Thread: Stay away from accutane!!!

Accutane has a host of undesirable side effects, this is nothing new, some long term. People have to out way the risks to benefits. I would never take it but others would. Some never have ill effects from it, others will. If anyone decides to take it hopefully they will be fine. It is not easy to get it prescribed for the reason it can do harm. Not a drug to take just because of a little acne on cycle; in my opinion. Regards.

Yup, old news.

They used to prescribe way too high a dose (over 100mg daily). Once they did the low dose trials (20mg daily) they found the Accutane worked well with less sides.

hmm steroids have side effects, everything does. you weigh the risks and make a decision. a lot of people here say accutane helped them.

Originally Posted by heavyiron

Yup, old news.

They used to prescribe way too high a dose (over 100mg daily). Once they did the low dose trials (20mg daily) they found the Accutane worked well with less sides.

this is good to know. my son is about to turn 14 and hopefully will have as easy a time as Tess did with teen acne but if he doesn't it will be time to make informed choices.

Efficacy of low-dose isotretinoin in acne vulgaris.

Sardana K, Garg VK.
Department of Dermatology, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, India.

Low-dose isotretinoin (0.5 mg/kg/day) is a mode of therapy for mild to moderate grades of acne. We analyzed the various trials of this mode of therapy with or without combination with topical agents. We also statistically analyzed the results, efficacy and relapse rates of standard therapy in comparison with the low-dose therapy. Our analysis of the data revealed that the efficacy and relapse rates of low-dose isotretinoin in mild to moderate grades of acne is comparable with the standard regimen (1 mg/kg/day), which is given in the severe grade of acne vulgaris. Thus, the grade of acne vulgaris should dictate the dose of administration of isotretinoin and the standard dose of 1 mg/kg/day is an unnecessary overtreatment for mild to moderate grades of acne.


PMID: 20061724 [PubMed - in process]

Low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Amichai B, Shemer A, Grunwald MH.
Huzot Clinic of Clalit Health Services, Ashkelon, Israel.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of isotretinoin at 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg per day in the treatment of acne is well established and considered safe, although it is sometimes not easily tolerated because of its cutaneous side effects. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of low-dose isotretinoin in the treatment of acne. METHODS: In this prospective, noncomparative, open-label study, 638 patients, both male and female, with moderate acne were enrolled and treated with isotretinoin at 20 mg/d (approximately 0.3-0.4 mg/kg per day) for 6 months. The patients were divided into two age groups: 12 to 20 and 21 to 35 years old. Patients were evaluated at 2-month intervals by means of clinical and laboratory examinations. A 4-year follow-up was also carried out. RESULTS: At the end of the treatment phase, good results were observed in 94.8% of the patients aged 12 to 20 years, and in 92.6% of the patients aged 21 to 35 years. Failure of the treatment occurred in 5.2% and 7.4% of the two groups, respectively. Twenty-one patients dropped out of the study because of lack of compliance, and another patient discontinued participation because of a laboratory side effect. During the 4-year follow-up period, relapses of the acne occurred in 3.9% of the patients aged 12 to 20 years and in 5.9% of the patients aged 21 to 35 years. Elevated serum lipid levels (up to 20% higher than the upper limit of normal value) were found in 4.2% of the patients and abnormal (<twice the upper limit of normal values) liver tests were observed in 4.8%. LIMITATIONS: This was a noncomparative, open-label study. CONCLUSION: Six months of treatment with low-dose isotretinoin (20 mg/d) was found to be effective in the treatment of moderate acne, with a low incidence of severe side effects and at a lower cost than higher doses.

PMID: 16546586 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

great info heavy!