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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Alice

February 11, 2009

Pros:

After many years of trying carious products and being very self concious about my skin, Accutane was the only product that ever worked for me. I was on it for 6 months and now almost a year later i have not experienced more than the occasional zit.

Cons:

Dry skin, chapped lips. Also, for women you are required to take birth control and have pregnancy test every month which can be expensive and tiresome.

Definetly worth it.

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ACNE SUCKS

February 10, 2009

Pros:

No more acne!

Cons:

everything just gets really dry

Let me just start by saying- I waited for 2 years sifting through all of these stupid forums waiting for my skin to clear. I (as I am sure many of u have) took every single other type of pill besides accutane, all of which never worked. Acne made me lose all of my confidence....Then I took accutane The first two months I saw absolutely nothing The third month my skin got a little better but not really noticably to anyone but me The fourth month my acne literally stopped. I havent popped/seen a pimple in 2 weeks. It was such an amazing feeling from someone who has had acne for so long. Now please, dont envy me- just get accutane- it really was a miracle and was very cheap for me. DO IT- stop wasting ur time on forums and get ur skin clear so u can get with people and have confidence MYTHS DISBARRED 1. Accutane doesn't make u moody- it gives u a reason to let urself get moody. Dont fall into that trap 2. U can still drink on accutane (i did) u just get drunk qui

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Mike Cox

February 8, 2009

Pros:

Permanent results.... literally destroyed my acne. Suffered no depression as a result of use whatsoever.....which suprised me as I have been diagnosed with depression in the past and spent years on prozac before i recovered.

Cons:

The dry lips i suffered looked just as horrible from a cosmetic point of view as the acne did. This was the reason i stopped using the medication early.

I took accutane for 2 months which is not as long as most dermatologists would recommend. There are pros and cons. As I stated earlier, the dry lips were VERY severre. My lips literally crusted over to such an extent that I felt I looked like a clown with big lips. Now that I'm off the drug however I cant say enough good things about it. I stopped taking the drug 3 months ago and my acne still hasnt come back. It has totally cleared up. I continued to drink heavily while on the drug and suffered no liver damage (I do NOT recommend this, it was irresponsible of me and is very dangerous!) I would recommend that high school students who are self concious about their appearence use it over the summer when they wont be in school. If you are self concious about your appearance, the dryness that occurs may temporarily damage your self esteem.

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purehunter61

February 7, 2009

Pros:

Cleared up my acne. It really is a miracle drug!

Cons:

very verryyy dry, cracked lips. Also reallyyy dry skin. My skin would constantly flake off. Also I experienced some hair loss and depression/ terrible mood swings.

Although the side effects were strong and really do suck its worth it in the end! My skin looks great! Friends that I have now don't believe that I once suffered from acne because my skin is clear 99 percent of the time.. Only when I am pmsing do I get one or two pimples. But they are pretty small in size and go away within a few days.

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Frankie

February 3, 2009

Pros:

My skin cleared up very progressively and I was feeling so much more confident with 2 months.

Cons:

I had awfully dry and ripped lips, ripped skin, I got nose bleeds and at stages while I was on my highest dose I got very depressed which affected me and everyone around me so my dose was cut in half.

If you are someone who is an extremely emotional person at heart beware depression is most likely going to be a side effect for you 4 or 5 months into the treatment but if you are the opposite to this the only side effects you will most likely experience is the dry skin which trust can be a nightmare! My skin has never been better after 7 months.

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Daniel Baker

January 31, 2009

Pros:

In about a month my skin was already clearing up. And at the end of the 5 months i was on it, it cleared up completly. After i finished taking it, i hardly ever broke out, and if i did, it would just be one and by the end of the day it was gone.

Cons:

Dry lips, and skin, and extremly terrible back pains. which i still get till this day. and every month you have to have blood tests done and go to the dermatoligist.

