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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3.9
2787
Read All About Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
Compare To Other Treatments
5
37.1%
4
33.4%
3
15.6%
2
7.4%
1
6.6%

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

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January 30, 2012

Pros:

helps temporarily

Cons:

didn't give me long term help and the side effects were extremely hard to deal with

i think this is dangerous medication the side effects aren't worth it
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September 18, 2009

Pros:

Works AMAZINGLY. All acne (body, face) gone! And usually stays away for a long time.

Cons:

Dry Lips, Suicidal thoughts (depression), Dry Skin. Unfortunatly, it's been about a year since I've last taken accutane and my back has broken out... I get pimples on my hairline too, but I don't worry about those.
Leaves scars!

If you really want to get rid of acne and it's ruining your life, I recommend this medication. But if you don't care that much, and your acne isn't severe, don't take it.
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April 17, 2009

Pros:

None

Cons:

Too many

Didnt help and burned like f**k
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September 10, 2009

Pros:

NONE!

Cons:

I was on it for over NINE months, it did nothing but enflame my acne even worse. I have found other products since. I had to suffer through side effects with no results at all.

If it doesnt' work after a month, move on. Increasing the dose will only make things worse.
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February 18, 2009

Pros:

Dries up your acne relativley fast.
You can see improvement
Face appears smoother and you dont look all oily and shiny

Cons:

Horrid side effects, EXPENSIVE!makes your skin look scaley and way too dry!

My brother uses accuane. his skin looks better, but it looks like he constantly has sunburn, Also his lips are always cracked because accutane kills ALL of your oil glands in your face. So you will age much much faster! i would not use accutane! it is just wrong and i highly do not recomend it! try the Urine Treatment! It is like 1000 dollars less than Accutane and it works 100 times better!!
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March 6, 2008

Pros:

No initial breakout so far (1 month in), smoothe skin, I think it's working

Cons:

If you wear contact lenses and are prone to dry eyes, this is going to be a nightmare as it is for me right now. I got extremely inflamed eyes, had to go to eye doctor. Red irritated eyes is more worse than having dry skin and lips.

It's only been a month so far and I haven't had a bad breakout, I just have tons of redmarks everywhere still. The worst thing so far is that my insurance doesn't cover it and it's $150 a month. My eyes are so irritated, I'm scared there might be some permanent damage to it as I am prone to dry eyes. Since it's only been a month my derm or my eye doctor has not seen such bad reaction to eyes from accutane. ugh. It's worth it if you're willing to sacrifice other important things like your vision.
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May 7, 2007

Pros:

does a decent job clearing acne

Cons:

side effects: joint pain, chapped lips, Erectile dysfunction,

STAY AWAY... NOT WORTH THE RISK.. PEOPLE HAVE ALSO COMMITED SUICIDE ON IT
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May 21, 2013

Pros:

Your skin may clear

Cons:

You may lose your life

I would like to address to you who are about to run a course of Accutane. This pill takes lives every year and almost got mine as well. It's a harsh chemical with countless of side effects on body and mind and is to be considered a high risk solution and not to be coursed at all. Looking at it from above its a vitamin A overdose. It does actually help cure acne in some cases, in others ruin peoples lives. I took two courses on doctors prescription orders and as for the physical side effects you can expect dry lips and skin, stiff joints, impaired nightvision, dry mucous membranes (especially nose) that may cause nosebleed, tendencies to tooth loss and headache to mention a few, For the mental side effects however these are much more extensive and can be considered life threatning. While on course you will experience lowered mood. As the course laps this may worsen and develop inte full scale depression if unlucky and may cause insanity if not stopping on time. Post cycle my speech was slurry and everything had slowed down. I used to have countless of ideas flowing inside my head. This was all gone after the last cycle. Other physical side effects post cycle were heavily reduced sex drive, reduced sperm quality and semen colored yellow. This caused panic by itself and a lot of pain on ones mind. The primary function of accutane is to lower your testosterone levels and its this effect that makes your skin clear, reduced sebum levels and so forth. This is of course also what causes mood swings and its not mentioned in the PIL that follows. Also brain injuries as mentioned above, because its a vitamin A overdose it does damage your brain as well. We are looking at permanent loss of brain cells. Before the last cycle I was in one piece This red pill produced by roche should be banned and not to be sold in any state or country. If you think of running a course heed my warning. This is not something you want A few thoughts on accutane
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JubilantFlow
September 30, 2015
Hey bbbmmm222, I think it's rude of you to criticize other's reviews of the drug, by picking on bad grammar and wording, are you wanting to take the drug but scared and offended by the bad reviews? It's well known that this is a dangerous drug. This person has listed out all of their side effects and they are not required to show evidence or dr's opinion on a review lol. I don't see why anyone would want to fear monger here .
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JubilantFlow
September 30, 2015
Hey bbbmmm222, I think it's rude of you to criticize other's reviews of the drug, by picking on bad grammar and wording, are you wanting to take the drug but scared and offended by the bad reviews? It's well known that this is a dangerous drug. This person has listed out all of their side effects and they are not required to show evidence or dr's opinion on a review lol. I don't see why anyone would want to fear monger here .
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December 7, 2012

Pros:

Clear acne while on it.

Cons:

HORRIBLE breakout after

Listen guys, I was on this product for a total of 19 days. I took a pill in the morning and a pill at night. My acne was normal at the time, ya know some bacne chestne, and around cheeks. Now let me tell you if you have sensitive eyes, this product is NOT FOR YOU. I have very oily skin and dark hair but blue sensitive eyes. I could barely open my eyes and bright light sensations were imminent. While driving at night I could barely see anything. EXTREME eye irritation so i had to get off. Always watery eyes and red and irritated. Now my acne was almost CLEAR at that point. This is truly a double sided sword. I few weeks after my acne started to get progressively worse. I got the WORST foreheadne in my life, and I never got any foreheadne! My breakouts went crazy everywhere for months!!! My eyes still werent healed! It's a year later and after trying numerous products and herbs it has finally calmed down a bit. My eyes are still not 100%. And I still get lots of foreheadne which I never got. I can see this product working for someone staying on the full dose but with all the sideeffects it is worth it to find an alternative. PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE GETTING ON THIS, my life was so much better before I got on this product.
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September 24, 2012
I used this 3 years ago. all it did was make me sick, give me cracked lips-severe! and my acne all came back as soon as I stopped. My regular doc wouldn't even prescribe this i had to go see another doc, now i know i should have trusted my own doc! I used zenmed 2 years ago and my skin totally cleared up and stayed cleared up and it didn't do nasty things to my body either. unless u really don't care about your body STAY AWAY from this stuff.
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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