The Pros And Cons Of The Acne Medication & Treatment

Accutane is a trade name for Isotretinoin which is a very powerful drug used in the treatment of acne. The drug is usually used for four to five months to clear acne. Accutane is so potent that acne which has existed for many years and do not anymore respond to antibiotics are effectively treated by this drug. Even severe and scarring acne has been found to be eliminated with the use of Accutane. Accutane is also used for other disorders like lupus, lichen planus and psoriasis. Even certain cancers are purported to get prevented with the use of Accutane.

Accutane is a retinoid; it is derived from Vitamin A. The body also produces small amount of Isotretinoin. Like all retinoids, Accutane alters DNA transcription to decrease the output and size of the sebaceous glands. To reduce formation of blackheads and whiteheads, Accutane makes the cells less sticky. In addition, Accutane kills bacteria on the surface of the skin.

Before isotretinoin was developed, the most common way to treat acne was with oral antibiotics like erythromycin and tetracyclines. But the problem with these antibiotics was that despite its efficacy to some degree, they only eliminated one contributing factor of acne, the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria. And as the more resistant strain of the bacteria becomes more prominent, the antibiotic's effect gradually decreases.

Accutane is usually administered orally to be best absorbed after a high fat meal. This is because it has a high level of lipophilicity. It is usually started with low dosage which increases after a few weeks. For some people, the acne gets worse at the start of a therapy but this will only last for a short period as a sign the medication is working. According to a study, fifty percent of those who take the medication say they never take other treatment alongside Accutane.

But like all non-natural medications, taking Accutane is not without side effects. The most common side effect, which is also the mildest, is chapped lips. This can be easily countered by applying Vaseline of Aquaphor. Other known side effects include headaches accompanied with blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of tears, depression which may result to thoughts of suicide, abdominal pain, jaundice, dry and itching skin and hair thinning.

The most damaging side effect has so far been serious birth defects when pregnant women take Accutane. Sexually active women are also advised to take birth control because the effect of Accutane from a certain period during pre-pregnancy can be carried onwards.

Physicians and other medical expert’s advice not to take isotretinoin with tetracycline antibiotics or vitamin A supplementation concurrently as the interaction can greatly increase the risk of idiopathic intracranial hypertension and toxicity.

Accutane can only be bought with a prescription. In the United Kingdom, the drug is prescribed only by a dermatologist while in the US; isotretinion dispensing is controlled by the FDA-mandated website called iPLEDGE. Dermatologists need to register their patients while pharmacists need to check the website before drug dispensing.

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