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
April 30, 2010
Cons:
very dry lips and skin
itchy skin
nausea
dry hair
but so worth it.
I'm 16 years old and have had acne since the age of 11 or 12.
The severity of my acne has varied throughout the years.
I have been on various oral medications, including oxytetracycline for 3 years, which did not work.
After trying everything, i was finally referred to a dermatologist 3 months ago who was willing to do something productive. There are generally 3 strengths of the medicine: 20mg, 40mg and 60mg. The strength of pill you are prescribed depends on your weight and the severity of your acne. I began on the 40mg dose. After one month, they wanted to up my dosage but you have to weigh at least 60kg to take the 60mg pill, so i am one of the rare patients on 50mg pills. GPs can't prescribe it so you'd have to get a referral to the dermatology department at a hospital. Female patients are required to go on the contraceptive pill at the same time as taking accutane, because pregnancy during a course of accutane would probably result in a severely deformed child. In the first couple of days, my face was red and hot as if i had been sunburnt. My lips were immediately dry. Another few days later, the spots began to clear. Everyday my skin became clearer and clearer. All Blackheads disappeared. After taking the tablets now for under 3 months, i now have 3 or 4 spots on my face. I'm really happy with the results and think all severe acne sufferers should use it.
April 25, 2010
Pros:
improved skin
Cons:
dry lips, thinned hair, random rashes, very dry irritated eyes, body aches, HEADACHES almost everyday, embarrassing dry skin if you don't moisturize every few hours,
I was on accutane for the last 6 months at 60 mg a day, and did not see results untill 5 months in. I am currently on my 7th month and was bumped up to 80 mg a day. I have fewer pimples, and STILL have cysts that are just starting to go away, Now im left with stubborn clogged pores and open pores from previous acne (that still tend to be active) since Ive been bumped 20 mg in dose I find Im so intensely irritable and have random breakdowns which has been concerning me.Lately I've also lost my appetite but it might be from stress? This is NOT a drug to be taken during university years at least in my case, I cant think clearly and have a careless attitude, preventing me from my studies, which is not like myself. I'm on the edge of dropping out. Although my skin has gotten a lot better, it is still rather problematic, and will most likely continue a few more months if my blood tests are good. but I'm losing my patience, nothing else has worked so Im sticking to it. plus Im praying for the success most others have, which gives me a little hope
April 22, 2010
Pros:
CLEAR SKIN, CONFIDENCE, NEW LIFE
Cons:
just dryness around my lips and lips were very dry but was so worth it
i was very tired of going to local gp's who were prescribing me with anitbotics and topical creams...they didnt help me at all. then i decided to privatly see a dermatolgist as i could bear the pain of no seeing any one without make up. it is aweful when any body use to come to my house i would hide in the toilet soo that they dont see me.. i was so eshammed of my acne its undescribable..
so my dermotlist told me they pros and cons of the medication and i was a bit scared of depression as i was suffering from depressing of having acne.... BUT GUESS WHAT i didnt have no sad moods since having this ...what i have had is clear skin without any acne blemishes or new break outs ..touch woood!
its the best decision i have taken!
people out there with current break outs i feeel the pain u go though each day looking at the mirror PLEASE dont suffer give accutane the chance to transform your life.its a mircle drug ! can u imagine each day waking up with new progression on skin with amazing results ?
April 21, 2010
Pros:
my skin became less oily literally the second day. my skin cleared up almost immediately and as the course continued my skin only got better and better. i had perfect skin by the end. it made me so happy i can almost cry thinking about it.
Cons:
chapped lips, dry skin, dry hair. actually the dry skin and hair were sort of a bonus because i could shower every other day as opposed to twice a day like i had to when my skin and hair was very oily.
this drug was a miracle for me. PLEASE don't be afraid to take this drug. it has changed my life in the most amazing ways. i am a happier, more confident person in every way. before i took accutane i woke up every day tormented by my awful skin. i refused to ever let anyone see my arms or chest and i hardly let even people who were closest to me see me without makeup. interacting with people caused me extreme discomfort. i never wanted to stand close enough to anyone to let them see my face, i felt horrible when i had to go out without makeup. my acne made me feel like a disgusting monster. i had moderate acne on my face, chest, and back and it was a nightmare for me. my life is so much better now. i touch the perfect skin on my arms, chest and back and i feel like it is a miracle. this drug was everything i ever wanted it to be. i can feel comfortable looking people in the face. this drug has changed my life more than anything else ever has. i am so grateful that all the suffering (from age 9 till age 21) is finally over. taking accutane was the best decision i've ever made. i am doing things i never would have though possible when i had acne: i've been asked out on dates (i never dated before because i was horrified by the thought of being intimate with anyone because of my skin problems), i can look people in the face when i talk to them, i feel like a normal human being for the first time in my life. the level of joy and happiness i feel about my skin is indescribable. the physical and emotional pain accutane cured goes beyond anything i can describe. my only regret was waiting so long to take it.
April 20, 2010
Pros:
Skin looks the best it has in years. Confidence.
No messy creams/gels to apply multiple times a day.
You take it with food. No starving yourself for hours before taking it like you have to on antibiotics like tetracycline.
THE ONLY THING THAT HAS WORKED FOR ME. It finally feels like I'm not wasting money on some chemical junk that never works.
Cons:
Like everyone else says... Dryness of everything. The lips and nose don't bother me as much as my eyes. it has made my vision much worse.
The biggest side-affect for me has been insomnia. About 2 months into the course I started sleeping less and less. If I'm lucky, I get up to 2 hours of sleep per night. The weird thing is that I feel wide awake throughout the following day... Kinda wondering if it's all going to catch up to me when I finish my 5 month course next week.
