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 24, 2011

Pros:

No more oily face, no more pimples on face or back, more confidence, spend less time getting ready

Cons:

Dry face & lips

I would recommend this drug for anyone who has severe acne. I've had acne for 10 years and I contemplated going on this drug for years because of of the side effects. I'm so glad I did & it was probably the best decision I could have ever made. Noone should have to suffer with acne that makes you not want to leave your house. I had no side effecs except for dry lips and skin which is no big deal at all. If you're suffering with this problem I would definitely try accutane it worked for me when nothing else would and I finally have my life back.
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April 22, 2011

Pros:

Considerable difference in greasiness of skin - not greasy at all
Very few side effects (only dry lips)
Only have to take for four months

Cons:

Extremely dry lips

I've been taking Roaccutane for two months now, and I've got two months left of treatment, and my skin is in much, much better condition, it's softer and better quality and not at all greasy. I'd already tried most topical things along with Oxytetracycline, Lymecycline and Doxycycline, and none of those worked, so I was relieved to be going onto something stronger. The only side effect I've had is dry lips, but that can be solved with vaseline and lip salve. I had a dry scalp for a while, but I switched to E45 Dry Scalp Shampoo and that's all fixed now.
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April 18, 2011

Pros:

Skin like a baby’s bottom!
Not afraid to show off my back in public

Cons:

All the temporary stuff commonly listed: dry skin and lips, mega dry eye, depression, poor healing etc.
Telogen Effluvium - lost 70% of my hair, and counting
Tendinitis, still troubling me

8 months after taking my last pill it's hard to say whether it was worth the risk. 25 year old male with a pizza back sucked. I'd had enough of slathering handfuls of BP and AHA over my back and neck, face (with minimal improvement) so I did some research to see what I could do to put acne to rest from the inside out. First it was vitamins - no luck. Then Doxy, which failed. My problem was OIL, way too much of it. Accutane was the only option (or B5). I was prescribed 60mg a day then worked up to 100mg over two months or so. This was a little past the recommended dose 0.5 ' 1 mg / per kg body weight being 95kg. My thinking was I never wanted to do this again so let's get it right first time around. I reached a cumulative dosage of 150mg in just over 5 months to say bye acne for good. And it worked' I'd never been so happy in my life with my skin. But then it came. 2 weeks after my last pill I was washing my hair in the shower and there in my hands was over 50 hairs. I totally broke down knowing what it was: telogen effluvium. Since then I've lost 200 ' 300 hairs a day for 8 months. It happens due to a physical stress on the body which causes your hair to prematurely enter a resting state (generally from between 8 months' 2 years with accutane). The hair doesn't fall out for 2 -4 months after the stress event so you probably won't know until it's too late. I suspect my telogen effluvium was due to my high dosage. My advice would be not to take any more than 1mg p/kg of your total body weight a day. If I could do it all over again I'd take less each day for a longer period of time to reach the recommended cumulative dosage of 120 ' 150. Wish I could post a more positive review, but this is my story and it's real. Everyone is different will react differently. I give Accutane 5 stars for acne because I'm pretty much cured (so far), but I will never get all my hair back. It's a risk that didn't pay off for me.
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April 14, 2011

Pros:

Skin is completely clear.
No eruptions in the morning or during the day
No whiteheads or nodules.
Skin doesn't hurt (acne spots are very painful)
Doesn't take long getting ready (used to have to pop spots, wait for the redness to go, or blood)
GOT MY LIFE BACK.

Cons:

Lips get so chapped.
Dry skin on face and arms.
Got several mini rashes on my arms.
Not able to drink.
More pain after exercising.

Bottom line if you have severe acne get on this drug now. For you Americans, the national health system is extremely poor and I was only prescribed this after going private (which is a very good service). I've been on it for three months now and it has completely cleared up all my acne. All that remains is a few blemishes and slight redness however since I'm only actually half way through my treatment, I expect this too reduce even further. The benefits much outweigh the drawbacks. It will change your life and your confidence will severely increase. Still got three months left on the drug but I'm only on 30mg. However kept a diary and monthly photos of how my acne is progressing and feel free to email me too get these, you'll really see the improvement, jase_2394@[link removed]. It will change your life.
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April 4, 2011

Pros:

Perfectly clear skin!
Even skin tone!
Hardly any bad side effects.. for me. :)

Cons:

Chapped lips!! Like veryyy chapped!

