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
September 12, 2012
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).
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!
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.
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!
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.
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)
-
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!
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.
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.
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.
Pros:
- Dries skin out. My skin (and especially my nose) was oily before this. And now there is hardly any oil whatsoever.