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
November 14, 2013
Cleared my skin, but made my depression MUCH worse!
Cons:
Exacerbates depression symptoms
Makes hair dry & thinner
Very chapped lips
First let me say that this is a wonderful medication if you DO NOT have a problem with depression/anxiety. It cleared up my skin wonderfully and cut down on my skin's oiliness to almost nothing. It also causes extremely dry lips, so keep lip balm handy at all times. I recently stopped taking it due to it causing a terrible relapse of my depression symptoms. Crying, unable to leave the house, sleeping all the time, and for the first time in MANY years, a feeling of total hopelessness that made the thought of suicide briefly go through my head. Very scary!
If your mental health is, well, healthy, I highly recommend Accutane to clear up your acne. If it's not, I would pass. The emotional toll wasn't worth it.
November 14, 2013
Oily skin after Accutane
Pros:
Got rid of acne
Confidence boost
Cons:
Oil came back
Hi Everyone. Its my first time on the forum and i need advice.
I have been using Accutane from March to August. Its now November and the oil is back on my face and its really frustrating. Is there anything anyone has used that has gotten rid of the oil? Any help will be highly aprreciated.
November 14, 2013
Best thing for acne
Pros:
it works
new confidence
no major side affects
Cons:
hyperpigmentation takes longer to fade
dry skin/lips
I'm on my third month of accutane and I love this product. Why I never went on it earlier is beyond me. I have noticed a SIGNIFICANT improvement in my acne in only 60 days. While my skin is not 100%, it's a hell of a lot better and the only side affect I've ever experienced was the normal dry skin/lips which was fixed with a good moisturizer. The only down fall is the hyper pigmenation that shows once acne fades.. This isn't from the medication. It's just the natural process of healing however it does take longer to fade on Accutane but does eventually. Over all, glad I found this. ($8.90 on extended medical plan in Canada)
November 8, 2013
So far so good...Day 7
Pros:
Clear Skin
Confidence
Flawless Complexion
Cons:
Flushing skin
Blood Tests
Once a month Dr visits
Today is my 7th day on Accutane and this drug has cleared up 90% of my face already. I have had minimum side effects so far, which is flushing of the skin and drying face. For me, looking in the mirror was difficult. Especially, when I knew what my skin looked like before this problem occured. My only concern, is it staying clear.
November 8, 2013
Works if you will die with it
Pros:
all, still looked like human, probably not the worse
over 10 years
Hello, this product will work as long as you keep using it, after that it does not, I used it for 6 months(I do not want to throw my life away)(maybe it's because i had acne problems so long, don't know)), and it's really dangerous product so I better use BP without any problems now, it's a miracle product (just use BP like smart people not like desperate people and it will work.
!!!!
About the BP miracle (I had acne over 10 years, now my skin has scars) -- I have noticed more better results than BP clean solutions, I recommend Dr. Wolf , Acne fug (it's was the only thing with BP in my country, and now I can not stop using it!!!), Acne fug is 5% BP and has alcohol and some other clearing skin agents(it's stored something like 2-7 decrees) (the paper recommends it for hormonal acne (hormons cause acne etc), the acne that other products can't fight), I use it once a day and works much better than any BP solution so far (It can't get any better, so I stay at this product. If I will not use acnefug for several days(and not showering) the acne comes back, some pimple or pimples appear, but if using this product they disappear after 2-3 days completely), no flakiness or anything(BP makes skin look a bit lifeless, but this product not). Only once a day!!!!(I shower once a day!)(it's quite effective so please not use that often) I also use moisturizer with lipids and after that my skin is not try and feels good. Note: I am promoting healthy living and am exercising a lot. ///
November 7, 2013
Finished Accutane and now scars?
Pros:
cleared acne
confidence
Cons:
scarring
redness/redmarka
dryness
I finished Accutane in April of this year, it worked good, was on for 5 months. Then this September I asked my derm about my facial scarring and redness, and she suggested Palomar laser. So I did 2 treatments 4 weeks apart, I had breakouts after both treatments, thought it was from laser but im not sure anymore, because I am still breaking out on places where I did not even get the laser done, my next appointment is next Friday, and I don't know what to do, the 2 treatments have filled in my pick scars pretty good, but still could use more treatments, but these breakouts... im debating if I should just ask to go on Accutane again? suggestions? opinions? I can also provide pictures if needed.
Thanks
November 6, 2013
it really is a miracle drug.
