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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5
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4
33.4%
3
15.6%
2
7.4%
1
6.6%

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June 18, 2012

Pros:

Fixed my skin

Cons:

Dry skin initially
Big break out initially

Did the job when nothing else could! As a nurse, I was worried about the possible side-effects of such high doses of Vit A, so I lived with acne for 20 years until I had finally had enough. First 6 weeks was a bit of a breakout nightmare - lived in isolation! Lips were very dry but that was it. Couldn't believe I had lived with acne for so long when there was an answer. Good luck!
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May 21, 2012

Pros:

- Only medication that worked
- Completely stopped breakouts

Cons:

- Dry Lips

I had personally tried EVERYTHING before finally deciding to go to my dermatologist. All of the over the counter cremes(Proactive, Neut. ID, others....), pills, natural products, peels, but none of it worked. I would STRONGLY recommend you go to your dermatologist right away when you 1st start seeing signs of acne. I went through several years of pain and stress over my acne situation, but it only took 1 month to stop breakouts. You will get that 1st initial breakout, but that is common....just stay the course.
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April 12, 2012

Pros:

-no more breakouts
-softer skin
-acne scars disapeared
-NO INITIAL BREAKOUT!!
**Major confindence boost! (feeling crappy to feeling awesome and acne free)**

Cons:

-very dry eyes
-chapped lips
-dry nose & skin
-small dry rash on hands & arms
-Extremly sun sensitive(during the summer) sunburn liike crazy!
-monthly doctor visits, and blood work
-Cuz im a girl it took a whole month to get perscribed (ipledge system)

I love Accutane! and i am so glad to finally be done with it :) thoughout highschool i was on benzaclin which kept my acne clear but then when i got to college my acne started bulging out. Went to the derm and she gave me tazorac .5%. Uggh hate that crap didnt do anything. then she moved me up to .1%. Worse than ever!! my acne had the biggest breakout ever and i was on it for 7months!! nasty looking skin. finally after that horrible year using taz and solodyn (sh*t dont work either!) i went back to the doctor and she told me about accutane. I didnt wana do it at first cuz of all the negative things i heard about it. But it serioulsy worked!!! my face looks amazing! you can not even tell i ever had acne! Okay so i had cystic acne and i had like 50 white heads all over my face with shiny oil all over. I hated getting ready for school or anything. And i relied so much on my make up! had minor deppression tooo! But thank God im over that:) So basically after that month of waiting for the stupid birthcontrol stuff i got on Accutane in November i got on 40mg of Claravis (generic brand for accutane). My Acne improved in the first month!!!:) Then on december i got on 30mg 2x a day (60mg). And improved even better each month. And noww its April so i am done!!! 6 months of this was sooo worth it!! Problems i have are just dryness of skin, lips and irritatingly dry eyes (cant even wear eyeliner!!) But it is serioulsy all worth it cuz now i can pour on the bronzer:) Love the skin! And best of all no horrible side effects. So from my experience dont be afraid of taking accutane like i was. just do it! it is the best thing out there for you if nothing out there works for you. All the other medicines suck compare to this thing! I hated my skin so much and in 6 months i LOVE it. And last thing i forgot the products i used!!! -Cetaphil face lotion -Cetaphil face wash & Dove bar soap -Avenno Positively Radiant SPF 30 (for daily sunburn protection) -
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April 12, 2012

Pros:

Cleared my skin
gave me confidence

Cons:

dry skin
dry lips
dry eyes
moody
scalp is flaky

This is actually my second round of Accutane. The first time it was necessary my skin was really bad. I actually starting breaking out in the 4th grade. I was teased so much and I tried everything! When I was 17 I was given the option to try accutane I'm now 28 so it was 10 years ago. I remembered the severity of the treament but one thing I can say is it completely cleared up my acne. I was acne free for years then I had a baby when I was 20 and while I was pregnant I got some pregnancy acne which was normal. Since having my son my break outs aren't even remotely close to being as bad as they were when I was a teenager but they are still annoying being an adult dealing with breakouts. My acne is of course worse when its that time of the month but I miss my skin when I didn't have to use anything. After all those years of using products I want to not have to use anything on my skin. Occasional break outs won't be that bad. I started seeing results earlier this time around we're talking within the first couple of days. I'm almost done with my second month. My dr is still saying a 5 month course I hope that I don't have to go that long but I will because I know it works. You have to be patient and just like any other medication it's going to give different results to different people. Good luck!
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March 29, 2012

Pros:

- Cleared skin while on the medication.
- Made me so confident about myself and life once my skin had no active breakouts. Covered the remaining red scars/marks with concealer; it gave the illusion that I had always had 'perfect' skin.
- Works for most people; but there are other alternatives if you have time to research yourself.

Cons:

- 4 months after finishing the medication acne came back. Went on it again a year later and although it cleared my skin while on it the acne came back again once finished.
- The lifetime effects it can have on your body.
- I did have to see a psychologist while taking the first course of the medication, which wasn't a bad thing; but being a teen I felt embarrassed.

