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
September 30, 2012
Cons:
Very dry lips, solved with carmex
Dry eyes, problem as I wore contact lenses and had to be careful about how long i left them in for.
Spots that popped up while on accutane seemed to scar more easily, have slight marks left
I started suffering from acne in my second year of University , came almost completely out of the blue. Was an awful year in general and SHATTERED my confidence. I tried everything to try and solve the problem (Duac, tetracycline, differin, and a couple of other antiobiotics) but was determined not to go on accutane because of the 'horror stories' i read on the internet.
I wish i had stopped worrying and just got on accutane as soon as i started seeing the spots pop up, I had very very marginal (if that) results with all the previous products i used, and accutane just completely solved the problem in the space of 4 months (60mg a day). Only side effect i really felt was the dry lips, which was solved by carmex.
I really wanted to write this review because while suffering from acne i spent literally HOURS pouring over the internet (and this site in particular) for cures. I over thought every possible product and put off using accutane as long as possible, basically it was the one product that really really worked. My acne was completely cured and has remained cured now for 8 months. I only wish i had got on sooner to save myself some minor scarring! I was on accutane for four months, in the first month i started experiencing the dry lips, some spots started to pop up during month 1-2 and i was worried it wasn't working, but i kept on and by month 3 no new spots were popping up, and by the end of month 4 i was completely clear! and have remained clear since. If your worried about your acne at all, just get on accutane because it really does solve the problem very quickly. if i could go back I would have got on it at the very first spot i saw, even when it was still fairly minor, because 4/5 months of minor discomfort is an incredibly small price to pay for not having to worry about acne again!
September 24, 2012
I used this 3 years ago. all it did was make me sick, give me cracked lips-severe! and my acne all came back as soon as I stopped. My regular doc wouldn't even prescribe this i had to go see another doc, now i know i should have trusted my own doc! I used zenmed 2 years ago and my skin totally cleared up and stayed cleared up and it didn't do nasty things to my body either. unless u really don't care about your body STAY AWAY from this stuff.
September 19, 2012
Pros:
acne in remission
i feel much more confident now
Free in UK on the NHS as i was 18 yrs old when i was on the course.
Cons:
actual acne scars which i only got during the course, did not have a single one before the course
genuinely awful side effects which i'll comtinue below
skin texture just ain't the same
hyperpigmentation thats takes much longer to fade than before
i am 19 years old now amd I have had acne simce the age of 13. it started off mild but over time got to moderate. I know i never had severe acne but it was still bad and it could under no curcumstances be covered by makeup. However acne was genuinely ruining my life i was depressed i didn't leave my house i had started university but decided not to move out as i was depressed all stemming from acne, none of the treatments retin a BP etcworked apart from oxytetracycline which temporarily put my acne into remission very temprarily but it returned. So evetentually i broke down in front of my dermatologist who didnt't want to put me on isotretinoin but i made him by basically making him feel sorry for me. so yes i was happy with that, 50 mg/day for 4 months. The first month was fine my skins seemed to be slowly improving, side effectes of dry lips amd skin were there byt not unbearable. After that my skin exploded with acne the woe i'd ever had genuinely awful literally beyond severe. My skin became almost unbearably dry my face was literally swollen and my lips were crazy dry and swollen. My acne just wouldn't survive so at the end of the four months i finished with my face a mess. The worse it had ever been. I was comstantly tored and denydrated, Slowly though after the course my skin began clearing up cysts stopped forming. Eventually I was clear of acne but left with lots of hyperpigmentation and some scars. So now a year after my course has finished, a lot of my hyperpigmentation is lighter (still there) but before my course each pigmentated mark would remain for a month maximum. I now have a few indented scars mainly on my right cheek which i hate thanfully they ain't too deep and I believe I may be able to treat them eventually but not et as they have filled in a little over time so i want to leave them to mature for a while.So I am clear of acne but it was a mad experience and im not sure id recommend it,
September 19, 2012
Pros:
- cleared acne wherein other products (be it topical, antibiotics, steam extraction etc) failed!!!
Cons:
Whatever you usually hear about this product happens!
Initial breakout (lasts one-two months)
Dry dry dry lips
Dry dry dry eyes
Dry dry dry skin
Headaches (first month)
Thirsty all the time
May elevate cholesterol levels (normal)
Tiredness on first few months
I wanted to give my fair share, as I've used this site to check out whats best for me. I want people to understand that this drug has worked for me and am eccstatic that im finishing the treatment. I first had acne when I was in college in a tropical country in 2002 (normal for most) it wasn't too bad or embarassing. This continued with the odd one two or three at a time. At that time, my dermatologist prescribed me benzoyl peroxide cetaphil, and some other topicals. I would go for the occasional facial (steam and extraction of comedones) this would work for a month, with no spots, then would somehow return. Anyway, when I moved to London in 2007, it stopped, and loved my skin. Maybe it was because of the not so tropical climate. This lasted for 4 years. As soon as it hit January 2011, my acne flared up massively (not normal for an adult). It lasted until June 2012. I would say I got a new spot everyday. This doesnt sound bad, but by the end of the week ud have 7, and if they didnt go down, or ud pop them, ud have hundreds if they didnt fade. At one point, i literally counted 100 (active and blemishes). So i did look like a pepperoni pizza. I went on holidays hating the sun, and would love the dark coz i got uberly conscious. I went to my gp, and had me coming back and forth trying out everything (zineryt, adapalene, erythromycin, isotrex, mino... Many more) until one day he saw that nothing was working, and referred me
To a dermatologist who put me on roaccutane!
