Short Description

Accutane (generic name: Isotretinoin; brand names: Eratin / Amnesteem / Claravis / Decutan / Isotane / Sotret / Oratane / Roaccutane / Izotek) is a retinoid (a vitamin A derivative).

Accutane is a powerful medicine used for the treatment of moderate to severe acne.

Is also used for acne present for many years that has not responded completely to antibiotic pills and creams. Accutane is very effective for nearly all types of breakouts. No other acne medicine works as well for severe acne.

Accutane was discovered in 1979 when it was first given to patients with severe acne, most of whom reacted with dramatic and permanent clearing of their acne symptoms.

It was originally prescribed for people with severe acne that did not respond to other treatments, but has gained in popularity in the past years and is prescribed more and more frequently for less severe acne.

Three to five months of Accutane treatment usually leads to clearing of acne.

Accutane works by reducing skin oil production, changing the characteristics of the skin oil, and preventing abnormal hardening of the skin.

It affects all of the four ways that acne develops:

1. It dramatically reduces the size of the skin's oil glands (35%-58%) and even more dramatically reduces the amount of oil the skin produces (around 80%).

2. Acne bacteria (P. Acnes) lives in skin oil. Since oil is so dramatically reduced, so is the amount of acne bacteria in the skin.

3. It also slows down how fast the skin produces skin cells inside the pore which helps pores from becoming clogged in the first place.

4. It displays anti-inflammatory properties.

Accutane works to achieve complete or partial clearance of acne in about 95% of people who complete a cycle, regardless of whether they have inflammatory or non-inflammatory acne.