Pros:
CLEAR SKIN
GLOWING SKIN, BEAUTIFUL HAIR
MORE CONFIDENCE, LESS MAKEUP
Cons:
DRY LIPS
SLIGHT HEADACHES
Only came on here to write this review. For the people considering, PLEASE do not hesitate any longer. I been up and down with my acne since 13yrs old..29 now. sometimes just stubborn acne, sometimes cystic. The older I got the worse it got. I tried EVERYTHING! finally gave in to accutane,. I was clear within 2 weeks! yes 2 week!!! my skin is amazing right now, I can comfortably go outside with no makeup, I have very little scars that continue to fade. Only con is the dry lips. they are a pain in the butt but so worth it to have baby smooth clear skin. My skin is not dry at all just my lips but I also have no oil in sight, same with my hair, I can go about a week without washing and I still look like I just came out the salon. Its amazing, I have received alot of compliments on my skin and hair ever since I started. first month I was on 40mg 1x a day, month 2 till the end i am at 80mg a day. A derm told me to get on it years ago and I listened to the bad comments about this drug, probably one of the things I will always regret would have saved me tons of money, embarrassment and tears had I done it years ago. I was clear within 2 weeks and I start month 3 next week.
November 2, 2013
Miracle drug
Pros:
No more heavy makeup!
Cleared up my seemingly untreatable acne within a month!
Increased confidence
Cons:
slightly elevated cholesterol
dry lips
dry skin
I was supposed to finish my Accutane course at the end of August...but have about 10 doses left now at the beginning of November. Why? The stuff worked so well, and so fast, that I got lazy about taking it! I'm 33 and have had acne since 13. Like many others who have taken Accutane, I've tried just about every rx and OTC thing out there--nothing worked. I finally got fed up with cystic, painful acne (after 20 years!--I'm stubborn and got scared off by the horror stories) and agreed to take Accutane upon my dermatologist's recommendation. I have taken 40mg the entire course and weigh about 150--so a pretty low/moderate dose IMO (and less than the "gold standard" dose of 1mg/kg). My doctor was originally going to raise my dose after a month or two, but was so pleased with the results that he decided not to! My skin seriously cleared up within a month, I'm not even kidding. Side effects have been minimal--I had very slightly elevated liver enzymes on the first panel (I also take several other rx meds processed by the liver, so it didn't really surprise me), along with slightly elevated triglycerides and cholesterol. The slightly elevated cholesterol has persisted throughout treatment, but it doesn't scare me and I expect it to resolve itself shortly after I stop the med. The only other real side effects have been dry lips and dry skin. Seriously--that's it! If you have acne that is stubborn as all get out, you owe it to yourself to try this med. My skin still isn't perfect--I have some red spots and a few scars--but I feel so much more comfortable with how I look that I stopped wearing makeup altogether! It has been incredibly liberating.
November 2, 2013
Follow up- a year later and still perfect skin
Pros:
Long lasting results
No more oil slicks on face
Clear skin (really!)
I was very hesitant after hearing all the negative links but went to a derm, tried months of alternate treatments like tetracycline and was assured this was the best option . My cousin had used this and said was a great decision and no problems and I was sick of being in my mid twenties at a professional job with huge cystic breakout on my face. The only notable affect was my lips got super dry! Once I used aquaphor intensive ointment religiously it went away . I took this for a total of 8 months and my cystic acne is gone! It was on my back as well. I get compliments all the time on my porcelain skin and tell people I am glad I used this. My dr told me cystic acne doesn't work with topicals and I believe her now. Also now use a gentle soap 'purpose' morning and night . Don't be scared this will change your life .
October 29, 2013
Dont let negative reviews scare you!
Pros:
amazing
clears skin fast
amazing
Cons:
chapped lips? big deal
still amazing
amazing..i have no cons.
Okay, so I will make this short. I am 27 year old female. I have oily acne prone skin. Like you, im sure I have tired every single product from proactive, to bacterium. Everything my dermatologist prescribed I took and it did nothing. I was so scared about Accutane. 2 doctors told me I should try it and I let the negative reviews scare me away. Finally I have tried it. I am just finishing up month 2. I don't understand what all the fuss is about, this stuff is fantastic! Right now I am on 40mg a day. The only side effect I have is chapped lips. As other reviewers have noted the cracking and bleeding in the lips...but that would happen to anyone with dry lips that doesn't apply chapstick. Seriously there is so much bad about this medicine out there its crazy. A person has one bad symptom and they shoot the medication down to a zero. Try it for your self. My skin looks almost flawless and im not even half way done with the treatment.
Pros:
Clears up acne
Decreases oiliness