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
July 28, 2007
Cons:
left my skin very dry, I have to use moisturizer on my face all the time and only worked for half a year.
Seems to help with a lot of people but unfortunately only lasted for half a year with me. extreme cost and nasty side affects ((dryness, bleeding noses etc) and you will get them) are not worth the small time period of clean skin + constant dryness. but based on many of the other reviews i have read I will recommend this as a last resort treatment.
July 24, 2007
Pros:
I had acne since I was in the 5th grade (20 now) and I have been on just about every other medication. My doctor finally prescribed accutane and it looked awesome. After a month I saw results and by the time I finished it was clear
Cons:
accutane rash-really dry red patches of skin-ask your dermatologist for a cream for it, mine got cleared in a week.
THis stuff is amazing. my acne came back after finishing the regime, but it is not nearly as bad as it was. I am about to start my second round of this medication.
July 22, 2007
Pros:
VERY dry skin. constant visits to doctor. constant blood samples. long time to treat the acne. I had to take 3 pills a day...
Cons:
Cleared 95 percent of my acne my acne in 6 months, that's not me saying, that's what the doctor told me. I've been cured from acne for about 1.5 years now.
Although you have to be under the medication for a long period of time (6.5 months for me) it is VERY recommended way to treat the acne for good. My brother tried it and he NEVER had even a pimple ever since he stopped his medication 7 years ago.
July 11, 2007
Pros:
cleared up acne, for 3 years.
Cons:
stomach pains, soreness in the body, felt like I was slowly being posioned, dryness, resulted in me having perm. dry skin. Now I have acne again, but I have dry skin.
I used this product in 2002 after suffering for years with acne. I was 22 at the time. I could only handle the medication for about a month. It made me kind achy and tired and sore all the time. I literally felt like I was dying. I was dying to get off the medication. It cleared up my acne. About 4 month AFTER I stopped taking accutane my acne cleared up. I had absolutely flawless skin for 3 years. Before going on accutane I had oily skin. After taking accutane I now have dry skin. Before accutane I never had to use a moisterizer on my face or body. Now I have to use a moisterizer (heavily). I'm not sure why my acne came back or why it came back while having dry skin. I've had acne for the last two years now and I'm desperate again to try anything that will clear up my skin. Because accutane did help clear up my skin previously I'm going to try and stick with it again a second round . But just be careful because it permantely dried my skin out resulting in fine lines.
June 29, 2007
Pros:
really cleared up my severe, constant acne mostly by 3 months.
Cons:
Made me very aggressive and impulsive, a way i would not naturally act NOT on the drug creating harmful situations where i was VERY unpredictable. and of course the normal side affects such as dry lips.
My docter had to stop writing my prescription for me because my family and friends believed i was a threat to myself or others. i was truly addicted to the drug emotionally. i did not want to live again with acne. I HAD TO GET THE DRUG. the emotional strain has forced me to get a psychologist. I'm thankful my acne cleared but regret how i acted toward myself and others...
May 23, 2007
Pros:
has stopped big cysts from forming, less oily skin
Cons:
chapped lips, mild headaches and blurry vision at times
I'm only on my second week of Roaccutane. I have moderate acne and medium sized cysts form mostly on the right side of my jawline. Now, on my second weak of treatment I'm getting small to medium zits on places I never used to get like my chin, forehead, etc. But the cysts I use to have on my jaw are reducing in size and inflammation. I guess I'm on the stage in which you breakout out more just to get better afterwards. I'm on a small dose, 20mg / per day but do have lots of faith that Roaccutane will work for me. I don't feel my skin is that dry 'cause I use moisturizer but I do feel it less oily though. Hope Accutane works wonders for me since I've heard so many success stories and to everyone taking it, GOOD LUCK Y'ALL!
May 20, 2007
Pros:
less oily skin, much reduced acne
Cons:
no side effects for me other than than dry lips, some pinkness of skin
After having persistent sometimes severe acne since my teenage years (I'm 30 now), it was more than about time to try isotretinoin (I take Clarivis). I have to thank the dermatologic nurse (a woman) who prescribed this to me because she understood that I really did try nearly all the prescription topicals and antibiotics. I've been to a lot of dermatologists (mostly males) who were not willing to give me this. They are practicing bad medicine and who knows how many years of suffering I could have avoided. Especially bad for me was that even the smallest pimple always left a mark that took forever to go away. I'm on my last month now; my skin has cleared almost perfectly. I don't know if acne will stay away permanently and I still get the occasional pimple but I am happy with the result. I had very oily skin before which I had to constantly blot and it is so much easier now without that problem. This drug has been around. It's been proven to work. Bad side effects are rare. Try it.
May 18, 2007
Pros:
Leaves skin perfectly clear months after treatment is finished.
Easy to Use.
Cons:
Dry skin, chapped lips.
Acne reoccurs after about 6 months of not using the medication anymore.
I've taken Accutane twice. It worked perfectly both times and left my skin 100% clear. I went from having tons of pimples on my forehead and chin to having one every four months or so, however the acne eventually returned and was just as bad as it had been before my treatment, which is why I started it again. It has now been almost a year since the last time I started Accutane and my skin is horrible again. Accutane is great but my skin has returned to its original condition. I don't know what to do :[
May 13, 2007
Pros:
THIS STUFF IS AMAZING!! I have had horrible acne my entire life. My dermatologist at age 14 mentioned accutane but I was soo scared of the side effects I opted out. Finally at age 22 I was so sick of still having a terrible complexion (horribly bad),
Cons:
that I decided that I would try accutane. I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH how amazing it is! Anybody who is older (or younger) and is considering accutane but isn't sure, please contact me. I would be more than glad to talk to you. Yes, there are some cons
to the drug, but I would absolutely LOVE to talk to you. It has been by far one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I had horrible acne and severe cysts. I would have anywhere from 15-30+ pimples/cysts on my face at a time (i know, gross).
You should seriously see me now. I will gladly send pictures and talk. I've been off for about 2 months now and haven't had anything except maybe a tiny whitehead here and there which is NOTHING. One of the biggest cons, make sure your insurance will pay for it!! Mine wouldn't and I was paying anywhere from $437-530 USD a month! and this was for 6 months! BUT I WOULD DO IT AGAIN!!!
Feel free to contact me whosethatgirl49@[link removed]
May 12, 2007
Pros:
Stopped new breakouts after the first week. Skin started to clear by the 3rd week.
Cons:
Chapped lips, occasional nosebleed, initial back stiffness...but all of these symptoms were mild and worth it for clear skin.
HOWEVER, my hair started to think by week 2 and continued to thin at an alarming rate throughout my treatment.
I was so distraught by the rapid hair loss that I quit 2.5 mths into it. My acne promptly returned and now I'm back to square one...only with less hair.
Pros:
Cleared up my skin for about half a year