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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December 4, 2010

Pros:

-CLEARS your skin
-you are oil-free!
-you can be self confident and worry free!

Cons:

-dry skin
-few rashes every now and then
-nosebleeds
-sensitivity

To me, this has been a huge life changing AMAZING experience! I would highly reccomend it! Everyone will react differntly to it. Just be careful, keep a journal, have a doctor or family member be careful and check your thoughts. As far as mentally, nothing has happened to me. Im the same as before! Physically, my skin has changed so much! I had a horrible oil problem, but now its gone! Im actually quite dry, but carry around a miniture bottle of lotion and your good! I won't say the journey through accutane is easy, but its do-able! It will be hard to keep your face moisturized and lips not chapped, but I have sooo many tricks! * USE "JACK BLACK- lemon & honey" on your lips!! They will stay fine the whole time! * use Cerave lotion or ive heard acne.org has awesome moisturizers. :) I strongly suggest this!!
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December 4, 2010

Pros:

skin starting to clear

Cons:

back ache!

I have only been on accutane for a few days (40mg per day), already my skin is starting to improve but my lower back is very sore.
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November 29, 2010

Pros:

-CLEARS SKIN!

Cons:

-Still have red marks left over, scarring
-Dry,dry skin, lips and eyes
-Blood tests (needle phobe)

I was terrified to try this at first, but obviously when you reach the point where you're considering accutane, you're probably desperate like I was. The infamous "initial breakout" and the blood tests scares me at first, which my doctor informed me are the two top reasons people choose not to go on it. If you're having doubts because of this PLEASE DON'T, I didn't even have an initial breakout and now my skin is smooth and I even had a lady at Sephora tell me that I have pretty good skin, which is a huuuge thing after what I went through. Now I actually have some confidence and love talkin to more guys :) Please give it a chance it could change your life!
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November 22, 2010

Pros:

*clears up active acne
* dries up oil
* hair doesn't get oily EVER

Cons:

*eyelashes/eyebrows falling out
* the usual stuff: VERY dry skin, & lips
* makes me jittery; hard for me to sit still
* very dry eyes - irritated, and inflammed

i broke out in acne eight months ago when i was on some sort of antibotics. It flared into a hellish nightmare and i took many sorts of things to get rid off it = antibotics, tretinion, differin, clendymicine, tazorac and alas nothing worked. Two and half months ago my dermo told me that the only thing that would work for me is accutane. As of now, i've been on it for 75 days, and i don't have one pimple on my face. However i still have scars, and red marks left over. About a couple of weeks ago i've noticed that a lot of my eyelashes are falling out - 9 per day! and my eyes are itchy and inflammed due to the accutane. i aslo have a hard time concentrating on certain things: i could sit and read for hours at a time but now it's near impossible for me to do that! bottom line = if you tried everything to help clear up your acne, definitely use accutane, since it does the job. Yeah there are side affects, but there's side affects to every drug and if your face really puts you down emotionally and physcologically then seriously give the 'tane a try.
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November 11, 2010

Pros:

cleared up acne

Cons:

very dry lips
red, dry eyes
dry skin
hair loss
dry nose (even after months of being off)

Bottom line is, I suffered with acne for YEARS, cystic mostly. At age 19 I decided I absolutely could not take it anymore and went on accutane but a generic form. It was the most amazing feeling to wake up with clear skin everyday. Now, 2 and a half months of being off of it I am breaking out in small white heads on my nose, chin, and forehead. THIS is a horrible feeling. I dont regret taking it though. Best 9 months of my life. i was on 40mg everyday for 6 months ..the max for my body size. (111lbs 5'4)
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October 17, 2010

Pros:

I almost never break out anymore, not like I used to. I feel like now I am one of those people who complains about a zit the size of mechanical pencil lead (because that's how tiny they are), and they go away in a day if that.

Cons:

I have scars, not necessarily the medication's fault. When Isotretinoin works correctly you should clear up completely by the third month. My derm was unaware of this and refused to switch my brand as he thought this was fine. I kept breaking out into my 6th month and because of the extreme sensitivity of my skin, all my new breakouts left scars. I don't pick! It was the sensitivity of being on the meds for months with no change that caused my skin to scar.

