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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4
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3
15.3%
2
7.3%
1
6.2%

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

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March 1, 2012

Pros:

Clear skin
Confidence

Cons:

Dry lips & nose
Muscle pain
Eczema

I've been one of the lucky ones; Accutane worked for me almost instantaneously, without any initial breakouts, and tolerable side effects. I was on 25mg for a month which was increased to 50mg for 5 months afterwards. In terms of side effects, my shoulders were a problem - they ached like hell whenever I lifted my arms. I had to stop going to the gym for fear of permanently damaging myself. My nose was extremely dry inside and my lips could get quite painful if I didn't plaster them in Aquaphor (which I hugely recommend purchasing by the way). I experience eczema on my arms and hands, but nothing intolerable. I used Cetaphil on my skin and this helped battle any dryness. I didn't experience any flaking until I ran out of that stuff... Yes there are side effects, but in my experience the pros by far out way the cons if you want better skin. I've been free of Accutane for about 3 months now and I've only had one spot. Fingers crossed this remains the miracle cure people make out eh?
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March 1, 2012

Pros:

Cleared 100% Acne.
Blackheads 100% Clear
Whiteheads 100% Clear

Cons:

Doesn't work on Acne Scars.
Doesn't work on Red Scar Layer.
Severe dry Skin during the course.
Nose Bleeding.

One of the KILLER medicines ever had. Proactiv, Tactuo, Neutrogena, Skin ID everything was a piece of sh*t! Doctor prescribed me for 6 months for 80 mg, but it worked for me in just 3 months. I was told to stop.
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March 1, 2012

Pros:

Cleared my skin 95%
Only thing that worked, tried anti-biotics, creams

Cons:

Dry Lips
Dry Eyes
Dry Skin
Sunburn Easy
Muscle Fatigue
No Alcohol

It works and I do not regret going on it. Was tough being on it. Over a year later now I still get some break outs but it seems if I clean my skin every night and put retinol A cream on, then the pimples are kept to a very minimum, i.e. 1 or 2 small ones on my face. You have to remember to keep washing your face, putting pimple cream on after you come off the drug. It is a good drug but i found that it didnt stop break outs caused by not washing my face etc. My advice, go on it, get it done with, its not that bad and move one with your life
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February 29, 2012

Pros:

Clear skin

Cons:

Photosensitivity terribly
Constant dry skin
Eczema rashes occur at times

I would not recommend this at all. The distress and negative it has caused definatly outweighs the no acne situation. I am currently on holiday with my fiancé FOUR MONTHS post tane. And it has been a nightmare. I cannot expose my skin at all in the sun as I made the mistake of doing so and I am now severely sunburnt with blisters etc even though I used factor 50 SPF. I know for a fact it is because of the tane as i had very good skin in the sun before accutane. I cannot stress enough the negatives that can come from this medicine I regret taking it. Please read all of the negative comments about accutane before thinking it is a miracle drug. There are real people out there who have a lot worse outcome than myself which could happen to you.
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February 27, 2012

Pros:

This stuff DOES work!!
Cleared my face in 3 weeks

Cons:

Dont underestimate the side effects especially the serious ones!!
Dry lips
Small flares up of ezema on hands and feet
dry skin
Extremely dry eyes (i do wear contact lenses)
gastro-problems
always thirsty (which isnt a bad thing)
nose bleed (only on 2 occasions)
joint pain (which did come and go and wasnt constant)

Was prescribed ro-accutane jan 2012........side effects dnt take long to kick, by the end of the week i noticed everything drying up. So by week 3 my face which at this point i was still getting spots just cleared right up....i mean like literally over night my existing spots popped and never had a spot since. So when i say it works...it really does and 3 weeks is a really quick time to clear the skin up, my face was lovely and dry . Unfortunetly in the same week my spots cleared up was the same time my eyes dryed up to the point they were red, sore, irritated and vision was blurry with my lenses in. i went to the opticans and he suggested to only wear glasses. my gut instincts told me to stop the medicine in which i did. Went to a nurse she said very rarely it affects vision but is more of an intolerance to contact lenses...she gave me the option of trying accutane on a really low dose so from 40mg to 10mg or try antibiotics(which i have tried in my teens) i went away from there and thought if the oil comes back in my skin it would come back in my eyes and maybe then i would consider re-taking at a low dose so here i am i havnt taken it for 17 days havnt had a spot since but i still dnt have any intentions on taking it, because my vision is more important than anything and it really isnt worth risking any damage to eyes. i cant wear contacts atm because they irrtiate my eyes so am wearing my glasses.. that is the only side effect left, the rest have gone. Please remember it is a serious drug....listen to your body because you will do it a favour in the long run. Some people have had permanent side effects...there is a drug for us all you just have to experiment until you find it....you have to keep strong and keep fighting!! Im happy for those who have have had really postive reactions...but for me ive tried it and wont be going down that route again, there are safer medicines and i dnt want to live regretting anything that compensates my hea
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February 24, 2012
Suffered from acne from the age of 11 until 22. Tried everything with no success. Finally decided I could not deal with it anymore and went on Accutane. Best decision of my life. I now have 100% perfect skin.
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February 22, 2012

