Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
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Isotretinoin is a vitamin A derivative called a retinoid that is taken orally and is approved only for severe acne. It is thought...

Isotretinoin is a vitamin A derivative called a retinoid that is taken orally and is approved only for severe acne. It is thought to clear acne primarily through its ability to permanently reduce skin oil (sebum) production.

Isotretinoin is available in capsule form and is usually taken twice a day. Your physician will prescribe an initial dose, and this dose may increase or decrease depending on the response to treatment and side effects.

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3
15.6%
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1
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May 23, 2013

Pros:

Known as the miracle drug

Cons:

Maybe allergic to it
Numbness

After trying many products from antibiotics to topical treatments to chemical peels I have tried EVERYTHING for my acne to settle down but it clearly didn't want to at 18 with moderate to severe acne I had finally given up I then went to a dermatologist and got prescribed 40mg of Accutane every other day, so I took my first pill within an hour later half of my tongue and lip got numb so I went to my family doctor ( cause my dermatologist was unavailable ) and took me off it as a suspense of being allergic to it. Know after being on minocycline and tactuo which hasn't really helped much I might give it another shot. Any Suggestions? Highly recommend if you have tried everything. Try and take an allergy test before hand if you suspect that u may be allergic to it.
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March 10, 2013

Pros:

Only thing that worked at all for me after the age of 26. I've been on it twice since then. I personally had no major side effects from it, and with a decent health insurance plan, it's cheaper than laying out money on tons of treatments that don't work. Even if I eventually have to take it again, I would in a heartbeat.

Cons:

Monthly blood work, logging into their website to get the script renewed. Dry skin issues (dry nose, cracked lips).

Try it. If you feel ill after using it for a few days, you can stop and notify your doctor. I feel that trying Accutane is better than using dozens of antibiotics over time, making your acne bacteria resistant.
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January 30, 2013

Pros:

acne stopped developing completely during 5th month on accutane
skin overall looks great, hair needs less washing while on the drug

Cons:

hairloss started 1 month after stopping accutane

It has been 3 months after I finished a 7 month treatment with low doses of 20mg per day. My face looks clear and there is no acne to be found, only scarring:) Hairloss continues but that is subsiding, I take biotin and other supplements to treat it. My oil returned 1 month after I stopped tane but it is not as bad as it used to be. I am type 1 diabetic but my treatment did not affect much my blood sugars or made me worse. I suffered from acne for 20 years and the only thing that ever made a dramatic change was accutane. I had a very bad moderate/severe acne to begin with so there was little hesitation as to weather I should try it or not. I am happy I did it and even through my hair is falling out I am happy I have a clear face:) Give accutane a chance if you have tried everything else. With best wishes to all!
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January 28, 2013

Pros:

GREAT! Worked so well to help my acne! I have been off it for a while now, over a year and I was on it for about a year and a half. I get the occasional break-out but nothing bad. I still have marks and scarring but accutane worked great.

Cons:

Dry lips (keep chapstick on hand)
Sun burn (ALWAYS wear sun screen)

Worked great and the side effects that I had were minor! Granted I still need to keep chapstick on hand because my lips are constantly dry but it is worth it.
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October 30, 2012

Pros:

Cleared up my acne altogether (after a few months)!
Totally worth it!
Insurance paid for it.

Cons:

Extreme dryness; made my acne very severe the first 2 months or so (worse than it's ever been); sometimes redness; a pain in the neck to renew every month; also raised my cholesterol (not extremely, just thought I should add that as a note)

I have to admit that accutane is not the easiest/quickest way to clear your skin, but it has been very effective for me. I've had acne/backne since I was 12 (I am now 18) and I've tried almost everything. My skin cleared up for awhile while I was on birth control pills (the doctor said that those might be able to help with my complexion). I gained weight on those so I quit them. For a few months all was well and then my skin got very bad. My dad was on accutane when he was a teen, so he recommended I try it. My younger sister and I both got accutane together and when we started, our skin was worse than it had ever been. We had cystic-like breakouts as well as dry skin. The first two months we both had very low self esteem and didn't want to leave the house at times. My advice to you is to stick with it!!! It is SO worth it in the end! I now have only three weeks left and my skin is completely clear! Granted, it is still very dry but the dermatologist says that it should get back to normal the week after we finish our last dose. Even my backne (which has never improved) is gone. Very very satisfied. I definitely recommend it!
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October 27, 2012
I'm only in my fourth month of treatment, but I thought it might be helpful for others to have some information about what this will cost if you do try it. Clavaris, 40 mg, for 3 months -- $288.70 X 3 Clavaris, 80 mg, for 3 months -- 570.88 X 3 Labwork, once a month, 8 months -- 129.70 X 8 Doctor visits, once a month, 8 months -- 100 X 8 Total cost - $4,416.34 I called all the approved pharmacies listed on iPledge and found Walmart by far the cheapest, and the lab I used said they were giving me a 50% discount for not having insurance. So far it hasn't helped my acne at all, but I'm hopeful things will be clearing up soon. Good luck to you all.
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September 19, 2012

Pros:

acne in remission
i feel much more confident now
Free in UK on the NHS as i was 18 yrs old when i was on the course.

