Are you currently taking or thinking about treating your acne with Accutane?
- Well here's some information to consider ...
Accutane, also known as Isotretinoin, Absorica, Amnesteem, Claravis, Myorisan, Sotret or Zenatane is a medication commonly used to treat severe acne. It works by adding high amounts of vitamin A into the bloodstream, which feed into the oil glands and dry them out
Using Accutane can quickly become harmful as it doesn't just eliminate oil production in the skin, but all our internal organs ... High doses of Vitamin A taken during pregnancy can also cause some serious birth defects. It's critically important not to take Accutane while pregnant and to avoid pregnancy while taking it
In the first few weeks of treatment, about 1 in 5 patients get a little worse and 1 in 500 get much worse. Some do get better, or better for a while, but often with severe complications ... The typical patient takes Accutane for 4 to 6 months, but some need to be "retreated" for an additional 4 to 6 months, adding exposure time to its toxicity ...
The more Accutane one takes, the greater the chance of cure. Unfortunately, side effects depend on the dose as well ... With high doses one gets rather nasty side effects, check them out below
Effects of Accutane
90% of patients experience chapped lips
80% experience dry skin and itching
80% experience dryness of the nose and mild nosebleeds (80%)
40% experience Irritation of the eyelids and eyes
15% experience joint and muscle pains
10% experience thinning hair
7% experience skin rashes (7%)
5% experience intestinal symptoms or damage to the intestines
5% experience bladder and urinary symptoms
5% experience headaches or migraines
5% experience increased sensitivity to UV light
1% experience impaired night vision
1% experience depression and or suicidal thoughts
- Other known effects
Dry mouth / problems producing saliva
Erectile dysfunction
Vaginal dryness
Difficulty Urinating
Loss of libido
Psychosis
Hallucinations
Aggressive or violent behavior
Pancreatitis
Can turn the whites of the eyes yellow
Gastrointestinal bleeding
Diarrhea
Anaphylaxis
Fatigue (feeling tired)
High cholesterol
Cardiac arrest (heart attacks)
Accutane can deter a healthy lifestyle as its manufacturers recommend almost all forms of exercise be avoided as muscle aches, and the ability to move your legs around comfortably can develop. It can also increase the level of blood fats to risky levels and can lead to high cholesterol which puts one at risk of heart-attacks; it can also damage the liver (why regular blood tests are necessary during treatment)
Bottom line, think hard before using this medication to treat acne. There are much healthier and safer ways to lessen skin oil & mucous production such as changing your diet, improving and or seeing a specialist for a bioavailable hormone replacement therapy