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Isotretinoin for Acne User Reviews (Page 5)

Brand names: Accutane, Claravis, Absorica, Zenatane, Amnesteem, Sotret, Myorisan, Absorica LD

Isotretinoin has an average rating of 8.0 out of 10 from a total of 966 reviews for the treatment of Acne. 73% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 13% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Isotretinoin

  • Artemis
  • February 24, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I'm almost finished with my third month of Accutane. I started taking Accutane due to severe body acne (chest, back, neck, arms, etc). I first attempted doxy and topical lotion but it did not seem to help. Therefore my dermatologist recommended Accutane. I started out at 40mg in the first month and am now on 80mg during my third month. The first month was not bad with side effects at all. I simply noticed dry lips and a bit more dryness on my body. Month two was not too bad either, some headaches, and more dryness on the lips and body. Month three is when some of the emotional instability kicked in. I have been experiencing some anxiety and depression, but it's been manageable. The irritation and more anger has been the worst emotional side effects. I've also noticed thinning of the skin, more easily to injure and more noticeable veins. Over all I still believe taking accutane has been worth it. Yes, the side effects suck, especially in winter, but I'm so glad my acne is gone."

7 / 10
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  • John
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 23, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I’ve definitely heard of lots of people who love the medication Accutane as it’s worked wonders for their skin. Unfortunately with my experience, all I got was the negative side effects, including dry red skin, chapped lips, nose bleeds, and the worse side effect of all was that I got super bad depression from the drug. Sadly the medication also made my acne so much worse then it already was. After three months my skin looked terrible, I have swings of depression, and my lips were always in pain. I decided to quit the medication and go on back on (doxycycline) a medication which I was previously on before Accutane. After making this switch my skin and lips healed 100% and my side effects were gone. Just thought I would write this review to let people know Accutane doesn’t work for all people. In certain cases it can make your skin worse."

1 / 10
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  • Alexis...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 8, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) "This is now my fourth month on Accutane. I had moderate acne on my T-zone (chin, upper lip, nose and forehead). But I had terrible acne on my back, chest, shoulders and upper arms. It was so embarrassing, I was so worried about what shirts I could wear that I could wear my hair up. Shirts that were to short on my arms or v-necks. I hated it and its so bad on your self esteem. I tried everything, topical creams, face washes and antibiotics. NOTHING WORKED. I visited my dermatologist and he prescribed me Accutane. At first I was very skeptical with all the pregnancy tests, blood tests and the whole I pledge system. After three weeks my face was so clear, my back, chest and shoulders were so clear except for some scarring."

10 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Anonymous
  • October 12, 2008

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had acne for almost half of my life. I'm 26 years old and like everybody I tried every product on the market. Nothing worked but accutane is like a miracle. My face got clear in the first week. I didn't get worse in the first weeks. This is my last month; i did a 6 month treatment of 80 mg daily . Talk to your doctor about this drug, it's 100 % effective."

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  • SharneO
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • May 5, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I want to thank the people responsible for the creation and distribution of this product! I am so so so happy and satisfied. I want to share my story with the world. I want to show my pictures of my results to everyone! This products is a true blessing and I do not regret taking a single pill. My skin looks fabulous! Thank you!"

10 / 10
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Are you taking this medicine?

  • Treeh...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 1, 2019

Accutane (isotretinoin) "For people who are thinking of taking it and are worried, I wanted to share that I'm luckily enough to have NOT experienced half these effects so you may not get them yourself! I went through private health and first dosage was 30mg, then 40mg and currently I'm on month 3 at 60mg. I could see that my skin immediately started the clear up but since then, the results have stagnated a little and haven't noticed much change. Side effect wise, I get really dry lips and its a bit dry inside my nostrils...But that's it! No headaches or anxiety, no aching joints (still go to the gym 3-5 days a week), haven't noticed any particularly bad breakouts (just not clearing up) and had slightly sensitive skin on my face in month 2. I do have mild eczema anyway but it definitely hasn't made it worse. And one thing that's great whilst you are on it, you never get greasy hair! So if acne is really effecting you, go for it. For me, it's worth the side effects."

