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
April 25, 2007
Cons:
Absolutely none...use EMU OIL ALL OVER YOUR BODY IT HELPS! And, a mild moisterier helps too. NO dry lips when used consistantly and correctly and cheap too.
THIS stuff is great so far! THough some people get side effects, they are very very rare. You won't know till you've done it, right? If your acne bothers you, give accutane a try and start with low doeses to build up your tolerance. I started on 40 mg a day and that was great for me. Also, if you can afford it, get brand accutane, its much better!
April 13, 2007
Pros:
IT WORKS. It gave me BEAUTIFUL clear skin on my face, chest and back. Only thing to ever clear up my back-acne.
Cons:
Too many to list. The biggest ones: dry, cracked, bleeding lips; and of course... the acne came back.
I was one of the UNlucky ones, I went on it for 6 months and was clear for a full year before it started coming back. So 3 years after my first round I did another 5 month round. This time it came back after just 4 months. There is also a huge time commitment involved with getting blood tests, going to doctors appts, doing the online portion and picking up the prescription. Every single month. The federal gov't wants to make it as difficult to get this as it can. If you are female and you get pregnant while on this you will have totally messed up alien babies so they REQUIRE you use TWO forms of birth control, hormonal AND barrier. If you have serious acne PLEASE talk to your doctor about going on this. It could change your life.
April 12, 2007
Pros:
works wonders skin is very clear within 2 months
Cons:
dry lips mood swings joint pains very severe. irregular monthly bleeding at first also coupled with joint pain
works very well need a lot of patience to deal with side effects otherwise a good product even if it is expensive in south africa
April 10, 2007
Pros:
It works.
Cons:
Dry lips, eyes, nose and skin. Joint aches and tiredness.
You have to be patient when using this medication. It cleared up my acne and I have been clear for the last 3 months (I've used it for 5 months). It does seem to make it worse before it gets better, so be patient. I'm now off this stuff for 3 weeks and have never felt better. Stopped taking it because of terrible joint aches. The side effects seemed to clear quickly too - my skin is normal, not the oily yuckyness I had before. This is definitely worth while.
April 8, 2007
Pros:
its helping..but i just started will it really clear up? its been 3 weeks since i been on it.
Cons:
very dry skin and crack lips.
From all the pro's that i see going on about Accutane i am postive that accutane will work for me hopefully in the next months. but it cant help the scarrings and the emotional problems. but seriouly if someone is reading this, let me know please when is the result gonna kick in. cuz i dont really see it so far. =[
March 30, 2007
Pros:
Cleared me up almost immediately!
Cons:
Dry, cracked skin but just on the back of my hand.
I'm heading into my last month of treatment. My symptoms have mainly been dry skin which is very controllable with some moisturizer. I've had some minor joint pain... and a total of 2 (3 second) nosebleeds. This stuff is AMAZING!! I was cleared up within my first month and have been enjoying clear skin since. I tried it all before accutane and I just wished I had started sooner... I could have save myself some scars; and I'm talking the deep pitted kind courtesy of nodular cystic acne. Acne was definitely a shock for me. I had great skin until I was 16 and then the cysts just showed up. From then on, every pimple I got was a cyst and an abnormally large one as well. I'm scared to death that the acne will return soon after the end of my treatment... but for now I can say nothing bad about Accutane. It basically saved me from depression.
March 23, 2007
Pros:
My acne has flattened out
Cons:
Dry dry dry skin and lips
Thank you BB in NY for the comment about checking your hormone levels. I asked when I got my first blood test done to add a hormone panel because I have had migraines and irregular periods since I was 12 ... so about half of my life. My dermatologist told me to ask my gynecologist to do the panel because she didn't know what to order. Acne, migraines and irregular periods ... hmmm maybe hormonal. Anyways, I have been taking 40 mg for almost a month. She has already written the script for my second month at 80 mg a day. I was a bit freaked to double it ... but she seemed confident it was a move in the right direction. I am so not looking forward to increased dryness. However, I ordered Dr. Dan's lip therapy and have used it for a few days ' so far so good! I have been waking up early in the morning with a horribly dry throat and a bad cough ' but that might be coincidental. Also dry scalp ' everything is drying out! Just crossing my fingers that this actually works!
March 22, 2007
Pros:
Works Well! Effects Seen Almost Immediately
Cons:
Dry Lips, Initial Breakout, A Little Costly Without Insurance, Not Able To Wax Eyebrows (For Females)
Second Time On It! Would Not Change A Thing! Had Horrible Acne And Now It's A lot Better.
March 3, 2007
Cons:
VERY dry chapped lips...my skin is dry everywhere - have to moisturize once or twice daily.
I've only been on accutane for about a month, and dry skin and chapped lips aside, I can say that I'm noticing a difference. I was on minocin up till 2 months ago and gave myself a month to detox and flush that anti-biotic from my body. Like I said I haven't been on Accutane for too long, but I can see that its starting to work...I would say that winter is the best time to start using Accutane because of the usual lack of sun (which isn't good for your skin while on Accutane). I also have to say that if your dermatologist or doctor recommends it, then take it; don't hesitate ! the longer you wait the worse its gonna get ! Don't mess around with other anti-biotics, just get on Accutane, and stick it out. Just think about it like this, Accutane gives you bad skin for a month or two, but its definatly better than years of it. If you can get it, take it
February 18, 2007
Pros:
Smooth skin where it clears it up. No grease.
Cons:
Dry lips, dry skin on hands, wrists, elbows and knees. Horrible scars.
I've been on 60mg of Isotretinoin a day for the last three months. My doctor prescribed it, along with a steroid and an antibiotic, because the skin was infected. The skin pretty much got less lumpy by the time I finished the course of antibiotics, but the Isotretinoin has done sod all to be honest. My skin is really horrifically dry, and I'm getting enormous boil-like spots with tiny heads just beneath my eyes and on my nose. My forehead's clear but no doubt it'll become disgusting, just like everything else has. Because I'm only 15 and still in school, there's shedloads of prejudice, and my confidence is literally on the floor. I just hope it works soon...I've heard it works for a lot of people. Fingers crossed for you guys.
Pros:
Best stuff ever! I am a guy and I have been taking a mild dose, 60mg a day (I weight 150). I have absolutely no oil on my face and I only use a light moisterizer. My acne was ALWAYS very mild, but it bothered me.