Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
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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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April 30, 2012

Pros:

-Clear skin on face and body
-Reduces oil on skin and hair
-Confidence

Cons:

-Initial Breakout
-Dry skin and lips
-Initial Depression

I've been on Accutane the full 6 months and it's been a crazy journey! The initial breakout was horrible and it took a few months to clear up but it was completely worth it. It took much longer for the acne on my shoulders to clear up but now in the 6th month, I'm acne free. I completely recommend Accutane! Especially before you or your children develop acne scars which are irreparable. It's a tough journey but I have battled acne all throughout my adolescent years and 6 months on Accutane is much better than years of struggling with acne. I'm 20 now and I have acne scars that won't ever go away and I only wish that I would have done Accutane when I was younger. I went through a few days of depression during the initial breakout but it lasted no more than a few days and wasn't detrimental. I just didn't feel like going out or being with people due to the initial breakout. For those of you who are going through the initial breakout, stick with it! It hasn't been until just recently that I've seen consistent results so don't give up after month 4 and 5. Also, my doctor told me that the majority of Accutane users see more results after they get off of the Accutane. 6 months goes by faster than you think so hold on, you'll see clear, beautiful skin soon!
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April 24, 2012

Pros:

Works fast
Oil reduction
Black heads gone

Cons:

Dry eyes
Dry lips
Eczema on back of hands

First question I have to ask my self is why I waited so long to use Accutane? I have been on it for 2 months now and am extremely happy with the results. Black heads that even anti bios (which I have taken for years ) that wouldn't clear on my forehead are gone. I am taking it mostly to clear my backne which is now %80 better then it was before I started taking the Accutane. I first started at 40mg for the first month and am almost finished my second at 80mg. I have all the usual side effects like dry skin, chapped lips, daily nose bleeds, dry eyes and very dry hands. But I expected them after reading some reviews. It is manageable but for the first month this whole using moisturizer thing was pretty new to me. I had never bought a bottle of it in my life till Accutane. Either than that I get a touch lethargic from time to time but dont know if its Accutane related. I have not experienced any other side effects and still have the occasional beer from time to time. Ill list a few products that have really helped along the way. Aquaphor for lips.. amazing. Taro-Mupirocin ointment to jam up my nose for nose bleeds... pretty good. Natural tears 2 for dry eyes... amazing. Nivea ( in the jar only ) for dry skin.. amazing. Spectro eczema care... its ok.. not that it doesn't work, it actually works extremely well. But to well as it makes my skin ... soggy??.. and I can scratch it off the next day very easily. Last . for day use, Aveda chap stick ( $14 a stick : O ) But it works very well and doesn't give me that wet lip feeling I get from the Aquaphor. The next question I have to ask is, why are people paying so much for Accutane in the states? I have read people saying they had to pay up to $5000 a treatment??? Good greef, name brand Accutane in Canada is $60 a month. I have insurance but have seen the pricing if I didn't. Good luck with your treatment and we will see you pruned on the other side as thats what I feel like right now.. l
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April 24, 2012

Pros:

-Clear Skin
-Smooth skin
-Great Skin
-non greasy skin

Cons:

-depression
-dry lips
-dry skin
-sensitive skin

Understand that this is a game changer. It will clear your skin. Now im not sure about whether it will come back cuz im still on it (hope so!!!).
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April 22, 2012

Pros:

