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 12, 2012
Cons:
Risk of dangerous side effects in addition to dry skin and extreme sensitivity to the sun, acne may come back a few years later
I used this when I was a teenager and it completely cleared up my skin. By my early 20's my acne came back though and it was worst then ever. I went to the dermatologist and they told me that some people need another treatment later. So I tried it again, but even on the lowest doses it burned the skin inside my nose. Very weird and painful. It's definitely not worth the risk and pain of using it, just to have acne resurface again later. I would try zinc supplements and benzoyl peroxide first. Eliminating diary from my diet drastically reduced the amount of cystic acne I get so you could try that first as well. And to think, all those years of drinking milk for healthy bones. Ha, what a load! Good luck!
January 12, 2012
Pros:
- Smooth, clear, acne-free skin
- Huge confidence boost
- Self esteem boost
- Gained my life/freedom back (acne takes you hostage)
Cons:
- Dry, cracked lips (Aquaphor did the trick)
- Dry, peeling skin (need a good amount of moisturiser)
- Joint pain & cramps (especially lower back and back of neck)
- Made me feel tired/low on energy most days
- Rather annoying visits to the doctor to do monthly blood tests
I was prescribed roaccutane by my doctor in August 2011 after having been on Doxycycline (100mg a day for a month), Trimethoprim (200mg twice a day for two months) and Minocycline (100mg twice a day for a month), as well as being prescribed various topical creams and gels (mostly adapalene and bonzoyl peroxide gels). After the first month, the acne on my face has become less bumpy, less red and less irritated, and the acne on my chest and back had mostly faded away. I got the best results after the third month (end of october), when nearly all of the acne had cleared away, and now my face is flawless, with zero bumps, no redness, no acne, and as a result my confidence and self-esteem have been significantly boosted because of this marvellous treatment :) I got the roaccutane on the NHS, so it wasn't expensive to pay for every month. Although my acne wasn't severe, cystic acne, it brought down my confidence and self-esteem, and turned me into a reclusive, lonely, socially isolated person for 4 1/2 years, before deciding to do something about it last year. I can't recommend this enough; as long as you can handle the annoying side effects, this medication can transform your acne-inflicted skin, into beautiful skin in just a few months.
January 11, 2012
Pros:
clears most acne
makes you feel confident
reaal cheap, $3 for every subscription , as it is subsidised.
Cons:
drys lips reaaaallly bad , cracks them.
makes skin dry
still get breakouts , not so much
red skin
i have tried all the acne medications there are , litterly. as none of them worked for me . i went on accutane, i use to have light acne but to me it felt like alot !! my doctor told me my skin wasnt even bad but i still wanted to go on the drug , i was nowhere near confident ! i would cry everyday waking up and looking in the mirror, i even left school because of my skin, yes i know its pathetic but thats just how i was., i hated it. i had acne on my chin , and accutane cleared that up. I still get some breakouts but not as much , only when i have my period.
Also for the dry lips i would reccomend pawpaw ointment. remember to moistrise everyday , dry skin is ugly :)
January 8, 2012
Pros:
TEMPORARY clearing of acne
That's it.....
Cons:
Acne comes back
Severe facial redness and intense flushing
Gastro problems
Completely throws out your nervous system
Right, first of all I am sick of people 'recommending' accutane and awarding it 5 stars when they have only been on it for a few weeks, or in the case of the complete douche below, after the first pill.
After YEARS of studying skin diseases and isotretinoin, I have discovered that 90% of positive reviews are made while the patient is still on the med, or very shortly after completing the course. The severe and life destroying effects of this poison can begin from day 1 right through to a few years after taking.
I had moderate acne, which showed no improvement whatsoever after years of oral and topical antibiotics, benz-perox, retin a etc, and was prescribed accutane 30mg. After 3 DAYS, my hair began to fall out in chunks, my face turned bright red and I began flushing at the slightest thing. I am in my mid twenties and had NEVER FLUSHED in my life, never been red and I could use the harshest waxes in my thick dark hair and it never fell out. After 2 weeks on this sh*t I had to stop. Having always had an olive skin colour, I now have permanent red, blotchy, swollen flushed face. And that 2 weeks was over a year ago. I am not allergic to anything, never been ill apart from the odd mild cold in 25 years, always been fit and healthy. Im now ruined. I can no longer be around people, because as soon as the attention comes to me, even from people I have known for years I flush INTENSLY. All because this 'medication' messes up your nervous system. Its affecting my job and social life, I sit inside and dont go anywhere. Please please sit up and listen to many people on the internet as well as me. I always thought, 'it will never happen to me'. Wrong. I would take acne, which is never as bad as you think, and which can be mostly covered up with a good concealer, over this red mess anyday. I think about killing myself all the time because I cant live like this, the only reason I havent is because ive been waiting for it to go, but its clearly here to stay. Please
January 8, 2012
Pros:
treats all forms of acne
reduces scaring
confidence boost
pores reduced
works fast
Cons:
terrible dryness(lips,eyes,body)
back and neck pain
hassle and extra expense of the monthly blood drawings
expensive
itchy skin
have to religiously take it 2 times a day at set times
its honestly incredible. first month they say your acne gets worst, but my acne had flatten in 2-3 weeks and became so much better!!!! its been the 3rd going on to 4th month and i literally cry when i see the improvements. i had terrible bad acne, tried 7 topical creams and every drug store products and my doctor gave me many washes but i had acne that was like a sick dream. i had a zit that was on my face for 2 months that went away in 2 weeks. it the best thing of my life, i'm 16 and finally in 2 years i have clear skin. my skin is red but my derm. said within 2 months the redness with disappear.
