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 31, 2011
Cons:
-Using Aquaphor 24/7
-Monthly doctor visits/blood tests/quizzes online
-Dryness (eyes, skin, lips)
-Joint pain
The bottom line is that if you can't deal with the side effects, then your acne isn't bad enough. Yeah it sucks to have dry lips and joint pain. It is a huge pain to go to the doctor every month and get your blood tested. But seriously, if you can't handle those things then you need to try something not as intense. Taking accutane is a risk that people with really bad skin are willing to take. It took me 5 months for my skin to clear using accutane, but I wouldn't take it back for anything! Accutane gets such shady reviews, because people don't understand that every medicine acts differently in each person taking it. You may or may not have any of the symptoms I wrote about. But accutane is a LAST RESORT. If every thing else has failed, and you can't live with bad skin, then accutane is your only option. It's so worth it.
October 30, 2011
Pros:
-Clear Skin
Cons:
-Joint/Back Pain
-Thirsty Skin (easily controlled w/ cetaphil cream)
-Photosensitivity (SPF all day, every day)
-IB on body
Results seen after 1 month. Had an IB on body, but not face. Just got better after 1 month. 3 months in, and clear. Dark Purple hyperpigmentation is gone. Side effects are completely bearable. From my understanding, all of the potential side effects are treatable and subside after treatment ends (obvious exception is the alleged causation of suicide). So I guess if the effects get worse, I can just stop taking the pill. My doc gave me a somewhat high dosage (about 1.5 mg/kg) for faster, longer-lasting results. Anyways, weigh the risks and decide if they're worth taking. I just wrote this to tell you that, for me, they were.
October 14, 2011
Pros:
-Cleared Face
-Cleared Back
-Cleared Chest
Did pretty much everything that I wanted it to!
Cons:
-Initial Breakout
-Dry Lips (
-Bloody Noses
-Back Aches
-Face Dried Up
-Blood Test were Costly
Coping with Cons:
For my dry lips I used Aquaphore it is like Vaseline but works a lot better. Before going to bed make sure to put a lot on so when you wake up you lips are fresh. Only reason I used chapstick in the day was because Aquaphore is thick and kinda messy.
Curel Ultra Healing: Best lotion I used for my face get the big bottle :)
Accutane practically saved my confidence! I was very hesitant at first to start the medication because of all the "side effects." Thank goodness my mom and derm persuaded me to start the medication. Being a 16 year old kid with acne was the worst, I could never swim with friends because I always thought they would make fun of me. Accutane changed all of that, it made me a confident individual with clear skin. It was all a roller coaster ride, it has its ups and downs but the ups for me surpassed any of the downs. If you are ready to be clear and can deal with dry lips and some body aches on occasion, this drug is right for you. It took me 6 months to complete but oh man the after is amazing. Just take it seriously because it is not something you can mess around with you have to be devoted and ready to become clear. Accutane was right for me because no topical or any other oral drugs like Minocyclin did the trick. I am here if you ever need any advice, I did it and I promise with dedication you can too!
October 13, 2011
Pros:
clearing acne
very small initial breakout
confidence is getting much better
Cons:
dry lips(not too bad)
dry skin( only around the mouth. its very light)
mood swings at times
This is my 18th day on oratane 20mg and ever since i took the first pill, my face started improving. I wasnt sure if to take it at first because everyone made it seem like it was the worst but for ME it hasnt been bad. I have had like a couple pimples come out these past 3 weeks but nothing serious. My pores are getting smaller, no oily skin, side effects are very small. I am super happy. I have tried everything and nothing worked, only this. Not all bodies will take it easy like mine but it is well worth it. For all those suffering with acne, try this!it will definitely change you life like it is doing with mine:) I will be on it for 3 months as well. get a good derm. i am going to a derm in mexico because they are easy on you and will def help you out. Best derm ive been with so far and if anyone has any questions dont mind and message me!:)
October 12, 2011
Pros:
-No more acne! :D
-HUGE boost in confidence. Huge.
