Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
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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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December 23, 2007

Pros:

It will clear my skin and give me confidence!

Cons:

I have noticed that my skin is starting to dry up a bit, not so oily anymore, and I love that. Lips can get a bit chapped. I started from the beginning with chap stick and lotion, so really I haven't had any problems...yet. :p

On December 28th I will have been on Accutane for 1 month. I am 23, and I was put on 40mg a day. So far I haven't had any results, but I have noticed a change in the type of ance I am now getting. It hurts pretty bad, but as we all know, it has to get worse before it gets better. I have Blue Cross PPO and therefore the generic Accutane (Isotretinion) is covered and only costs me $10. Without insurance it is around $265. And that is only for 40mg once a day. I am sure at my next office visit my Doctor will increase my dosage. I know it will work, I just want results overnight..haha. =] Oh, I have tried Minocycline, Doxycycline, Bactrim (those are all oral), as for topicals, I have tried Differin gel, Benzaclin gel, Proactiv, all the over the counter treatments. For the oral antibiotics, It did clear up my skin for a bit, but it stopped working after a few months. So here I am, and I hope Accutane can once and for all put an end to my ance!
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December 20, 2007

Pros:

My skin has cleared up significantly. Even the overall texture of my skin has changed. Opposite of depression, elated about how much better my skin is looking.

Cons:

EXTREME EXTREME DRY LIPS. My lips have been dry since day 1 and have had minor nose bleeds almost every day. Basically severe dryness everywhere. Some soreness in joints.

I'm almost through with my fourth month and on 80 mg. a day. I can DEFINITELY see a huge difference. The first couple of months were ups and downs with breakouts coming and going, but now there is very rare pimples and breakouts. My biggest fear is that as soon as I finish the medicine, my acne will come back because I don't think I would go through 5 more months of this again. But WELL worth the dryness to clear up this much.
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December 8, 2007

Pros:

My skin is completely clear. I have not had a pimple for over a month now although I do still have the acne scars.

Cons:

My lips and eyes were very dry, but it was not that bad. Definitely worth it to have clear skin.

I just got off of sotret today and my skin is finally clear after 10 years of trying every other acne medication in existence. I still have scars where I had acne before (face, chest, and back) but hopefully those will go away after time. I am hoping that it will not come back. It is the only thing that has worked for me and I LOVE having clear skin finally after so long.
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December 7, 2007

Pros:

gets rid of oil and blackheads. Has completely gotten rid of my cysts on my back.

Cons:

Really chapped lips, I've only had one nosebleed so far, dry eyes, sore back, tired

I've been taking sotret (another form of accutane) for almost 2 months. The first month was at 40mg daily and working toward the second month I take 40mg and 80mg on alternating days. My face got oilier before it got drier. I am on day 58 and I have mild dryness on my forehead and around my mouth and chin. It is a little more like a rash on my arms and hands, but I HIGHLY recommend it so far!
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December 4, 2007

Pros:

very,very good!it's the first&fastest treatment that works!after only 6weeks my skin is clearing!i no longer wake up and literly wipe the oil off my face!all my blackheads and large pores have gone!my skin feels and looks better!so pleased!hope!

Cons:

ummm...cracked lips but not bad at all,dryer skin but not bad just not oily :D my skin is a bit redish,i felt tired at first but nothing bad.all in all i can't fault it!

i'm 14 and have had them since i was 10,i've tried every lotion the doctors and shops could give and have been on various tablets for 2 years.honestly i can say none of them have worked as fast or effectively as these!they actually give me hope that they will go!i get craked lips all the time anyway,my skins not falling off just smooth n not dripping in oil and my hair can go days without getting oily(wash it anyway lol)no bad dandruff and i love smothering my face with cooling soothing moisturisers!yes my skin is a bit rosey but thts better than bumpy and horrible!i'm definetly not depressed tho i had been many times before taking them due to nasty comments,looking in the mirror and crying,not feeling able to leave the house without make-up and having a sad false hope of 'with this cream/anti-biotic will make be feel beautiful'.after 3-4 weeks of taking them i began to feel a bit tired for a week or two but i think that was for another reason.i love touching my new,soft,healing skin!x
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December 3, 2007

Pros:

Crystal clear skin .. and for me it happened in about 3 weeks. I suffered no IB and after being plagued with severely oily skin my entire life my skin is now "normal". My co-pay on this drug was $10 per month. (I took Amnesteem).

Cons:

For me, none. Sure the chapped lips are a pain, but sooo worth it. It was also important for me to stay very hydrated.

I took Accutane at age 38. For me, it has been an absolute miracle. I have battled acne since age 11 and in my 30s it has been the most stubborn. My only regret is that I did not try it earlier. Accutane was life-changing for me.
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December 3, 2007

Pros:

actually gets rid of acne. it gets RID of acne for longterm. Let me say this again, it gets RID of acne. Side effects are not bad at all, dry lips. Did I say I look like a million bucks? thank god

Cons:

iPledge is annoying, especially for us boys. The packaging of tane is annoying to, with an overload of no pregnancy information. (they should make a boy version). Dry lips can be annoying, because if you dont keep up with lip balm it can get bad.

No other antibiotic, or creme, or acid, or magic miracule cure has worked for me. I have moderate persistant acne. I was just absoultley fed up with stressing out about my skin, I felt horrible every day. I dont know why people dont understand how mentally traumatizing acne can be. I tried every drug, wasted hundreds on perscription medication and and way more over the internet. I was determined to make make tane the last resort, becuase of all the horrible things I have heard about it, like suicide, and liver destruction, and night blindness. Well none of the above happened to me, the worst thing that happened to me was dry lips, drier eyes, drier skin, and better acne. I did not even get an IB! From day one my acne slowly slowly got better, by a month in I still had remenents of acne, my skin was still purging, but I had the best skin I could remeber! I finished accutane two days ago, and all is good. I am so happy I did it. I am a 15 year old boy, fyi, and chicks dig nice ski
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December 1, 2007

Pros:

THE only thing that works. Seriously.
It is cheap as heck. 25 bucks per month, plus 15 bucks per derm visit.
No major side effects (relief!)

Cons:

scary, I am afraid of long term effects. But I have confidence that this will not be a problem.
iPledge may be needed I do not know, but it is SO SO SO annoying. I am a boy so it is not too bad.

First, I tried almost everything. Too numerous too list. Once antiobiotics, just did not cut it, the last resort is tane. Antibiotics, for me was fine, and honestly I have expierenced more annoying side effects on Doxy than on Accutane. Like upset stomach and throwing up twice (on Doxy), and I got mediocer results. However on Accutane, I got clear amazing skin after a few months of treatment. I did not get an IB, so basically it was improvement from day one. Applying lip balm will become hard wired into your brain. It was very hard convincing my mom to let me go on it, she is an anti medicine person, and hearing all the bad things about this drug just scared her. She refused at first, but after making her understand how this was my only option, and how important clear skin was to my mental health, she let me go on. The packaging is very intimidating, and almost made my mom say no again, because it is a huge difficult box. No room le
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November 30, 2007

Pros:

oil is wiped off your face and you can use lotion freely

Cons:

wish it got rid of scars

only on it for 1 month. must wait for the following months to see more results
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November 30, 2007

Pros:

CLEAR SKIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a blemish anywhere

Cons:

I had no side effects at all!

I had severe acne, I tried all sorts of Rx meds, both oral and topical. as a last resort my MD gave accutane and it was the best! I didn't have a single side effect.
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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