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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Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

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Frances

February 20, 2008

Pros:

Works well, made most of acne go away, cystic acne is still there but getting better all the time. I am very oily and this made my face matte.

Cons:

Nosebleeds, backache, very dry skin especially on my arms and on my face, *seriously* chapped lips

This stuff works, no doubt about it. The dermatologist wouldn't let me try it for a long time, the whole routine with topicals and the like. The iPledge rules are really a pain but still well worth it. I've been on it for about three months and made me forehead clear up in less than a week. The cystic acne on my cheeks is still there but is drying up and getting much better. Still got a little while more to go but I'm really excited about how things will work out. The only thing I REALLY don't like about Accutane is that it completely changed my mood and I become very agitated easily.

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Kevin

February 11, 2008

Pros:

I had bad acne over my back, neck and face. This med dried out my skin almost from the first tablet and got rid of the acne at the same time.

Cons:

Chapped lips ( used a lip balm which helped). I woke up one night to blow my nose and had blood all over the tissue. That only happened once thankfully!

Worth trying to see if it would help you as much as it helped me. Be wary of possible side-effects. I had to see a skin specialist to get this medication which was subsidised by the Australian Goverment

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John Johnston

February 10, 2008

Pros:

When I was taking it, it was like a dream come true. Acne went away, no spots, no oil, nothing. People say it causes depression, but I'd never been happier in my life, with my appearance.

Cons:

Chapped lips all the time, tight feeling in skin. And another major thing: I took it for about 5 months and it was great. But come month 9 or so my acne started again. My oil was out of control. Took another course. Same thing happened =(

When you're using it, it's amazing. But I dunno so much about AFTER you're done with it. And I've talked amongst friends, I'm not the only one it started up again. I'm gonna look into some other treatments.

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Yvonne

January 30, 2008

Pros:

I stopped breaking out after I stopped using it.

Cons:

I started getting breakouts 3 months later.

I was on it for 3 months and it made me break out incredibly bad. It was giving me more scars and bigger pimples. I gave up after 3 months in which my face cleared up for the next 3 months with no pimples. My only side affects were bloody noses and dry lips. I paid 25 a month for the rx. 25 for the monthly dr visit and 40 each month for the blood work. I went to the dermatolagis today to maybe get back on accutnne again and hopefully have a better outcome. Instead he gave me and rx for Spironolactone. Wish me luck!

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David

January 27, 2008

Pros:

excellent treatment choice

Cons:

If your not a mentally stable and secure person you MIGHT experience some of the stated side-effects. For me just some minor depression, easily resolved with a good attitude. Chapped lips for sure (just use chapstick). Headaches. Photosensitivity.

I first took accutane for about 3 months at 80mg per day. Initially my acne did get worse before it got better for about 1 month, but at no point did accutane cause any major side effects. While on accutane take precautions with exposure to sunlight even in the SLIGHTEST amount, stop taking it if your gonna drink then resume afterwards (excessive liver damage), stay proactive and keep friends close (to avoid depression), do not forget to keep chapstick in your pocket (i went through 1/wk). You want horror stories about a medication, read about Zoloft. People with bad acne are prone to have emotional problems so of course studies will show elevated depression/psychosis problems. I'm a Navy Corpsmen so I didn't have to pay for it.

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Ami

January 23, 2008

Pros:

I took a 6 month course when I was 19 and had AMAZING results. Did not have acne again until last year, at age 26. I went back on accutane 10 days ago, and so far my skin is worse, and all I have are side effects.

Cons:

*headache, dry skin, acne worsened

If you haven't tried it, go for it. It was awesome for me the first round. As for if you need a 2nd course, I have my reservations. I am hoping as I go into week two of the medication the acne actually clears, instead of continuing to spread.

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lanier

January 10, 2008

Pros:

dried up my oil glans. didn't have to was my hair as often. did clear it up somewhat.

Cons:

SIDE EFFECTS. night vision is bad, always tired, not as hungry (lost weight), very touchy (little things made me mad), scaring of breakouts i got while on it and any cut i got, bloody noses, depresstion, joint pain,

skin looked better while on it, but i still had probems. after the first time on it went back to how it had been before. and i went on it again. side effects the 2nd time were worse than the first. but i have heard it work wonders for people, but it doesn't work for everyone. but it is worth trying

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Liz

January 8, 2008

Pros:

I have not had a single pimple since the 2nd month on accutane. my skin is smooth to the touch and less oily. After 3 months I stopped taking it, but now, over 2 months later, still good and no painful acne YES it really did work.

Cons:

Being on the drug is like being sick. The 2nd day, symptoms start. First, the awful cracking of the lips (which are only healed with Aquaphor). I had dry, itchy patches all over my arms, legs and hands which was the worst thing. (still SCARS!)

I got a prescription cortisone cream for the dry patches which really helped heal them over time. I went on a 3 day trip with no sleep and that made my skin go haywire and my entire right hand looked like it had a huge scab on it of dry skin. My nose was always stuffy with dried blood which made me feel unwell compared to other people and hemorrhoids??. My spine would feel weird (the joint pain people refer to) and I just felt sick. There were no mental changes at all though. I hated the painful breakout during the first month and a half, but I was committed to endure the side effects since my acne had been so PAINFUL and ugly since 10th grade to now my junior year of college. I would start to forget to take the dinner pill. It was such an emotional ordeal getting the drug, having to take birth control, getting monthly labwork, but when my hair was oil-free (nice!) and skin clear, I just had to stop because the side effects were too much, so I stopped @ 3 months in hard nursing school!

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Adam

January 6, 2008

Pros:

Clears up skin periodically but is unreliable

Cons:

Nasty dark bumps, rashes on skin, dry itchy scalp etc etc

I have been on this drug for 4 months now and I am still breaking out. I cant believe it, this was supposed to be the answer but I am SO disappointed. Now I see why it can cause depression. My breakouts arent as bad as before but they are still coming. Considering coming off it.

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katiefighter

December 11, 2007

Pros:

Reduces acne and oily skin. More convenient than topicals.

Cons:

Raised my cholesterol, increased my acne during the first month, increased scarring from cysts. Acne comes back quickly after discontinuing. Expensive if you pay out of pocket.

I've used it 3 times. The first month is hell. I had severe breakouts. But the reason I regret taking it is because it increased likelihood of scarring from cystic acne. I have a number of scars from cysts and virtually all of them occured while I was taking accutane. It's not a coincidence when you've had acne for 16 years, and >90% of your scars occured during the months you took accutane. When I stopped taking it, the acne and oil skin came back within 2 weeks.

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