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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5
37.1%
4
34.1%
3
15.3%
2
7.3%
1
6.2%

Used Isotretinoin (Accutane®)? Rate It:

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August 2, 2010

Pros:

Clears skin (at least temporarily), reduced my oiliness for good

Cons:

I started breaking out bad again a year and a half after going off it, bad initial breakout, bad side effects

After trying many things that didn't work, I finally decided to do this my senior year of high school. I started over winter break which was good because I broke out HORRIBLY at first---cystic acne all over my jaw and forehead. My skin started getting nice at about 3 months. By the end of my 6 month round, my skin was flawless and glowing, and my formerly oily skin was actually pretty dry (a welcome change). My perfect skin lasted until halfway through my sophomore year of college. Now entering my junior year, my skin is almost as bad as it was before. I have tons of clogged pores and I'm starting to get cystic acne again. My side effects were mood swings, very dry skin and lips, depression (although I have a family history of it), and joint pain. I can't decide if I should go on a 2nd round of this because my side effects were so bad. I do recommend this because anyone with severe acne knows how it makes you less confident but be aware of the potential risks. It's up to you to decide if the clear skin is worth it.
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July 28, 2010

Pros:

No More Oily Skin!
Makes you way more motivated because no acne!
No oily hair!
If you have a lot of acne and red cheeks it'll take that away too.

Cons:

Initial Breakout
I felt depressed at times because too high of a dosage
Did not see dramatic results til the end of the 4th month,
sensitivity to the sun

Amazing product, if you want no acne, take this. It'll take around 6 months, i'm on my 5th but right now i have no active acne on my body! It feels amazing i used to have upper arm acne, back acne, face acne, neck acne, sometimes butt acne, but now it's all clear. I used to be afraid to take my shirt off but now i do it without hesitation. You may get pink marks and such left over when you're acne clears up, but just don't play with it and touch it, it'll clear up on its own. and don't pop pimples while on it because the accutane will do it fast. Bottom line great product try it. and it is worth it!
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14 user(s) found this helpful

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July 28, 2010

Pros:

dries up oil, dries out cystic acne, makes skin less red.

Cons:

dries out mucous membranes, dryness around nose and mouth.

If you need it, get it. Don't be scared off by the side effects. I took it for two years total time and never had a problem.
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July 27, 2010

Pros:

cleared up my acne and has not come back as of yet.

Cons:

dry lips and skin
big breakout at start

up to you if you want to risk the side effects for clear skin i did and it worked for others it dosent at the end of the day there are other drugs you can take but accutane is goood it worked for me
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July 26, 2010

Pros:

- reduced oilyness of skin and hair
- quick clearing of pimples
- clear skin!!

Cons:

- really bad eczema on hands and arms
- moody for the first 2 months
- hair loss!!
- really high cholesterol (beware if you are predisposed as I am)
- muscle aches
- repeated conjunctivitis due to dry eyes
- extremely dry lips

I was very keen to start accutane since I have tried many topical and oral treatments. I had started Dianette for 3 months but stopped it once I started accutane. Because of this I never had the initial breakout that many people experience as it had already happened when I started Dianette. I started seeing results immediately with a reduction in oilyness and drying of my existing pimples. I was told I was only to be on 40mg for 5-6 months and by month 4 I was experiencing 1 pimple/3 weeks. I stopped accutane at 5.5 months since I couldn't handle the hairloss, which I was told should be temporary. My cholesterol also shot up to 6.5 (should be <3). My skin is now pimple-free but is really really red all the time. This should go down within 6months. Now looking at my skin it seems like such a problem that its red but I would pick red skin over acne any day and the redness should go down.
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July 26, 2010

Pros:

-reduced my oily skin and hair
-eliminated cysts
-reduced inflammation
-reduced my rosacea symptoms
-cheap with insurance

Cons:

-for some it can take a while to work
-its results are not permanent for many
-if you have acne compounded with another skin condtion, such as rosacea, high dosages of accutane can irritate/agitate that condition)
-you can't take it long term
-it doesn't work as effectively each subsequent time you go on it

I've done accutane twice. It worked the first time immediately (within a month of taking it at 60 mg/day), even though I had severe acne and rosacea. My skin stayed clear for abouttwo years after, but then some of my acne symptoms began returning and I rushed off to the derm again. I was proscribed a slightly higher dose of accutane (80 mg/day) and my skin did not respond to that as well. After three months of flushing and ittle improvement in my acne, I went off of Accutane and went on Spironolactone, and now my face is clear! I would reccomend Accutane, yes, but understand that it loses its effectiveness each subsequent time you take it. If you're a women, you should skip the accutane altogether and see if you can take spironolactone instead.
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July 25, 2010

Pros:

Acne is gone. Self-Esteem and Confidence is at all time high. Depression is gone.