January 6, 2012
Pros:
Helped facial acne
Completely cleared non-facial areas
Cons:
Completely stopped production of lubricating oils in my eyes, causing such severe dryness I could not attend class
Acne began slowly returning, has returned almost to pre-Accutane state
Expensive
Pregnancy tests are a hassle
I tried more perscription and OTC topical creams, pills, masks, and ointments from dermatologists than I can remember for several years before trying Accutane. My doctor used the C word (cure) when he suggested it and I got very excited.
It's certainly worth a try if you can afford it. I was on it two times for several months each time. The first time I was very excited and saw a great improvement. Then my acne started coming back, so I went back on it. I had to stop it suddenly when my already somewhat dry eyes reached the breaking point and stopped producing the needed oils from my bottom lids. Be careful, pay attention to your body. Get a heavy-duty moisturizer and you're skin won't dry out. I recommend Eucerin Cream for the body and Aquaphor (NOT the one sold as a lip balm, the one sold in larger containers) for the lips.
If you are going to try it, I recommend starting some kind of topical cleansing regimen when you go off it to continue the effects. I tried handling things myself for a while, using three Neutrogena products containing Salcylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide. My acne still kept coming back, so now I'm trying Proactiv. We shall see.
Accutane did wonders for my skin while I was on it, but the side effects were too much for me to handle. The good effects wore off over time while the side-effects have remained a problem.
January 5, 2012
Pros:
Clears up skin
Reduces oiliness of skin and hair
Cons:
Headaches
Nausea
Moderate depression
Dry lips
Backaches
Really expensive
Even though this drug gave a lot of side effects, I felt like it was worth it. My skin and hair is normally EXTREMELY oily, and while I was on this it wasn't at all, which was a REALLY nice change. My acne was severe and after trying pretty much everything else I tried this. I noticed a difference almost immediately. My skin stayed clear about a year after taking it; some breakouts have come back but it is definitely not as bad. After trying a few other things, I might possibly start a second dose of this in the future.
January 4, 2012
Pros:
- Clear skin
- Decreased skin oil
- No initial breakout
- No aches or joint pain
Cons:
- Insanely dry lips
I wavered for a long time about whether to use this drug. The horror stories of a nasty initial breakout and creaky joints kept me away for a long time. I am on 80 mg/day for 5 months. I have one more month to go. I realize I'm not done with the drug, but I wanted to encourage others to ignore the naysayers on this board. Everyone wants to complain about horrid initial breakouts and whatnot, but I experienced none of this. Besides pinkened skin, my face has improved nearly every day since beginning treatment. Make the decision for yourself. Don't shy away because some internet goon swears the drug ruined him/her for life. I'm glad I went on the drug. I also recommend Dr. Dan's hydrocortisone balm for lips. I tried Aquaphor but it didn't work that well for me.
January 2, 2012
Pros:
Clear, perfect skin!!!
Eliminated blackheads
Non-oily hair
Confidence!
Cons:
Dry lips and eyes
Some inconveniences - staying out of sun, blood test, no waxing
I'm 5 months into treatment and I only wish I went on it sooner. I was terrified of trying Accutane because of the very vocal nay-sayers and vowed never to try it. I only went on after being strongly encouraged by my doctor and dermo. (Which I thought was rude of them at the time but now I'm practically kissing their feet, haha.) I actually couldn't sleep the night before I started taking it because I was so scared of the side effects, as I'm very sensitive to medications. Well, I was lucky enough to not get an initial breakout. My skin was smoother in a week and I was almost completely clear going into my 2nd month! Since then my skin has been perfectly smooth, clear and glowing. I get compliments all the time. AND, the blackheads I've had embedded on my nose since I hit puberty have vanished!!! (I'm 26.) My hair no longer gets oily hours after washing it. It feels so good to go without makeup and know I look nice. The kicker? The only side effects I've had are mild dry lips and eyes, which are easily treated with balm and drops. I'm on 20mg a day (47kg/104lbs body weight). My dermo said I could take 30mg/day but it's just as effective to stay on the low dose, which I think I might. Of course, the last hurdle will be seeing if I stay clear after treatment, but since I responded so well I'm hoping I will. The side effects have been so mild another course wouldn't break my heart anyway. All this said, I suffered with acne for over a decade and tried everything else under the sun first. Even.... urine therapy. And I did a tonne of research on accutane before going on it. Yet my advice is to take horror stories with a grain of salt - everyone's different and the only way you can know how you react to it is to try it. Someone with a bad experience is going to be a lot more vocal than someone for whom it worked and they just went on with their life. Be prepared that the drug might not be for you though and remember your health
January 1, 2012
Pros:
better results than other prescription treatments
Cons:
expensive
had to get blood drawn every month
results were temporary
I'd tried other prescription treatments, but none of them did much for my acne. Accutane did more than they did, but the results didn't last. After taking Accutane for a year, I thought that I wouldn't have to worry about acne any more. I was wrong. Within a few years, my acne was back in full force. Conclusion: Accutane is a big pain, and it's not a permanent solution.
Pros:
Completely clears your skin up within a matter of months