Accutane was my true life saver! I had acne all over.. not cystic acne but mild acne that covered my fast chest & back.. I was extremely self consious about this. I skipped my school trip to Big Splash bc i wouldnt let people see my chest and back! I was put on a low dose of accutane my junior year 20mg once a day.. within the six months i was on it i had beautiful skin with no scars and noo spots anywhere to be seen! this is a true miricle drug.. i will be forever in debt to the makers of this.. it got my confidence and my life back!
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April 1, 2011

Pros:

Clear Skin
No Greasy/Oily Hair/Skin anymore
Huge Improvement and Compliments on my face

Cons:

Dry Lips
Dry Face

Ive been on Accutane 4 or 5 Months and my chest/back has cleared up 99%. My face I have maybe 1 active pimple and I get pimples very rarely. My face looks so much better than it used to 4-5 months ago. Another month or two and my face will look amazing. I Highly recommend accutane Ive tried thousands of products and pills and spent so much money and this is the only thing that has worked for me. If anyone out there is considering taking accutane or is currently taking accutane I use Aquaphor for my lips/body/hands and cetaphil antibacterial bar soap to wash my face and than throw cetaphil lotion on afterwards it works great. I hope I was of help to anyone wondering what products they should use with accutane.
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April 1, 2011

Pros:

Perfect skin!
Really, really smooth skin
Hair doesn't get greasy
Blackheads disappeared from nose and other areas

Cons:

Dry lips
Very dry inside of nose
Dry eyes
A bit of eczema on back of hands and top of arms in second month
Tender skin in the first couple of months

50mg daily for 4 months. I would 100 million% recommend Roaccutane to anyone considering to go on it. I researched it for ages before I decided to do it, put off by some of the horror stories that you hear. At the end of they day I realised that in the time I'd been considering it, I could have just done it. The cons would nowhere near outway the pros, I literally have the skin I have dreamed of, I genuinely didn't think it would work this well. I'm not sure what the general consensus on alcohol consumption and Roaccutane is but I didn't change my drinking habits while I was taking it.. I'm a student so that is a fair amount per week. I could not recommend this any more!! I have a few friends who have taken it as well and their results have been amazing too. MIRACLE CURE!!!
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March 31, 2011

Pros:

This stuff is absolutely incredible. I used to have the most oily skin by far of anyone I knew. After only 2 weeks on accutane - my oily skin was GONE!! it was completely amazing and then the rest of my 4 months on accutane was great - minimal side effects

Cons:

dry skin, dry lips, nose bleeds - that's it.

Wow, this stuff is absolutely incredible. Been off accutane for only 2 weeks but I am so glad I did it. I used to get nodules on my face that would take up to a month to get rid of and now I haven't had a single pimple in the last month ****knock on wood!!!****
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March 29, 2011

Pros:

100% clear at 3 months
No greasy hair
Pore size smaller
acne scars/marks have faded
People complement my skin : )

Cons:

Chapped lips (Aquaphor is a good for dry lips)
Dry skin on top of hands
First Month had bad chest pain
At times i had low back pain
dry eyes

I was hesitant to go on Accutane at first. After trying numerous acne creams, washes, antibiotics, this was my last resort, and im so HAPPY i did it. I started on 40mg once a day. Within the first week, i noticed a soreness in my chest and top of my shoulders. This worried me a little, but went away about a week later. I didnt have a breakout that was out of the ordinary for me during the first month. The beginning of the 2nd month, i noticed i had fewer breakouts, and lips became really dry. Third month i was bumped up to 40 mg twice a day and my chest pain came back. I couldnt handle the pain, so i went back down to 40mg. My face was completely clear at end of 3rd month. Im on my 5th month, and still not one pimple. Im so happy i did this, i have 10 pills left. Its so nice to be done!!!! I would recommend this to anyone who is suffering from moderate to severe acne. You dont have to live like that anymore. Time flys by while your on it.Good Luck : )
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March 27, 2011

Pros:

Self-steem booster!
Made me more confident and it was actually
the only med that actually worked for me...
It worked wonders and I wouldn't doubt to take it again if I had to.
Low doses in longer periods work amazingly too.

Cons:

In my case, I had a horrible IB even under a low dose
Lips get really dry
Face skin gets flacky and feels weak
Overall skin dries out and it can easily get damaged.

Even though I had very severe acne, I went through a low-dose treatment for 7 months and it worked really well. I recommend this med without a doubt.
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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