Acne Treatment Accutane – Powerful Benefits, Powerful Risks

by Annie

When it comes to acne treatment accutane is the biggest breakthrough that ever happened in the history for acne drug treatment over the last 20 years. Most people who have used accutane and have had clearer skin call it “the power of accutane.” This drug is called isotretinoin and Accutane is its trade name. It is the only drug that has the ability to clear severe acne permanently after one course of treatment.

In acne treatment accutane maybe the most effective acne treatment today but it does not offer instant results. It takes a couple of months to see any skin improvement and most users say that once they have attained a clearer skin they had more self – confidence and higher self – esteem.

One course accutane treatment takes about five months and results during prolonged emissions of acne are up to 85% of patients. Accutane is also a member of retinoid drugs and it does not work for everyone. Some patients need more than one course of treatment to have an acne clear skin.

No other acne treatment has the power of accutane and with these goes powerful risks as well. It is known to cause miscarriage among pregnant women and can cause serious birth defects. Patients who are taking accutane may develop possible severe problems affecting their organs including the liver, intestines, eyes, ears and their skeletal system. Other patients have developed psychiatric problems as well with the drug like depression and in rare cases patients have shown suicidal behaviour and killed themselves.

Since accutane is a high – risk drug it suggested that it should be reserved only in cases of “severe recalcitrant nodular acne.” This type of acne is resistant to standard acne treatment like oral antibiotics and it is characterized by several nodules cysts, an inflammatory lesion filled with pus and placed deeply within the skin. Such lesions cause pain, permanent scarring and negative psychological effects.

Accutane was approved by the FDA in 1982 and is known to be a teratogenic drug meaning it can cause birth defects. It was specified as Category X which means it should be avoided during pregnancy at all costs. Even nursing mothers are advised not use accutane. Birth defect risks caused by accutane include hydrocephayly, microcephaly, heart defects, facial deformities like cleft lip, missing ears and metal retardation.

In acne treatment accutane is known to make patients feel better about themselves after a successful treatment but there are reports linking the drug to depression. Although depression is a common problem and it is also possible that patients may have been suffering from depression even before starting their accutane theraphy, some patients who reported symptoms of depression with the drug had previous courses of accutane without depression. Even if the psychiatric effects of accutane have not been really established it is still recommended that doctors should act as if it is having psychiatric effects until further information are found.

When going for acne treatment accutane can be the most powerful drug you can use to get rid of acne but with all the risks that go with it, will you still consider going through an accutane therapy?