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
May 4, 2008
Cons:
dry dry dry , dryness of worst form, itchy , red , some sort of eczema appeared on my left hand ( now it has vanished!) , excessive peeling of skin , dryness over eyelids.
i counted the number of nodules/cysts/pimples before the treatment it was beyond my calculation cud take me abt 50 or so :( now its 0 , seriously i loved it , i wish i got this wonder drug before, ppl actually say " wow ur acne has cleared up!" :)
though i still hav scars but i don complain , m happy , thanks sotret!
here it costs abt Rs. 120/10 tablets (sotret) and 90-100 for cipla , its very much affordable keeping in mind wht all one has to bear by not opting it. (1 USD= 40 Rs.)
i had taken it with other medications .
April 26, 2008
Pros:
cleared up my severe cystic acne on face, chest, shoulders and back. I was terrified of this medication and still am but it was the one and only thing that ever cleared up my acne. the results were incredible.
Cons:
dry skin, very dry lips.
Also, I'm still worried about the long-term affects this drug might have, since it's only been on the market a little over 30 years.
Starting at age 12, I developed severe cystic acne on my face, chest & back. I tried nearly every prescription medication but nothing worked. When I was 15, I had my 1st course. It helped but I still needed a 2nd course. That worked wonders. My skin was "normal" (a few zits here and there) for around 3 years. During this time, I was also on Yasmin.
However, now 4 years later, my acne is returning. I'm considering a 3rd course.
April 23, 2008
Pros:
AWESOME - worked for about a year after the end of 5 months of treatment. (But I took a five month course (then 8 months off) for 5 years total. 5 times didnt work long term...but read my bottom line...!!! There is another way to prescribe!
Cons:
my acne came back after 1 yr (A took it 5 times). Need lots of moisturizer, chapstick, and sunscreen, but it's managable. Online stuff in USA stinks. Don't get pregnant! Make sure you fill prescription on time.
I am about to go on it for the 6th time. This time I am going to take it ON for 5 months OFF for 2 months, then ON again for 5 months. This is supposed to be helpful for those with resistant cystic acne (like me). After this, I will be doing "The regimen" in combination with products including Alpha lipoic Acid (ALA) and DMAE. Both are higjly anti inflammatory. I will also use glycolic acid Products by Peter Thomas Roth and MediMorphisis exfoliating Scrub (by Cos Medicine). I also like Perricone's products and Janson Beckett. I will post my list of favorite products now...
GOOD LUCK!!
April 14, 2008
Pros:
My skin is 90% clear of acne after 6 months of taking 40mg x 2 a day
Cons:
stiff joints, dry lips, dry skin and I suffered through some nose bleeds in the first 8 weeks.
Most importantly, I had the worst acne of my life for the first 4-5 weeks I went on Accutane
I knew the medicine has to be working for my skin to get worse in the first month of being on the drug. My understanding was that Accutane is bringing everything to the surface and it has.
I have just stopped taking it and I hope my face stays as clear as it now is for a long time.
The medicine cost me nothing because in Canada we have medicare which is free and universal.
April 9, 2008
Pros:
By the end of 4 months, i had PERFECTLY CLEAR skin
Bonus-My hair never got greasy while i was on the medication
Cons:
Dry nose and very frequent nose bleeds, rashes on hands and legs, Depression (which i think was mostly because of my acne and not accutane), SEVERE SEVERE initial outbreak
I had moderate acne prior to going on accuatane. After a month's use i had SEVERE acne, deression, nose bleeds every single day and rashes periodically. I believe it was the initial outbreak, which was SEVERE, that caused my depression... it seemed as the day went on i kept getting more and more pimples. HOWEVER, my skin cleared up just as fast! From when i left school on friday and came back on monday my face had cleared up tremendously! each day after that my skin became clearer and clearer. by the end of 4 months i had perfectly clear and unscarred skin. The cons are AWFUL-but for all you acne sufferers-the PROS strongly outweigh the cons! i have been off accutane for 9 months now and i never ever get pimples. I HIGHLY recommend acctuane! sometimes i forget that i ever had severe acne since its so clear everyday :) PLEASE TRY ACCUTANE!
April 5, 2008
Pros:
It is very good at cleaning up acne, and relatively quickly at that! Once you go on it your supposed to be mostly acne free for the rest of your life
Cons:
Can result in damage of kidneys, dealing with the blood test every month, opening the stupid packaging!
I am 17 years old and i was on accutane for six months. It cleared up all my acne. I have been off it for 6 months and now all of a sudden its all coming back. The most likely cause is that I lift alot of weights and that naturally causes more hormones to arise which increases the acne no matter how many times you take a shower or wash your face a day
March 27, 2008
Pros:
Cleared up all the little acne on my forehead. Got rid of the major, deep, painful acne that seemed to pop up around my period on my back and chest.
Cons:
Still having 1-2 deep pimples pop up by my cheeck/chin and one showed up just above my lip. Dry lips and dry nose are the most noticable.
I can deal with the occasional "deep" pimple. My doc has me on this for one more month so hopefully those flare up will straightened themselves out. I'm extremly happy to get rid of the pimples that popped up in my cleavage. My self-confidence is up just becasue of that fact. I strongly advise checking with your insurance coverage first. I did and they accidently told me they do cover that but my policy actually stated "no acne coverage". Luckily because I correspondended before I began treatment they are covering the costs (except the co-pay of course. Overall I say go for it.
March 21, 2008
Pros:
Hopeful that it will clear up my acne.
Reading these reviews.
No side effects yet :)
Cons:
So far only dry skin and chapped lips
I have been on the accutane for about a week and so far haven't seen any changes except for dry skin and chapped lips. Aquaphor really helps with this I highly recommend it!
My advice is don't base your choice of taking this medicine on these reviews. I probably looked at them a week before I decided to start taking it and freaked myself out. This medicine will work and I can't wait. I will keep you updated on how well it works for me! :)
Good Luck!
March 21, 2008
Pros:
Within 2 months on it, my skin cleared and was crystal clear for the rest of the time.
Cons:
Started breaking out within 2 months after stopping my first try. Even had acne that req'd cortizone injections. Went back on Accutane.After stopping 2nd try, have mild breakouts again.Wicked expensive.Constant bloody noses and lip chapping on accu
Can possibly really work. I did have crystal clear skin while on accutane. It's been about 4 years and back to mild breakouts and blackheads. It's great when it works but frustrating when it wears off. I hope I haven't permanently damaged my reproductive organs.
March 9, 2008
Pros:
Cleared up all but a few spots from my moderate acne, the side effects were minimal, i only experienced dryness, flushed cheeks with are now gone 3 months post tane and occasional rashes the back of my hands which went away after applying moisturiser
Cons:
Left my skin with a horrible texture which i can get rid of with a chemical peel though
6 month course definitly reccomended after all other products i used failed on me and believe me i went through them all
Pros:
i took it for 11 weeks , skin is cleared , no acne in abt last 4 weeks!!! finally my 4 year ordeal ends! :D