Accutane is a prescription medication used to treat moderate to severe acne. Its generic name is isotretinoin; other trade names include Amnesteem, Claravis, Clarus, Isotane, Izotek, or Sotret. It is a retinoid, meaining it is a synthetic form of Vitamin A and is found in small quantities naturally in the body. Accutane creates a potentially long-lasting change in the cells lining the pore. This change prevents pore openings from getting plugged, so oil can flow freely to the skin’s surface. It also reduces the amount of oil secreted by oil glands in the skin and helps your skin renew itself faster.

Accutane is usually used for acne only after other treatments and/or antibiotics have been tried but failed to produce successful clearing of symptoms.

What’s interesting to note the drug was first developed to be used as a chemotherapy medication for the treatment of brain cancer, pancreatic cancer and other cancers. It is still used in the treatment of these cancers because of its ability to kill rapidly dividing cells.   

Accutane Side Effects

Adverse drug reactions associated with isotretinoin therapy include:

* Common: Mild acne flare, dryness of skin, lips and mucous membranes, infection of the cuticles, cheilitis, itch, rosacea, skin fragility, skin peeling, rash, flushing, nose bleeds, dry eyes, diffuse alopecia areata, eye irritation, conjunctivitis, reduced tolerance to contact lenses, hyperlipidaemia, raised liver enzymes, permanent thin skin, headaches, permanent hair thinning (This could start or continue after treatment), myalgia and/or arthralgia, back pain.

* Infrequent: severe acne flare, raised blood glucose level, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fatigue.

* Rare: impaired night vision; cataracts; optic neuritis; menstrual disturbances; inflammatory bowel disease; pancreatitis; hepatitis; corneal opacities; papilloedema; idiopathic intracranial hypertension; skeletal hyperostosis; extraosseous calcification; psychosis; and it is believed that severe depression can occur, although there is no conclusive evidence for this.

The following adverse effects have been reported to persist, even after discontinuing therapy: alopecia (hair loss), arthralgias, decreased night vision, inflammatory bowel disease, degenerative disc disease, keloids, bone disease. High dosages of isotretinoin have been reported to cause rosacea (a disease of severe facial skin redness and irritation).

Isotretinoin – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Accutane and Pregnancy

* For your baby’s sake, you must NEVER, EVER take Accutane when you are pregnant.

* Accutane can cause severe, life-threatening birth defects if the woman takes the medication during pregnancy. A single dose of Accutane can lead to defects of the baby’s eyes, ears, skull, heart, and brain. It can also lead to miscarriage, premature birth, or even death of the baby.

* Fertile women of childbearing age who take Accutane must not be pregnant or become pregnant during treatment or for three months after discontinuing treatment.

* Prior to starting the treatment any woman of child-bearing age must agree in writing to take two forms of birth control and take pregnancy tests prior to, during and following the treatment.

Accutane Side Effects: Pros and Cons of Using Accutane for Acne

Accutane Treatment

Accutane has been in use for acne treatment since 1984, and for many people suffering from severe and persistent nodular acne – it certainly is a miracle drug they have been praying for.  The treatment lasts 5 to 6 months, and the dose of the medication is adjusted according to patient’s weight.  Most patients need just one course of treatment to see improvement in their condition. Only about thirty percent will need a second course, and about ten percent will fail to respond.

Accutane in the US is available only under a special program called iPLEDGE. To take the medicine, you need to register in the program and sign the release forms and consent to the terms.  Patients are required to take blood tests during the course of treatment to make sure the side effects are kept under control.

Natural Alternatives to Accutane

Even though Accutane can sometimes produce truly spectacular results, if you have read this far you now obviously realize that it is not an ideal treatment to free your body from acne.

As most conventional treatments, Accutane only addresses the symptoms of the condition, not the internal cause. Everybody who has severe acne, or even suffers a sporadic breakout every now and then, should know that getting rid of it should be a multilayered task. You should treat the entire body and target the true causes of the problem and not just symptoms. This is of course often a very difficult task…

Read more about Acne Skin Care: Acne Removal using natural methods, Natural Acne Removal Treatment, and Baby acne.