Using Accutane - Roaccutane

By Amy Steel

If all other acne treatments fail, you may find yourself looking eagerly towards a course of Accutane / Roaccutane, which many people have come to view as a "wonder drug" for treating acne.

What is Accutane?

Accutane, also marketed as Roaccutane , is a Vitamin A derivative. It is used for the treatment of severe inflammatory or nodular-cystic acne.

How Does Accutane Work?

Accutane decreases the amount of oil produced by the skin's sebaceous (oil) glands. It will take a while to work (6-8 weeks), in fact, sometimes acne gets worse during the first month or so of treatment. Side effects, such as lip dryness, begin before the acne starts to clear.

The Benefits of Accutane

Accutane isn't a permanent cure for acne, although if you suffer from teenage acne, it often has the effect of buying time until nature clears your skin. You may be acne-free for months, even years, after you finish taking Accutane. Acne re-occurs in less than 12 months in about 10% of users, so there's a 90% chance you'll be free of acne for more than one year after the completion of a course.

This medication is usually started in small doses and upped until the acne responds. Then it is cycled as necessary over a 4-5 month period, the aim being to reduce the body's dependency on the drug.

The Drawbacks of Accutane

There's no denying the importance of the breakthrough Accutane represents in terms of providing an effective treatment for acne, but the decision to start taking it isn't one to be hurried into.

The reason for this is that as drugs go, it's pretty toxic - hard on the liver and the body's ability to process cholesterol. Most seriously, it's known to cause severe birth defects, including mental retardation and physical malformations in unborn babies, so if you're a woman, pregnancy is a no-no while you're on Accutane - in fact, doctors recommend that you use two forms of contraception because Accutane has been known to interfere with the effectiveness of hormone-based contraceptives.

Other, (mostly) less serious side effects include the following: *

Chapped lips 90%
Dry skin and itching 80%
Dryness of nose, mild nosebleed 80%
Irritation of the eyelids and eyes 40%
Joint and muscle pains 15%
Temporary hair thinning 10%
Rash 7%
Intestinal symptoms 5%
Urinary symptoms 5%
Headache 5%
Increased sensitivity to sunburn 5%
Decreased night vision <1%
Depression, thoughts of suicide <1%

*% figures refer to the proportion of users who report suffering these symptoms when taking Accutane.

Getting Access To Accutane

In many countries, access to Accutane is by prescription only, with that prescription having to come from a dermatological specialist. In addition, dermatologists and pharmacists in the U.S are required by the FDA's iPledge program to subject would-be users to fairly rigorous procedures to determine suitability/eligibility for the drug.

While it can be difficult, frustrating and expensive to obtain Accutane from a dermatologist, we strongly advise against buying Accutane online. As I've already pointed out, the drug is highly toxic, and because of this is started in small doses and then cycled through a 4-5 month period while your body's response to it (particularly your liver and cholesterol levels) are monitored via blood tests. It's just too tempting to ignore these safeguards if you're getting those meds in the post, with no-one giving you hassle, but believe me, if you're unlucky, this stuff can cause you bigger headaches than acne, so please, don't cut corners!

I know that despite my best efforts here, some of you will ignore what I've just said, so if you feel you must buy your Accutane off prescription, at least do it via a reputable source which will provide the information you need to take the drug with a minimum degree of safety.

If you are going to use Accutane without a prescription, you should make sure you follow the basic guidelines for taking the drug and looking after your health while you're on it. I've outlined them below.

Directions for taking Accutane

Take Accutane two times a day with a meal. Swallow the capsule, don't suck or chew it. Take it with a full glass of water, milk, or other non-alcoholic liquid.

Start with the lowest dose of Accutane (10mg). If your body is not reacting after 6-8 weeks, you may consider upping the dosage.

Ideally, you should take regular blood tests whilst you are on Accutane. These tests must be done when you have fasted for 12 hours (no breakfast), so that the blood fat determinations are reliable. A baseline blood chemistry test should be taken before you start your course. Don't be afraid to go seek out a physician to give you the test - you won't get into trouble, even though you may be nagged…!

Regardless of the state of your skin, you should ensure that you do not continue to take Accutane beyond 20 weeks, as your body cannot tolerate long periods of being subjected to such a toxic drug. If you find the acne comes back, go see your doctor - please!

After you finish taking Accutane, there should be at least a 2-month "rest period" during which you are off the drug. This is because your acne may continue to get better even though you are no longer taking Accutane. If you are still growing, you may need a longer "rest period."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amy_Steel