I had a different kind of acne that I never see anyone posting about so hopefully this will help someone else out. I had nodular acne but it was sparse. I would have 2 or 3 pencil eraser-sized pimples at a time. They were painful and took 2-3 weeks to go away. By reading my "Cons" section you can see the only reason I had scars is because I needed to switch brands since Claravis didn't work so well for me. My boyfriend started on Claravis but his derm switched him to another brand after 1 month. He has no scars but after finishing his treatment he still breaks out with one or two large pimples on his face and his back breaks out severely. I believe he may need a second treatment as this is common. I have been off Isotretinoin for 2 months now and as I mentioned in my "Pros", I only breakout in pore-sized pimples if that and it is ALWAYS because I fell asleep with my make-up on. I use the AHA lotion from this site and it prevents anything else from popping up and I use Everyday Minerals make-up which covers my scars amazingly yet is inexpensive and doesn't clog my pores (as long as I wash my face at night haha). I would say the AHA lotion has also been helping the redness of my most recent scars to fade faster than they were on their own. I love it, been getting my younger brother on it. But back to the purpose of this review. I would recommend Isotretinoin. If you do not clear up within the first two months talk to your doctor about switching to another brand so you don't get scars. If you need a second treatment, I would say it's worth it too. I never had any bad side effects mentally or such and I would be an at-risk candidate. I weigh 103 and my derm had me on 2x40 a day which was WAY over my weight limit.
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September 19, 2010

Pros:

None to speak of as yet apart from my psoriasis clearing up.

Cons:

very dry nose, very fragile skin, very dry lips, bad aches in my olwer legs and back, extreme sweating, bad mood swings. no holiday to egypt this year and no alchohol. the alchohol thing is just my choice.

im 38 now and have suffered from cystic achne since i was 19 and have taken this medication twice since. i am into my 15th week now and im not convinced yet. the aching joints are getting worse and the fatigue is no better. my hands are in a bad state from the construction work i do because my skin is so fragile. i also train with the boxers 3 times a week and this is becoming almost impossible due to the constant aches, pains and tiredness. also when im in the gym i must sweat at least a gallon and dont know weather its just my nose but the sweat does have resembling smell of urine. the 1 good thing is that i had psoriasis before i started the course but its gone now. im on 80mg per day and i will stick it for another 6 weeks max then if its no better ill live with it. ill keep posted.
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September 17, 2010

Pros:

cleared my skin for the most part but i still have pimples from time to time but nothing like before my skin is mostly clear

Cons:

the initial breakout for me was the worst acne i have ever had and it started about a month in and lasted for about 4 months and it made my back hurt but that went away after treatment and dry lips of course

i have had acne for about 10 years and i knew i had to try this but i almost stopped the treatment because i was breaking out so bad i did not want to go out in public it was very hard but im glad i stuck with it because it worked i have clear skin and it is great i love it
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September 12, 2010

Pros:

Cystic acne gone
Blackheads gone
No more oilyness/greasyness
Confidence

Cons:

Got MUCH worse before better
dry skin
cracked lips
some achyness

This medicine took me through hell and back, but the ride was worth it. My acne got severely worse before I saw improvement. I broke out on about every square inch of my face. Luckily, I began my accutane (I was on the brand "claravis" right before school ended, so I had a lot of time before school started. After 3 months, my face stopped breaking out and all my acne began to go away. I am left with redness, but I am told that it will heal faster once I am off accutane. I havent had a breakout since. If nothing has worked for you in the past to clear your skin, accutane is a good last effort.
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September 8, 2010

Pros:

Hair & face less greasy
rarely any new zits

Cons:

Increased Sweating
Icreased hair shedding after completion
very dry lips and skin

I have gotten maybe 5 Zits in the past 6 months i have been off accutane. I used to constantly have actleast 10 large Painful zits and 15 others. My skin has gotten alot clearer and has continued to be alot less oily even 6 months later. Moistrouize your holy body especially your lips prior to starting accutane. The pros far out way the cons!
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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