Glowing skin
GREATLY diminished acne in just 1 week

Cons:

dry lips
flakey skin

Hear me out for a second: if the fine print on this medication said that the symptoms consisted of extended periods of elation, happy moods, butterflies, and high energy levels, those are the exact symptoms the majority would have reported. Yes, I understand that different bodies react differently to certain medications, but the mind behaves the way you tell it to. If you're anything like me and you read that after taking a pill, your hands will begin to shake, well gosh darnit, my hands will start shaking. It's called the placebo effect. Prior to taking this medication, reassure yourself that you'll be fine. Seriously, you will. At first I was very hesitant about being put on isotretinoin after reading all the horrible side effects (joint pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety), but I decided to take a leap of faith and am glad I did. Give it a try. If you begin to feel like the side effects are too much to handle (which I am sure will not happen), you can stop taking them immediately. The pros outweigh the cons (which really mostly consist of dryness) by 1,000,000,000!!!! I am a 20 yr old female and have been on this for only a couple of weeks and cannot wait to continue to see the amazing results. I haven't gotten to the point where I can walk out without any foundation on, but I am not too far away either. Previous acne scarring is beginning to fade away which is GREAT! Be sure to apply moisturizer very frequently, even if you don't feel dry. Keep the SPF close by, as all acne medications make you more sensitive to burning in the sun. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!!!: Take this pill after your most fatty meal. Since isotretinoin is essentially vitamin A, taking it after the consumption of fatty foods will increase its effectiveness and prevent your liver from working too hard at breaking it down. Be patient and stay POSITIVE! Good luck :)
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April 18, 2012

Pros:

completely clears acne
works fast

Cons:

none as long as you take care of yourself (make chapstick your friend and get some eye drops)

Great medication that works perfectly. it is stupid this drug has such a bad rap.changed my life
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April 13, 2012

Pros:

-Completely clear skin after 3 months
-No breakouts the entire course and after

Cons:

-Dry skin
-Hair loss! Lots of hair loss.
-Really, really dry and cracked lips. Aquaphor/lip balm/etc. did little to stop them from drying despite applying multiple times throughout the day.
-Redness and flushing of face
-Eczema breakouts on arms
-mild liver and stomach problems

I had severe acne from age 13 to 19. I had tried literally anything and everything and all had failed. I went on Accutane and was cleared up within 3 months, not a single breakout since. This is a miracle drug and was completely worth it to me. I can finally get my life back on track after dealing with this acne for so long.
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April 12, 2012

Pros:

-Gets rid of Acne, Oily Skin & Blackheads.
-Clear skin!
-

Cons:

-Takes 6 months to see FULL results.
-Red, dry skin.
-Initially, skin gets worse.

I was on Accutane (40mg) for 6 months (one pill per day). I am so happy that all the bad reviews didn't stop me from using this product. It has been 2 months since I've been off Accutane and I am thrilled to say that I have 100% clear skin.I must say, everyone gets different results from this. Some clear up quicker than others, so don't get discouraged. I was constantly breaking out even well into the 5th month of treatment. I was almost positive that the product wasn't working for me, as I read that most people have clear skin after 3rd month. Regardless of all discouraging reviews I read, I kept on it and I am so thrilled I did so. Although the journey was harsh and felt extremely long, it was well worth it. Give it a try!
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April 12, 2012

Pros:

-no more breakouts
-softer skin
-acne scars disapeared
-NO INITIAL BREAKOUT!!
**Major confindence boost! (feeling crappy to feeling awesome and acne free)**

Cons:

-very dry eyes
-chapped lips
-dry nose & skin
-small dry rash on hands & arms
-Extremly sun sensitive(during the summer) sunburn liike crazy!
-monthly doctor visits, and blood work
-Cuz im a girl it took a whole month to get perscribed (ipledge system)

