Acne.org Products
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
January 25, 2012
Cons:
Thinning hair.
I was on isotretinoin before Roche's patent expired. I paid $500.00 per month for the pills because my insurance company considered the treatment "cosmetic". I would do it again in a heartbeat. A 3-month course cleared up 90% of my acne for years. Now that it's been a decade, I rarely have a breakout. This treatment was well worth the price.
January 22, 2012
Pros:
Completely healed skin for 2 years
Cons:
i believe it caused infertility :(
Did a 6 month course of this when I was 20. I am a female so I had to do pregnancy test everymonth and do the questionaire before it could be filled. It worked! My skin was beautiful for 2 years but then it slowly came back, but not as bad as before! I was warned about all the serious side effects. I wasnt warned about infertility. I have been trying to concieve for 3 years now. Nothing, not even a miscarriage. And it's not just me, google accutane and infertility. So if you're a woman, please consider this.
August 13, 2011
Pros:
Cleared up my acne completely and left skin super soft
Benefits lasted for about a year from starting course
Side effects did not bother me
Cons:
My acne always returned about 6 months after finishing product, to similar severity as before (3x courses on this product)
Necessary to visit dermatologist regularly
I have been on 3 courses of roaccutane during my 20's (now 28) and it worked like magic. Initially it made my skin red and sore, but I applied masses of aqueous cream which left it super soft. However, sadly I was in the small number of people for whom the drug is not a cure. Having been on it 3 times, my acne is as bad as ever (possibly worse due to stress) and I can't try the drug again as (a) it probably won't work long-term and (b) I'd like to start trying for a baby soon. However, I am really pleased I tried the drug as it gave me several years with clear skin which really boosted my confidence when I most needed it. I'm now happily married, and my skin does not bother my hubby (although recently, benzoyl peroxide has started to work wonders) My brothers have both been on roaccutane and it improved their skin dramatically. Friends have also been successful. Although I suffer from some anxiety and depression, so I was worried that roaccutance might make these worse, these actually subsided whilst I was on the drug due to the positive benefits of having clear skin.
July 10, 2011
Pros:
Clear skin that looks healthier
Confidence
Skin can breathe without having to wear makeup
Cons:
Extreme sensitivity to sunlight/UV lights
Chapped, burning lips
Dry, itchy skin (can improve depending on dose)
Dry, itchy eyes (basically every hole on your body can become dry and chapped... yes your bottom parts too!)
Appetite change
Bottom line, IT WORKS. The pro's defiantly out way the cons. I began suffering with acne starting at 18. It all began when I started to work at Hooters (being exposed to an open kitchen around grease and buffalo sauce was not the best thing to eat nor be around 6 days a week) Once my acne came it never stopped. Antibiotics, expensive make up, expensive face wash (obagi, proactive, aveno etc) never did a thing. Creams (retina, tazerac, diffren etc.) did nothing. Chemical peels, microdermabraison etc barely helped. Finally, 4 years later I decided to give Accutane a try (isotretinoin). I am 5 foot 3 inches 115 lbs and my derm originally put me on 40mg once a day for 5 months which was about $240 a month. On my 6th month (which I am finishing up now) she increased my dose to 60mg once a day, that doubled the cost to $580. I have very good health insurance so I am unsure as to why it is pricey. All of my acne is completely GONE! I am only left with some scarring (my scarring is basically like red freckles) my face is completely smooth with zero pimples/ white and black heads. My derm said the scarring is the longest thing to get rid of and it will go away with time even after the medication cycle is complete. The things I suffered with was decrease in appetite, sunburns EXTREMELY easy, dry/itchy skin, weekly nose bleeds, peeling and cracking of the lips (ask to be prescribed to Cutivate... works wonders!) dry eyes, head aches if medication is taken on empty stomach, emotional sensitivity (cry spells mainly over sad movies, touching stories etc.) Joint pain (I also flipped my car with no seat belt 3 months prior to starting Accutane so my wreck can contribute to the pain) and dry mouth. Dry skin can be solved by baby oil baths and lots of water and fragrance free lotions/soaps. I find purpose facewash has been the most gentle face wash, its great! I truly do recommend this medication!!! EVERY side affect can be treated!! But Accutane is what will treat your acne! Do it
July 8, 2011
Pros:
-cleared acne completely!
