Advantages and disadvantages of Accutane acne treatment

Accutane should be reserved for those with multiple, large, inflamed acne pimples, with real possibility of scarring, especially on occasions where the conventional acne treatments are too weak. Although it’s so powerful that guarantees almost complete reemission of the acne, accutane acne treatment also can have serious side effects.

First of all, accutane has serious teratogenic effects on rapidly growing cells that may result in major abnormalities and deformations of unborn children. This means that accutane acne treatment is completely inappropriate for pregnant women and should be avoided at all cost. Women who use accutane acne treatment should use at least two methods of birth control to avoid pregnancy. Moreover, each sexually active woman should make a pregnancy check before starting an accutane therapy.

Other side effects of accutane acne treatment vary. However, most people should be prepared to experience dry skin, resulting in nosebleeds, cracked lips and sometimes in irritated eyelids. Sometimes the skin becomes hypersensitive to the sunlight. Another possible physical side effect of accutane acne treatment is impaired night vision.

Next possible side effect of accutane drug is pseudotumor cerebri - increased fluid pressure inside the skull resulting in blurred vision, double vision or even brief loss of vision. In this case accutane acne treatment should be stopped immediately, because otherwise the loss of vision can become permanent, especially in case of children.

Psychological side effects of accutane are just as serious. The drug can increase the risk of depression, sometimes even to the suicidal tendencies level.

Because it is a high-risk drug, Accutane should be reserved for cases of "severe recalcitrant nodular acne," This type of severe acne is resistant to standard acne treatment, including oral antibiotics, and is characterized by many nodules or cysts - inflammatory lesions filled with pus and lodged deep within the skin. These lesions can cause pain, permanent scarring, and negative psychological effects. But for the right person advantage over other treatments is evident. Although just after starting therapy acne can be even worse than before, we can usually expect dramatic improvement during the following several weeks of therapy, when response to the drug is established.

Do remember that people during accutane acne therapy should not take vitamine A or beta carotene as they can increase the toxic effects of accutane.