Accutane

Accutane  (Istetinoin)

Accutane is one of the branded names for isotretinoin and is a naturally occurring derivative of vitamin A. Accutane or isotretinoin helps in reducing the amount of oil released by oil glands of your skin and aids the skin in repairing itself more quickly. Basically, the drug is used to treat severe nodular acnes. Traditionally, it was utilized when other acne medicines or antibiotics failed in the treatment of symptoms.

Isotretinoin is marketed under several brand names by various manufacturers. You can buy the drug in form of 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg and 40 mg capsules. Accure, Accutane, Aknenormin, Amnesteem, Ciscutan, Clarus, Isohexal, Istretinoin-A and Sotret are some of the popular brands of oral isotretinoin that are available in market.

The presence of Accutane can be detected in the bloodstream of people. While it has lots of side effects, but in some ways it is safer than long-term antibiotic usage. Most of the acne-controlling medicines are antibacterial agents, which are effective only if used daily.

Being a naturally occurring product, the body quickly removes isotretinoin from the bloodstream if more serious problems occur and you stop taking it. Take the drug with food and your body will absorb the medicine better and faster.

Side Effects/ Health Consequences:

Like its postive results, the medicine also shows some negative side effects among which some are common problems while some are severe, so keep you should keep a check on these. The occurrence of ill-effects depend more on the amount of dosage taken. If taken in lowest doses, there are almost no side effects at all.

Chapped lips, mild nosebleeding, temporary hair thinning, rashes, dryness of nose, headache, dry skin, itching, irritation of the eyelids and eyes, joint and muscle pains, and intestinal and urinary symptoms are some of the commonly reported ill-effects of Accutane. Decreased night vision, depression and suicidal attempts may also occur but not very often.

In addition, Accutane can increase the level of blood fats, sometimes to risky levels. But, the situtation can revert back to noraml condition once you switch off the drug usage. Regular blood tests are necessary during isotretinoin treatment.

However, the most concerning and dangerous side effect of Accutane is occurrence of serious birth defects if the drug is used by a pregnant women. So, avoid consuming the drug during pregancy or consult your doctor first.

Precautions and Warnings:

If you are thinking of using Accutane then it is a must to have some knowledge of other important facts related to the drug. You can buy Accutane only after registering under a special program called “iPLEDGE.” It is must to be registered in the program and sign documents to understand the dangers of this medication.

It is dangerous to purchase isotretinoin through internet sources or from vendors outside the United States. The sale and distribution of the drug outside the iPLEDGE program violates the rules and regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The usage of the drug also includes certain precautions and warnings that are beneficial for you. Avoid using this medication if you experience allergic reactions or are allergic to any food or drugs. Also don’t take Accutane in case you have some heart disease, diabetes, asthma, liver disease, high cholesterol, anorexia nervosa (an eating disorder), osteoporosis or have a personal or family history of depression or mental illness. It is a must for pregnant women to avoid taking this specific drug during pregnancy. Stop using Accutane and immediatley consult a doctor if you have unprotected sex or switching off to your birth control pills or you think you might get pregnant.

Dosage:

The required dosage of isotretinoin depends mainly on the weight of patients and severity of their condition. High dose should not exceed beyond 2 mg/kg/day for a treatment period of 4–6 months. If you are willing to start a second course then it may be used for two months following the termination of the initial course. Various studies have showed that lower dosage treatments are much more effective than higher ones.