-eliminated face oil
Cons:
-severe scarring on the face
-back pain
-depression
-chest pain
-red face
-developed eczema
-sensitive skin
-dry lips
I suffered severe acne on both my chest and back--to the point where keloid scars developed. Although I suffered with acne on my face, it was never severe. Accutane definitely cleared up my acne (i was put on the highest dose for my weight), but 5 months later, acne began reappearing on my face...and worse than ever. My skin was so much thinner that every pimple left a scar--I am now plagued with indented scars on my entire face, whereas I never scarred before accutane. I regret going on accutane; results were only temporary and there were more negatives than positives.
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.
February 3, 2011
Pros:
Cleared acne up.
Made hair less oily.
Cons:
Dry skin (face and arms).
Dry/cracked lips.
Rash on back of hands.
Mood swings.
I had been on OTC medicines for a few years before my girlfriend finally convinced me to go to a doctor about it. I got started on tetracycline for around three months, but it wasn't doing much. I went back in, and my doctor asked me if I wanted to try isotretinoin. One of my good friends had gone on it and he now has perfect skin, so I decided to try it.
When I first started it, my acne got much, much worse. After about a month, it started to get better little by little, until month three when I realized that I had no acne whatsoever. When I went in to see my doctor for the month four checkup, he decided to have me stop. I was on 30mg twice a day for four months, which worked out to be just about the minimum mg/kg/day.
My biggest complaint about it is the chapped lips. I play trumpet in college, and I'm also in the pep band for the basketball team and a ska band on the side. Playing a brass instrument with chapped lips for a long period of time is one of the hardest things ever, but I just put some aquaphor on them after I was done and that helped very large amounts.
Tomorrow will mark week one of me being off it. My face has gotten significantly less dry, and the rash on my hands has almost gone away, but unfortunately my lips are still really cracked and dry.
Also, if you can, try not to take it in the winter. I started in October, and the drying effects of accutane were amplified by a lot because of the dry air in the winter.
Bottom line is that I would recommend accutane, as it did wonders for my skin.
January 11, 2011
Pros:
Clears up skin very quickly
Cons:
Dries out skin, lips, and eyes severely
Acne came back after a few months
Very serious side effects
Expensive even with healthcare
Even as a last resort I would not use accutane, it is better to live with the acne than what can arise from taking this drug. Depression is the one most people worry about when taking this, but there are others. Inflammatory Bowel Disease is one of the most severe problems as it is a life-long, debilitating disease. This product is far too risky to consider. After my acne returned from being gone for a few months I decided to try to fix it on my own and I have it under control. Cutting sugary and greasy foods out of my diet, and a baking soda mask twice a day to keep skin clean has almost completely cleared my skin, it takes more of a commitment than accutane but it is so much safer. Strongly oppose risking this medicne.
December 20, 2010
Pros:
Cleared up all my acne on my face/back/chest within weeks. I had really severe acne.No real side effects, worked a treat and changed my life.
Free on nhs
Cons:
Dry lips and inner nose- however can easily be kept under control with vasline.
I know there are side effects for this, but it really works to clear up acne. You have regular blood tests, so if there were any problems developing as a result of the meds it would be picked up. HIghly recommend it if you want you acne cleared up.
November 29, 2010
Pros:
-CLEARS SKIN!
Cons:
-Still have red marks left over, scarring
-Dry,dry skin, lips and eyes
-Blood tests (needle phobe)
I was terrified to try this at first, but obviously when you reach the point where you're considering accutane, you're probably desperate like I was. The infamous "initial breakout" and the blood tests scares me at first, which my doctor informed me are the two top reasons people choose not to go on it. If you're having doubts because of this PLEASE DON'T, I didn't even have an initial breakout and now my skin is smooth and I even had a lady at Sephora tell me that I have pretty good skin, which is a huuuge thing after what I went through. Now I actually have some confidence and love talkin to more guys :) Please give it a chance it could change your life!
Pros:
Greatly improved my hugely embarrassing acne problem.