I love Accutane! and i am so glad to finally be done with it :) thoughout highschool i was on benzaclin which kept my acne clear but then when i got to college my acne started bulging out. Went to the derm and she gave me tazorac .5%. Uggh hate that crap didnt do anything. then she moved me up to .1%. Worse than ever!! my acne had the biggest breakout ever and i was on it for 7months!! nasty looking skin. finally after that horrible year using taz and solodyn (sh*t dont work either!) i went back to the doctor and she told me about accutane. I didnt wana do it at first cuz of all the negative things i heard about it. But it serioulsy worked!!! my face looks amazing! you can not even tell i ever had acne! Okay so i had cystic acne and i had like 50 white heads all over my face with shiny oil all over. I hated getting ready for school or anything. And i relied so much on my make up! had minor deppression tooo! But thank God im over that:) So basically after that month of waiting for the stupid birthcontrol stuff i got on Accutane in November i got on 40mg of Claravis (generic brand for accutane). My Acne improved in the first month!!!:) Then on december i got on 30mg 2x a day (60mg). And improved even better each month. And noww its April so i am done!!! 6 months of this was sooo worth it!! Problems i have are just dryness of skin, lips and irritatingly dry eyes (cant even wear eyeliner!!) But it is serioulsy all worth it cuz now i can pour on the bronzer:) Love the skin! And best of all no horrible side effects. So from my experience dont be afraid of taking accutane like i was. just do it! it is the best thing out there for you if nothing out there works for you. All the other medicines suck compare to this thing! I hated my skin so much and in 6 months i LOVE it. And last thing i forgot the products i used!!! -Cetaphil face lotion -Cetaphil face wash & Dove bar soap -Avenno Positively Radiant SPF 30 (for daily sunburn protection) -
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April 12, 2012

Pros:

Cleared my skin
gave me confidence

Cons:

dry skin
dry lips
dry eyes
moody
scalp is flaky

This is actually my second round of Accutane. The first time it was necessary my skin was really bad. I actually starting breaking out in the 4th grade. I was teased so much and I tried everything! When I was 17 I was given the option to try accutane I'm now 28 so it was 10 years ago. I remembered the severity of the treament but one thing I can say is it completely cleared up my acne. I was acne free for years then I had a baby when I was 20 and while I was pregnant I got some pregnancy acne which was normal. Since having my son my break outs aren't even remotely close to being as bad as they were when I was a teenager but they are still annoying being an adult dealing with breakouts. My acne is of course worse when its that time of the month but I miss my skin when I didn't have to use anything. After all those years of using products I want to not have to use anything on my skin. Occasional break outs won't be that bad. I started seeing results earlier this time around we're talking within the first couple of days. I'm almost done with my second month. My dr is still saying a 5 month course I hope that I don't have to go that long but I will because I know it works. You have to be patient and just like any other medication it's going to give different results to different people. Good luck!
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April 7, 2012

Pros:

Clear skin after ~3 months
No more cystic acne
Can finally smile without it hurting! (cystic acne around mouth)
Confidence is back!
Even gets out blackheads! (added benefit)

Cons:

Dry skin
Redness (from thin skin)
Dry lips
Dry eyes
Aches
Nosebleeds (stopped)
Other side effects

This drug is very harsh but it works. I am on my last month, and I can honestly say I have not one single cyst or pimple on my face. However, my skin is not flawless. I do have one small cholesterol deposit/milia under my eye, which should go away. I also have many red marks. I heard these red marks go away, however, after 2 months of getting off! Well, at least they get dramatically better. After month 3, I couldn't wash my face anymore or else my face would be beat red. I splashed my face with cold water and put on Cetaphil Gentle Skin Lotion as many times as it took before the redness died down. Be super gentle with your skin on this stuff! Don't pick at it AT ALL! Especially after month 2. I accidentally got a scratch between my eyes and now I have a scar (hopefully it will go away!). Don't exfoliate. Just be super duper gentle! Side effects will come and go. Just communicate with your doctor/parents (if you're a teen like me), and be careful. To me, it was definitely worth it. I went from having cystic acne everywhere to having no pimples whatsoever. I tried Differin, Proactiv, keflex, monocycline, etc etc. I needed to find my cure and this was it! IF your skin can tolerate it, if you get angry pimples on accutane, take a Q-tip and put the smallest amount of Proactiv sulfur mask on it overnight. It a couple of nights, it will be gone! Otherwise, just moisturize!!! Any lip balm will do. Be careful & believe, and in half-years time, your skin will be savable :) Maybe not perfect, but something to work with until your complexion is smooth and nice!
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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