Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
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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.

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Read All About Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
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5
37.1%
4
33.4%
3
15.6%
2
7.4%
1
6.6%

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

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February 11, 2007

Pros:

Deep sore pimples go away over couple months. Don't need to wash your hair much, only twice a week.

Cons:

Very dry lips- use vaseline constantly. Dry rashy skin on arms/legs- moisturise every day. Takes about a month and a half before pimples start really going away slowly as each day passes- patience is required.

It has been two months since i started Isotane- the NZ name for this medication. Requires alot of patience as results take a long time to see. Ask your derm for hydrochortisine aswell to combat redness. Also i was prescribed Stieva-A cream to apply at night and this helps prevent pimples from forming after first bringing them out. Basically things get worse before they get better but now things are looking much more positive and pimples are dissapearing one by one each day and have gone from giant sore deep pimples to small whitehead pimples. Unforts the scarring from the large pimples remains but im sure they wil fade eventually. recommend isotane.
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February 8, 2007

Pros:

left skin blemish free

Cons:

used for about 6 months, after about a year after the treatment acne returned.

Was excellent for a few months then acne started to return.
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November 22, 2006

Pros:

Clears your face, lessens the appearence of scars, and gives you healthy smooth skin.

Cons:

Entire skin on your body dries out. Cracked lips,peeling skin,itching, sensitive skin, sunburn,bone pain, upset stomache,headache.

Effective as a last resort treatment. Not the most pleasent expirence.
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October 28, 2006

Pros:

cleared my severe cystic acne during high school for one year.

Cons:

the Cysts came back worse and in greater numbers. the depression during hsc was crippling.I lost a few of my close friends because i was so depressed and couldn't make them understand.

my self esteem was low to start with and now i think it is non existant. i am 19 and can't show any skin above my waist to my collar bone. i am going to have another try in january. i tried benzoyl peroxide and the pill and various other creams and tablets but this is the only one that improves things. I have the support of my sister and that is the greatest help.
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October 25, 2006

Pros:

It works GREAT! I have been done with the treatment for probably about seven years, and my acne has been under control ever since. But you have to follow the directions and stick to it through out the entire treatment period.

Cons:

DEPRESSIONS! I was on this in high school and it drove me very deep into depression. Also it dries out your skin severely. My lips got used to me applying chap stick constantly and they do not produce moisture anymore. So now I cannot live without

It's a great product to take care of acne if you can tough it out throught the depressing treatment period and be able to handle the long-term side effects of dry skin and lips for the rest of your life. I would recomend it if you have severe acne and nothing else seems to be working. I would try something a little less harsh first.
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October 19, 2006

Pros:

effective long-term/permanent

Cons:

Gets worse before it gets better because it has to 'flush' it out of your system, up to 5 months of Extremely dry and sensitive skin and very very dry and chapped lips

Very good product. I first took it when I was 16. Took it for 5 months and had very clear skin. I had been on a low dosage since I was young so the acne came back about a year and a half later. I took it again when I was 18 and was put on a dosage 3 times higher. after about 2 or 3 months I had to have it lowered do to a strong dull pain in my brain-it was then 2 times higher than the first time I had taken it. It again cleared up after the 5 months and have been clear until recently. I'm 21 and have started breaking out a little bit. Nothing like previously so I was advised to take tetracyclen 2 a day for 3 months and then will take 1 a day for a couple years until I'm either pregnant or feel that I will be fine off it. We will see. Also, Aveeno products have been really good and gentle on my skin and more effective than clean&clear and nutrogena type cleansers
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September 1, 2012

Pros:

Clears acne

Cons:

Do not drink alcohol whilst using this drug. In my case it caused acute pancreatitis which is very unpleasant (look it up).

Be very careful
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September 1, 2012

Pros:

Clears acne

Cons:

Side Effects:
Dry eyes
Dry nose (and bleeding)
Stomach ache
Joint pain
Extremely dry skin
Aggrivated eczema
Dry, cracked lips
Low mood (for a short period)
Social life affected - little alcohol and sun=not much fun!