Cons:

actual acne scars which i only got during the course, did not have a single one before the course
genuinely awful side effects which i'll comtinue below
skin texture just ain't the same
hyperpigmentation thats takes much longer to fade than before

i am 19 years old now amd I have had acne simce the age of 13. it started off mild but over time got to moderate. I know i never had severe acne but it was still bad and it could under no curcumstances be covered by makeup. However acne was genuinely ruining my life i was depressed i didn't leave my house i had started university but decided not to move out as i was depressed all stemming from acne, none of the treatments retin a BP etcworked apart from oxytetracycline which temporarily put my acne into remission very temprarily but it returned. So evetentually i broke down in front of my dermatologist who didnt't want to put me on isotretinoin but i made him by basically making him feel sorry for me. so yes i was happy with that, 50 mg/day for 4 months. The first month was fine my skins seemed to be slowly improving, side effectes of dry lips amd skin were there byt not unbearable. After that my skin exploded with acne the woe i'd ever had genuinely awful literally beyond severe. My skin became almost unbearably dry my face was literally swollen and my lips were crazy dry and swollen. My acne just wouldn't survive so at the end of the four months i finished with my face a mess. The worse it had ever been. I was comstantly tored and denydrated, Slowly though after the course my skin began clearing up cysts stopped forming. Eventually I was clear of acne but left with lots of hyperpigmentation and some scars. So now a year after my course has finished, a lot of my hyperpigmentation is lighter (still there) but before my course each pigmentated mark would remain for a month maximum. I now have a few indented scars mainly on my right cheek which i hate thanfully they ain't too deep and I believe I may be able to treat them eventually but not et as they have filled in a little over time so i want to leave them to mature for a while.So I am clear of acne but it was a mad experience and im not sure id recommend it,
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September 12, 2012

Pros:

- Dries skin out. My skin (and especially my nose) was oily before this. And now there is hardly any oil whatsoever.

Cons:

- Doesn't get rid of PIH. Still redness and pigmentation all over my cheeks.

- Still get pimples.

- Didn't work at all to me.

- 6 months of wasted time.

- Didn't rid rosacea on tip of nose.

- Didn't get rid of papules on my chin that have been there for the longest time.

- Blood tests every month

- Doesn't help with scars either.

Took for 6 months. Been off of it for 4 months now. Disappointing experience with accutane. 80% of people get completely cleared off Accutane and not one area of my face did get cleared (or is clear now) while I was on Accutane. Waste of time (and money if you don't have insurance).
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August 8, 2012

Pros:

Cleared skin up completely
VERY mild side effects, if any

Cons:

Scarring/Hyperpigmentation
Dryness

I suffered acne from around the age of 12 but it started to become severe around the age of 14/15. it really got me down and i started to suffer anxiety/depression, i refused to look at myself in the mirror, got ready in the dark etc..i started accutance in january '12..things definitely got worse before they got better and i had a pretty emotional time for the first few months..however month 5 and things really started to improve..the dryness isn't completely unbearable but isn't attractive either..however, using a gentle moisturiser, like oilatum, it did appear slightly less unappealing..i've been off accutane 2 months now and my skin is completely clear..i do however, have some red marks, which i think is hyperpigmentation..this can be just as horrible as the acne itself and does often get me down but my dermatologist informed me it would go within a year..so fingers crossed..otherwise there are options, such as chemical peels which i will most definitely undergo if it doesn't fade. i can cover it quite easily with concealer,foundation etc...so basically, the six months of accutane are DEFINITELY worth it..good luck, i know how horrible acne is!
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July 13, 2012

Pros:

Cleared my skin right up
Gave me confidence back

Cons:

Dry skin around mouth
Dry lips
nose bleeds (occasional)
Acne returned a few years later, went on a second course and a year and a half later has returned again.

I Started getting acne when I was around 14 and it got progressively worse. I tried everything and having it made me very self conscious and gave me anxiety. Went on Roaccutane when i was 18 and it defiantly worked, although was left with scars. Had clear skin (occasional spot) for about 2.5 years but acne returned and had to go on a second course. Again worked very well but now 2 years later I have been prescribed a 3rd round. Hesitant to start it as I just think that my acne will return again. Also its a catch 22 as I can suffer from anxiety which can be caused by my bad skin, but the only treatment that really works can also cause anxiety/depression etc, so its just weighing up the risks. I would defiantly recommend this to anyone with bad acne that brings them down. At the very least you will have a happy few years acne free.
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website