Pros:

Clear skin (face, chest, back)
Loss of blackheads
Improved confidence
beautiful, clear, radiant, healthy looking skin
I constantly get complimented on how great my skin looks.

Cons:

dry skin
DRY LIPS
dry eyes
sensitive skin
thin skin

I took accutane when I was 20 (21 after May) from January 2011-August 2011. I had pretty bad acne with mostly cystic pimples and general small whiteheads all over. My back and chest had small whiteheads that weren't visible but could be felt if you ran your hands over them. The entire experience was amazing. Yes my lips were constantly dry 24/7 but they weren't cracked/bleeding/painful. I never had an initial horrible breakout but I did have normal breakouts in the first month but after that my skin began to clear up. My small clogged oil sacks in my pores (for lack of a better term) started to come out each time I washed my face and all of my blackheads went away as well. By the 6th month my skin was porcelain smooth but extremely thin and sensitive. My skin had never looked better. By the 7th and 8th month my skin was absolutely perfect. So much so that I didn't want to come off of the medicine. After about 2 months off of the medicine I had a small breakout (5 small pimples) and I freaked out. But dont stress! That is normal! Now after being off of it for about 6 months my skin is amazing. I will usually get about 1 or 2 pimples every now and then but I dont even do anything about it. Just use a basic toner with salicylic acid and my cetaphil wash. I LOVE my new skin. I have never been happier and I have more confidence now than I ever have before. I didn't drink on the medicine at all until may (21st birthday) and then stopped drinking until June. June-August I did drink on the medicine but all of my blood tests came back okay. The CeraVe heavy cream and Aquaphor were my best friends. YOU CAN HAVE CLEAR SKIN. I never thought it would work since nothing ever had. It was really really expensive because I didn't have prescription insurance. Each month it was between $250-$500. Altogether it cost about $5,000 including doctors and blood tests. IT WAS THE BEST DECISION EVER! I AM SO HAPPY! I hope this helps someone wh
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February 22, 2012

Pros:

none

Cons:

INITIAL BREAKOUT!!
Eyes literally couldn't open for a couple days
Makes acne worse.

I'm sure my case will not be the case for all, but in my experience I was on the stuff for 2 weeks . 30 mg twice a day I had to stop because of chronic eye irritation, if i would have continued my tear ducs would of permanently been broken, I'm still hoping that they heal eventually. My acne is worse that before i started and it's been a while since i stopped the medication. Take this medication with caution my friends.
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February 17, 2012

Pros:

healthier non-greasy hair

Cons:

no results whatsoever
bad back pains
dry skin (very flaky)
dry lips (always chapped and bleeding)
dry eyes (constant eye infections)
dry mucus membranes (constant nose bleeds)
tiredness and headaches
blood and pregnancy tests every months

I have had acne since I was 12 (im almost 17 now). At the age of 14 it started to get very severe so I started on numerous different medications and creams prescribed by my doctor. I was on each different medication for 6 months - they did not work. Then in September 2011 I started on Roaccutane and it is honestly the worst decision I've ever made. My acne has not improved at all, and I have been on Roaccutane for 5 months so I only have 1 month of treatment left. I am getting so many side effects, and the fact that the medication is not working after all the good reviews I read is taking an emotional toll on me. I know everyone reacts differently, but I seriously am not having any luck with any treatments, especially Roaccutane. This course of treatment has not worked and I definitely will not be taking a second course only to be put through hell again.
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February 15, 2012

Pros:

Cleared acne completely within a couple of months

Cons:

Extremely dry skin
Skin redness
Can't drink alcohol

I read a lot of reviews about how dangerous this drug could be an it got me really worried. My dermatologist however said that there is very rarely any problems. I think that if it works people just carry on happy with their lives and don't write reviews, so you only end up seeing negative comments about it. Overall this drug made me go from getting spots nearly every day to having flawless skin. I really feel like a new person it's fantastic. Sometimes I have a dream that I am still infested with acne on my face... and to then wake up and look in the mirror with perfect skin is such a great feeling.
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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