Isotretinoin (Accutane®)

Results

Side Effects

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.

[more]

3.9

2787

Read All About Isotretinoin (Accutane®)

Compare To Other Treatments

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars

Jenifer

February 21, 2008

Pros:

Clearing up my acne... seems to be GREAT stuff! My skin feels nice and soft and seems to be smoothing out already!

Cons:

Switched to another generic accidentally and did had a massive outbreak. Found out you can't switch or it stops the process.

Haven't really been on it long enough to be sure... but found out something I wanted to share with everyone. I was on Sotret for 30 days which seemed to have cleared my acne up within 4 weeks, then I went and got my new 30 day supply filled at a different pharmacy... and they gave me Claravis. I am breaking out like CRAZY! HUGE cystic boils that HURT. Bottom Line: If you are taking a generic form of Accutane like Sotret or Claravis... DON'T SWITCH from one to the other. You will be starting over from square 1 each time!

This Was Helpful

Report

Frances

February 20, 2008

Pros:

Works well, made most of acne go away, cystic acne is still there but getting better all the time. I am very oily and this made my face matte.

Cons:

Nosebleeds, backache, very dry skin especially on my arms and on my face, *seriously* chapped lips

This stuff works, no doubt about it. The dermatologist wouldn't let me try it for a long time, the whole routine with topicals and the like. The iPledge rules are really a pain but still well worth it. I've been on it for about three months and made me forehead clear up in less than a week. The cystic acne on my cheeks is still there but is drying up and getting much better. Still got a little while more to go but I'm really excited about how things will work out. The only thing I REALLY don't like about Accutane is that it completely changed my mood and I become very agitated easily.

This Was Helpful

Report

Anonymous

February 1, 2008

Pros:

Really cleared up my skin for about 7-8 years after I took it- no major breakouts until now

Cons:

Starting to come back, so didn't really fix it!
Severely dry skin, especially my lips (Carmex was a godsend)

At the time- totally worth it!! Now... not willing to go back on it because of the side effects.

This Was Helpful

Report

Louis Koo

January 30, 2008

Pros:

Get rid of Acne for two years
Your skin are all clear

Cons:

Might come back after 2 years
Leave so many Scar after Initial Breakout
The initial breakout is really pain

I suffer depression while I am on tane.....the initial break out is totally unacceptable.....while the acne come back after two years.......I suggest people to try everything first before try accutane as it will breakout like crazy......or consult ur doctor first before even attempt totry but overall it is a good treatment for severe acne

This Was Helpful

Report

Olivia

January 24, 2008

Pros:

Cleared up my skin when nothing else worked.

Cons:

Dry, cracked lips, dry patches on arms, sun sensitivity, pain in the ass pregnancy tests, acne eventually came back (but not as bad).

I had to do two courses of Acutane and while it could be a pain sometimes (waking every morning with my lips split on the sides, the monthly pregnancy test, occasional blood tests, discovering my lips could get sunburnt, dry patches on arms) and my acne has come back a bit since then, it's nowhere near as bad as it was before. This stuff is amazing. I don't regret using it for a second.

This Was Helpful

Report

Darlene

January 22, 2008

Pros:

Did clear up back/arm acne permanently & significantly improved face.

Cons:

Generally as expected (dry, dry, dry!)Unfortunately for me, not a permanent cure.

I'm 41 & have had acne since 13. After tying everything in my teens and early 20's by the time my dermatologist suggested Accutane I would have taken anything. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn't permanent (repeated regiment 3 times in my 20's - acne came back approx. 8-12 months post RX). My dermatologist now has me on a 40m/10 days (yes, one pill every 10 days) and this keeps everything under control - still get some when I get sloppy, but for the most part I can function without looking like a teenager. Don't think this usage is documented in the RX literature, but I don't have any real side effects and we monitor my blood work every 6 months. I've been doing it this way for maybe 4-5 years, but thinking of stopping & trying acne.org regiment instead (have tried similar before, but not to the same degree).

