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
January 13, 2014
Made me lose hope
Cons:
Severly chapped lips & dry skin
Joint Pains & Headaches
Reoccurring acne after Accutane
So I tried A LOT of different oral anti-biotics and many different topical creams for my acne and nothing was working. I have moderate inflammatory acne and I told my dermatologist I would take anything at this point to get rid of it. She told me that Accutane is my best bet so of course I agreed. I'm only 14 and my mom was very unsure but she allowed me because she thought I wouldn't have to see the dermatologist ever again after accutane. Well, she was wrong. The side effects were awful. I had joint pain, headaches, and my lips were so chapped that people were asking me how I had crazy chapped lips in the summer.. By my last month (month 5 or 6), I was clear and all i had left were scars but that didn't last long. I do live a healthy lifestyle and work out at least 4 times a week and I have to say I do everything in power everyday to try to get rid of these nasty pimples on my forehead and they don't budge no matter what I do. My acne came back harder than I've ever had it. I have bigger cysts all over my forehead and pimples in places I've never had them in before. I wanted to get clear before my birthday in March but clearly that's not possible anymore.. Right now I'm on no pills but do use Acanya in the morning and Atralin at night, which don't work for me anymore. Seeing my dermatologist at the end of this month, praying there's something out there for me that'll actually clear my skin and keep it clear. I've been starting a dairy-free, wheat-free diet with water as my only drinking option and no junkfood. I've tried everything and I'm starting to think I'm going to have acne forever.
August 14, 2013
Really helps but take as a last resort
Pros:
Lasting clear skin
Cons:
dries lips out
multiple blood tests
expensive if you don't have good insurance
Accutane is for people with severe acne that have tried everything else including other oral and topical prescribed medications. I did not have a lot of acne but I would get nodular cists under the skin on my face, which were very painful and couldn't be popped. I tried every medication but I still kept getting them. Accutane was the only thing that got rid of them and I have only had one or two since I stopped the medicine 5 years ago. I loved taking the medicine because my face was NEVER oily like it always was, even today. This medicine is a pain though because it dries your lips out severly. At my local drug store I found a chapstick called "Dr. Dan's" and it was the ONLY thing that worked to quench the thirst of my lips and keep them from cracking. It tasted awful but I couldn't live without it. Accutane is also a pain because you have to get a lot of blood work done so they can make sure your body is staying normal, and females also have to take a pregnancy test every time before you getting a new prescription as well as take an online quiz about pregnancy prevention before you can fill it. Also the medicine can have side effects that make people depressed or have bad thoughts, but that never happened to me, not even a little bit! It must do that to people with low self-esteem or who already aren't the happiest in life. I also am a very active and competitive horseback rider, which is really hard on your leg and shoulder joints, but I had no joint pain at all which is another possible side effect.
July 27, 2013
Tolerable, but beneficial!
Pros:
Clear/Clearing Skin
Non-Oily Hair
Cons:
Slightly achy joints/back
Dry Eyes/Lips
Tired
Overall, I feel its a great medicine with annoying but tolerable side effects. I think if you listen to your dermatologist, and avoid the scary horror stories online (it tends to psych you out) If you can deal with the dryness, chapped lips, etc.. You're golden.. And honestly, if you can't tell your derm if your side effects are too much, you may need another doctor.. They should listen to how you're dealing with the medicine. Good luck!!
July 10, 2013
Hairloss = worth it?
Pros:
Cleared skin
Got rid of oil
Don't have to wash hair everyday.
Cons:
Hairloss
Dry lips
Moody
After taking Accutane for just 3 weeks my hair began to rapidly recede; if I wasn't completely obssessed with my image it wouldn't have been a big thing haha!
June 11, 2013
It does work, although...
Pros:
Clear skin!!! No more cysts
Cons:
Dry skin, eyes, lips and achy joints
Initial breakout
Hormonal acne will return
I used accutane back in 2010 for five months. Completely got rid of my cystic acne and oily skin. I was clear until January of this year (2013). However, the acne I have now is mild and hormonal. Accutane is meant for cystic acne and oily skin, and it cured me of that, so although I have hormonal zits now, it did its job, and I'm happy everyday that I took the plunge. The only major side effects I had were dry EVERYTHING and achy joints. Oh, and some weird dreams.