-I went from wearing heavy foundation and two powders to just powder.
-Pretty much everything.
Cons:
-Dry lips, skin, eyes, nose
-Chapped lips to the extreme, I had to apply chapstick every half hour or my lips would crack and bleed (I'm not exaggerating).
-I scarred easily while on Accutane.
-Depression
-Mood swings
-Irritable
I am SO glad to have been on Accutane! Given the pros and cons, I would've taken those 4 months of discomfort to get rid of my acne any day.
While I know the effects of this drug vary from person to person, it worked well for me.
I started Feburary 2011 and finished in the latter half of June. Initially, I had planned on being on Accutane for 5 months (my dermatologist's recommendation), but because my skin had completely cleared by month 4 I decided to go off of it.
When I started I had terrible skin- at least 20 active cysts on my face at a a time, noticeable redness, oiliness to the extreme, the top half of my back was literally covered in cysts and my chest was red and bumpy. Wearing makeup did nothing to cover up the fact that I had acne and usually by mid-afternoon my face would be so oily my makeup would come off anyway. My face and back were painful to touch; I couldn't lean my back against anything without feeling uncomfortable and often found myself hesitating to rest my face on my arms/hands.
Not only was my acne painful and noticeable, but it caused me to be extremely self-conscious. I refused to leave anywhere without makeup and even then the minimal coverage wore off, so I had to reapply it multiple times throughout the day. Being in high school heightened my insecurity and I often questioned whether I was "pretty" or not solely because of my acne.
After trying almost everything (Retin-A, minocycline, doxycycline, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, etc.) I decided to give Accutane a try.
I started with 40mg and by the second month went up to 80mg. Usually 60mg is the highest dosage people take, but I'm pretty tall and weigh more than most people so they raised my dosage. My time on Accutane was difficult for myself and everyone around me, but I'm soo glad I went on it!
Before you consider going on Accutane you should do some research to see whether your comfortable with the possible side effects as they can be dangerous
October 11, 2011
Pros:
Cleared acne on face, chest and back fast (one month)
Face was no longer oily
Removed all dark spots
Pores diminished
Cons:
Dry lips
Dry skin (all over)
Blood drawn once a month
Hair loss (small bald spot - hair totally grew back after I came off)
I went on Accutane for four months in 2009 at age 38. 40 mg once a day. It was a good opiton for me because I had a partial hysterectomy, thus getting pregnant was not an issue for me. Yes, it worked. My skin looked amazing and it only took one month. I didn't use any topicals as my Derm really didn't want to put me on it, I insisted only after several (4) antibiotics and topicals over 20 years. I didn't have cysts or nodules. It was more like small red bumps and white heads. I also had small pimples on my back and chest that would come and go. I didn't feel all that great during the four months, but compared to what others have posted - I had it pretty good. My spirits were always up because my skin looked amazing! The key was Aquaphor for my lips (I had about 5 tubes and never left home without it), Aveeno Ultra Calming Face wash and Moisturizer (pm only) I just used a warm face cloth in the morning, and Eucerin Calming Cream if my face was itchy. Those four products worked well together. My face remained clear for about 6-8 months and then the pimples came back, not nearly as bad but they came back. However, my back and chest remained clear. I started back on antibiotics for two years (no topicals) they worked great, but gave me yeast infections. I am now on Spironolactone, 50mg once a day and my face is totally clear. I wish I had known about this as I probaly wouldn't have done the Accutane. Bottom line, I don't regret using Accutane and I do believe in it for those with severe acne as it does work. Mine wasn't severe, I was just frustrated with battling it for years. Good luck!
