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Accutane

Isotretinoin

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User Ratings

Out of 10

Satisfaction

7.5

8.2 Effectiveness

5.2 Side Effects

7.5 Holistic Benefits

RateADrug users have reported 5 Accutane side effects and 3 Accutane benefits.

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Treatment Information

Description | Uses & Side Effects | Warnings

The generic name of Accutane is isotretinoin. This drug is used in the treatment of acne.
Inactive ingredients of Accutane are beeswax, butylated hydroxyanisole, edetate disodium, hydrogenated soybean oil flakes, hydrogenated vegetable oil and soybean oil.

Common Uses:

This medication is used in the treatment of acne.

Off Label Uses:

None noted currently.

Side Effects:
Abnormal hair growth or hair thinning
Abdominal pain
Aggressive behavior
Allergic reactions (hives, difficulty breathing, itching, swelling of face)
Alterations in monthly periods in women
Body discomfort
Change in voice
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Dryness of eyes, nose, mouth and skin
Fatigue
Fever
Flushing
Gingivitis (bleeding and redness or swelling of the gums)
Headaches
Heartburn
Lack of sleep
Lesser tolerance to contact lenses
Nausea
Nervousness
Nosebleeds

Cautions / Warnings:

Not recommended during pregnancy.
Not recommended in patients that are sensitive to parabens which is used as preservative in Accutane.

Drug Interactions:
Minipills or micro-dosed progesterone preparations
Norethindrone/ethinyl estradiol
Phenytoin
St. John's Wort
Systemic corticosteroids
Tetracyclines
Vitamin A

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User Ratings

Comments(30)

More About This Treatment

How does your Treatment Compare?

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Brands	Effectiveness	Holistic Benefits	Side Effects	Number of Ratings
Accutane	8.04	7.23	4.06	45
Minocycline Hydrochloride	6.57	5.66	2.45	23
Doxycycline Hyclate	6.27	6.54	4.4	15
Differin	5.1	4.77	3.41	20
Solodyn	4.5	3.98	2.92	16

View All	About these Scores
	Choose a condition to compare treatments based on user feedback. You can sort by Effectiveness, Holistic Benefits or Side Effects RateADrug user scores, or the number of Ratings. Scores gain significance with the number of ratings, so please share your experiences - rate your drug! Close

Effectiveness of Accutane by Condition

Click on a condition to view RateADrug.com users ratings

Acne

Skin Disorder

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Effectiveness on "Acne"

About these Results
Out of 100% of people surveyed, these results show the distribution in percentages of how users rate the effectiveness of their medication. Click on the various conditions to see how the effectiveness ratings change. Close

Not at all

Mildly

Moderately

Very

Extremely

How effective is Accutane?

Reported Changes in Health and Well-Being

Since taking Accutane, RateADrug survey participants noticed these changes in their health:

Effect on:	Much Worse	Worse	No Change	Better	Much Better
Appetite	0%	7.7%	90.4%	1.9%	0%
Balance/Equilibrium	0%	0%	100%	0%	0%
Blood Pressure	1.9%	3.8%	92.3%	1.9%	0%
Breathing	0%	2%	96.1%	2%	0%
Confidence	1.9%	9.6%	61.5%	15.4%	11.5%
Coordination/Motor Skills	0%	1.9%	98.1%	0%	0%
Digestion	0%	5.9%	94.1%	0%	0%
Emotional Well-being	1.9%	13.2%	67.9%	9.4%	7.5%
Energy	0%	7.7%	86.5%	5.8%	0%
Eyesight	0%	11.5%	84.6%	3.8%	0%
Memory	1.9%	0%	92.3%	3.8%	1.9%
Mental Clarity	0%	5.8%	90.4%	3.8%	0%
Pain	2%	5.9%	88.2%	3.9%	0%
Patience	0%	5.8%	86.5%	5.8%	1.9%
Sexual Health	2%	3.9%	94.1%	0%	0%
Skin Complexion	9.4%	5.7%	22.6%	15.1%	47.2%
Sleep	0%	3.9%	84.3%	11.8%	0%
Stress Level	1.9%	13.5%	71.2%	5.8%	7.7%

About these Scores
Out of 100% of people surveyed, these results show the distribution in percentages of negative or positive changes in health and well-being experienced by users for all of the categories listed. Close

Commonly Reported Accutane Side Effects

RateADrug survey participants experienced these commonly reported side effects:

