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
March 25, 2015
I hope anyone struggling with acne can get this medication
I never had acne through teens but when i was 23 i broke out along my jawline with deep acne. counting 30-40 at a time. It could have been stopping the depo BC shot because that was the only change in my life at the time.
I have been on accutane for 80 days @ 40mg 1/day and i weigh 130lbs. I have not experienced any serious dryness or joint pain like most people and i am much happier but I was never worried about depression.
before starting accutane i was very skeptical that it would work for me but i am very happy to say it has, and still is.
I also got chemical peels with acne extractions at least once a month which made my recovery much faster.
February 9, 2015
for severe acne- this is the cure!
i had severe acne when i was in high school- it was awful- i tried everything- until my dermatologist and i agreed that it was time to try accutane. I have to say this should be the end all be all for acne sufferers. the months that were ahead of me were tough- fortunately i had a great support team including my mother and my dermatologist- the peeling, the dry lips- it was all worth it in the end- my skin looked and felt amazing- it is a rough road but much worth it! i have not had horrible severe acne (going on 9 years since my last treatment)- please make sure that you go over everything with your doctor- prepare for what is ahead, and keep going, there is a lot of support out there for this and i highly recommend you go over this clearly with your doctor
January 14, 2015
MUST TRY!!
Hi, I have been on isotretinoin for 5 months now and it really made a difference. In the beginning my face was just COVERED in pimples and it hurt. Me and my doctor tried many things;Tretinoin , Doxycycline, Tazorac, Keflex and Benzoyl Peroxide. Nothing worked, so my doctor ( Dr.Cernik ) said she had two more options either another anti-biotic or Accutane, So I choose Accutane because i was through with anti-biotics they gave me terrible stomach cramps. So she prescribed the Accutane and I started with 30mg once a day, for the first couple Days I ha the absolute worst stomach pain i had ever experienced, also some insomnia but then it was over. I went back to the Doctor 1 month later and she told me to take 2x30mg a day. That time it was fine. by this time I am experiencing some acne relief. by month 4 1/2 I was completely clear i was taking 2X40mg a day then and ever since have not had any trouble. Tottaly worth a shot
January 3, 2015
accutane has worked wonders
I know this a risky prescription drug but all that talk about the dangers are old stories from over 10 years ago and now doctors are aware of all of that and so I trust the medical today compared to past (obviously). Works wonders, this should be last resort though
August 30, 2014
Only works if you continue to take it!
I was accutane for over a year and had brilliant results. Only had mild side effects dry skin, chapped lips and occasional headaches. My dermatologist suggested I stop taking accutane give my face a break for a year and then have laser to clear up my scarring. However within 2 months of being off the medication I began to break out. I have now been off the product for almost a year, my acne is back once again very red and painful and as bad as it was before I started treatment.
January 12, 2014
Clears up skin but side effects can be v. severe
Cons:
Side effects are severe
Can cause depression, irrational/suicidal thoughts
Sore joints (I couldn't run)
I went on Oratane (Accutane) for my stubborn, moderate acne. It cleared up my skin in 3 months (with an occasional pimple) and my skin's redness faded. Apart from the usual side effects, Accutane caused me to have suicidal/irrational thoughts and (being a sprinter this was awful) I was unable to exercise because my joints where so sore. I have been off it for a week and I feel much better. So, in conclusion, Accutane clears your skin up but you just have to think about if the side effects are worth it. Oh and I suggest going on Accutane only if you have tried every other method.
January 10, 2014
it works, but be patient and understand side effects.
Pros:
clears skin
inproves self esteem
Cons:
expensive
very drying
mood altering in some cases
My son did two courses of treatment in high school. About a year after the first course concluded acne had returned, though on a smaller scale and it was not responding to other treatments. My son actually asked to go on another dose, despite all the unpleasant side effects. The most significant, and scary, side effect he experienced was depression and anxiety which was subtle but which I definitely believe was a result of the Accutane. He actually experienced fairly marked anxiety for a couple of months following the second course of treatment. Do not underestimate the emotional side effects. Our dermatologist had ever only had a couple patents with those side effects, but I believe it is because the question they ask is are you depressed or suicidal. My sons experience was much more subtle and in the case of depression it was recognized by me, not him. My son also experienced the extreme dryness. And he got a pretty bad sunburn too since he didn't adequately apply sunscreen as instructed by Dr. and mom. Some of the doses listed in other reviews seem really low and the course of treatment a bit contrary to how our doctor explained it worked. I would not allow a GP to prescribe. In fact our family doctor refused to, referring us to a dermatologist due to the nature of the product and the sever side effects. My husband also did two coursed of the treatment in his early twenties and not nearly 50 still struggles with breakouts, so it's not a total cure, but during the difficult teen and early 20s can definitely he'll boost self esteem.
November 17, 2013
YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!
Pros:
Smooth Skin
Poreless
Acne-Free
Cons:
Dry Lips
Muscle Aches
Dry Face
Accutane has been the most amazing acne product ever invented on the market today. I'm on month 4 and my skin hasn't looked poreless or acne-free since I was in 6th grade! Its amazing! I really recommend this product to anyone and everyone. Don't listen to all those discouraging stories. Just take it with a grain of salt. You will not regret it.
October 29, 2013
Dont let negative reviews scare you!
Pros:
amazing
clears skin fast
amazing
Cons:
chapped lips? big deal
still amazing
amazing..i have no cons.
Okay, so I will make this short. I am 27 year old female. I have oily acne prone skin. Like you, im sure I have tired every single product from proactive, to bacterium. Everything my dermatologist prescribed I took and it did nothing. I was so scared about Accutane. 2 doctors told me I should try it and I let the negative reviews scare me away. Finally I have tried it. I am just finishing up month 2. I don't understand what all the fuss is about, this stuff is fantastic! Right now I am on 40mg a day. The only side effect I have is chapped lips. As other reviewers have noted the cracking and bleeding in the lips...but that would happen to anyone with dry lips that doesn't apply chapstick. Seriously there is so much bad about this medicine out there its crazy. A person has one bad symptom and they shoot the medication down to a zero. Try it for your self. My skin looks almost flawless and im not even half way done with the treatment.
August 8, 2013
Worked like a charm, the side effects are no fun though
Pros:
long lasting clear skin
very effective
Cons:
dry skin
joint pain
peeling lips
I took accutane 40mg for 6 months. It was the best thing I ever did for my skin! It cleared up perfectly. It's been 2 years since I took accutane and there are occasions where I breakout but it's really nothing compared to what I had before. The occasional pimple is very easy to conceal! Accutane is a strong medication though. It causes a lot of side effects which are very harmful to your body. I would recommend trying antibiotics first before going on a medication like this. Dry eyes, skin, and lips are common side effects with this medication as well as joint pain (especially if you're an athlete). I recommend accutane to those who have tried everything else and have had no luck. This will work for you.
Pros:
Clears your skin up
Your skin doesn't even have blocked pores