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 5, 2010
Cons:
dry skin, flaking around mouth, headaches, loss of energy
Despite the dry lips and flaking around the mouth, If you want clear skin you have to suck it up. I don't regret taking accutane at all and really recommend it for those of you out there that are sick and tired of eating healthy foods, taking immaculate care of your skin, and exercising for your skin, and not getting any results in return. It changed my life.
February 27, 2010
Pros:
Clear Skin :)
No more oily skin!
No more oily hair!
Cons:
Initial Breakout-DRRYY Lips- Flaky Skin- Lots of redmarks left after pimples that last for a really long time- headaches-leg pains-eczema rash on hands and arms-hair loss :(
This medicine was no picnic for me. I started to get really bad cystic acne around 18 when I got off of Yaz, and right away my dermatologist recommended Accutane. I really wasn't afraid of the side effects, and the dry lips didn't bother me too much mostly because I just don't really care about that kind of stuff. While my cystic acne really hurt and got REALLY bad by November '09, it was never on my cheeks. Rather, I would get 10-15 deep cysts all on my forehead, chin and around my jawline. I had a REALLY intense IB for the first three months of accutane. It was horrible, I had HUGE, painful cysts pop up all on my cheeks when I was bumped up to 80 mg on my second month. Thankfully, I have a great dermatologist who tried to help me in everyway and put me on a Septra and a couple of courses of prednisone to help with the severity of my initial breakout. Oh boy. I wanted to quit this medicine and flush it down the drain SO many times because the breakouts were truly heinous. Thankfully, I listened to the advice of about 5 dermatologists and stayed on it. After my third month, everything started to clear up and the red/purple marks slowly started to fade and my skin looks better and better everyday. STICK IT OUT. EVEN IF IT SUCKS, REALLY REALLY BAD. There is a reason dermatologist absolutely RAVE over accutane. It's because 9 times out of 10 it produces DRAMATIC results that are long term. Don't give up! I know it's hard. But you will be so happy with the result in the end :)
February 26, 2010
Pros:
Aparently is a cure to acne
Cons:
-Dry Lips
-Severe Joint Pain
-SEVERE SPINE PAIN
Hi, I used Accutane for 5 days and it cuased me a world of complications. On my second day I was sitting on the couch and this sharp pain started to strike my back. I didnt know what it was I assumed I was probably lifting too much at the gym. I carried on taking it and the pain became more severe, so i looked at the net and found out it plays around with your bones. Like I said im a dedicated body builder and joint pain is a real let down. but the pain has gone away now since i stoped using it (been 2 weeks since i stopped). Any ways im not telling you guys not to use it, but im saying if you do find any unwanted side effects take note and research. if it wasnt for my re search my doctor said I would of been through major spinal complications that might not be reversable. Just take care guys this drug isnt a joke.
February 20, 2010
Pros:
clears skin COMPLETLEY
course only lasts 5-6 months
ultimate exfoliator
wake up oil-free
Cons:
bad initial breakout
lots of dryness in skin, mouth, lips, scalp
tiredness, muscle ache
mood swings, behaviour change
it makes you worse then good then great. side effects are obvious, but are not unbearable. this will likely give you clear skin. hang in there for the 5 months or so.
February 19, 2010
Pros:
It has saved my life! Taking low doses (20mg or even 10mg) during several months has done wonders for me! How I missed having soft baby skin! Damn I´m twenty and I can only remember feeling like this when I was 13/14. Since then..Acne has took over my life.
Cons:
Dry lips? Well..to be honest...what is this compared to waking up every morning...touching my face and feel new bumps?
Low doses are the key! Experiment starting with 40mg..and then slowly bring it down to 10mg(p/day)
February 19, 2010
Pros:
*Clear skin
*Helped with my severe acne
*Healthier looking skin
*Helped with oily skin
*Confidence
<3
Cons:
*Dry Skin
*Dry Lips
*Slight muscle aches
*Slight back pain
*Blurry vision
*Expensive without insurance!
*Other minor annoyances that can be solved with lots of water, chap stick, etc.
