Accutane
is a powerful drug used in the treatment of acne. Four
to five months of isotretinoin treatment usually leads
to clearing of acne for one year or more after the
medicine is stopped. Most other acne-controlling
medicines are antibacterial agents, which are effective
only if the medicine is used daily.Isotretinoin has
significant side effects: (percentages are the ratio of
people who received the side-effect)
Chapped lips 90% , dry skin and itching 80% - the use of
daily alpha hydroxacids will help prevent this side
effect. Dryness of nose, mild nosebleed 80%, Irritation
of the eyelids and eyes 40% - Vitamin E 400 IU each day
may lessen this side effect. Joint and muscle pains 15%,
Temporary hair thinning 10%, Rash 7%, Intestinal
symptoms 5%, Urinary symptoms 5%, Headache 5%, Increased
sensitivity to sunburn 5%, Decreased night vision <1%,
Depression, thoughts of suicide <1%
Isotretinoin may increase the level of blood fats,
sometimes to risky levels. Occasionally it may affect
the liver. That's why regular blood tests are necessary
when you are taking isotretinoin; these tests must be
done when you have fasted for 12 hours (no breakfast),
so that the blood fat determinations are reliable. A
baseline blood chemistry test is established before
patients start isotretinoin.
The most damaging side effect of isotretinoin is serious
birth defects if taken during pregnancy.
It is critically important for women not to take
isotretinoin while pregnant, and not to become pregnant
while taking it. Women who are, or expect to be,
sexually active while taking isotretinoin must use an
effective method of birth control. This usually means
oral contraceptive pills and one other additional method
of birth control such as a condoms for the male partner.
A woman who does get pregnant while on isotretinoin must
be prepared to have an abortion and must state this in
writing before many hysicians will prescribe
isotretinoin for her.Isotretinoin may cause birth
defects as long as two months after it is stopped. After
that time, it's safe to become pregnant. Because the
birth defects caused by isotretinoin are so serious,
it's important not to share the pills with others.We
don't know whether isotretinoin taken by men can cause
birth defects, so it's best not to get a woman pregnant
while taking isotretinoin. If she is not using birth
control, the man should use a condom.There are a few
reports of patients having decreased night vision after
using Accutane. One patient still had problems six
months after the drug was stopped. If you experience
trouble with your vision while on Accutane, call the
office right away.
Some people develop
headaches while on Accutane. If you develop a persistent
headache while on Accutane, call your physician right
away. A persistent headache, which will not go away
while on Accutane, can be dangerous and you should stop
the medication.
Accutane rarely causes depression and thoughts of
suicide. If this were to occur stop the medicine
immediately and call your physician.
How does isotretinoin work?Isotretinoin decreases the
amount of oil produced by the skin's sebaceous (oil)
glands. It may be as long as two months before you see
improvement in your skin. There's no medicine we can add
to speed up isotretinoin's action. In fact, sometimes
acne gets worse during the first month or so of
treatment. Side effects, such as lip dryness, begin
before the acne starts to clear.
How To Use Isotretinoin:Take the medicine with food, you
can take the entire daily dose with supper, this
increases the absorption of the medicine.
Long-term Results:Isotretinoin isn't a permanent cure
for acne, although it often buys time until nature
clears your skin. Your skin may stay clear for months,
even years, after isotretinoin is stopped. In about one
person in 10, acne comes back after one year. About one
person in four has acne again after two years. If your
acne returns, antibiotics may work, or you may be
treated with isotretinoin again. The use of daily alpha
hydroxyacids will help prevent small flare-ups after a
course of Accutane.Unblocking the openings of the
sebaceous glands Accutane also suppresses the production
of skin cells which block the openings to the sebaceous
glands. As a result, the quantity of comedones, or
blackheads, and milia, or whiteheads, is reduced. A
decrease in comedones in turn causes a decrease in the
development of suppurations, or pus-filled acne pimples,
whose formation we seek to prevent.
Anti-inflammatory activity It has been found that
Accutane decreases inflammation in laboratory trials,
yet the clinical significance of this discovery remains
unclear.
Accutane's side effects
Accutane is particularly effective in mid-range severity
cases of acne, which have not responded to treatments
such as ointments or oral antibiotics. The most
significant risk in taking Accutane is its potential for
causing birth defects in the developing fetus of a
pregnant acne patient. Because of this risk, female
patients should take care not to conceive while using
Accutane and for at least three months following the end
of treatment.
How to get the most out
of Accutane??
Attention female
patients !!! Accutane has been proven to cause birth
defects in developing fetuses. Due to this danger, it is
absolutely prohibited to conceive during
Roaccutane treatment and for at least three months thereafter. All
female users of Accutane should use two birth control
methods during this entire period.
All patients: All
Accutane users should expect mild chapping of the lips,
and occasionally peeling of the skin surrounding the
fingernails. The chapping and / or peeling will
disappear by the end of the treatment. Relief from dry
skin is available in the form of creams which the doctor
will provide. In rare cases, dryness of the nose, slight
hair loss, or impaired night vision is experienced, all
of which disappear by the end of treatment. In still
rarer cases, a change in liver function, an increase in
fat production, or mood changes can occur. Inform your
doctor of any kidney or liver disorders, high fat
content in the blood, or depression in your family or
medical history. A blood count should be performed
before starting treatment, as well as once a month
during treatment. The doctor should also be informed of
any inordinate physical exertion undergone by the
patient during Accutane treatment. Avoid taking any
vitamin supplements, as well as over-exposure to the
sun, while taking Accutane.
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