This is not a miracle drug, you still need to look after your skin. I regret taking this medication now; even more so for taking it twice! I wish my dermatologist didn't give up on retin-a after 3 weeks and put me on this medication. Although I was clear while on Accutane (after 2 months my acne cleared completely) it then came back after a few months of finishing the 8 month course. This is a very serious medication. I would only recommend going on it if you are healthy - don't drink or smoke etc. Although, without this medication I wouldn't be where I am today. I first started the treatment when I was 16; my skin was disgusting and my confidence was so low. Once my skin cleared I was doing so so much better at school in my senior year (it didn't come back til after I had finished school). So I do recommend you give this a go if you have tried everything else, but only go on it once. Side Note: I now use Tretinoin 0.1% (Alcohol Free*) at night and 2% salicylic acid liquid (leave on) in the morning after cleansing with La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel. *You may need to use a Tretinoin gel that is Alcohol Free, because the Retin-A brand had more negative effects to my skin than good (because its a Alcohol based gel). I recommend using products that are alcohol and fragrance free, most acne treatments contain these things which actually (in my case) make things worse. Always! use a sunscreen SPF 30 or higher no matter what acne treatment you are on. Despite what some may say; the sun (and tanning) is not good for acne or skin as it thickens the outer layer making acne harder to get rid of acne (plus gives you wrinkles, blah!). Also wearing sunscreen stops the production of vitamin D3 from the sun, you should take a supplement instead. Always! Always! be gentle and kind to your skin. You only have one skin in a lifetime; treat it well.
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March 24, 2012

Pros:

Gets rid of acne

Cons:

Did nothing for blackheads or pore size.
Very expensive.
Minor dryness
Reduced night vision

I was on 40mg for 6 weeks, then 60mg for 12 weeks. It cleared my acne slowly, with no major peeling/dryness and no initial breakout. I guess I'm not an average case, because I didn't experience many of the side effects that people do. I did, however, notice a pretty big difference in my night vision and was sometimes even uncomfortable driving at night. I also scarred extremely easily, and my arms got a weird rash, which was super itchy. I now have blotchy white scars all over my arms from scratching them. I still have blackheads and large pores on my cheeks, which is a little disappointing. Overall, this drug achieves what it's supposed to. Considering my lack of major side effects, I'd recommend it if you can afford it/have good insurance.
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March 11, 2012

Pros:

- Cleared up acne while I was on this pill and for a few months after

Cons:

- Hard on your stomach, with potential long-term repercussions (I actually have serious stomach problems, although I have no way of knowing whether it's related)

- My lips are still incredibly dry, even after the acne came back!

- Very expensive unless covered through insurance (which mine was)

I tried accutane twice, and both times it only worked while I was on it and for a few months afterward. Considering how harsh it is on your body, I would consider it a last resort. Like the previous reviewer says, it works differently for everyone. Zinc, of all things, has finally cleared me up.
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March 1, 2012

Pros:

Cleared my skin 95%
Only thing that worked, tried anti-biotics, creams

Cons:

Dry Lips
Dry Eyes
Dry Skin
Sunburn Easy
Muscle Fatigue
No Alcohol

It works and I do not regret going on it. Was tough being on it. Over a year later now I still get some break outs but it seems if I clean my skin every night and put retinol A cream on, then the pimples are kept to a very minimum, i.e. 1 or 2 small ones on my face. You have to remember to keep washing your face, putting pimple cream on after you come off the drug. It is a good drug but i found that it didnt stop break outs caused by not washing my face etc. My advice, go on it, get it done with, its not that bad and move one with your life
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August 4, 2011

Pros:

Clear skin
Less oil on face, hair, & skin

Cons:

Really chapped lips
somewhat dry eyes
can't drink alcohol :(

I am now 22 years old and I used to have cystic acne which were really deep, painful acne. Although it wasn't as severe as some cases, it still drowned my self confidence. I constantly had at least 3 on my face at all times and around my period I would get a lot more. After suffering from acne for about 2 years my doctor finally brought up the product Accutane and warned me about it's side affects but I was completely up for it! After 5 months of still having acne I thought it didn't work! I was still getting cysts but just not as many of them so I thought I was going to have to do round 2. But then about 2 months of completing the 5 month process of Accutane, I now have clear skin! I only get one around the time of my period but that's it!!! I did start doing "The Regimen" when I thought Accutane didn't work and I learned a lot about how to properly wash and treat your face which I also think has helped tremendously! Accutane works trust me! I am still on the birth control I was prescribed which was Seasonique and you only get 4 periods a year which I think also helps me get less acne. Accutane and The Regimen completely changed my life and I hope it can do the same for you! ;)
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May 27, 2011

Pros:

Clear my face almost completely but only temporarily.

Cons:

Heavy mood changes. Depression. Dryness everywhere. Can't drink alcohol during treatment. Monthly blood check ups.

I am 27 now. I used Accutane in 2006 for 6 months and then in 2008 for 9 months, both dosis were 30mg. I wish I never used this pill because, although it cleared my face only for a few months, it was very costly, and my mood has changed a lot since then. I have become very depressive, moody, anxious and nervous, which I never was before taking that pill. I don't recommend this product.
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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