How many months is accutane treatment

Accutane has been used to treat acne since the s, but there is a lot of misinformation about it on the internet. All dermatologists would agree that, if used correctly, isotretinoin is the most effective acne treatment.

In this blog, we walk you through some of the most important things people should know when determining whether or not Accutane is the right acne treatment for them. They perform daily maintenance skin care, and they even change their diet or other routines in order to help their skin. It can be extremely frustrating to struggle with acne, especially for those who have more painful cystic or nodular acne.

Accutane is a good option for these treatment-resistant patients, and it offers them long term results and relief. The main ingredient in Accutane is derived from vitamin A, which is naturally produced in our bodies and consumed through our diets.

Vitamin A is a key nutrient in the development and maintenance of healthy skin. It also plays a vital role in organ function, healthy immune response, and clear vision.

Isotretinoin is not usually taken for very long. In most cases, people only need one course of medication that is completed within six to nine months and will offer a lifetime of skin improvement for people who struggle with acne. Many people with moderate to severe cystic or nodular acne are dependent upon long term oral and topical medications to manage their breakouts.

Long term use of oral antibiotics, birth control pills, and other medications used to address acne can have adverse side effects long term and may not be the most optimal treatment for acne.

So, for this reason, the short-term Accutane treatment completed in less than a year is often a better solution. After completing the course of medication, the vast majority of people will not need any additional rounds of Accutane treatment. The low frequency of adverse side-effects in this study, suggest that most side effects of the drug, are dose dependent; and the most serious side effects of the drug can be reduced significantly by using lower doses.

Hence, we recommend this low dose therapy for treatment of moderate to severe scar prone acne. A large, prospective randomized comparative study is needed to establish the definitive response and tolerance of this protocol. Source of Support: Nil. Conflict of Interest: None declared. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List Adv Biomed Res v. Adv Biomed Res. Published online Mar Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer.

Address for correspondence: Dr. E-mail: moc. Received Feb 26; Accepted Mar This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Abstract Background: Despite advances in acne therapy in recent years, treatment failure is common.

Materials and Methods: In this retrospective, noncomparative study, patients with moderate to severe scare prone acne. Results: At the end of treatment course, Conclusion: Low dose isotretinoin was found to be a safe and effective choice for patients with moderate to severe scar prone acne vulgaris.

Keywords: Acne, isotretinoin, low dose. Ethics This study was performed on human subjects; thus, all patients were aware of the presence of the study and they were fully informed about the drug and its side-effects.

Statistics All data analyzed by Microsoft Office Excel ; in descriptive statics frequency for qualitative data , mean, range, and standard deviation for quantitative data , were used to demonstrate the results. Table 1 Sites of acne in patients. Open in a separate window. Table 2 Side-effects during the study. Table 3 Relapse and time of recurrence.

Prevalence of facial acne vulgaris in late adolescence and in adults. Br Med J. Oral isotretinoin is as effective as a combination of oral isotretinoin and topical anti-acne agents in nodulocystic acne.

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. Roaccutane treatment guidelines: Results of an international survey. Isotretinoin versus placebo in the treatment of cystic acne. A randomized double-blind study. J Am Acad Dermatol. A review of the European Directive for prescribing systemic isotretinoin for acne vulgaris. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. Isotretinoin therapy for acne: Results of a multicenter dose-response study. Brelsford M, Beute TC. Preventing and managing the side effects of isotretinoin.

Semin Cutan Med Surg. Association of suicide attempts with acne and treatment with isotretinoin: Retrospective Swedish cohort study. This usually just lasts for a little while. You can tell your doctor if this happens to you because you might need to use other medicines along with the isotretinoin in this stage.

The dosage of isotretinoin is different for each person. During your treatment, your doctor may change your dosage. Be sure to take isotretinoin just the way your doctor tells you. If you miss one dose, don't take extra the next time. Be sure you keep all of your appointments with your doctor because your doctor needs to check on you often. Your doctor may check your liver tests and cholesterol levels. During treatment you may have some of the following side effects. These side effects usually go away when you stop taking isotretinoin:.

