Understanding Isotretinoin (Accutane)

Isotretinoin is a prescription medication. It is included in the class of medications known as retinoids! Patients take this medication orally. Adults typically take 0.25 to 0.5 milligrams per kilogram of their weight to treat acne. They will often take two doses each day! Of course, they cannot exceed two milligrams per kilogram of their weight in a day. Patients are safe to take this medication for up to twenty weeks! However, they have to follow strict instructions during this time. This prescription is only available at certified pharmacies. Patients must also join a registry when they are taking isotretinoin. It tracks their treatment! The patient's prescribing doctor will monitor them closely as well. A seventy percent decrease in nodular acne allows patients to stop taking this medication before twenty weeks have passed!

It is clear that isotretinoin is a strong prescription acne treatment. It even acts as an acne scar treatment! Of course, most individuals try other treatments for acne first. This includes over-the-counter acne washes and topical acne spot treatments. Patients often try home remedies for acne first as well! Most doctors also prescribe other acne medications, including topical retinoids, before writing an isotretinoin prescription. Patients need to understand isotretinoin as a treatment for acne before they take it.

How It Works

Isotretinoin is an oral retinoid! Patients will recognize it as Accutane. This medication is also a synthetic version of vitamin A. It works to reduce the size of an individual's sebaceous glands permanently! In addition, this medication reduces how much sebum these glands produce. Isotretinoin also decreases skin inflammation. It even reduces bacteria on the skin! Ultimately, this medication dries out an individual's skin and creates an unfavorable environment for acne.

Patients taking isotretinoin see fewer clogged pores. Their skin cell turnover rate will be faster as well! This medication increases how much neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin the skin produces. This is what kills cells in an individual's sebaceous glands! Experts also have proof showing that this medication blocks MMP-9 action in sebum. The studies also say that it influences telomerase and hTERT, two more reasons for why it works!

Continue reading to reveal the uses for this medication next.

Uses

This is a strong prescription acne medication. It treats severe nodular acne! In most cases, only patients who have not had success with other treatments, such as antibiotics, receive this medication. However, doctors do prescribe it for moderate acne in certain cases. This includes cases of acne that cause scarring or significant psychological stress. Patients will receive lower doses in these instances.

Certain studies have evidence that this medication benefits other individuals. One example is cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients! Some individuals at a high risk for squamous cell carcinoma also take this medication to prevent it! In fact, many dermatologists believe that this is the preferred treatment for women at a high risk of skin cancer when they are in their child-bearing years. This is because isotretinoin has a shorter half-life than similar medications!

Uncover the side effects of this medication next.

Side Effects

Isotretinoin has many side effects. This is why doctors do not prescribe this as a first-line treatment! The most common side effects include joint pain, back pain, nosebleeds, headaches, and vision issues. Many patients also deal with increased dryness in the skin on their face. This includes dry lips! Some patients even see dry eyes and a dry nose. Skin reactions and cold symptoms are also side effects of isotretinoin. Patients on this medication have to call their doctor right away when they deal with vision changes, increased urination, hallucinations, increased thirst, and hearing problems. They also need to do this for depression symptoms! Strong warning signs of this include sleep problems, suicidal thoughts, and unusual crying.

Liver and pancreas problems also appear in some patients on this medication. Patients must report appetite loss, jaundice, dark urine, and a rapid heart rate to their doctor immediately! This also applies to vomiting and nausea. They even need to do this when stomach pain spreads to their back! Patients need urgent attention for severe chest pain, diarrhea, swallowing pain, and rectal bleeding as well. These are examples of warning signs of stomach issues!

Discover precautions linked to this medication next.

Precautions

Isotretinoin is not suitable for everyone! This includes individuals with diabetes, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, or liver disease. It is not safe when patients have a history of these conditions! Certain mental health conditions, such as eating disorders and depression, also make this medication unsuitable. Thus, patients need to review their medical history with their doctor before taking this medication. It is also worth noting that individuals younger than twelve cannot take isotretinoin. It is not safe for them to do so!

It is vital for pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid this medication. Even one dose can trigger complications and side effects. This includes miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth! These complications are examples of why regular pregnancy tests are required when women are planning to take this medication, as well as during and after their treatment. In addition, women have to use birth control throughout their treatment. Most of them need to use two forms! Patients need to take tablets whole and with a glass of water. They need to consult their doctor about taking it with or without food. Prescriptions, which are only given as a thirty-day supply, have to be filled within a week! Regular blood tests are also necessary for patients on this medication.

Get information on the medication interactions next.

Medication Interactions

Many medication interactions exist with isotretinoin. Thus, patients need to list every medication that they currently take, as their doctor must know about all of them! This list must include all prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and supplements. Isotretinoin interacts with many oral steroids, including dexamethasone. It also causes an interaction when patients also take an anticonvulsant such as phenytoin. It is not safe to take both! Most doctors will prescribe another medication or adjust a patient's dose when this is not possible. As mentioned, this medication is a synthetic form of vitamin A! Thus, most patients also have to stop taking vitamin A supplements when they are prescribed isotretinoin.