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
March 17, 2011
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!!!!
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.
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.
March 16, 2011
Pros:
Cleared skin up quickly when nothing else worked!
Made the texture of my skin improve and look brighter and more even.
Skin becomes less oily.
Cons:
Very dry lips and cracks in the corners of the mouth.
Eczema on the hands and lower arm.
Constant nose bleeds and dry cracked nostrils.
Depression.
Back aches.
General sorness.
Blood tests.
Acne came back after first treatment, however not so severe.
I am on it for the sxecond time and so far so good again. The bottom line is it is the only thing that worked for me so, to be honest, although some people may disagree with me, I was in such a bad way, that all of the side effects were worth it, just to get clear skin and my confidence and ultimatly my life back! Hope this helps you. If you are as desparate as I was then it really is the only option. I had tried absolutly everything else on the planet for my skin and nothing else worked!!
March 15, 2011
Pros:
+ Acne dissapears for a year or two
+ Skin becomes very flawless
+ You feel better (for a while)
Cons:
- After the first month of using it, your whole body have a major breakout. Very bad!
- After you finish using it, acne comes back (in a year or two) and generally it's worse than before
- VERY bad for your liver
- makes your whole skin very dry.
- chapped lips, elbows, knees etc.
I would NOT recommend this product at all! It the heaviest and most dangerous drug I've ever used in my life. Yes, it makes your acne go away but it comes back eventually. I don't like this. You shouldn't have to kill your liver for this. I recommend using other products...
March 15, 2011
Pros:
Clears up skin for a while
Cons:
Acne came back
Depression
Dry Lips
Bad for Liver
I went on accutane twice in my life. Once in college and once in high school. My new dermatologist suggested that I might go on it a third time....but since my acne is more hormonal we decided on another course of treatment. I'd give it a higher rating if it got rid of my acne forever. It's one of the harshest drugs I've ever been on...so definitely don't recommend it as a first option.
March 9, 2011
Pros:
-None yet
Cons:
-Dry Lips
-Mild lower back pain (rare, but occurs)
-Mood swings
-Worsens before it gets better
These reviews all sound very repetitive but that is solely because this drug has similar effects on people. I have been on it (40mg, i am 17yo female)) for about a month now, and my skin is getting worse, but this is merely b/c all the dirt from way under your skin is being pushed to the surface, all at once, it is then dried and taken care of. W/out accutane, you would get the same breakouts, it would just take longer (this is what my doctor told me).Usually, starting the second or third month is when the healing starts. I am also experiencing dry lips that are easily maneagable with lip balm (i bought a pack of smackers)
March 8, 2011
Pros:
Clears any and all pimples and blackheads FOR GOOD!
Glowy skin
Works Fast
No initial breakout
Cheap with the right insurance - paid 20 dollar co pay per month dosage.
Cons:
None
This stuff works... Some people get bad dry skin and lips while on it but I really only noticed my skin flushing easily, like if I went in the sun or if it was warm.
All in all...anyone with moderate to severe acne simply needs Accutane. It will change your life.
March 7, 2011
Pros:
No initial breakout
Oil free skin and hair
No more acne and no blackheads
Cons:
Lower back pain
Dry lips/eyes
Elevated cholesterol
Monthly bloodwork and derm visits
I have had acne my whole life but after college, age 23, I had a horrible breakout and VERY oily skin. I am not a typical candidate for this med but I tried everything and nothing worked. This drug is a last resort b/c there are so many potential side effects. Do your research before you start. Luckily I only experienced very minor side effects. No initial breakout, dry lips(no cracking), and back pain that was manageable. I did have to stop going to the gym b/c of the back pain but looking back it was worth. All negative side effects resolved after I completed the 5 month course. I weigh about 68kg. My first month of treatment was 40mg. I did not see many improvements at this point and my skin was still oily. At this time my cholesterol shot up to 240 (before treatment 198). Month two I went up to 80mg and this is when I really started to see results although this is also when the back pain started. The final 3 months I stayed on 60mg and the back pain lessened but was still there. My lips were dry all through treatment and it was unbearable to not have Aquaphor on my lips even though they never cracked or flaky. My cholesterol is now back to normal. I have been off of Claravis for over a month now. My skin is finally normal, no excess oil. I do get pimples occasionally but no painful cysts like I used to. When you are on the treatment make sure you use SFP on your WHOLE body, gentle cleanser like Cetaphil, and Aquaphor is your friend. All of the cons are worth it in the end! It is a short term treatment, hopefully for a lifetime of acne free skin. If my acne comes back I will definitely take another course of the medication because of the amazing results.
March 3, 2011
Pros:
Clears acne fast WHILE ON IT
helps when nothing else will
Cons:
acne comes back
sore muscles
made me very intolerant to all types of foods
dizziness
tiredness
I have struggles with acne for years. At 16 I went on it and had to go off of it, but it cleared my acne for the 2 months I used it. Then tried it again at 17 and it cleared my acne, but once again had to stop taking it. At 19, I finally decided to take it for the 6 month course and push myself through all the harsh side effects. My skin was absolutely radiant and beautiful!! I loved it so much that I could deal with the fact that I only ate 1 or maybe 2 times a day because anything I ate KILLED my stomach. I had to have an endoscopy because they thought I had IBS or something. But everything was fine because I only had a few months left. I was on 40 MGS, and cut it down to 20 the last month. I tapered off of it and literally a month later after stopping I had all of my acne come back with a vengence. I have gotten it in places I had never had before and I have 3 months before my wedding. Accutane has ruined my life and made my skin unbearable...I cry almost everyday and not to mention I can barely eat different types of food still. I am so intolerant to gluten and I had never had any problems before. It may work wonders for some people, but from what I do know it does come back for a lot of others. Unfortunately, mine came back a lot worse. Good luck if you're going to take it and be strong because it is a HARSH medicine.
Pros:
nothing!!