Accutane Acne Medicine for Acne Treatment

Accutane (trade name for Isotretinoin) is a powerful drug for acne treatment. The normal treatment duration is four to five months and that generally controls acne for at least a year. Accutane belongs to a class of drugs known as retinoid medications. Retinoid medications relate chemically to Vitamin A, which means that its molecular structure is similar to Vitamin A.

It controls acne by decreasing the amount of oil (sebum) production that is released by the sebaceous glands. Accutane is sold in the form of capsules in doses of 10mg, 20mg, or 40mg which is the only treatment known to stop severe nodular acne.

Accutane has serious and potentially life-threatening side effects, including birth defects, depression leading to suicide, kidney failure, heart problems, and death. The possible side effects of Accutane are:

Swelling or cracking of the lips
Blurred vision, or decreased vision or dryness of the eyes
Depression, persistent sadness, anxiety or feeling of emptiness, feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness, loss of pleasure from activities that were once enjoyable, loss of energy, changes in sleep patterns, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, and suicidal thoughts or other mental problems.
Stomach or chest pain
Diarrhea
Dark urine
Severe headache
Nausea
Muscle pain
Hearing problems
Increased levels of cholesterol
Increased levels of triglyceride in your blood
Birth defects (According to the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS), approximately 25-35% of infants born to women exposed to Accutane during the first trimester of pregnancy showed a pattern of birth defects. This pattern includes craniofacial defects, heart defects, and central nervous system defects. There also is an increased risk of miscarriage and infant death associated with use of Accutane during pregnancy).

Side effects other than those listed here can also occur. Due to these potentially serious complications, doctors are advised to weigh any potential benefits of the drug against the possible risks involved.