Before I went on Accutane my skin was a mess. During my senior year in high school I begin to break out SEVERELY with pimples that would erupt and leave unsightly purple marks when they healed. And the scarring begin. Ugh. The worse days of my life. Thankfully Accutane was readily available. Sure in the beginning I experience what my dermatologist said, "It gets worse before it gets better." and I sure did. My skin got worse than before and I nearly lose hope. And then, it happened. I noticed that my acne was SLOWLY going away and my outbreaks were less and less severe! Sure there was scarring left over but it's better than walking around with *shudder* purple bruises/marks on my fact. It was nice to wake up without my acne oozing on my pillow. I highly recommend Accutane but I suggest trying another course of treatment before you settle on Accutane. It's powerful and potent and it can be unsettling for some people.
February 19, 2010
Pros:
clears skin up completely
Cons:
dry lips, blurred vision
i've only been on this for a week now but my skin is looking better than it had been for YEARS. my lips are dry already and on the first day i had blurred vision, but i had just had a drink of alcohol and they do recommend you reduce this. but seriously, for ages i haven't had even an inch of skin on my face that is spot free, and now i have about 8 spots which is an incredible change. my scars actually look reduced aswell - i look ok without makeup. and this is after A WEEK.
February 17, 2010
Pros:
Dries out existing lesions, resolves serious cystic & inflamed acne, permanently reduces oiliness of the skin and the best bit is- these results last, usually permanently.
Cons:
Yes, there are side effects. The dryness is to be expected, but is very manageable if you take good care of yourself and moisturise, moisturise, moisturise.
Dry eyes and mouth were also other ones I noticed, very easily managed with eyes drops and lots of water.
Other than that, I didn't experience many of the other side effects listed- so PLEASE don't let the potential side effects put you off if you're considering this treatment.
If your acne is cystic and it has been an ongoing problem for you then go on this medication!!
I debated and put it off for years, but I wish I had done it sooner. I was so scared about the side effects but I soon discovered they're (mostly) very manageable (see above). I have never, since my teen years, had clear skin. It's now six months since finishing treatment and I have not had a single pimple. I feel so confident looking people in the face and am so happy I get to enjoy having beautiful clear skin. For the first time ever, I feel confident enough to leave the house without make up. All other acne products are not treatments, they surpress the acne and often return once you go off it. Accutane is a clinically trialled drug- so chances are it will work for you. If your acne is serious enough to affect how you feel on a day-to-day basis, this treatment is absolutely worth it.
February 16, 2010
Pros:
IT WORKS!
Cons:
VERY chapped Lips
Accutane actually WORKS! i been on it for six months and my face is completely CLEARED. I use almost EVERYTHING that was on the store shelf and some did absolutely nothing or made it WORSE! Im so glad my Dermatologist finally recommended accutane for me! The cream in the tubes were NOT working and it BURNED!! I have to say i smile almost everyday now and everyone compliments my skin! So If you have severe acne like me and is tired of WASTING money on stuff that dont work, go try ACCUTANE! you wont regret it :) the only side effect i had was REALLY dry lips, but I just carried a bottle of vaseline everywhere i go.
February 15, 2010
Pros:
ACNE GOES AWAY!!!
Cons:
Very dry skin (especially lips) and iPledge is annoying.
This stuff is amazing!!! I'm one of those people who has had acne since puberty and NOTHING has ever worked for me. Not even a little bit. And I have found that this is the only thing that actually will work. I was on it for six months the first time around and then three years later I was on it for four months, which it is normal to have to go on it again every few years but it is totally worth it. Unless you have a lot of money to blow, though, you absolutely HAVE to have insurance. If I didn't have insurance I would have had to pay substantially more than ten bucks a month. And like others have said iPledge blows. Hated it. Don't be surprised if your doctor doesn't really know how to use it. I had to end up waiting an extra month to get a prescription because my derm didn't enter it in the iPledge system, and you also have to answer some stupid questions every month before you pick up your prescription. I kept forgetting to answer mine before I went to the pharmacy and it would just tick me off to no end. But just about anything is worth getting rid of your acne, right? That's what I thought. Do yourself a favor. Go on accutane NOW. Please. You won't regret it.
Pros:
clear skin, loss of painful cystic acne, confidence