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.

 [more]
3.9
2449
Read All About Isotretinoin (Accutane®)
Compare To Other Treatments
5
37.1%
4
34.1%
3
15.3%
2
7.3%
1
6.2%

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
Sort by: Most Helpful
Order:
November 11, 2010

Pros:

cleared up acne

Cons:

very dry lips
red, dry eyes
dry skin
hair loss
dry nose (even after months of being off)

Bottom line is, I suffered with acne for YEARS, cystic mostly. At age 19 I decided I absolutely could not take it anymore and went on accutane but a generic form. It was the most amazing feeling to wake up with clear skin everyday. Now, 2 and a half months of being off of it I am breaking out in small white heads on my nose, chin, and forehead. THIS is a horrible feeling. I dont regret taking it though. Best 9 months of my life. i was on 40mg everyday for 6 months ..the max for my body size. (111lbs 5'4)
This Was Helpful

11 user(s) found this helpful

Report
November 10, 2010

Pros:

-Got rid of acne in about 3-4 months
-Oli free skin
-Your skin becomes extremely soft
-Redness is gone
-Small scars disappear
-Your self-esteem level sky rockets (Trust me!)
-Girls barely have to wear make-up

Cons:

-The beginning months suck
-Bad breakouts within 2-3 months of the treatment
-Backaches/headaches
-Extremely dry skin in the first months
-Dry lips
-Takes a while to start
-Long process to get the medicine

I stopped my accutane treatment 3 months ago. My face has been clear except for a few tiny zits which I treat with Clindamycin. The first few months was slow, but I was excited to finally be on my way to having clear skin. I had backaches for about 4 months, and my headaches weren't so bad. The hardest problem I faced (pun!) was trying to give my face some moisture. Up until the 3rd month my face would peel if I didn't drench my face with moisturizer (I used Cetaphil CREAM which was godsend) Also, try not to pop your zits because the skin around your skin will be VERY flakey! My lips were bothersome too, they would peel around my lip which was very embarrassing. The way I controlled that was applying a lot of Vaseline during the day and putting it all over my lips at night. Other than that, I just met with my dermatologist monthly, and I took my Accutane religiously. I recommend you set an alarm for the day & nighttime so you never forget! Best of luck.
This Was Helpful

18 user(s) found this helpful

Report
November 7, 2010

Pros:

- Starting to control break outs, looking like its going to heal soon
- black heads on nose are about 80% gone

Cons:

- dry lips
- extremely dry eyes (makes it hard to focus)
- nosebleeds
- tiredness
- dry skin and patches of eczema
- hair becomes brittle
- skin peeling everywhere
- acne flare
- got cystic acne when got hardly any of it before

tired everything known to man to treat acne, antibiotices did not work in the slightest way If you want clear skin dont stuff around trying everything for your acne and just go on accutane, works in 95% of case. Im 19 now and I really wish i went on this earlier
This Was Helpful

16 user(s) found this helpful

Report
October 29, 2010

Pros:

BEST ACNE TREATMENT EVER!!
completely rid my face and neck of acne
MIRACLE cure

Cons:

Only dry lips and face
But i wouldnt consider it a con becuz my doctor warned me beforehand that this would happen

GET IT.. dont waste your time & money with over-the-counter crap if you have bad acne... the only traetment is ACCUATNE and alll the side effects are like a 1 in a million chance!!... Dont be scared to go to your derm and ask about it!! itll change your life
This Was Helpful

27 user(s) found this helpful

Report
October 29, 2010

Pros:

made my skin less oily and there was a decreased in acne severity while taking it but just lasted for 3 months

Cons:

initial breakout, i mean the gross type
high possibility of scarring. i got teribble scarring from this
redness of the face

i don't think this would help anyone who are suffering from oily skin like me. it is not safe and does not targeting the root cause of sebaceous glands' oil secretion. androgen is the major cause of it. i am taking 100 mg spironolactone once a day for a week now and there is already a decreased in sebum secretion.
This Was Helpful

Report
October 20, 2010

Pros:

- cleared my horrible cheek acne within the first week or so
- skin and hair is a lot less oily

Cons:

- chapped lips
- flush a lot easily

When I first decided to go see a dermatologist, my problem area was only around my jawline and neck. My derm put me on mino, BP and retin-a. It worked wonders, I was cleared within 4 months. Maybe 7-8 month later my acne returned a bit, so I was put on mino again. I was clear within a month. Last year my acne started to return, this time it wasn't on the jawline and neck, it was on my cheek. It was horrible. It was a clustered of semi-big pimple on my cheeks and there was so many. I couldn't bare looking in the mirror. I was so depress, I couldn't look at people without feeling embarrass. But the thing is I started breaking out like crazy when I started to diet and exercise, before my diet, I was super clear, barely broke out. So I'm no sure if it got anything to do with my weight loss. So right now, I'm on my third month, and I'm pretty much clear, except for 1 or 2 pimple here and there once in a blue moon. My acne cleared up during the first 2 weeks. It was amazing, I couldn't believe it. Right now my only problem is the red marks and scars. I have tons of it on my cheeks. The only problem I have with accutane is the flushing. I turn red so easily, it's insane and it drives me nuts when it happens. Even when thinking turning red, I turn red!! Overall, accutane saved my skin!!
This Was Helpful

19 user(s) found this helpful

Report
October 17, 2010

Pros:

I almost never break out anymore, not like I used to. I feel like now I am one of those people who complains about a zit the size of mechanical pencil lead (because that's how tiny they are), and they go away in a day if that.