8 / 10
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  • Fiano
  • September 25, 2018

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I have just finished month two and my face is the smoothest it has ever been. Fair skinned people you will definitely look like you have a sunburn in the first month but it goes away. I did purge bad in the first three to four weeks but it was manageable. This thing is a miracle drug, and only side effect I have had it SOME lower back pain, fatigue and SLIGHTLY dry skin and lips. I attest my lack of symptoms due to my one gallon of water I drink everyday and unwavering moisturizing skills. Ladies, butter yourself up everyday with that ultra repair cream and some rosehip oil and you will be fine. I thought this would be really bad but maybe everyone is sensitive OR I just got lucky. Anyways, I highly recommend this drug. Don't think you can still eat absolute junk and it will still work, eat as healthy as you can, exercise, limit stress, eat clean and indulge every once in a while and let accutane do its job."

10 / 10
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More FAQ

  • Holls
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • February 21, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I've written a review on here a couple times, first when I had first started on Accutane and second when I was on my fourth month. I just finished my last pill last night & I'm hopeful that my face will stay clear. I still have dry lips & dry skin, that will eventually go back to normal but otherwise my skin is completely clear & I'm not scared to wear less makeup, before I would literally look like a cake face. All I have is a lot of left over marks and discoloration but my dermatologist and I have already talked about chemical peels within the next month or two. I know Accutane sounds scary for everyone who hasn't tried it & read some reviews but it's not. Acne was messing with me mentally & I was willing to try anything! Go for it."

10 / 10
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  • J-me
  • September 21, 2018

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I personally LOVED Accutane! I spent 8 years dealing with moderate hormonal cystic acne. Like most people on here, I tried everything else out there. I kept saying no to Accutane because of all the horror stories I had read online. Finally my doctor said there was nothing left for me to do EXCEPT Accutane. So, I did my research and I prepared myself for the worst. My acne is completely gone after the 5 month course. I was one of the lucky few to have very little side effects to the medication. My face was hardly dry at all and I only had some chapped lips. But nothing like I had expected. What I will say to the people questioning it is trust your doctor! Obviously do your research but don't get too caught up with the stories online. Know there are risks and some people have had horrible experiences with it but also know everyone is different. I think if you prepare yourself for the worst, it may not be as bad."

10 / 10
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  • Great...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • February 21, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I was 49 when I began taking Accutane for moderate acne. My insurance company only approved 5 months treatment. My dermatologist generally recommends 8 months but I was satisfied with my results at the end of my 5 month course. I had the common side effects of chapped lips and dry itching skin. It's been 4 months post treatment and I'm still clear of bumps. I don't regret my decision."

10 / 10
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  • Mom...
  • January 4, 2014

Claravis (isotretinoin) "My 17 year old son has had severe acne on his face, chest, back and very oily hair for several years. He started taking Claravis two weeks ago and the results are amazing already. The acne on all areas is clearing and his hair looks great. We are noticing changes in his self confidence already; wanting to fix his hair, will shave face (wouldn't shave to hide acne), and smiling more. The only negative is pain in his elbows. So far, we love this medicine. One last thing, I took Accutane 25 years ago for acne and haven't had a problem with it since."

9 / 10
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  • Chad
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • January 3, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I started the medication a little under 3 months ago. My acne wasn’t as bad as most people have it. I would get 1-3 cystic breakouts about every week. I also had pretty oily skin which is mainly what caused these breakouts. One week on the medication, my skins oil decreased substantially. Week 2 came around and I had probably the worst breakout I’ve had in recent memory. It took about a week and a half for my skin to heal from that but I haven’t had any breakouts since. I haven’t even had tiny pimples or anything like that as well. Accutane has made my skin so much better and I couldn’t be happier with the results. The side affects aren’t anything to worry about either. The only side affects I’ve gotten were dry skin, chapped lips, and red hands (my derma gave me a cream for my hands and they were fine a week later). With all of this said, I would highly recommend accutane, although the side affects seem scary, I have only gotten the dryness."

10 / 10
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  • VM12345
  • October 18, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane saved my life. Although the dryness was sometimes hard to cope with, I highly recommend accutane to those of you who have literally tried everything and nothing seemed to work. I had bad acne, and I tried every face wash, cream.... you name it... and it did not work. Until I found accutane and asked my doctor if I could try it, I was miserable. Having a clear face made me have so much more confidence. I really do owe accutane everything. Thank you so much for making my life better."

