omg ... no offense he didnt go through puberty ? can u let me know more of what he did , im 5'9'' i want to be like 6'1''.

 

neway back to ur question , i grew 1/2 inch after tane lol

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(@overtness)

Posted : 05/31/2006 2:41 pm

dude ur uncle was 5 feet exactly at 21 and grew up to 6 ft by 24 ??? omg ... no offense he didnt go through puberty ? can u let me know more of what he did , im 5'9'' i want to be like 6'1''.

 

neway back to ur question , i grew 1/2 inch after tane lol

 

 

i dont know what he did exactly, but he has pictures and everything. when he first signed up to the army at 21, he was told jokingly, "we dont take kids". but he went anyways. he was only 5 feet tall exactly. he trained hard, ran 10 miles a day. he told me that as a whiny little kid he barely ate any food -only candy and sweets and ice cream and things that tasted good. there was none of that in the army for him -only real food there. so he started there with a really healthy diet and half a year in he started to grow taller and taller. he went into the army literally looking like a little boy and came out a man. this, by the way, was the communist-era polish army in the 80's when they pushed you to the extreme limits. so i theorize that-

 

-blood curdling intense workout (crazy communist-era eastern/central european army workout)

-eating tons of healthy protein rich foods

-running 10 miles a day

-150 pull ups daily

 

will make you taller. itll certainly make you more buff.

 

i really do think that my uncle set some sort of record for growing so tall soooo late.

 

but seriously if accutane stunts your growth - id be pissed as hell. thats why im askin to see if anyone grew afterwards even if only slightly

 

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(@screw_acne)

Posted : 05/31/2006 8:19 pm

i really dont think it will if u dont over-dosage it , seriously u shouldnt be worried too much. its just freaking vitamin A and others really.

how tall are u parents? if u are very worried u can go to a local hospital and let them XRAY ur right hand to check ur boneage out, technically if ur boneage is 17-18 u should stop growing or in other words growing speed is less substantial. u should go check , really. mines already 17 :( im only 5'9'' , my dad is 5'6'' and my uncle is 6'3''. this sux.

 

btw , ask ur parents and ur relatives are they late boomers..

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(@energizer)

Posted : 06/01/2006 12:23 am

5"9 - 5"11 is the best height I think.

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(@screw_acne)

Posted : 06/01/2006 3:22 am

6'0'' - 6'3'' is

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(@overtness)

Posted : 06/04/2006 12:25 am

anyone else?

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(@andd)

Posted : 06/04/2006 7:27 am

Hey Guys,

This is really important to me (as probably to most people) but, does accutane stunt growth? I've heard that it causes 'premature epiphyseal closure" - meaning you wont grow. Has anyone here continued to grow taller while taking it or afterwards- even if only one inch? My argument has been countered with whats written on this link -

 

http://www.teengrowth.com/index.cfm?action...&ID_Advice=4666

 

Ive also been scrambling online to see any reports of stunted height - very few but theyre there.

 

I've talked with at least three doctors and they said that they 'it doesnt'. But I'm still not too sure. Is it a common thing that accutane would do this? Considering that Isotretinoin comes from Vitamin A; Dont you need Vitamin A for bone growth anyways? I know that pharmacutical companies have to report EVERYTHING in the warning label and Im sure some short kid blamed his shortness on the drug. But is stunted growth a common thing? And to think that they prescribe it to 12 year olds? Its hard to think they would allow this on the market if it could stunt a 4'10" 12 year old boy in his height.

 

The reason I'm asking this is because my uncle, when he was 21, was 5' even - he joined the military when he was 21 and a half. When he got out (he was 24) he stood a full 6'. My pediatrician doc says theres a chance of something like that happening to me but I dont want accutane to mess anything up even though I already took a light moderate dose of it. I'm 20 now and stand 5'6" but come from a reletively tall family.

 

I might as well jump off a building if it completely stunted my growth.

 

acne sucks!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyways, I'm looking forward to see what you write.

 

Chris

 

 

No doubt this is why derms (good derms) rarely will give tane to young people still in/going through puberty.....

 

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(@baravykas)

Posted : 06/04/2006 9:31 am

Whether it stops growin or not. I wouldn't take it if I were younger that 15 years. Cause there's a slightly higher chance of permanent side effects to occur.

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(@radin11)

Posted : 06/04/2006 11:59 am

I dont know if I've grown much taller since taking it, but I've definately filled out in the shoulders and chest area.. so it probably doesn't affect it too much. I hope not anyway, I wanna grow another 3 inches :(

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(@killionaire)

Posted : 12/08/2010 7:08 pm

Hey Guys,

This is really important to me (as probably to most people) but, does accutane stunt growth? I've heard that it causes 'premature epiphyseal closure" - meaning you wont grow. Has anyone here continued to grow taller while taking it or afterwards- even if only one inch? My argument has been countered with whats written on this link -

 

 

 

Ive also been scrambling online to see any reports of stunted height - very few but theyre there.

 

I've talked with at least three doctors and they said that they 'it doesnt'. But I'm still not too sure. Is it a common thing that accutane would do this? Considering that Isotretinoin comes from Vitamin A; Dont you need Vitamin A for bone growth anyways? I know that pharmacutical companies have to report EVERYTHING in the warning label and Im sure some short kid blamed his shortness on the drug. But is stunted growth a common thing? And to think that they prescribe it to 12 year olds? Its hard to think they would allow this on the market if it could stunt a 4'10" 12 year old boy in his height.