Decreased night vision. If you have any vision problems, you should stop taking isotretinoin and talk to your doctor right away. A few people have even more serious side effects.

If they aren't treated, the problem could last forever. If you have any of the side effects listed below, stop taking isotretinoin and check with your doctor right away:.

Your skin might go on getting better even after you stop taking isotretinoin. Most of the side effects of isotretinoin go away in a few days or weeks after you stop taking isotretinoin. If your side effects last more than a few weeks after you stop taking isotretinoin, talk to your doctor. Some patients have to take isotretinoin more than one time. If you need to take isotretinoin again, you can start taking it again 8 to 10 weeks after your first treatment is over.

Do not give blood for at least one month after you stop taking isotretinoin. You must not take isotretinoin if you are pregnant or if there is any chance you might get pregnant while taking this medicine! Isotretinoin capsules can make you feel sleepy and dizzy. You also may not see as well at night. If this happens to you, do not drive, cycle, or use machinery or tools until you've stopped treatment. It's best to avoid alcohol while taking isotretinoin capsules, or at least keep the amount you drink to a minimum.

This is because there's a risk of damage to your liver - and that your cholesterol levels will increase. If you do drink, try not to drink more than the recommended guidelines of up to 14 units of alcohol a week. A standard glass of wine ml is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol. Page last reviewed: 18 January Next review due: 18 January Isotretinoin capsules Roaccutane On this page About isotretinoin capsules Key facts Who can and can't take isotretinoin capsules Side effects How to cope with side effects How and when to take it Advice for women Cautions with other medicines Common questions.

About isotretinoin capsules Isotretinoin capsules are a very effective treatment for severe acne spots. Isotretinoin capsules are also known by the brand names Roaccutane and Rizuderm. Isotretinoin capsules start to work after a week to 10 days. They work very well - 4 out of 5 people who use them have clear skin after 4 months.

You will a have blood test before you start taking isotretinoin and regular blood tests during your treatment. Your skin may become very dry and sensitive to sunlight during treatment. Using lip balm and moisturisers will help. It's very important not to become pregnant while using isotretinoin capsules and for at least 1 month after stopping. This is because isotretinoin can harm an unborn baby.

Women will be given a reminder card about this. If you become depressed or think about harming yourself while taking isotretinoin, stop taking the medicine and tell your doctor straight away. Isotretinoin capsules aren't suitable for some people. Do not take isotretinoin capsules if you : have had an allergic reaction to isotretinoin, soya the capsules contain soya or any other medicines in the past have an inherited digestive disorder called fructose intolerance the capsules contain sorbitol To make sure isotretinoin capsules are safe for you, tell your doctor if you : have had a mental health illness like depression are pregnant or think you could be, or you're breastfeeding have ever had an allergic reaction to isotretinoin or any other medicine have liver or kidney disease have high levels of cholesterol or other fats in your blood have high levels of vitamin A have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis If you have diabetes , talk to your doctor before beginning treatment with isotretinoin capsules.

Common side effects The common side effects of isotretinoin capsules happen in more than 1 in 10 people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or don't go away: skin becoming more sensitive to sunlight dry eyes dry throat dry nose and nosebleeds headaches and general aches and pains Serious side effects Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1, people.

Important Tell your doctor straight away if you become depressed or think about ending your life while taking isotretinoin capsules. Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to isotretinoin capsules. Information: You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. What to do about : dry skin or lips - apply a moisturiser and lip balm often the best type of moisturiser is an oil-free face moisturiser for sensitive skin.

Try to keep your showers shorter than 2 minutes, using lukewarm water rather than hot. Do not use a sunlamp or sunbeds. If you wear contact lenses and these become uncomfortable, you might have to wear glasses instead while you're taking this medicine. Light exercise shouldn't be a problem, but try to avoid heavy exercise as it may make joint or muscle pain worse.