Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
Results
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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5
37.1%
4
34.1%
3
15.3%
2
7.3%
1
6.2%

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

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March 25, 2011

Pros:

Amazing results. What you dream of!!

Cons:

Dry lips and dry eyes sometimes. Migraines, shivers and extreme tiredness for first few weeks only. Abstinence from alcohol. Possibly slight depression whether it´s due to tablet or not who knows.

The brand I use of Roaccutane in Spain is called Isdibin. I have taken it consistently for 5 months and have one month left. Definitely worth taking as long as your GP monthly checks your blood. If you have a bad reaction, simply stop the treatment. I have eaten high protein foods to prevent hair loss (this terrified me) and I have grown more hair! My acne wasn ´t constant but when it came it was cystic and on three occasions I needed hospital treatment. Mainly on face but also bad on back and legs.
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March 23, 2011

Pros:

-Made my face completely clear for 1 year
-Was the only thing that worked
-Made me lose water weight- I 'felt' skinnier
-Miracle Drug!!

Cons:

-my acne came back after 1 year after treatment
- my Dr. is making me try every other treatment again before going on a 2nd regimen of accutane(it is hard to get it prescribed)
-had slightly dry lips and skin

I was awesome!! It made my skin beautiful!! It is truly a miracle drug! It has been a year now and my acne is back :( My doctor is now having me use retin-A with cephalexin. Has anyone has success treatment with this post- accutane??
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March 22, 2011

Pros:

- gave me my life back
- oily t-zone completely banished
- pore size diminished
- stubborn under-the-skin cysts completely gone
- uneven skin tone improved greatly
- my confidence and self esteem have gone up a lot

Cons:

- achy, tight muscles and joints
- appetite would go away at times
- it was slightly painful to pass a stool
- dry eyes
- dry, flaky face
- eczema on the backs of my hands
- slight mood swings

I just wanted to thank Accutane for restoring my face to how it used to be. I have never seen my skin so clear. It has only been this clear when I was 11 and had beautiful, untainted pre-pubescent skin. I am so confident right now, and it is so easy for me to leave the house without makeup on. I only need a very minimal amount of makeup now. I have always felt that acne has held me back from my highest potential, that it made me seem like less of a person. Acne was very debilitating for me and made me very paranoid at times. I would constantly poke and prod at my face just hoping that it would go away. No at home remedies worked and the 3 antibiotics that I was previously put on stopped working after the 2nd month. My dermatologist was very thorough with the process of Accutane and told me that it was a last resort treatment. I am glad that I took it. It worked so well on me and it truly is a miracle drug. I am happy to say that it no longer takes me one hour and a half to do my makeup in the morning. I am very comfortable with where my current skin condition is at and am very fortunate to not have to use makeup as my crutch any longer. I am very happy. Please be sure to do an ample amount of research before you go on it. I did about 1/2 a years worth of research on several websites including this one before I asked for the prescription.
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March 22, 2011

Pros:

-oil completely gone.
-minimized look of pores
-glowing skin
-CLEARED ACNE COMPLETELY!

Cons:

-dry lips

i just took my last dose of this medication after having been on it for 5 months. i could not be happier with the results. i've had moderate persistent acne for about 4 years, accutane was the only thing that completely cleared me and gave me 110% of my confidence back. my skin has never looked so amazing. i am left with one active pimple, but they heal much faster than before tane. i would reccomend this to anyone with doubts on this medication, the side effects(or atleast in my case) were all hyped up, and the end result is totally worth it. thank you accutane!
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March 21, 2011

Pros:

Continuing to clear skin from day one

Cons:

Knee pain, back pain, feel like my whole body was hit by a truck! Not pleasant at all.

Ive only been on this 6 weeks. I can see that its working but I'm really wondering whether these side effects are worth it. I keep reading about how it can lead to complications and i am battling with myself not to come off it
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March 20, 2011

Pros:

No more oil
less acne
Less acne marks

Cons:

side effects
Dry Dry Dry

I have been using Accutane for around 3 and a half months and it is working really well. I went back to the Derm. after 3 months to get more and it was still bad. I was still getting acne every day. 3 days after i saw him i did not have any new ones and then the next day not a new one again. For 15 days now i did not get anything bad (maybe one new one, one or two days) but nothing really bad. My sink stared to heal every day and is starting to look really good. I think in the next 2 week it will be almost perfect. I would tell everyone to try this if there acne is bad.
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March 18, 2011

Pros:

Controls oily skin very well
Skin looks fine and smooth
Minimize pores
Make up lasts and looks better

Cons:

Hair thinning
Dry skin and lips
Dry eyes
Gastric problems
Mess up my menstruation cycle (not sure if it's caused by accutane)

I had good skin for few months when on accutane and never felt better. However not sure if the risks involved is worth it. Having perfect skin used to be very important to me and I was willing to take that risk. But now that I am going to try to conceive in a few months, all of a sudden everything is about having a healthy baby. I read online about how many babies get deformed or have died if mothers took accutane during or before pregnancy which really scared me a great deal. I stopped accutane since and will wait for a few months before trying to conceive. The hair thinning part and gastric problems are definitely not worth it too. For short term, it seems to be a great product, but I would not recommend taking accutane for long term. And just so you know, since stopping accutane, my acne has came back especially on my chin - many cystic ones. So only consider accutane is you are prepared to take it for a few courses (which may cause more side effects).
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March 17, 2011

Pros:

nothing!!

Cons:

cracked and dried my skin so bad I still have scars
made me depressed
changed something in my body that showed up on a blood test and I was immediately taken off of it
didn't work for my acne

I used this a few years back after trying everything else. Almost immediately I got so dry and my lips and nose cracked so badly i still have scars - even though I was sure to moisturize well in advance! After 5 months my blood work came back bad and my doctor took me off the meds saying it wasn't helping my skin anyway. It took a long time for the nausea and depression that I got while I took it to go away. This is horrible horrible stuff!!!!
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March 17, 2011

Pros:

Acne cleared up completely

Cons:

Acne back after 3 years-but think it may be due to hormones
Dry skin-but manageable

I can not say enough about Accutane. I went to see my P.A. in a derm's office and she immediately suggested I take Accutane. I had just a few (but enough) cystic/nodule like acne bumps all on the left side of my jawline and chin. I also had serious acne on my upper and lower back. I was worried about all the possible side effects so I opted to wait and try the topical treatment with oral antibiotics. They did not work at all. I ended up taking the Accutane with Yaz. I was on Accutane for about 8 months. My skin was dry but I could deal with that. I have acne again now but think that it may be hormonal. I never had acne growing up and just got it in my 30s. I am now 37. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because I have acne again. But again, I am thinking mine is hormonal and I have read that sometimes people need to have a second and/or third try for longer success.
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March 16, 2011

Pros:

- Very effective
- Definitive results

Cons:

- Dryness

I was 26 when I went through Isotretinoin treatment (it lasted 18 weeks). I had moderate to severe acne since I was 13 years old. It was the only treatment that really worked for me. I wish I had taken the treatment at least 10 years before!! I still have acne after the treatment, but it is rare an SO light that I still really recommend this treatment to anyone that suffers with acne.
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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