Cons:

Back pain, Blood Test, Dry lips, Acne does worse, Had some depression spells sometimes.

I have suffered from since I was in 6th grade. I have tried every OTC that I could get my hands on. I.E. Clean and Clear, and Proactiv. Then I went to the Derm and I have tried almost Antibiotics and every tropical that she gave me and it didn't work at all or it didn't work and made my acne worse. My dermatologist has talked about Accutane in the past, but she was didn't want to take the chance with it because of the side effects. But I didn't care, I wanted my face to be clear. She signed me up in the I-Pledge(Which is a really stupid program) and I started to receive my pills since February of 2010. The first three months for me were not bad, I did have the initial-breakout, but not as bad as everyone says(everyone is different though). After the fourth month my skin started to improve and the meds did the talking for itself. But I do believe these meds are for only people who have try everything from OTC and lotions and antibiotics. As for the pricing of Accutane, it depends if you have insurance. Without insurance it will run from 800 to 1,000 dollars. I have paid around 10 dollars with insurance.
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July 24, 2010

Pros:

-Cysts dramatically reduced
-redness fading
-skin feels smoother in areas where the skin is not flakey.
- NHS (practically free)

Cons:

-flakey skin
-dry lips

Just before i started taking acctuane, i was on antibiotics and i had a massive breakout, really really bad. It sounded very similar to the sort of breakouts people get when they start accutane. I had about 2 or 3 cysts on my face at the start, after 2 weeks these had started to reduce in size and disappear. This was on lose dose (20mg). Also the non cystic acne has improved and inflamation reduced. Now i am in my 2nd month of treatment, i weigh 80 kg and so was expecting to be put on 80 mg but my derm said that he would put me on 60 mg for this month because it seemed that it was already doing a good job and would reduce the risk of side effects. Now i have no place to make medical assumptions/claims and if you ask for scientific documentation im afraid i wont be able to provide it but here is my theory: People who go on accutane are always on other treatments first. Those that start acctuane and do not have an initial breakout are not lucky it is just that they already had their breakout while on antibiotics and so were on the road to recovery before they started the drug. However that road to recovery is so so much shorter when on this amazing drug. I highly reccomend it to anyone.
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July 23, 2010

Pros:

-Clears acne for a long period of time

Cons:

*BEWARE* Left me with permanent medical problems including clinical depression, irritable bowel syndrome and, I believe although it has yet to be linked to interstitial cystitis (bladder disease that feels like having a urinary tract infection that never goes away)

This is a very dangerous drug! You are taking big risks with your health if you go on this medication. I strongly believe it is responsible for me developing severe depression, chronic digestive problems (IBS), and worst of all I think it caused my interstitial cystitis (IC). IC is a condition that makes you have constant bladder pain and you feel like you have to pee all the time. If they find a link to accutane and IC I am definitely going to try to sue. Accutane can cause these problems even years after you have taken it so I am still anxious about other ways in which it may have impacted my body. Oh and by the way my acne is back and in full swing, so I didn't even get the permanent elimination of acne that is always advertised with this drug. BOTTOM LINE: Read all the health warnings with this drug! They clearly show that accutane is toxic to many organs and systems in the body. Unless you have very, very, very, very bad acne that is extremely disfiguring this drug is not worth it. If you think acne is bad, try living with the multiple health problems this drug will probably leave you with.
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July 22, 2010

Pros:

It works like magic.

Cons:

initial breakout, dry lips, some muscle aches

I was COMPLETELY clear when using it. literally, no blackheads, no pores even. it was great. Now, after I've been off for a couple years, I still break out very mildly, and very rarely. pores are back, but overall, my skin is much less sensitive and oily. overall, 90% better than before.
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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