First month-20mg/day-no change very dry everything (use carmex for lips, and cetaphil moisturizing for skin, any eyedrops for eyes)
Second month-40mg/day-breakout galore, worse than pre accutane, i didn't go out for social gatherings.
Third month-60mg/day-started clearing up very slowly, although spots would come up occasionally
Fourth month-60mg/day-started to work
End of fourth month-clear, scars fading.
For all these years, this pill has kept me spot free. (i hope
September 16, 2012
Pros:
Completely cleared up my chronic acne. Changed my life & I love having clear skin!
Cons:
Minimal side effects (dry skin & lips)
I would def recommend accutane for anyone who has had enough of living with the burden of acne. Only we who have had it can understand how deeply this can affect your life. It changed my life, let it change yours!
September 15, 2012
Pros:
COMPLETELY CLEARED MY ACNE.
I have not had a pimple in months.
Cons:
slight eczema
dry lips
have to stay out of the sun
ipledge system is a bit of a pain
very expensive without insurance ($700 per month)
I am 16 now and have been struggling with acne since i was 12. At first i broke out on my upper back and shoulders and i was not too concerned because a shirt can cover that but then it spread to my chest when i was 13 and i went to a dermatologist. I went on about 6 months of different antibiotics and the dermatologist said it was time for accutance but being so young my mom thought it would be best to not try accutance because the system of ipledge and all the risks seemed to be alot. So i switched dermatologists and went on almost every antibiotic and topical cream on the market. you name it and ive tried it. It helped my acne a bit but it was still very red and severe. Finally when i was 15 we all agreed to try accutance and it worked wonders on my skin. I went on a 6 month course and it took about 2 months too see results. I have been off the medicine for about a month now and my skin is PERFECT. There may be risks taking accutance but so far the worst thing i have had is slight eczema but that can be easily be controlled with a topical cream. I have some slight scarring but that will fade over time. I LOVE MY PERFECT SKIN. now all i use is a benezol peroxide soap to prevent breakouts
September 13, 2012
Pros:
-Cured my acne completely
Cons:
-Dry lips
-Hair loss: While washing my hair, I experienced huge clumps of hair falling out. I still have a good amount of hair, just not as much as i used to.
I have been battling acne for the past 10 years. I have tried EVERYTHING. When it comes down to it, accutane is the only thing that has worked. This seems extreme, but accutane has literally changed my life. I was one of those people who spent months researching accutane and was scared to take it after reading about all of the crazy risks associated with it. Needless to say, accutane has been a heaven sent. There are defiantly some scary risks involved, but if your as desperate as I was, you'll be willing to risk it.
September 13, 2012
Pros:
Perfect skin
Stop paying for over the counter items they dont work... Isotretinoin works..
Cons:
Dry skin and cracked lips..
Do it now it improves your life so much!
September 12, 2012
Pros:
- Dries skin out. My skin (and especially my nose) was oily before this. And now there is hardly any oil whatsoever.
Cons:
- Doesn't get rid of PIH. Still redness and pigmentation all over my cheeks.
- Still get pimples.
- Didn't work at all to me.
- 6 months of wasted time.
- Didn't rid rosacea on tip of nose.
- Didn't get rid of papules on my chin that have been there for the longest time.
- Blood tests every month
- Doesn't help with scars either.
Took for 6 months. Been off of it for 4 months now. Disappointing experience with accutane. 80% of people get completely cleared off Accutane and not one area of my face did get cleared (or is clear now) while I was on Accutane. Waste of time (and money if you don't have insurance).
September 12, 2012
Pros:
Cleared skin on face and back
Skin and hair no longer greasy
Can be a permanent solution to acne
Cons:
Dry scalp and skin
Cracked lips
Dry nose
Sun sensitivity
Initial breakout
I'm in my late 20s and have been suffering from acne for many years. Although it wasn't severe, it was persistent and didn't respond to any of the treatment I got from my doctor. I was starting to lose hope after all the months (even years) of antibiotics, and my acne was getting worse not better. I stopped letting my boyfriend see me without makeup and wouldn't go swimming or to the gym any more because of my terrible skin on my face and upper back. I got referred to a dermatologist and was started on isotretinoin 5 months ago. After a couple of weeks on it, I had an initial breakout which I had been warned about. It wasn't pleasant - my cheeks (which had been relatively clear compared to my forehead, chin and jawline) broke out in a big way and looked pretty awful. It lasted about 2 weeks or so, then my acne gradually started to clear up. The only side effects I've had are the general drying out of my skin and scalp (but I don't have to wash my hair every day like I used to!) and sensitivity to the sun. Even with factor 50 sunscreen, I have to be *really* careful going out when the sun's out. I definitely recommend avoiding going on holiday somewhere sunny while you're on this (and for 6 months after) as you'll just burn. At around 2 months I started to notice that I wasn't getting any new spots like I usually do, and then at about 3 months there was a definite improvement. I'm now at 5 months and I've had no new spots for weeks and my existing acne has gone - I still have scars but NO SPOTS!! I have another month to go to reach the accumulative dose that I need, then hopefully they won't return. The improvement was definitely gradual for me, there was no sudden change so don't start this and expect your skin to be perfect a few days in. I would say it's definitely worth it. My side effects have been minimal and my skin is so so much better. My confidence is so much higher than it was, and I don't just s
Pros:
Completely cleared my acne
Have yet to have any more spots since stopping the drug in January!
Much more confident!
Apart from dry lips, no side effects