I'm 22 and had been considering using this for a long time due to persistent moderate acne. I had tried a lot from aged 15 til 21 including Zineryt, Antibiotics (3 kinds), Benzoyl Peroxide, Differin and all the various OTC treatments to no avail. Started the treatment (30mg) on 11 May 2012 and started seeing reduced acne from a few weeks in, at the same time all the side effects started kicking in. After 1 month I started suffering low mood and was advised to lower my dose to 20mg for 4 weeks. This helped and my mood picked up, but my skin started getting the odd pimple again. I then went back up to 30mg for 5 weeks and then up to 40mg for a further 5. This is where I am at the moment and I would say my skin is more or less clear. I am under no delusions that I still have a long way to go and that the acne could return at any time following treatment. I thought long and hard before deciding to go on this and also looked at the various issues surrounding long-term conditions that this is suspected to cause. I will always be confident that I didn't rush or make any quick decisions. I would recommend it only if someone has tried all other options and researched the risks of taking such a powerful drug because although some have a fairly easy ride - not everyone does.
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August 13, 2012

Pros:

Clears up acne

Cons:

Doesn't last
Severe dry skin
flakyness
Itchyness
Regular appointments mean taking time off work

I started off taking 30mg a day and my skin started to clear up really quickly. However i also developed severe eczema over my face/hands/arms/legs/feet. Before the treatment i only ever had slight eczema patches on my hand but 4 weeks into treatment i was covered in it. The eczema looked a whole lot worse than the acne did! I also suffered an extremely itchy scalp and dry lips throughout treatment. Having regular appointments is also a pain, two appointments a month - one for the blood test and another for a pregnancy test/ represcription. Taking time off work for these was a hassle. Overall the treatment was good at first however the side affects / blood tests were not worth all the hassle and a few months after stopping treatment my acne came back anyway. If you suffer from eczema i would really reccommend trying something else :(
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August 10, 2012

Pros:

-Clear skin (but not truly permanent)
-Regained confidence
-decrease in oil production (awesome)

Cons:

SEVERE SIDE EFFECTS:

-HAIR LOSS (AWFUL) & permanent change in hair health (breakage, not wavy anymore)
-EXCESSIVE SWEATING/HEAT INTOLERANCE (embarrassing... I have been off Accutane for over a year and i sweat at the slightest heat, my friends make fun of me)
-Severe headaches
-Raised cholesterol

LESS SEVERE:

-Bad joint pain
-Very dry, RED eyes (used moisturizing gel drops daily)
-Dry lips (but manageable with AQUAPHOR)
-Sad thoughts(?) unsure if related

READ THIS I've been on accutane 3 times over the past 6 years so I feel like I can speak with a lot of authority. I love it but it's not totally permanent, however YOUR SKIN WILL NEVER BE AS BAD AS IT WAS BEFORE ACCUTANE even if you still break out pretty badly after accutane. I have had severe acne since I was about 15 (I'm 21 now)... I developed SEVERE back acne at about 15, I mean SEVERE. On my face I just had typical pimples but nothing like my back. My derm prescribed me Accutane, 60 mg for 6 months (at the time I was about 5'3, 115 lbs). I finished the course with beautiful, clear, glowing skin. And the side effects sucked yeah but nothing unbearable, I have severely oily skin so I didn't mind the dryness, I LOVED hardly having to wash my hair and my skin wasn't greasy. So that round of accutane, HAS COMPLETELY CLEARED MY BACK SINCE. It's been 6 years since and not a single pimple back there. BUT after having amazing skin for about a year, I started breaking out badly on my FACE this time around... I immediately took a second low-dose round, 40 mg for 8 months. Once again clear face, that lasted almost a year before my face started breaking out badly again. This 2nd round of accutane, I LOST HALF MY HAIR. It sucked, mostly grown back since though. Took a 3rd round in college... some more hair loss, not as bad but that's when the sweating started. Ugh read my side effects... I have complete heat intolerance. After this round (40mg/6mos), broke out again after 3 months. NOW I said forget accutane - I appreciate what it did for me and do recommend it, but I refused to use it a 4th time as its obvi not permanent for me (except my back!!). With this latest bad, cystic breakout I started taking SPIRONOLACTONE 200 mg/daily and its a miracle. SKIN CLEAR LADIES - TRY SPIRONOLACTONE FIRST!!! Works just as well if not better w/out the nasty side effects - SERIOUSLY READ THE REVIEWS!! I have so many
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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