It was pretty amazing how it just cleared my skin completly. i had been on antibiotics since i was 11 and finally resorted to taking accutane when i was 17. i had acne all over my cheeks, forehead and chin.Accutane kept me clear for about 2 years. but over the past year i started breaking out again and the past 4 months i have had it come back bad. regardless of my acne coming back, it felt great to know and remember what it was like to have clear skin for the past two years.

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jessie

January 31, 2009

Pros:

my severe boil like pimples are gone, and my self esteem is back!

Cons:

thinning dry hair, abdominal pain. severe fatigue, body rashes, dry red eyes, chapped lips, high cholesterol. without insurance it can be costly. (monthly blood tests and doctor visits) you also have to be on birth control (and use condoms)

My skin started looking more clear after the second month. After four months my severe acne was totally gone. I was on the medicine for five moths total. The side effects mostly have gone away. My thinning hair is growing back, but my cholesterol is still high, this could be genetic though. I am 24 years old and I didn't develop acne until one year ago. My doctor said the success rate is higher if you are in your 20's, or later. This drug has changed my life for the better! I have been off the medicine for six months now, and I haven't obtained a single pimple since. The cure rate has been reported to be as high as 80 %.

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Angie

January 28, 2009

Pros:

Helped to get rid of breakouts. For good!

Cons:

Dry lips. Don't go out without chap-stick! Also dry hair - but that I actually liked, because I had to wash hair less often :)

I was lucky - I didn't experience many bad things like sensitivity, headaches and suchlike. I was really scared before using that I might, but I didn't. The only thing was dry lips. It cleared my face completely in 6-7 weeks. I finished course in August last year. My face still is pure and nice.

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Andy Fraser

January 27, 2009

Pros:

Cleared my skin well when I was put on the medication at age 14, came back within the year. Cleared it up the second time I went on it, came back that same year yet again. Last trial of it worked for only two months after taking the medication.

Cons:

dry lips, dry eyes, dry nose, nose bleeds, headaches. scars, severe loss of hair, thinning of skin, bubbles on the inside of my eyelids, and joint pain, and most of all depression/lack in being seen publicly.

It was the only medication out there for my cystic acne, during treatment severe cysts never cleared but grew smaller, they would grow in size after being off the medication for 6 months. The hair loss also occurred over the course of two months after being on accutane for 6 months. Now sitting at 9months of being off accutane, and that being my third time on the medication, I DO NOT RECOMMEND TAKING THIS DRUG if you find it ineffective after a second trial, I would almost even recommend other options if it comes time for a second option. I'm 21 years old and the acne I get is around my mouth, shoulders, neck, upper back, and sometimes on buttocks , it currently is mostly under the surface, but my skin is so thin now that you can see white bumps that are underneath. I hope this helps, and at the same time doesn't sound too too scary, I have had such a struggle with cystic acne that if anyone can help or would like to talk, feel free.

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Isabella

January 27, 2009

Pros:

Essentially CURED of acne! I have smaller pores, virtually zero breakouts, and soft, glowing skin.

Cons:

Dry lips, dry arms and back, and dry nose--not too bad considering the cons!

For years I was terrified of going on Accutane--everyone's heard how strong of a drug it is, etc, and lets not forget the blood tests (I have a huge fear of blood and needles!), but after trying everything and seeing few results, I broke down and went on it. WOW. Accutane changed my life. I had moderate, perhaps moderately severe acne and I am now 100% clear. I feel so much better about myself and have gained a new confidence, and people will often compliment me on my skin. The side-affects were so much less severe than I expected. Just stock up on Cetaphil's Ultra Hydrating Lotion and Nivea's A Kiss of Moisture lip care and you'll be fine. For anyone who is hesitating about Accutane and has tried numerous prescriptions without results, JUST DO IT! It was worth every blood test (and believe me, that means a lot for me to say that) and the side-affects were easily bearable. Accutane has CHANGED MY LIFE!

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