June 3, 2013
Just do it.
I spent years researching Accutane. At the point the decision was bothering me way more than the acne, I finally decided to take the plunge, age 24. Clearly everyone reacts differently. You won't know how your body will deal with it until you give it a go. I stopped after two weeks due to severely dry eyes. I mean seriously dry. I couldn't see and sometimes went whole nights without sleeping because the pain was so bad, and no products helped. Doctor said this was very rare, especially on my low dose of 20mg. But I don't regret it for a second. At this point, two months after stopping, my skin is mildly dryer, and my eyes are still pretty irritated in the mornings and evenings. But now that I know I will never touch the stuff again, I feel free. Now that my last resort has failed, I have accepted that I will have to get on with my life without perfect skin. So while this isn't an 'Accutane was the best decision I ever made' post, it's not a horror story. Give it a go.
May 3, 2013
Pros:
Skin is MUCH less oily
Very few breakouts (1/month)
Haven't had this much self-confidence for a long time
Cons:
Extremely sensitive skin (while on the drug)
Pain in joints when doing explosive work (i.e. not warming up before sports)
VERY dry lips
So, I'm a male, 17 years of age, weigh about 67 kg and am about 1.80m. Since the age of about 15, I started getting acne. At the start it was never too severe, a few white heads every week, but blackheads all over. I went from dermatologist to dermatologist, trying over 20 products and spending an insanely large amount of money. Nothing worked. Finally, I got to a dermatologist who said they would put me on accutane, my course dosage was:
Month 1: 20mg
Month 2: 40mg
Month 3: 60mg
Month 4: 60mg
Month 5: 60mg
Month 6: 60mg
During the course, my outbreaks were hideous. I had huge cysts all over my face, a new white head on a daily basis, and the black heads remained. Now, 4 months off the course, I get a white head every month or so, and no more cysts (thank god & accutane!). The side effects (shown below) were definitely annoying, but they're a price to pay for such perfect results.
March 28, 2013
Pros:
Skin not oily
Clears skin well
Makes it soft
Makes it smooth
Self confidence back
Cons:
Severely dry lips
Joint pain
Dry skin
Cold sores
Dry nose
Dry eyes
Completely dries u out
Still having breakouts in 5th month
I've only been taking this product for almost five months. It started clearing me up pretty fast,but still had breakouts throughout, mostly during cycle. I'm not sure y I'm having breakouts still, I am currently havin one, and I'm in my 5th month. It is a good product. And it does clear u up well. I'm just still breaking out. It still breaking out by the time I go back to Docter I'm a ask her for another month. It does work tho, gonna write another review when I finish this month.
March 14, 2013
Pros:
completely got rid of acne
long-lasting
don't need other products at the same time
Cons:
elevated liver triglycerides and stomach pain
gets worse for the first month
dry, red skin everywhere
I'm a 19 y.o. boy. This is the best acne treatment hands down. But it is serious medication so heed all the advice your dermatologist gives you. I was on the min dose for 3 and a half months and it completely got ride of my acne, and it stayed away for a year and a half. I did everything I was supposed to while on it, but unfortunately it elevated my liver enzymes too high and I had to stop. It also gave me stomach cramps, but I still wish I could go back on it now that my acne is coming back.
November 7, 2012
Pros:
Cleared my skin!! I never thought I could obtain clear skin, many products failed and this one actually worked!
Cons:
Very expensive depending on insurance. Lots of side effects. Monthly blood tests.
I was on this for 7 months and finally got the clear skin I have been waiting for! It took a long time to clear me up, a little over 3 months actually. I got the common side effects. Very chapped lips ( like no joke chapped lips ) sore joints ( my knees and ankles ) and a sore lower back. Dry eyes.
Pros:
I was clear when it was over for a short amount of time
Cheap with insurance