October 9, 2011
Pros:
started with 20 mg the first month, 30 mg the 2nd month, 40 mg the third, and finished with 60 for the last two months. this product helped me skin TREMENDOUSLY. please believe me when i say it works. i tried every product, medication, cream.. you name it i had it. nothing worked but this really did clear my skin up. please dont let bad reviews scare you. i had no depression what so ever, and did not have any suicidal thoughts. this does work and its amazing.
Cons:
-DRY lips, and my arms got dry patches all over them. I literally needed to apply chapstick every half hour.. this really died my lips (aquaphor works well)
-my skin on my face would peel sometimes.. and this would take a long time to heal. im not sure if anyone else has experienced this problem, but if i had a blemish and popped it, layers of skin would just start to peal. if i would try to peal it to remove it, it was painful and my it 10x worse. so DONT pop pimples/ pick at face
This medication saved my life. It boosted my confidence in school, and in my everyday life. I can now look people in the eye when i talk to them because i am no longer embarrsesed about what they are thinking... i dont have to worry about what new blemish ill have when i wake up in the morning... this is really a miracle drug. besides the severe dryness everywhere, there was really nothing to complain about. my hair actually became less oily so now i dont have to wash it everyday. it takes time for the medication to work.. ill admit i was doubtful at times because your skin will get worse before it gets better, but after the third/forth month it is all up hill. Just stay faithful with the medication, and you will have perfect skin.
October 6, 2011
Pros:
-acne cleared after a few months
-skin looked so good and it even helped my hyper pigmentation
-this really is a miracle drug
Cons:
--dry lips
-dry hair (which was a plus for me but for most its a con)
please please please im actually begging all of you who have acne, ive been their, i had terrible acne just a few months ago and now im completely clear. If you want the skin you have always dreamed of having then you need to be on this medication. Don't let the rumors scare you, this is a completely safe medication and barely anyone actually has serious problems. My dermatologist told me that she has treated 10,000 people with accutane and all 10,000 of them had perfect skin at the end and no one had any serious health problems. So again, don't be scared away by the negative reviews on here, which brings me to my next point. Your very closely monitored while on accutane so if anything serious does happen, your doctors will know right away and give you the proper treatment. Accutane is miracle drug and I simply urge with all my heart that if you have acne and your self conscious and embarrassed by it that you please do yourself a favor and go on this medication. I know how hard it is to have bad acne, or even any acne for that matter. It hurts and it kills you inside trust me i was in that place for over 2 years until i went on accutane. So please i beg you do yourself a favor and go on accutane and get your life back and get the skin that youve always wished you had.
September 28, 2011
Pros:
Clears acne (somewhat permanently)
skin looked beutifull while on it :D not dry at all, all my ugly calluses disapeared and nails looked perfect! even my hair felt smoother and easer to manage, now that I finished treatment my skin texture looks bad again :(
Cons:
expensive!! i had to pay $3,000 :'(
only dry lips and dandruff they werent so bad
joint pain and back pain, nothing drinking lots of watter and chondroiting and glucosamine couldnt fix
It works at clearing acne, but after 2 months of finishing the treatment acne is returning (much less, but returning :S)
Im giving it a five star rating without taking into consideration the price XD sice there's lots of people out there with better insurance than me
and bear in mind.. acne might come back
September 27, 2011
Pros:
Absolutely amazing skin, like beyond belief, no side effects, well no scary ones, just the mediocre dry dry dry lips, but that was mostly cause of my brace, and dry skin everywhere, but its so worth it. I wouldn't think twice, people are just out there to scare you with the scary side effects. Okay I'm not saying they're never going to happen, but I'm saying if you have the chance go to on accutane, if need it enough DO IT. Best decision, I'm not spot free, literally, none!
Cons:
Dry lips?
Slightly sore muscles, but I'm an athlete so what do you expect.
Ohh and I had to pay! But you can get it on insurance if you're from the UK like me, dont know about the US, but probs the same
TAKE the chance for Accutane because it'll do more help than bad
You end up with spotless skin
Pros:
-Clear skin!!
-Not oily anymore