Is Accutane Right For Acne Skin Sufferers?

What Is Accutane And How Does It Work?

Accutane (also known as Isotretinoin), or Roaccutane are normally prescribed to patients with severe acne. It is a vitamin A derivative (13-cis-retinoic acid) which is administered orally in pill form, normally for 15-20 weeks (3.5-4.5 months). Accutane are mostly prescribed for people with severe acne that did not respond well to other kinds of acne treatment.

Accutane can help to reduce oil production by reducing the sebaceous glands, decreasing the cell build up that lead to whiteheads or blackheads. However, most accutane user must experience their acne to get worse within the first month before seeing improvement to their skin.

If you did not take good care of your skin during the acne flare-ups period when using accutane, it might leave acne scars behind.

Other than that, accutane can cause other side effects like:

- severe skin dryness especially on the lips, nostril and eyes area.

- hair thinning

- headache

- brittle nails

- liver damage

- Ulcerative colitis

- Crohn's Disease

- Birth Defects, etc...

Before taking this medication, it is best to seek for a doctor's advice as to the risks involved to see if the benefits outweigh the complications.