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
October 8, 2007
Cons:
I've been on Sotret for 2 months and have no imporvement whatsoever. I hope it will finally kick in.
Doesn't work for everyone.
September 26, 2007
Pros:
none
Cons:
On the 3r day I had a chest pain and I decided to stop taking it.I went to my derm and I have to get a blood test to check if it is affecting my heart if not , I am gonna to take it
dont know yet I just want it to go away
September 23, 2007
Pros:
its does clear acne for a little bit
Cons:
extreme dryness and i hurt all over when i was taking it. im an active youth and the pain that it caused me in my joints made it hurt for me to even pick up a 15 pound box. its usually only a three month regimen and i took it for 4.
My acne did clear about 85% after 2 months or so. the acne was supposed to stay mostly away and it came back within one month of not taking the medicine. i was on the yellow pill (which im pretty sure is the big daddy) I have no idea what kind of internal, long-term damage it did. hopefully it wasnt too bad. I dont think people should take this drug unless they are comletely aware of what it does.
September 1, 2007
Pros:
none
Cons:
My liver enzymes skyrocketed - I was on accutane for only 30 day at the lowest dosage. My baseline blood work was normal. It is now 5 months later and my liver enzymes are still high - I may have to have a liver biopsy.
I would NEVER recommend accutane to anyone. I realize that this is an extreme reaction-one we were never made aware of. Had I known that there was the potential for possible permanent liver damage I would not have taken it. The doctors were more concerned about depression issues, which I had none of. The opposite was true, I felt better and had more confidence as my skin started to clear. I had no symptoms at all-IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO ON ACCUTANE MAKE SURE TO HAVE YOUR BLOODWORK DONE EVERY MONTH. I think that they should take this product off the market.
August 24, 2007
Pros:
I thought the premise of the drug sounded viable
Cons:
nothing good came of it
I have had moderate acne for years and thought this would be a godsend. NOT! After only 1 month my mucuous membranes were so extremely dried out that my tonsils became chronically infected and eventually removed (I'm 33 and that was painful!). Nine months after my istretinoin trial I still have dry mouth and eyes. Awful experience!
August 21, 2007
Pros:
Temporarily clears acne, if acne returns its not as severe. Also allows other acne treatments to be more effective.
Cons:
Drys out skin, causes severe breakouts before you clear up, if at all. Not permanent for some people. Left really bad scaring on face from tane breakouts.
I have heard people say that Accutane is a cure for acne and I would definitely have to disagree. I have been through 2 courses of Accutane and both times it only cleared my skin temporarily (under a year). My acne returned however not a severe as pre-tane. I still suffer from cystic acne however my skin is more responsive to other acne treatments (antibiotics, creams)
July 28, 2007
Pros:
Cleared up my skin for about half a year
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.
May 10, 2007
Pros:
Clears your skin like nothing else! Haven't had acne come back on my back, chest or arms since (been about 2 years)
Cons:
Horrible dry lips, dry skin, dry eyes, sensitivity to heat, heat rashes, sensitivity to products, headaches, nose bleeds, and the inconvience of seeing a doctor every month.
Worked amazingly for me from the first week on it. However, my face is now not looking so good(2years later). Although its not cystic yet.I have the worst kind of skin to deal with...dry skin acne. Oil doesn't serface for me. It may be the climate I live it. The acne on my face started to come back about 9 months after coming off it. At first I wasn't complaining cause the breakouts were normal for most people. A pimple here or there. But progressively just got worse. Now I'm back to not wanting to leave the house without makeup. My body is clear though. The doctors have me on the usual treatments or antibiotics and topicals that work at first a little then don't really work after awhile. Now I'm trying skin peels to see where that takes me. I'm sick of it! But I have known people with 6-7year results from Accutane without a trace of it coming back. I don't think doctors really know much about it or who it will or wont work on. Your just an experiment.
May 7, 2007
Pros:
does a decent job clearing acne
Cons:
side effects: joint pain, chapped lips, Erectile dysfunction,
STAY AWAY... NOT WORTH THE RISK.. PEOPLE HAVE ALSO COMMITED SUICIDE ON IT
May 6, 2007
Pros:
After I finished the 6 month treatment, I had an additional year and a half of acne free skin.
Cons:
A year and a half after completion, my acne is back in full force. I experienced severe chapped lips and arm rashes while taking the medication. I also had a lot of joint stiffness in my hips but that has gone away.
Accutane will fool you and give you perfect skin for a good long period of time - but for what I spent on the medication, and the symptoms during, and the great dissappointment of it all coming back...I don't recommend this to anyone.
Pros:
none