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
October 11, 2008
Cons:
Chapped painful lips, nosebleeds, dry skin. Breakouts came back.
I was on Accutane for 5 months. I have a history of depression but had no feelings of it while i was on Accutane. It's worth a try but 5 months after being off it i've been having mild breakouts. It's so heartbreaking, i really thought i was cured. I'm begining to think i'm going to have acne for the rest of my life. So try it if you have the insurance and really bad acne. But hold your breath, my doctor told me it has like an 85% cure rate just my luck that i fell into the 15%....
October 5, 2008
Pros:
acne gone, took a while but it is gone
Cons:
red marks where my acne used to be, im done the 6 month so hopefully the redness goes away soon
it worked alot better then anything else iv ever tried. I still dont know how to get rid of the redness, if anyone figures it out email me damien.mullin@[link removed]
thankss
September 3, 2008
Pros:
does exactly what it says helps clear acne
Cons:
dry skin and lips
i have been on 30mg for 6 weeks no bad sign effects for me all small whiteheads and blackheads completely gone, back completely clear, derm now put me on 65mg for 8 weeks cos still getting pimples daily but no where near as bad i recommend this for anyone who wishes to try it and suffers from acne, follow instructions to the book. good luck to all
August 17, 2008
Pros:
it's the only thing that works and uproots the acne problem!
Cons:
just expensive because my insurance doesn't cover it
i've been plagued for almost 10 years by severe acne since the age of 15. i've tried most well-known topical treatment and oral antibiotics for acne. none of them worked. then my doctor introduced this as the "ultimate weapon." it miraculously cured my acne in 3 months! there is no discomfort or side effect i felt inside. but since the degree of my skin moist underwent such a dramatic change (that's how accutane works), i had skin peeling, keratosis pilaris, and breakouts of hives during the medication. regardless, once the medication was over, acne was gone. and the only side effect is keratosis pilaris, which i can accept.
August 10, 2008
Pros:
too soon yet to tell
Cons:
very dry lips and itchy scalp
I am 49 and fed up with the constant battle to get rid of the spots etc. Was prescribed minocin for 15 years ( which I have since found out was far too long) This had a detrimental effect on my liver, so was taken off them and put on Isotretinoin 3 weeks ago. Cholestrol level has risen slightly, but liver function has now returned to normal. Just waiting patiently for an improvement in my skin now.
June 25, 2008
Pros:
Clears severe acne fast, no more oily skin, clears acne on neck and back as well as face.
Cons:
Very dry skin at the beginning, severly dry lips. Takes a few weeks to really start clearing everything up.
I started having severe acne at around the age of 14. It was embarrasing and it would cycle every 2 months. I tried everything you could think of and nothing work. Oral anti-biotics definitly stopped me from breaking out with severe acne but it didn't stop oily skin and I continued having severe acne right after I got off the pills. I went on Accutane for 4 months and I'm safe to say it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. While on Accutane I no longer had oily skin and I never brokeout not even with mild pimples. After I stopped, my acne was clear for about 6 months. Although my acne is no only moderately bad, I'm going to start another cycle because I do not want it to get back to severe.
June 11, 2008
Pros:
It did clear up the acne and decrease the oil on my face, for the time I was on it and a couple months after the 6 month treatment.
Cons:
I finished the treatment about a year ago, and although my face does not break out as bad as it used to. There is still acne on my face, lately it's been a bit worse.
Dryness, cuts take longer to heal, I developed a form of psoriasis.
If you have absolutely tried everything and anything out there, with no results. Go for the Accutane. The side affects can be annoying, but as long as you stock up on good moisturizers (My favorite was Aveeno) and drink plenty of water, they shouldn't be that unbearable. Be prepared for plenty of blood tests, only 1 week to drop off and pick up Rx, and if your not careful about what you eat you might gain weight. Like I said, I repeatedly developed some form of psoriasis on my hands and arms, but It went completely away after one or two applications of Vanos cream. Your dermatologist should have free samples. I recommend starting your treatment around spring, that way you don't have to deal with the dry winter months.
May 7, 2008
Pros:
not sure yet
Cons:
not sure yet
I start accutane in one month. However, for those still debating. I have adult hormonal acne; all in the jawline. I never experienced acne until a year ago and it got so bad but I tried to avoid accutane. I did levulan blue light therapy twice (no impact), did Doxyclycline (no impact) did clindamycin, retina-micro, ampacillion, dephrin and every over the counter you can imagine. Only thing that helped was the ampacillion and the retina-micro; but not enough to my satisfactory. I still have cystic acne under my jawline and a few on the checks. I give up... accutane it is. I start in June and can't wait!
May 7, 2008
Pros:
Made it slightly better but nothing amazing
Cons:
Dry lips, Itching scalp, Dry skin, Redness/soreness of the face.
Im 20 years old and have been on isotretinoin for 4 weeks on a dose of 80mg a day. So far I've had all the Cons everyone are saying but not much of the Pros. I'd be lieing if i said it hadnt got better at all, but the it has hardly made a dent in getting rid of the acne. Its early days I guess and still have another 3 months on it. I jsut got back from holiday and the sun helped a lot but since i've been home they seem to get worse again. I would reccommend it just because of other peoples reviews not my own, as everybodies different it may work better with them!
April 18, 2008
Pros:
It works, but it costs your body and mind more than you pay in cash.
Cons:
1. Fact: Accutane will make your acne 100% worse before it gets better. 2. Dried my face and lips. 3. Blood work. Blood work. Blood work. This medication is serious stuff. 4. Acne returned 1 year later, but no where near as bad as before Accutane.
If you call 15 cysts on your face a good day, then you should get on accutane. You have to do your blood tests as required. If the accutane itself won't make you depressed as some claim, then the massive surge in acne halfway through the treatment will. My doctor timed it so i would be out for summer vacation during the rabid peak of acne. Thank god. Unfortunately, my acne returned to a different area. The areas that had acne before accutane have not seen cysts in years. Now I am on a milder med. Stay tuned for further updates.
Pros:
Got rid of my acne and blackheads for a few months.