This Was Helpful

Report

David

January 15, 2008

Pros:

Clear skin

Cons:

Very dry lips and joint pains and if yr unlucky like me acne comes back worser than ever.

Ok the acne on my face was only moderate but on my back/chest it was seriously bad, so after trying Tetracycline and minocycline and not seeing any results my Dr sent me to a dermatologist who put me on accutane, >> started at 20mg then 40 then 60 for last 2 months Lucky for me it kicked in almost stright away after 6 months the spots had gone and only few scars where left. Which made me very happy. Unfortunately ive been off them now for about 1 month and my face is worser then when I started on them, my back and chest are still amazingly clean but my face isnt and personally I would prefer them on my back than my face. Unlucky I know but even still I guess medication work better for some then otheres and on a good note it has cleard the ones from my back/chest (well atleast for now) so if I was you id still give it a try I mean you can always come off them if side effects get too bad. Im hoping to get back on them again soon but theres a darn waitin

This Was Helpful

Report

Hadenoughalready!

January 10, 2008

Pros:

Does the business, cleared up all acne - didn't have one single spot for about a year whilst on it and then off for 6 months, had a couple for a year after.

Cons:

It doesn't last! Have had recurrences but to be fair nowhere near as bad as it used to be. Got a nasty case of dermatitis when I came off it.

Amazing drug, gave me the best two years of my life after a few pretty miserable ones. As for side effects,dryness, chapped lips - when you look inthe mirror and see a flawless complexion for the first time will you really care about having to use lip balm? Thought not. *Important* when you come off, as the drug works it's way out of your system, oil returns and this can cause some problems like dermatitis for me anyway. Make sure you don't carry on just using cetaphil and nothing else, you'll need to return to some regimen after the drug to make sure the oil returning doesn't give you a flare up.

This Was Helpful

Report

Davey

November 29, 2007

Pros:

Effective treatment after taking for 5months i didnt get any acne for around a year.

Cons:

Disturbing side effects like seriously dry skin which no matter how much cream you apply it doesnt really help,also lips crack easily and watch out if you have to eat alot as you tend to bleed at the corners of your mouth.

I would look into oral anti-biotics first and try every known brand as taking this drug isnt the first thing you should try.I would try oxytetracycline and also erythromycin as these do work for a while.If you have mild acne try anti-biotics however severve go for roaccutane

This Was Helpful

Report

Ahem

November 14, 2007

Pros:

Very affordable with insurance -- I have paid $10.00 per month for two daughters and myself (I am on my second course -- it's been 23 years).

Cons:

Dry lips were the worst aspect for me. Derm said "DO NOT LICK YOUR LIPS -- YOUR SALIVA WILL DRY THEM OUT EVEN MORE" but honestly it can be hard to follow that advice when you don't have a tube of lip balm nearby. Spend lavishly on that stuff!

Nothing else could compare to the effect Accutane had on my skin. In the 1980's they only kept you on it for about 4 months. That is probably why I need it again. Regarding the initial breakout, I have this to say -- what is your priority? Do you want to look good (controlled acne) without interruption but always deal with it, or do you want to get rid of it for at least two decades? Further, accutane works by drying up those little oil wells in your face/skin. It stands to reason that in the process of expelling sebaceous matter and shrinking the pore area, there can be some disturbance! Have you ever had a facial done? You get a breakout from that too. If the IB is long in duration, I would imagine that you had a tremendous amount of oily goo that the accutance had to expel and/or dissolve. I contend it's worth the setback of the IB, and let me add, consider the costs -- can you keep ProActive and make-up manufac. rolling in $$$ forever?

This Was Helpful

Report

1 … 176 177 178 179 180 … 212

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

Prescription acne medications

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

Finding a Doctor

Finding a Doctor

Be sure to:

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

Red flags:

New Report

Close