10 / 10
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  • Ryan
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • January 8, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Yes, there is some dryness and sensitivity, I applied various lip products hourly, and I found myself putting vaseline up my nose. But, I've been dealing with cystic acne since high school (I'm now 37), and my skin is finally clear and smooth."

9 / 10
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  • hiya
  • April 7, 2020

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had bad skin from the age of around 10. By the time I was 12-13 I had full blown acne and already had scarring all over my skin. I got prescribed a lot of treatments before accutane as I was so young. I was prescribed creams, the mini-pill and a couple of other tablets which did nothing for my skin. Any cream would burn my skin. My aunt suggested Accutane. I had a few side affects from the tablets but not much result. But on month 4 I would say, I saw my skin start to clear up quite quickly, but my emotional state started to deteriorate. I suffered with mild anxiety and depression. 8 months later and my skin was amazing. I got constant compliments about how much better my skin was. I stopped the tablets in October, and unfortunately my skin has started to go back to its old ways, so I’m disappointed about that. I think a longer treatment may have benefited me. I would definitely recommend this for anyone suffering like I was. It’s worth it :)"

9 / 10
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  • Smiley
  • April 8, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Yesterday, my dental hygienist asked me how I got my skin so clear. I almost cried because no one has ever complimented me on my skin before. My skin was the source of a great deal of unhappiness, anxiety, and stress in my life prior to Accutane. Thank you, Accutane, for giving me back my confidence and life. As for side effects: very minimal. No changes in mood. Biggest pain in the butt was iPledge and monthly tests. I'm a very busy person, so finding the time to run out of work in the middle of the day was difficult. But so worth it. Don't focus on all the negative stories!! I wish I would have ignored the naysayers and gone on this drug years ago! Good luck :)"

10 / 10
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  • Tracey
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 11, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I went on Accutane twice in my early 20's. It cleared my skin. I suffered from mild-moderate acne not extreme cystic acne. Afterwards everyone commented on how amazing my skin was. It's an amazing medicine. The only side effect I had was dry lips which I dealt with by buying Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream. Accutane has a powerful anti-ageing effect as it wipes out a lot of the photoageing you have suffered up to the point you start taking it. I am now 45 and look 10 years younger. I credit Accutane for the fact that I look so much younger than my years. It is a great medicine."

10 / 10
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  • joe
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • December 2, 2014

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane saved my life, plain and simple. I've tried the facial burn and peel method, but only attained severe blistering and sunburn. Before that, I'd tried everything, and I mean everything. After I'd literally burned my face off to no prevail, I'd basically given up on trying to get rid of my acne. Sometime later (and after about 7 years of living with alternating moderate to severe acne), I had accepted that I was going to just have to live out my life with acne (my mom is still struggling with hers). But after trying Accutane, I couldn't be happier. If you have stubborn acne, you need to try this."

10 / 10
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  • Tnt
  • February 7, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) "My son had severe acne. We tried every prescription and non-prescription topical cream and also the oral medications, minocycline and doxycycline. Nothing worked and he was struggling for 2 years with self esteem crushing acne all over his face. I was hesitant to have him try Accutane because of all the side effects but I'm so glad we decided to have him try it. He started at 40 mg the first month and then switched to 80 mg for 5 months. His face is completely clear. I call this a miracle drug. It's not for everyone and please realize there are some serious side effects for some people. My son mainly just had chapped lips and some peeling skin but nothing that wasn't manageable with moisturizer and chap stick"

10 / 10
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  • Thank...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 2, 2015

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I started out with severe cystic acne. Unbelievable. Only 5 Months to 100% clear skin. For the first month I had awful fatigue, and the whole time I -like most others- had painfully dry lips. But I can't tell you how worth it the results have been."

