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Is Accutane an Effective Acne Treatment?
Accutane, otherwise known as Isotretinoin is an orally administered medication for the treatment of acne. It is a retinoid (a derivative of Vitamin A) and is the last solution that dermatologists offer their acne patients. Released in 1982 and despite its long list of side effects Accutane is still the established last solution for acne amongst the medical community. It's side effects include:
-birth defects if taken by a pregnant woman -hairloss -irritability -mental problems -depression -suicidal thoughts -suicide
My personal experience of Accutane was mostly side effect-less. I did notice a bit of an itchy scalp at times and was occasionally irritable. I had to get a cholesterol test done every month as Accutane can raise cholesterol levels, but nothing major happened to mine. You can't drink alcohol when taking Accutane and I took it for 4 months, so this was probably the hardest part of the experience for me as I like a drink. About 2 months into the treatment my skin became dry and towards the end it resembled goose flesh. A couple of weeks after finishing the treatment my skin really started to clear up and after a month my skin was pretty much perfect.
Unfortunately this did not last, and after a month of enjoying acne free skin spots started to appear. A few weeks later my acne was back to its worst!
Although I've read you can take Accutane again I never bothered. My dermatologist never asked to see me again and I never made another appointment. I consider it a failed treatment.
My story is common amongst acne sufferers who took Accutane. The reason it is an ineffective treatment is because the results do not last and the reason underlying this is that Accutane does not tackle the root cause of acne. It just nukes it to cover up the symptoms for a while, but when the dust settles acne reappears. In this respect Accutane is very similar to antibiotic acne treatment which also just covers up the symptoms for a while by attacking bacteria on the skin, until the bacteria mutates and the antibiotic becomes useless against it.
My advice to anyone considering Accutane to cure their acne is to avoid the wasted time because you will most probably come back full circle 6 months down the line anyway. Look for a solution that tackles the root of the acne problem now as it is the only way you will stay clear permanently.
About the Author: Seth Bayram has written dozens of articles on acne, as well as authoring a book that recommends an effective way to treat it. His FaceMaster Course book outlines a simple, step-by-step method for clearing acne, the outcome of his years of research as an acne sufferer himself. More information on his book can be found at www.facemaster.net.
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