Cons:

I have scars, not necessarily the medication's fault. When Isotretinoin works correctly you should clear up completely by the third month. My derm was unaware of this and refused to switch my brand as he thought this was fine. I kept breaking out into my 6th month and because of the extreme sensitivity of my skin, all my new breakouts left scars. I don't pick! It was the sensitivity of being on the meds for months with no change that caused my skin to scar.

I had a different kind of acne that I never see anyone posting about so hopefully this will help someone else out. I had nodular acne but it was sparse. I would have 2 or 3 pencil eraser-sized pimples at a time. They were painful and took 2-3 weeks to go away. By reading my "Cons" section you can see the only reason I had scars is because I needed to switch brands since Claravis didn't work so well for me. My boyfriend started on Claravis but his derm switched him to another brand after 1 month. He has no scars but after finishing his treatment he still breaks out with one or two large pimples on his face and his back breaks out severely. I believe he may need a second treatment as this is common. I have been off Isotretinoin for 2 months now and as I mentioned in my "Pros", I only breakout in pore-sized pimples if that and it is ALWAYS because I fell asleep with my make-up on. I use the AHA lotion from this site and it prevents anything else from popping up and I use Everyday Minerals make-up which covers my scars amazingly yet is inexpensive and doesn't clog my pores (as long as I wash my face at night haha). I would say the AHA lotion has also been helping the redness of my most recent scars to fade faster than they were on their own. I love it, been getting my younger brother on it. But back to the purpose of this review. I would recommend Isotretinoin. If you do not clear up within the first two months talk to your doctor about switching to another brand so you don't get scars. If you need a second treatment, I would say it's worth it too. I never had any bad side effects mentally or such and I would be an at-risk candidate. I weigh 103 and my derm had me on 2x40 a day which was WAY over my weight limit.
This Was Helpful

13 user(s) found this helpful

Report
October 14, 2010

Pros:

Cleared my skin after 2 weeks, I am 18 and have been breaking out with moderate severe acne since I was 14 (plenty of white heads, zits, a few cysts here and there). I went through tons of different OTC treatments, retin a, antibiotics and this is the only thing that worked at all.

Cons:

SUPER dry skin, hair, eyes, nostrils
Decreased night vision
Some aches after running or working out
Monthly blood tests
can't drink alcohol
red marks heal really slowly

Acne was literally crushing me, I was anti social and deathly insecure, I avoided any socializing with anyone besides my closest friends, I mostly just spent my time playing wow or getting stoned by myself (I blame this destructive behavior solely on my insecurities rooted in my acne symptoms.) Accutane, despite its negative side effects gave me a life, I am slowly gaining much more confidence in myself when it comes to meeting new people, talking to girls etc. I am now proud to go and hang out with friends at the football game, go to parties and flirt with the opposite sex. I should have taken this back when I was 14
This Was Helpful

33 user(s) found this helpful

Report
October 10, 2010

Pros:

My skin was perfect!

Cons:

The price is high if not covered by insurance.

Dry nostrils and irritable mood was the only side effects I suffered

Took this when I was 25. At the time my skin was very bad. After the regime my skin was perfect for a few years. The acne came back after about five years but came back very mild and still is15yrs later. My Dr. was very responsible. Gave me a blood pregnancy and cholesterol test every month. Made me give up fatty foods and alcohol before starting Accutane.
This Was Helpful

26 user(s) found this helpful

Report
October 10, 2010

Pros:

None!

Cons:

It's a poison, literally! Could cause depression, liver damage, permanent thinning of the skin, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, hair loss, blood problems, basically every side affect known to man and these could develop months, even years after you stop treatment.

You have to be either stupid or extremely vain to take Accutane. This drug is a poison, and what a lot of people don't know is, Accutane was developed in the early 80s as a cancer medicine because it kills cells. Its purpose is too stop the sebaceous glands from producing oil, which is not even natural. When my doctor gave me the pamphlet explaining Accutane, I couldn't help but notice that the patient's skin in the after photos ten years later looked horrible! My doctor treated me like I was crazy because I did not want to take Accutane. The truth is, they just want an easy way to treat acne and don't take into account the potential harm it can inflict on the human body. Just look at the PSAs on TV and notice how the drug companies who make Accutane are being sewed by hundreds of people who took it. In the long run, you have to ask yourself a really crucial question. Would you rather have dry, chapped, crappy looking skin without acne, or would you rather be a human being and bear the zits?
This Was Helpful

Report
Previous
1 … 79 80 81 82 83 … 202
Next

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

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