 

The reason I'm asking this is because my uncle, when he was 21, was 5' even - he joined the military when he was 21 and a half. When he got out (he was 24) he stood a full 6'. My pediatrician doc says theres a chance of something like that happening to me but I dont want accutane to mess anything up even though I already took a light moderate dose of it. I'm 20 now and stand 5'6" but come from a reletively tall family.

 

I might as well jump off a building if it completely stunted my growth.

 

acne sucks!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyways, I'm looking forward to see what you write.

 

Chris

Don't get to down on it man... In my opinion my growth was stunted as well. I've posted in a few other topics about this, basically I come from a family of huge people, and I stopped growing as soon as I went on accutane at 13 standing at 5'6 and 1/4. I'm shorter than all my female relatives, cousins, aunts, mom and my mothers mother. I never knew what it was like to be the tall one, I was pretty average in grade 9 when i stopped growing and then everyone else shot up, so I've kinda always been teased by people for my height.. and it's never bothered me. Saying you might as well jump off a building because your 5'6 is offensive to us little people! Ha it's not so bad, I have a ton of other great qualities that attract more females than my 6 foot plus friends, so work on those and not worry about your slight shortness.

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(@killionaire)

Posted : 12/10/2010 4:44 am

I dont know if I've grown much taller since taking it, but I've definately filled out in the shoulders and chest area.. so it probably doesn't affect it too much. I hope not anyway, I wanna grow another 3 inches :(

Same... massive chest and shoulders (out pressing my gym rat friends who are 40 pounds heavier and 6 inches taller), short legs and small knees and wrists. Another interesting thing is I'm a legit size 10 shoe, which is pretty big for a guy that's just over 5'6... my feet were one of the first things to grow for me.

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(@boomhead)

Posted : 12/21/2011 10:08 pm

I was wondering if accutane does cause stunting of growth, is this limited to the "long bones" as in the arms and legs?

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(@emily93)

Posted : 01/18/2012 11:41 pm

I was on it at age 17 (typically you don't grow a whole lot more anyway), and after I got off of it, I still grew almost an inch.

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(@datsnotmyname)

Posted : 01/19/2012 3:09 am

I'm not sure we can give you an answer here. If someone says accutane stunted their growth it's possible it did and it's also possible they simply reached their natural height. All we can do is speculate.

 

The medical literature and the accutane warning pamphlet mention stunted bone growth as a possible side effect. Therefore, it's theoretically possible. So, I think you just have to consider this possibility as a cost of taking the drug.

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(@welt)

Posted : 01/19/2012 3:27 am

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(@labrat)

Posted : 01/19/2012 12:50 pm

If you take accutane you are playing Russian Roulette with their health. Any doctor who prescribes this drug to anyone below the age 21 is fucking stupid.

This is overly simplistic and sensationalist. It's a leap to go from epiphyseal closure to "Russian roulette." There are simply tradeoffs. It does worry me that the effects of isotretinoin on bone growth are not so well understood by many people taking or prescribing the drug. However, this doesn't make it stupid to accept the risk of a shorter height for a few years of acne-free skin. (There might be other effects, but I do not know them. I would also be concerned about bone density in younger women; the early teenage years are really important.)

Keep in mind too that the growth curves of males and females are pretty different; there's no magic number. Puberty for men often doesn't end until age 25 or so. I (a woman) haven't grown since age 14.

Oral antibiotics, which many of us would consider an alternative to isotretinoin, are not risk-free either.

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(@yvettegastelo)

Posted : 07/09/2013 11:21 pm

So was there a warning about this ? My son took accutane 4years ago and haven't grown even a 1/8 of an inch! At 14 he was 5' 11". (Very tall and showed no sign of letting up!) until the summer he was on accutane. Never grew since then. I questioned the dermatologist about hits half way through treatment and she said, " never heard of such a thing."

Anyone know where I can get a lawyer? I can only find lawyers that handle the chrons disease.

Thanks

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(@oilydave94)

Posted : 07/10/2013 1:03 am

My friend took it when he was 17, he was like 5'9" and then he was 5'11" by the time he was a freshman in college. But then again, this is just one person. Most of the people I know that took it, took it in their early 20's and most people are done growing by then, so I can't say.

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(@oli-girl)

Posted : 07/11/2013 10:49 pm

So was there a warning about this ? My son took accutane 4years ago and haven't grown even a 1/8 of an inch! At 14 he was 5' 11". (Very tall and showed no sign of letting up!) until the summer he was on accutane. Never grew since then. I questioned the dermatologist about hits half way through treatment and she said, " never heard of such a thing."

Anyone know where I can get a lawyer? I can only find lawyers that handle the chrons disease.

Thanks

I am not sure what country you are from, but yes there is a huge warning on this enclosed with the rx information in the U.S. In fact the warning of bone problems and ephyiseal closure has been documented since Accutane first hit the market. So NO you can't sue. Also the only way to tell is to have a x-ray of the ephyiseal to see if it closed early, but it's been 4yrs so you really won't ever know!

If I am correct 4yrs ago there was I pledge and signing of forms for Accutane. The only thing they don't tell you is that it's a chemotherapy drug for rare cancers, and cleared their acne up!

I would just be grateful that is all he suffered, I have read of young boys ending up being shorter then 5'11, sexual dysfunction, severe mental issues, chron's (intestines taken out with thin a yr. of Accutane) Type 1 diabetes and other serious life altering illness.

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