As far as the deal with depression and suicide/mental effects goes, I went into this thing thinking that most of the people that took the drug and reported depression were just doing so because it was all in their head that it was possible to become that way just because someone else did. I have to admit that there were a few times where I felt "weird". I don't really know how to explain it but it didn't start until I was well into the second month. I swear I was the biggest skeptic (sp?). I guess the best I could describe it is a feeling of being "empty" but that doesn't really do it. I suppose it could of been the stress of moving to the new house. But the low of it all was when I woke up in the old house on the last day I was in it before moving the last few things over in the morning. It was about 1 in the morning an literally it was just me and my bed in the room. I just had this creepy feeling like everything was "done", like there was no reason to do anything anymore. to me all of this is weird as I'm a very positive person. I'm usually the one that doesn't take anything to serious and I'm always making a joke out of everything. Idk, I just had random weird feelings like that.
This was just my experience and wanted to share it because I was kind of shocked by it all. If you are debating whether or not to take accutane. DO IT!!!!!! It will make your skin look amazing. Don't be scared of the side effects, stay strong and it will be better before you know it... Life will be better before you know it. just remember that if you are one of the unfortunate who do experience strange feelings, it's just the medicine making you feel that way and your not going to have to feel that way forever (some of you are probably going to argue that statement). The truth is that we are all different and the accutane is going to affect us all differently. Without giving it a second thought, I would ta
April 17, 2010
Pros:
I have been off this medicine for a year now, and my skin is nearly flawless. I cannot say enough good things about this medicine. This completely cleared my skin, and after completing the course of treatment my body produces less oil over all - so where prior to treatment I'd have greasy skin and hair by the end of the day, now my skin behaves normally and is neither too dry nor too oily. I will occasionally have a pimple, but it is rare and they are just near the surface of my skin.
Cons:
Like everyone says, this drug causes very dry skin. Living in Denver (where it is already very dry) I had to be especially vigilant and actually used very heavy moisturizers on my hand and (I know this is gross) on the inside of my nose. The acne got worse for the first month of treatment, but it got better from there, and my skin was flawless at the end. Accutane can be harsh, but if you want a real and lasting solution for acne, this is really the only way to go.
If you have moderate to severe acne and are just sick of dealing with it, this is really the only way to go. My only regret is that I didn't do the treatment years earlier!
April 17, 2010
Pros:
The only thing that completely got rid of my acne.
Cons:
My acne is coming back. It's not as bad, but accutane works for people differently.
Totally worth the chance. Just make sure you do it correctly and be honest with your doctor. I'm glad I did it. I was scared because I was sufficiently warned beforehand, which is always good, but it turned out well. My acne was completely clear for months, but it's coming back but not as strong. Only do this if you have insurance though because it is expensive.
April 15, 2010
Pros:
Beautiful skin forever!
Targets any cause of acne, including hormone based acne which may in many cases may be harder to cure on a long-term basis
In most cases at the end of your treatment, you are never plagued by your acne again (except for a few here and there during periods for women) I have been off Accutane for three years and have nearly flawless skin!
Cons:
Dry lips and sensitive skin. Occasional bloody noses. Cannot wax during treatment and cannot resume waxing until approximately one month after you have finished your treatment. Can be irritating for female patients
I had every skin treatment possible by the time I begun this product in April of my freshman year of high school. I had blue lights, peels, regular facials (all at my dermatologists office) used ProActiv, I even took medication given to me by my dermatologist! Nothing had a lasting effect, and I was desperate to be able to not leave the house with my face slathered in makeup. The treatment was not a cakewalk, and because my acne was hormonal, it took me two five month cycles to keep it from coming back, multiple cycles may be necessary but it is so very much worth it! This medication will change your life!!!!
April 14, 2010
Pros:
Clearer skin, but just for a few weeks
Cons:
After a month all the pimples came back. Later my skin condition became even worse than before the treatment.
Adverse effects: severe burning scars on my hands, my lips completely dried, burning and scarry.
Fully disappointed. My doctor (said to be one of the best dermatologists of the country) promised me for sure that Accutane will cure my skin problem, and the pimples will never come back again. I took Accutane more than one year long (two months taking, two month pause etc.) without any significant effect (just for the first few weeks).
April 14, 2010
Pros:
Clearer Skin
Less Oil
Cons:
Extremely dry and irritated skin
Chapped lips
Dry, bloody nose
Sun Exposure
Joint Pain
Ive just finished my 5th month on accutane, 1 more month to go. Ive been optimistic since the day i started. I had severe acne for most of my adult life. I was on several antibiotics, topical medications, exercise, diet and topical medications. The affects of these were only minimal, it never went away. Finally i was able to obtain accutane from my Dermatologist. He started me at one a day for a month and that didnt do much for me. Followed by 2 40mg a day. Thats when it got worse. He told me it would get worse before it became better so i stuck through it. The extra acne diminished and was left with a smaller amount than when i started. After the 4th month my dosage was upped to 3 40mg a day. Reading forums i havent seen many who have had to do 120mgs a day. Ive still got clusters on my cheek area and under my jaw. My optimism is diminishing. Most of the other reviews reported that most of it was gone in the first few months and then a small amount towards the end, but mine seems to be a stalemate. The side effects are annoying but bearable. I started in the winter so the sun exposure wasnt apparent until spring. i was driving around with my arm out the window and after an hour i had a sunburn. Needless to say I purchased some sunscreen after that. The chapped lips can be solved with CONSTANT chapstick applications, and the dry skin needs to be moisturized several times a day. Also cortisone cream was a life saver. All in all im better of than i was 5 months ago. A lot can happen in the next month so im going to stick out the duration of the medication. I would def try this if you have the insurance seeing as blood tests and generics are costly.
Pros:
Very powerful
Begins to work within the first week
Better than anything else i have tried (i've been on everything.)
The only thing that works.