Treatments For Acne:
Accutane
 

Accutane As A Treatment For Acne
 

If all other acne treatments fail, you may be forced to consider the possibility of using Accutane (also known as Roaccutane in some countries), which many people have come to regard as the acne "wonder drug".
 

What is Accutane?

Accutane, is a Vitamin A derivative, and is used exclusively in the treatment of severe inflammatory or nodular-cystic acne.

How Does Accutane Work?

Accutane acts by reducing the amount of oil produced by the skin's sebaceous glands. It may take a while to begin producing results (an average 6-8 weeks), and acne typically worsens during the initial period of treatment.

The medication is usually started in small doses which are increased incrementally until the acne responds. The dosage is then cycled as necessary for 4-5 months, the aim being to reduce the body's dependency on the drug.

The Benefits of Accutane

Accutane shouldn't be regarded as a permanent cure for acne, although if you suffer from teenage acne, it will often buy you sufficient time while you "grow out of it". Most users will be acne-free for months, even years, after finishing taking Accutane, but 10% of users are unlucky enough to find their acne re-occuring in less than 12 months after the end of a course.

The Drawbacks of Accutane

While Accutane represents an enormous breakthrough on the route towards an effective treatment for acne, the decision to start taking it isn't one to be considered lightly.

The reason for this is that as medications go, it's pretty toxic - hard on the liver and the body's ability to process cholesterol. In addition, it has been shown to cause severe birth defects, including mental and physical retardation. This means that pregnancy is definitely not an option for women using Accutane. The recommendation is that women use a barrier protection method in addition to any hormone-based birth control methods such as pills and implants, as Accutane has been known to interfere with their effectiveness.

Other side effects include the following:

Chapped lips 90%
Reduced night vision <1%
Depression and/or suicidal thoughts <1%
Dry and itchy skin 80%
Dryness of nose, mild nosebleed 80%
Headache 5%
Sensitivity to sunburn 5%
Intestinal disruption 5%
Irritation of the eyelids and eyes 40%
Joint and muscle pains 15%
Rash 7%
Hair thinning 10%
Urinary symptoms 5%

(See full list of Accutane side effects)

Getting Access To Accutane

In the majority of countries, you can only Accutane is by via a dermatologist prescription. Dermatologists and pharmacists in the U.S are also required by the FDA's iPledge program to put potential users through an assessment system to determine their suitability for the drug.

While it can be difficult, frustrating and expensive to obtain Accutane from a dermatologist, we strongly advise against buying Accutane without medical supervision. As I've explained above, this drug is highly toxic, and because of this requires customised usage, with your liver and cholesterol  levels being regularly monitored via blood tests. It's easy to dismiss these safeguards if you simply order your meds online, if you're unlucky, this stuff can cause you more serious problems than cystic acne, so please, think carefully!

I know that it's inevitable that a proportion of those reading this will choose to ignore my advice, so if you feel you must buy your Accutane off prescription, at least do it via a reliablee source which provides the information you need to take the drug with a basic degree of safety.

Reputable online stores which will supply Accutane without prior prescription (some have you fill in an online form in order to assess your suitability) include:

Accutane from Aclepsa.com
Accutane from ePharmacies.com

If you determined to use Accutane without a prescription, you should make sure you follow the basic guidelines for taking the drug and looking after your health while you're on it. I've outlined them below.

Directions for taking Accutane

Take Accutane twice each day with a meal with a full glass of water, milk, or juice. . Swallow the capsule, don't suck or chew it.

Start with the lowest dose of Accutane (10mg). Stay at this dose for 6-8 before considering increasing the dose.

You should seek out take regular blood (liver function and blood lipids) tests while you are taking Accutane.  Don't be afraid seek out a physician to give you the test - you won't get into trouble. A baseline blood chemistry test should be taken before you start your course. In order to be accurate, these tests should be done when you have fasted for 12 hours.  

Regardless of the condition of your acne, you should not continue to take Accutane beyond 20 weeks, as your body cannot tolerate long periods of being subjected to such a toxic drug. If you find the acne returning, go see your doctor rather than just resuming the Accutane.

At the end of a course of Accutane, you should give yourself at least a 2-month "rest period" during which you observe any further changes to your skin. This is because your acne may continue to get better even though you are no longer taking Accutane. If you are still growing, you may need a longer "rest period."

        Useful Links

• FDA Accutane Medication Guide

• Daniel W. Kern's Experience of Accutane

• Jenn's Accuane Journal
   

Comparison of Acne Prescription Drugs & Accutane Alternatives
 

	Prevention	Early Suppression	Mild-Moderate Acne	Severe Acne	Side Effect Free	Affordability
Accutane
Antibiotics
Contraceptives
Spironolactone
Retin-A
Bioherbaceutical Supplements

See Also:

Contraceptives
Antibiotics
Retin-A
Accutane
Spironolactone
Bioherbaceutical Medicines (Natural Accutane Alternative)