Acne.org Products
Oral Retinoid
Efficacy
87%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Use with EXTREME CAUTION: Causes severe birth defects and fetal death.
Oral Retinoid
Acne.org’s Real World Take
The nuclear option. It works reliably and provides long-term remission of acne, and even severe acne, in about ⅔ of people who properly take an adequate dosage. However, it permanently and irreversibly changes the skin and the body forever and users may experience long-term side effects for the rest of their lives. It’ll nuke it, but there is no going back.
Oral Retinoid
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
June 19, 2009
Cons:
Fitting bloodtests into schedule, dry cracking lips, mild nosebleeds...
I have only been on it for 2 months now, and am just starting to see some REAL improvements. After about a month, my acne flared up a little bit, but is starting to get better now. It doesn't cost me anything (drug plan covers it all). And anyone who has tried different kinds of creams for your acne knows that it doesn't work very well, causes sever skin sensitivity, have to apply twice daily, blah blah blah.... Well accutane is a much easier treatment. Just a pill a day. That's all. The thing I like best about it is that it didn't seem to make my skin more sensitive at all. In fact, my face is far less sore than it has been in a while. My lips are very dry constantly, and I get the odd nosebleed but those are the only physical side effects so far. Hoping to see more improvement soon.
June 5, 2009
Pros:
clear skin
Cons:
dry lips/arms, eyes
tiredness
breakouts when switching doses
I'm on my final course of it, just started again. I absolutely love it. Was actually able to not wear makeup when going outside. major plus!! I noticed that during the couple of months in between my hair started falling out alot and my nails were really brittle and kept breaking. but i went on pre-natal vitamins and that all went away. I'm not too excited to go back to the sporatic breakouts, but hopefully now that i can kinda wear less foundation everyday that will help. But i totally recommend it, the results cannot be beat!!
May 29, 2009
Pros:
Clear Skin, better hair
Cons:
Dry lips, peeling skin, back aches
I love love love it! It was the only thing that ever worked for me. It has made me so more confident and happy. My skin was perfect for a while, but after about 4 months (after finishing my course) I started to get a few SMALL pimples here and there so I re-started using retin-a. Accutane is worth every nose bleed and cracked lip. I have to wash my hair less, and it's wierd but my feet don't smell anymore, and I don't even get BO anymore. My body acne is 100% gone. I think every teen should get a perscription from their 13th birthday or something. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain!
May 24, 2009
Pros:
oil greatly reduced on skin, no more body acne what so ever
Cons:
price, dry lips and skin, stomach pains
been using this for 3 months now. im still getting break outs but they are becoming less severe. i used to get spots on by back and shoulders but they have completely disappeared. hopefully my skin will start to improve more soon but it will take time! have had no other side effects apart from dryness and stomach pain once in a while i.e no depression, fatigue etc... hopefully it will "cure" my acne so i wont have to go on the treatment again in years to come
May 8, 2009
Pros:
Cleared my SEVERE acne from my face, back, neck, shoulders and chest...the side effects for me were not that bad and completely manageable. Long term improvement. Helps with scarring.
Cons:
Dry nose, occasional nosebleed, dry eyes, some flaking. Acne is here again
It worked for me 19 years ago and I will do it again in a heartbeat given the opportunity. I'm going to the derm next week and hoping and praying he will prescribe it for me as nothing else has worked
May 5, 2009
Pros:
NO OIL! My hair was even oil free!! At the end of my day, instead of feeling like my face was wet with oil, it was perfectly dry, like I had just put my make-up on! Also clears skin! :)
Cons:
Dry skin, making make-up look silly on your face. Redness at first, and of course dry/chapped/peely lips. Everything pretty much dries up on you, but I can deal with those things, if I can deal with acne!
This is my second time on the medication. First time took 4 months before I got results, it made me break out terribly, and it was the most painful acne I had ever had. But it cleared me up, it like took all the acne that was under the surface, and brought it all up at once. About 6 months after being off accutane, acne started coming back, not as bad, but still bad to where I always had like 4 pimples on my face at a time. Been on it 6 days so far, and already getting dry and red, but i know it works, so I am hopefull!
Also I have good insurance, and only have to pay a copay of $15 for the med. Without insurance the cash price of 40mg twice a day, was listed as $720...that's only a months supply too (and it's normally a 6 month course)..Even though I know it works, I don't know if I could afford it without insurance.
March 17, 2009
Pros:
Cleared up the acne
Cons:
Dry, peeling and cracking skin on my face, hands and scalp
It worked right away on the acne on my face, neck and back but one of the main reasons I wanted to get rid of my acne was to get rid of the scaring and hyper-pigmentation on my skin. Now it's worse than it's been in years because of the peeling and cracking. Also, I've had terrible dandruff since I started this stuff four months ago. I'm just really hoping that my skin will calm down next month after I go off this stuff and I'll be clear and not so dry.
March 4, 2009
Pros:
It clears up your skin
Cons:
Some bad breakouts, flaky skin, chapped lips, f**ked joints, can't drink on the medication
Acutane all though it's hell to go threw while your on it, really does leave ur skin nice and clean after, you just have to cope with it which i know is really hard to do at times. There were times i hated being on this drug, but now im off im glad. I had mild acne now, I took this product from march last year to july .
February 27, 2009
Pros:
Completely cleans up your skin. Fantastic.
Cons:
Dry Lips, Dry Nose kind of and a Red Face for a while after the drug, but to be hones that's all I experienced... Pretty good huh?
This is worth taking... I would even recommend it to people with moderate acne...you want to catch it why its early, you don't want scarring, trust me. Its a miracle drug. It changed my life.
February 25, 2009
Pros:
got rid of acne completely. no side effects... at all
Cons:
sometimes dry lips in the beginning.
i took accutane for 5 months at the maximum dose. i am 21 and have had acne for like 5 years. the last couple years have been a little rough though. not cystic, but not healthy either. i have tried pretty much every topical and oral there is. some of them worked for a while and some didnt work at all. i got on accutane 5 months ago and have had no major side effects. i had dry lips for the first month, but after getting the carmex sticks that went away. i also got the occasional bloody nose, but that subsided too. today is my last day and i have not had a zit or anything for a couple months id say. bottom line is, go into it cautious but there really is nothing to worry about until there is something to worry about.
Pros:
Less oily skin, no more large, sore, pimples