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
December 6, 2010
Cons:
-DRYNESS! You will be DRY
-Acne came back a year later :(
-Having to carry chapstick around all the time
I love accutane. I would do another treatment of it if my mom would let me. It killed all my pimples and gave me so much confidence with everything. But you need to be careful: it drys you the eff out. My lips were constantly dry, sometimes even bloody. I needed to get nasal spray for my nose because it dried my nose out hella bad. But if you had acne as bad as mine, you would go through hell to get rid of it so it was a small price to pay. I highly recommend it, but if you dont have insurance its really expensive, but that wasnt a problem for me. I took 30mg 2 times a day and it worked wonders. Get it.
July 27, 2010
Pros:
cleared up my acne and has not come back as of yet.
Cons:
dry lips and skin
big breakout at start
up to you if you want to risk the side effects for clear skin i did and it worked for others it dosent at the end of the day there are other drugs you can take but accutane is goood it worked for me
December 7, 2009
Pros:
Initially you will break out every few weeks for the first 3-4 months. But once you come out of that phase, your skin becomes clear, your confidence returns, any little zit that you get will dissipate in 2 days or so.
Cons:
Side effects are abundant. Dry flakes in your hair, Dry Skin, Dry Rashes, Body Aches (Had to stop lifting weights, but I still did PT for my Service.) Muscles will get sore easily and often. And you will have CHAPPED LIPS!!!
This medicine really truly does work. If you've tried all of the other treatments, then you should get this, don't let those horror stories from 35 year old women scare you away. I never had an issue with depression, and this was dealing with some unfair legal issues, losing college scholarships, family deaths, being a freshman in a huge college, very very long days, no sleep, and daily PT workouts in the early AM. If you stick it out, you will be rewarded in the end. You're going to wish you had started this medication earlier.
October 25, 2009
Pros:
Works great, gets skin clear!
Cons:
Chapped lips
The only thing that cleared up my skin, works great. I've suffered with adult acne for about six years and I finally decided to go for it. I was very hesitant considering all the side effects I've read about, but it turned out to be not a big deal. I'm finishing my 5th month and my skin looks great compared to before, completely clear! The only side affects I've experenced are chapped lips. Just stock up on chapstick, have it everywhere, in the car, gym bag, by your bed, etc. you'll be fine. Go for it, you've suffered too long!
October 20, 2009
Pros:
Completely clear skin. Fast!
Cons:
Chapped lips, dry skin, muscle soreness
I've never had perfect skin. Always a pimple here and there and the random breakout. But I never experienced anything as horrible as the biggest breakout I ever had at 25yrs old. It seemed that practically over night my whole face was covered in nodular acne, primarily around my chin and cheeks. The dermatologist said the breakout was due to hormones... I wanted to write this message because I remember spending hours on the computer reading blogs and messages about all the different kinds of acne treatments out there. I was severely depressed because having acne ruins your self esteem... My doc finally put me on 40mg of accutane a day and my acne started getting better after 1 wk. Completely gone after 3 months and my skin is the best its ever looked. Going on accutane was the best decision I ever made. The cons are nothing compared to having clear skin.
September 4, 2009
Pros:
It did the job. When you put aside all the side effects, it really did clear out my acne all over my body. I had very oily skin, and it was nice having soft, smooth skin for a change. With military insurance, it's basically free.
Cons:
You'll get really chapped lips, and the occasional nosebleed. Everyone complains about skin getting redder, but that's just something you'll have to get over, because your body needs to get used to the medicine first.
This is a product that really did the job for me, unlike Proactive, Clearasil, Clean and Clear, etc. The side effects aren't that severe, and are manageable, but they can vary from person to person. Just make sure you aren't pregnant or have a history of suicide attempts, because it does cause a bit of depression. However, stay positive, because there are things much worse out there than just a skin problem that half the U.S. population deals with. If you keep to a moderately healthy diet, wash your face regularly and drink plenty of water, it'll really help the medicine do its job. Sure the treatment and doctor visits can be a hassle, but just remind yourself how much you want it. It'll probably also take 3-6 months for more severe cases of acne, just wait it out. I've had acne for seven years, from the beginning of middle school to the end of high school. I'm glad I won't have to suffer from it anymore.
March 6, 2009
Pros:
Really did clear up my skin after years of trying every over-the-counter and prescription pill, topical cream, birth control, etc.
Cons:
Very dry skin (good for me because I was so oily); too many side effects; acne came back after 2-3 years
DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT!!! I tried everything under the sun before resulting to accutane. And although it cleared up my skin for 2-3 years, my acne came back. I was ready to start accutane again about 5 months ago, but a doctor visit for tailbone pain brought me down from that could QUICKLY. A narrowing in my small intestine was found on a CT scan, and I am currently undergoing more testing to confirm that i have Crohn's disease, an uncurable disease that affects the GI system. A common cause of Crohn's Disease?? ACCUTANE. It's not worth it to get rid of the acne. There are other ways to get rid of it, even if it's only temporary. The accutane is also only temporary. The life-long health issues that are to follow are not worth it.
October 16, 2008
Pros:
Works in the short term. Makes you feel as though you are "beating"the severe acne.
Cons:
Dry Skin, Joint Pain, Liver. Long term problems are just now surfacing.
My recommendation? Get off of Accutane if you are now on it. Don't take it, if you are considering it. Really consider the possible long term consequences. Accutane is not a cure. There are less drastic medications available. Also consider diet. I have been off of all acne medication since I started taking Flax Seed Oil daily. I took Accutane when I was 21. I am now 47. I need +2.50 bifocals to read. I also have back pain caused by a herniated and now deteriorated disc. I also have joint pain. I have always been active and never over-weight. I believe that the Accutane has played some part in permanently damaging the tissues of my body that are subject to moisture loss and pliability loss.
September 9, 2008
Pros:
its cheap in Australia
its almost completely cleared my skin.
complexion has improved.
Cons:
sore knee joints
dry lips, dry eyes, at times feel tired.. not sure if its from the medication though.
i have been using this product for 4 months, and i still have 2 months left, it has almost cleard up all of my acne, it does take a while to see results but its worth the wait if you want clear skin. i have not experienced any mood swings or depression, and the side effects have been very tolerable, they're barely noticeable.
August 20, 2008
Pros:
clears severe cystic acne
Cons:
depression, muscle fatigue, weakness, nose bleeds, dry skin/ lips
idk, only take it if you don't have any emotional sh*t going on. be stable emotionally. if anything else is going on, this might tip you over the edge. but it did clear the big ones . i was on 80 mg for 4 months. recommended... depends on who you are
Pros:
-Best way to get rid of acne. Period.
-About 60% of acne gone in a month.
-95% cleared at end of treatment
-Better confidence