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  • dingd...
  • March 5, 2017

Myorisan (isotretinoin) "I had my first zit before I even entered my teens. My dad has "problem" skin and blessed me with the same. It was not unusual to see me constantly wiping the excess oil from my face and sporting a huge zit or two. As a young adult, I've tried a ton of those over-the-counter products like Noxema, Clearasil, Proactiv, Neutrogena, etc. But I found that as I got older my acne just got worse. So, I began seeing a dermatologist and we tried several things: doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline, epiduo, differin, tretinoin, clindamycin and birth control pills (for the benefit of clearer skin). And I must admit that some of these regimen helped but the minute the doctor felt that it cleared up enough and stopped the medication, my skin would worsen. So, with my oily skin and now experiencing breakouts more frequently and especially around my mouth and jaw area, I had had enough and decided to try Accutane. Medication: I was prescribed MYORISAN 40mg for 6 months. Experience: In the first month, the breakout could be described as the worse I have ever had. I had developed larger, more painful and a lot more acne than at any time that I could remember. I was so discouraged but had to keep believing in my dermatologist's promise of clear skin. After the first month, the breakout lessened and my skin began to dry out. Now I was required to moisturize my skin which was something that I would have not have dared to do prior to treatment. My lips began to chap and crack but that was easily remedied with chapstick or any other type of lip gloss. My skin was a lot more sensitive than before. I used to be able to wash my face with warm water and a wash cloth, but now the skin was so thin/dry that it would actually damage the skin and develop a scab the next day. I had to wear sunblock and a hat when I exercised in the park. If I didn't wear enough, I would suffer a mild sun burn. I didn't suffer any nose bleeds or depression. As the months went on I became acne free. And I was even told by someone that I had beautiful skin. Can you imagine my surprise?! I was in heaven. My dermatologist recommended that I apply Epiduo and tretinoin to my skin every two days after I took my last Accutane pill. This surprised me because I thought my days of acne medication were over. After I took my last pill, my skin remained clear and dry of excessive oil for a couple of months but gradually I began to develop a few small zits and my skin was becoming oily again. This was not the promise that my dermatologist gave me. He said I'd be acne free and at the very most I would be a small bump around the time of my menstruation. I can without a doubt tell you that is not my reality. It has now been almost 6 months since I completed my Accutane treatment and I am once again carrying around napkins to wipe the excessive oil from my face throughout the day. And there are days when I have several zits on my face at any given time. I don't dare moisturize my already oily skin. But honestly speaking, my breakouts are not to the degree of what they used to be prior to Accutane because the pimples are smaller. But I'm unsure that if it's too early to tell and that maybe with more time it may all go back to how it was originally. I guess time will tell."

8 / 10
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  • Ant
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • January 12, 2017

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I started getting bad acne in my sophomore year of high school and it got progressively worst. I was at the point of depression and anxiety didn't know what to do. I took proactiv and retin A but none of it helped. Finally when I was 19 I started using accutane and had to get blood samples every month because it was so potent. It worked like magic though and all the bad acne went away and never came back. I experienced no side effects and my face has been clear ever since."

10 / 10
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  • Oie
  • October 20, 2016

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had struggled with moderate acne for 4 years. I tried every lotion and potion possible on prescription and every medicated facial wash available for acne prone skin. Nothing worked. Finally after a year of waiting for an appointment my dermatologist prescribed 30mg of isotretinoin (roaccutane). It has taken about 3 months to start to see an improvement and now almost 6 months in my skin is completely clear. It has really helped my self confidence. The good thing is my clear skin will be permanently clear and the dreaded acne will not return. Other than severely dry lips and quite a few nose bleeds (although not as many as I thought) my side effects have been minimal. Stick with it, it definitely works, you just have to be patient."

9 / 10
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  • ecash
  • March 22, 2008

Accutane (isotretinoin) "I had cystic nodular acne on my face, back, and chest. I've tried every acne medication under the sun! Accutane worked great and I could tell a difference within a month of using it. It's been 3 years since I took it and I'm still all clear. I would recommend Accutane to anyone with acne."

10 / 10
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  • poohtf
  • May 26, 2013

Accutane (isotretinoin) "Accutane changed my life and I promised myself that I will share my experience with the world if this worked for me and yes it did! After I had my baby and even before, I had chronic cystic acne all over my face. I couldn%u2019t bear to look in the mirror. My face will hurt from just touching it. I had used every thing you could think of until one day, while in my doctor%u2019s office, I read about Accutane. My doctor advised to talk to my dermatologist, which I did and here I am 8 months later with POSITIVE results. Accutane really worked for me. Yes there were side effects but for me it was tolerable. Now I can look people straight in the eye without feeling ashamed of how I look. My gynecologist even commented on how my skin looks. Everyone has been asking what I did because I have this sudden glow. Try ACCUTANE because it works!"

10 / 10
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40 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.

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