Effect on:	None	Mild	Moderate	Strong	Severe
Allergic Reaction	94.1%	3.9%	0%	2%	0%
Anxiety	80%	20%	0%	0%	0%
Blistering	88.2%	5.9%	5.9%	0%	0%
Blurred Vision	70%	20%	10%	0%	0%
Breathing Difficulties	77.8%	11.1%	11.1%	0%	0%
Change in Skin Coloring	82.4%	13.7%	2%	2%	0%
Cold Symptoms	90%	0%	0%	0%	10%
Confusion	90%	10%	0%	0%	0%
Depression	70%	10%	20%	0%	0%
Diarrhea	88.9%	11.1%	0%	0%	0%
Dizziness	94.2%	5.8%	0%	0%	0%
Drowsiness	90%	10%	0%	0%	0%
Dry Eyes	69%	11.9%	9.5%	9.5%	0%
Dry Skin	25.5%	15.7%	11.8%	33.3%	13.7%
Fatigue	86.5%	9.6%	3.8%	0%	0%
Fever	88.9%	11.1%	0%	0%	0%
Gas	88.9%	11.1%	0%	0%	0%
Headache	78.8%	13.5%	7.7%	0%	0%
Insomnia	88.9%	0%	11.1%	0%	0%
Irregular Heartbeat	88.9%	11.1%	0%	0%	0%
Itching	74.5%	19.6%	2%	2%	2%
Mood Swings	60%	10%	20%	0%	10%
Muscle Cramping	70%	20%	0%	10%	0%
Nausea	84.3%	11.8%	2%	2%	0%
Redness	52.9%	25.5%	5.9%	11.8%	3.9%
Scaling	82.1%	10.3%	5.1%	0%	2.6%
Sensitivity to Light	76.5%	9.8%	7.8%	5.9%	0%
Sexual Dysfunction	88.9%	11.1%	0%	0%	0%

About these Scores
Out of 100% of people surveyed, these results show the distribution in percentages of the severity of side effects experienced by users. Scores gain significance with the number of ratings, so please share your experiences - rate your drug! Close

Less Commonly Reported Accutane Side Effects

RateADrug survey participants experienced less commonly reported side effects:

Effect on:	None	Mild	Moderate	Strong	Severe
Behavioral / Mood Disorder	90.2%	5.9%	2%	2%	0%
Breast Tenderness	96.1%	2%	2%	0%	0%
Change in Sex Drive	92.2%	3.9%	2%	2%	0%
Change in Weight	96.1%	2%	0%	2%	0%
Depression	92.9%	0%	7.1%	0%	0%
Drowsiness	95.2%	2.4%	2.4%	0%	0%
Eye / Vision Problems	94.1%	2%	3.9%	0%	0%
Fever	0%	0%	100%	0%	0%
Hearing Loss	98%	2%	0%	0%	0%
High Blood Pressure	97.6%	0%	2.4%	0%	0%
Hives	0%	0%	0%	0%	100%
Leg and/or Foot Cramping	98%	0%	2%	0%	0%
Liver Damage	96.1%	2%	0%	0%	2%
Mood Swings	81%	7.1%	9.5%	2.4%	0%
Muscle / Joint Pain	90.2%	5.9%	2%	2%	0%
Reduced Libido	90.5%	0%	4.8%	4.8%	0%
Scaling	83.3%	8.3%	8.3%	0%	0%
Suicidal Tendencies	92.2%	7.8%	0%	0%	0%

About these Scores
Out of 100% of people surveyed, these results show the distribution in percentages of the severity of side effects experienced by users. Scores gain significance with the number of ratings, so please share your experiences - rate your drug! Close

Episodes since taking Accutane

Since taking Accutane Rate a Drug survey participants reported these episodes:

Heart attack	1.5%
Seizure	1.5%

Stroke

1.5%

About these Results
Out of 100% of people surveyed, these results show the percentage of users who have experienced any of these episodes while taking their medication. Close

How does your experience compare with other Accutane users?

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User Comments about Accutane

04 Oct 2022	Accutane has improved my skin drastically and I have had minimal side effects. The only downside of accutane is having to consistently take it every day and having extremely dry lips. —Posted by Anonymous Respond Display Name: Email: (Required) Notify me of new comments Email me monthly survey results Sending... I agree to the Terms of Use
07 Aug 2012	I've already experiences a sharp decline in the amount of acne on my face. The only downsides are that it has caused my skin to become somewhat dry and reddened at times, but my doctor said that this is normal and will subside after I finish the treatment. The dermatologist is also very cautious about the more serious possible side effects and takes a blood sample every so often. I would recommend using accutane if everything else has not worked for you. —Posted by Anonymous Respond Display Name: Email: (Required) Notify me of new comments Email me monthly survey results Sending... I agree to the Terms of Use
16 Apr 2012	I enjoyed using it, the product cleared up my skin. —Posted by Anonymous Respond Display Name: Email: (Required) Notify me of new comments Email me monthly survey results Sending... I agree to the Terms of Use
29 Mar 2011	Overall I am satisfied with Accutane. It produced amazing results for my skin. But I would only recommend it for cases of extremely severe acne. —Posted by JeeJee Respond Display Name: Email: (Required) Notify me of new comments Email me monthly survey results Sending... I agree to the Terms of Use
19 Dec 2010	worked really well with my acne, only downside is the dry skin —Posted by Anonymous Respond Display Name: Email: (Required) Notify me of new comments Email me monthly survey results Sending... I agree to the Terms of Use