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
July 26, 2009
Cons:
dry lips and skin, monthly blood tests and doctors appointments, upper back pain, tiredness and headaches
I have been on isotane for about a month. after the first week my skin cleared so i thought i wasnt going to get an initial breakout like the doctor said i would, but after a month i am starting to get pretty bad breakouts - that might be because the doctor put me on two 20mgs a day after 3 weeks instead of 1 a day like i started out. My lips arent too bad but my skin is starting to dry up and i also get a red face easily.
Use a lot of chapstick and moisturise often and drink a lot of water. it does help. Also try taking fish oil or evening primrose capsules as it will help with the dry skin.
July 18, 2009
Pros:
Acne cleared up completely and hasn't returned.
Cons:
Dry skin and lips
Accutane works. Some of the side effects suck, but it's definitely worth it.
June 15, 2009
Pros:
no more acne!
Cons:
irritable bowel syndrome, nightmares
took accutane ten years ago when i was in high school. i was on the lowest dose for a little under a year. it worked miracles for my skin. and it has stayed clear ever since! the only side effect i had while on it was alot of REALLY scary nightmares. a year or two after taking it i started having stomach problems. i've been diagnosed with IBS which could have been caused by accutane. if someone had severe acne that didn't respond to any other treatments i would probably recommend taking this as long as they were well aware of the side effects, some of which can be long term
April 24, 2009
Pros:
skin (especially the face) less oily
Reduced breakouts of acne (as i used to suffer from daily breakouts)
Medicine is free for NHS patients (In England)- this is brilliant as i have spent so much money on products and treatments in the past!!!
Cons:
Bad headaches when i first started treatment
Dry, chapped lips- constant application of lip balm/ vaseline necessary and dry skin especially around the nose
After trying anything and everything available topically for acne i have found this medication to be the best thing in stopping the acne and improving the look of my skin. I suffer from severe acne and have done for many years. My face is completely covered in blemishes, severe scarring and redness. After seeing a dermatologist and agreeing to start this medicine i have noticed such an instant improvement and i am extremely pleased with the outcomes. I feel it is totally worth all of the side effects because at the end of the day my skin is looking much much better and my acne seems to be disappearing. After years of suffering with acne i cannot tell you how amazing it is to finally find something that works. This is a very strong drug though and it can be quite toxic for the body. Everybody experiences different side-effects with it so you need to discuss it in gr8 detail with your dermatologist before you start taking it and have a good think to see if it is the right choice for you.
April 17, 2009
Pros:
Clears up acne well. Skin is less oily too. Works after a few weeks and keeps acne away even after you've completed it.
Cons:
Dry skin and lips. A little more tired than usual
The product is great. And to avoid the side effects, get plenty of sleep, use Cetaphil or Garneir Skin Renewal moisturizers, do NOT use a prescription face wash, use Cetaphil Daily wash. And for dry lips I recommend Blistex Daily Conditioning Treatment-DCT.
April 14, 2009
Pros:
Completely cleared acne
Cons:
Experienced all the side effects
After trying everything from antibiotics, differin, retin-a, etc. the derm finally (as a last resort) prescibed accutane. This was nearly 6 years ago, I stayed on the drug for about 4 months. Unfortunately, I experienced horrible side effects such as aching joints, where it was actually hard to get out of bed, worst joint pain was felt at night and in the morning. My face was terribly dry and literally flaking off. I also experienced severe depression. If you are prone even slightly to depression, I would advise taking an anti-depressant before and during accutane. I was fine for the first month and then out of the blue started crying one day and couldn't stop. My GP put me on prozac and then switched me to Zoloft. I had never been on an anti-depressant prior to nor since being off accutane. However, even with all the side affects, I swear by accutane. I am starting the cycle again, this time w no insurance. The Dr. said it will average about $700 per mo. but it's worth every penny!!
April 10, 2009
Pros:
clears up most of the acne, blackheads r gone, whiteheads r much less noticeable.
Cons:
dry skin, dry lips, terrible mood swings
overall this really helped me. i had very bad acne and i tried everything, i just finished accutane this past month and i read tons of reviews on all kinds of sites and after hearing of crazy side affects i was very hesitant. when i was on it my mood swings were the worst out of everything your always crabby and very emotional but as the months progressed i didn't have a problem with it. tips- use vasoline for your lips, it works like majic and any kind of chapstick or anything like that didn't work at all for me. also use clinique's dramatically different moisturizing lotion because it moisturizes your face without looking oily and if u use it often u will have no peeling and if u do it will only be a tiny bit. also make sure u do your ipledge right away or your account will get locked and its a big pain to call in and to a million things before u get your perscription. i think this is an amazing product and as long as u don't get pregnant and r safe while on it u should be fine
March 30, 2009
Pros:
Cleared my skin 100%. I no longer wake up with greasy hair or skin. I no longer have to wear make-up to feel confident and pretty.
Cons:
Dry lip's (nothing a little lip chap can't handle), Sore shoulders (I went for the odd message and had warm baths which helped), I got migraines while on my period (DRINK WATER to prevent headahces!!!!)
It has saved my life, my job, and personal relationships.
I have never been so happy in my life. NOTE: some advice for people who are going to go on this medication.
-DRINK WATER! you have to get your 8 glasses a day. I cannot stress this enough how important it is to drink water.
-Watch what you eat, I kinda let myself go while on this drug because it says to eat with something fattening. (this doesnt mean go ahead and eat cheeseburgers) ha ha pick a healthy fat such as nuts, avacado, or fish.
-Last but not least, BE OPTIMISTIC! Try and keep yourlself positive.
Make sure you have happy and positive people around you, this will change your life. I never thought it would work for me and it did.
THANK YOU ACCUTANE!
( I did not have to pay for this medication because my insurance covered it 1oo%)
March 9, 2009
Pros:
Very effective. Will completely nullify the most severe acne.
Cons:
Side effects are not only present during the the medication, but sometimes after the medication. Skin is very high maintenance after medication is taken. Excessive moisture is needed, or acne will come back.
Accutane has saved my life. I had disgusting acne, like really bad. When I took accutane, it started to clear up and my skin was perfect. However, during the medication, my face got really red, my eyes were bloodshot almost 24/7, and my skin was very dry. At the end of the medication, my acne was diminished completely, but the redness was still present. Soon after, my acne did come back, but I doubt it will ever be as bad as it was before I took the medication. When taking accutane, I recommend drinking LOTS of water, not only to keep the redness down, but to keep the blood with blood distribution and circulation. Also, I recommend eating a fattening food , or any food for that matter, before taking the daily dosage of accutane. When the criteria of nutrition and moisture are met, you have a higher chance of getting rid of acne for good. And try to miss as few days as possible!
P.S DO NOT stop washing your face just because you are taking accutane!
March 3, 2009
Pros:
amazing skin! clear. small pores. smooth as a babies butt.
less anxiety about break outs. increased self esteem. all smiles
Cons:
dry lips and achy joints. easily dehydrated.
annoyed at times that you have to take it twice a day but so worth it!
i took this drug with 20 mg of prozac to help with signs of depression. it helped me so much and made the entire treatment easier for me. it was a last resort for me to take accutane i had tried everything with my doctor and my acne was increasingly getting worse over time. Beginning to scar and taking a toll on my self worth.
Pros:
ill tell you when i get there!