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
May 4, 2011
Cons:
dry skin (extremely)
cracked dry lips
dry eyes(bloodshot)
dry nose
depression
very achy and tired
Very expensive without insurance
If you have 'bad" skin then you will do anything. I didnt care about the side effect before the treatment and still dont. For the first time in my life I get compliments on my skin. It took about a month to start seeing results. Its soooooo worth it. You have to be mentally prepare for it though. If you know that something may depress you, then you just dont react to it. I knew when it was the medication effecting me and had family members constantly keeping me in check. I took it for 5 months. Sooooooo worth it.
February 18, 2011
Pros:
Clears skin completely
Gives confidence
Cons:
Can come back - just done a second course
side effects - dry lips, lethargy and some mood swings but nothing serious for me
Very expensive if not on insurance/NHS provided
I recommend this product completely for someone who has seen little progress with over tha counter and antibiotic routes. It is a tough course and not to be undertaken lightly. Also, it can clear your skin completely but as in my case my spots returned and I have taken a second course...currently I am clear and just hoping to stay that way. For me it is worth it. However, if my spots come back again I may try a different route (?) as to me it would signal that accutane isn't truly working.
December 29, 2010
Pros:
Cleared acne, made skin less sensitive to irritants such as sunscreen, makeup, etc., less oil
Cons:
Dangerous, extreme (painful dry skin) at first, dry lips and eyes (embarassing), sun sensitivity, annoying pregnancy and blood tests monthly
Eliminated acne.. But in about half of all people who undergo a round of Accutane, the acne comes back in the next year. Is toxic and should not be taken lightly.
December 24, 2010
Pros:
Ultimately cleared me up with a month to still go
Only thing that worked tried everything else
Cons:
Chapped Lips
Look sunburnt
Brought back ezcema
In the end the pros really outweighed the cons bc the lips and red skin will be gone after using it anyway
I found you can exercise on it and believe both together is even better
I recommend it so to not waste money and time
September 8, 2010
Pros:
Hair & face less greasy
rarely any new zits
Cons:
Increased Sweating
Icreased hair shedding after completion
very dry lips and skin
I have gotten maybe 5 Zits in the past 6 months i have been off accutane. I used to constantly have actleast 10 large Painful zits and 15 others. My skin has gotten alot clearer and has continued to be alot less oily even 6 months later. Moistrouize your holy body especially your lips prior to starting accutane. The pros far out way the cons!
August 18, 2010
Pros:
-My scars are beginning to subside. I am very impressed because I scar easily and they take a long time to go away
-I had a slight breakout but it went away in 2 days
-My skin feels smooth and nice
Cons:
-I've been getting small whiteheads but that's not a big deal
-My lips are a little dry but again no big deal
-My head hurts but I am not sure if its due to accutane or my stress
-This is a weird but I burp more?...LOL yeah I don't know
I've been on it for 6 days and my acne has started to go away. There are side effects but I think it all depends on what dosage the doctor put you on. I take 20mg everyday because the doctor wanted me to ease into a higher dosage without me breaking out severely. So don't be afraid of what other people said because it could be due to the dosage that they started with. But I am not really sure because the dosage is relied on weight too...who knows...anyways get it because I know my acne is going to get better from this day on
May 14, 2010
Pros:
if you have horrible acne like i did in sophmore year of highschool, u need to take this drug. dont screw around with other crap like deoxycycline or differin or duac or other stuff that doesnt work. Accutane is the best period.
Cons:
If your fam has a history of hairloss, you will get it from taking this drug. Im not talking about balding, but u will get some minimal thinning in the front. however, this didnt happen until 3 years after i took it. But trust me you can always wear a hat if u want for ur hair. BUT U CAN NEVER WEAR A HAT TO COVER UR FACE!!!!!
take this drug, your acne will be destroyed. For those of you who have had instences of depression/over aggression its not because of the pill. Its because you are that way. 45 students in my highschool took this pill at 40 mg 2x a day for 6 months and not one of us had depression or over aggression. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT YOU DO NOT PICK AT THE ACNE ON UR CHEEKS WHILE ON THIS DRUG! YOU WILL GET SCARS! if you do have scars get affirm co2 laser treatments i have had two and all my deep pitted scars are completely gone.
April 17, 2010
Pros:
The only thing that completely got rid of my acne.
Cons:
My acne is coming back. It's not as bad, but accutane works for people differently.
Totally worth the chance. Just make sure you do it correctly and be honest with your doctor. I'm glad I did it. I was scared because I was sufficiently warned beforehand, which is always good, but it turned out well. My acne was completely clear for months, but it's coming back but not as strong. Only do this if you have insurance though because it is expensive.
March 20, 2010
Pros:
I clears acne after a few weeks. Co-pay for me $20 and i'm sure i'm like $150 or something without copay.
Cons:
Caused a lot of headaches, back, neck pain. Dry skin, hair thinning and falling out. My doctor said it doesn't make your hair falls out but i think it obviously does as i can feel and see it becoming less and less each month. Of course, the first three weeks was a lot more acne as most people say. It makes me very sleepy, but my doctor told me that's not the side effects. I'm sure it is because i was so sleepy during my day taking it and i sleep longer each night.
First of all, all the review i read doesnt' let me know the age..which i think is important for some of us. I'm 33yrs old and acne prone since 15yrs old. I started out my first month with 20mg and the first 3 weeks it broke out as expected. Now i'm on the 40 mg for my second course..i believe i have one or two left to go. My face is indeed very clean and acne free, but i'm very afraid of one side-effect the most..hair loss. My doctor told me it jsut thin your hair but i'm sure he's wrong. My hair was thick and grows very fast and long, but it so obvious now i cant' even run my hands through my hair without feeling like i had a buzz cut and i havent' even cut my hair since i started this treatment. I knew the side effects but i really needed it for my face to clear on my wedding day, else i wouldn't recommend this as a treatment to anyone. Just remember once you stop taking it acne will come back.if you lucky to fall in that very very small % that it will permanently go away after the treatment then take the chance. Good luck.
December 2, 2009
Pros:
Cleared up skin tremendously, unbelievable results! Liver status monitored very carefully during treatment.
Cons:
dry skin, nose bleeds, skin rash (in the beginning)
My 17 year old son is on his 4th month of Accutane. I hesitated putting him on Accutane because as a registered nurse, I am well aware of the potential damage this drug can do to the liver. He has tried every topical cream, aggressive skin care system, and prescription antibiotic available, and nothing worked. After 4 years of battling acne, and doing alot of research, we decided to try accutane. He was placed on 40mg twice a day. The first three months were somewhat difficult, in that his acne looked pretty bad, plus his skin was flaking, peeling, and very dry. Our dermatologist kept telling us to be patient, that it would be 3 months before we saw improvement. It was hard being patient, but I'm so glad we rode it out, because his face looks FABULOUS!! He hasn't had any new acne or breakouts for the past month. He still has some redness from old acne, but it's slowly fading away. He has had no depression, or suicidal thoughts. 1 more month, and he's done. Best decision i ever made
Pros:
CLEAR SKIN!!!!!!!!!
I cant say it enough times