Acne Medication

Accutane can have a lot of side effects. My husband took it when it first came out (about 20 years ago), and his cholesterol went over 300. He was on a lot of dietary restrictions while he was on it.

Have you considered laser acne treatment? This painless and very successful treatment is offered by the clinic I work at. Read http://www.calface.com/acne-palo-alto-california.htm for more details.

S.

My son was on accutane while in his junior year...it is amazing!!! At first, the dosage was too high and it dryed him out big time...chapped lips!! Doctor modified the dosage and what a DIFFERENCE!!! I believe he was on the medication not quite a year...Good luck!!!

Hi D.,
I was on Accutane in the 90's and it worked. I had to go through two treatments to finally get rid of the problem. I was in my twenties and seemed to have pimples all the time. I was never without a pimple so my dermatologist (Dr. Bitter Jr.) recommended Accutane. I don't have pimples anymore. I had to have a blood test every month while I was on it because it rough on the liver, but I am fine now and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Our dr. prescribed acutane for my daughter with horrible persistant acne. I said I would not give it to her because of the unpredictable side effects (many have suicide from side effects). She said she needed tons of vit. A, then I said: well, I will give her cod liver oil, which contains the most natural form of vit A (not synthetic which in huge amounts can be very toxic). She got so mad at me and dropped us as patients, ha ha. She said to see another dr. Of course! drs. are "encouraged" to prescribe this drug to many kids with acne.
It has worked for other kids, but I was not going to put my daughter at risk.
We have to find the root of the problem. What is causing the formation of the cysts?
Drs. will tell you that food does not inlfuence acne. What an untruthful statement! We are what we eat. Let's see what teenagers eat! garbage, and tons of saturated fat.
Also, toxicity is another culprit of many conditions such as acne. Milk thistle works amazing in detoxing the burden of the liver.
Constipation is also another important factor. Kids will tell you that they go to the bathroom every day. How are their feces? well formed? not putrid? sorry for the graphic words, but this is important, since the skin will dump what the intestine is not able to dump from the body. They need to eat lots of fiber (soluble and unsoluble fiber) daily, lots of water and stop drinking sodas, artificial coloring and carbonated drinks, etc.
I know it's hard to make the kids follow a natural protocol, but if they only knew how beneficial is for them, they would surely follow it.
good luck

Both my husband and one of my good friends took Accutane and it worked WONDERS. Not even a hint of acne ever since (15 years later). The dry skin, lips etc. was the only problem they ever experienced- and you just deal with it until treatment is over. Drink extra water and use good moisturizers/lip balm. Be sure neither females or males procreate while on this drug - IT CAUSES SEVERE BIRTH DEFECTS. Most dermatologists nowadays require documentation from your OBGYN or PCP that females are on a birth control regimen before prescribing this medication in order to ensure no procreation. Good luck!

I am a 27 year old woman who was on accutane when I was 13 years old. I also have worked in a dermatology office for three years. Accutane changed my life. I had horrible acne and it crushed my self esteem. I don't think anyone can imagine what it does to you inside unless you have had bad acne yourself. It can make your teenage years very difficult. I did have some side effects when I was on accutane. I had slight back discomfort and my lips were very chapped. Other than that I was fine. It's very true that there are many side effects on Accutane and some can be very serious but the serious side effects rarely happen and most f the time when they do it's because either the doctor or patient didn't do what they were suppose to. Get your lab work done every month and talk to your doctor if any side effects come up. I am telling you that if your son has tired everything and nothing has worked and this is something HE wants to do I would let him do it. I have seen countless teenagers come through the office with horrible acne and gone on accutane and had no serious side effects. They are not sure if the suicide side effect is true or not. The only reason that it is even an issue is because some hot shot in Washington had a son who was on accutane and killed himself. There was no proof that it had anything to do with accutane but because he was who he was it got made into an issue. That doesn't mean we ignore the issue we just make kids aware of it and they need to be informed. Make sure you trust your doctor and listen to him/her and no one else. Hopefully this helps I know it is a hard decision. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions.

D.:
I took Acutane on two different occassions and let me tell you it is a miracle worker. Even after you stop taking the Acutane your skin continues to get and stay better. Although they claim depression is a side effect, I never experienced it. I remember every time I went in for a check up they asked me lots of questions to see if I was depressed. The only side effect I can remember (this was over 10 years ago that I took it) was I was very dry everywhere, my nostrils, my mouth, my nails, skin.
I would highly recommend Acutane, it did so much for my self esteem while in high school.
Regards,
S.

Hi D.,
I know you have read the responses already but wanted to also suggest he sees an aesthetician for a skincare routine that may include chemical peels before putting him on medication. A very good female friend had terrible cystic acne and after trying so many meds she found a wonderful aesthetician who did a series of peels and came up with a daily skin care routine. The acne and scaring went away and the whole experience had such a positive impact on her that she became an aesthetician herself! It is VERY hard to find a dermatologist who doesn't just prescribe powerful meds like Accutane and Retin A. I personally would try skin care with peels before prescription meds.
Sincerely,
L.

I've taken Accutane in my teenage years and it does work wonders. If I remember correctly, now, you are required to get a blood test but I could be wrong. I only mention that in case your son hates needles. You should ask the dermatologist that though. I can't remember what the side effects were, maybe dry skin, but it was all worth it for me. Good luck!

That is an INTENSE drug... I can understand wanting to be Acne free... but would try some other stuff first...

Topicals: Retin A, Copper Pepptide,

Look at http://www.skinbio.com (look under skin condition and read about how copper peptide works... Dr. Pikart is one of the founders of CP's... also, click around to see how the scars from acne can be dealt with...

Another site to look at for skin actives is http://wwww.skinactives.com They have an acne kit

should He use any actives... sunscreen is VERY important...

Best of luck...

I took this medicine over two years ago and even though the side effects are dramatic it does work. My lips were constantlty dry, so make sure he keeps them moisturized. The big thing with accutane is that "I pledge" program makes you, the pharmacist and the doctor register online complete questionaires all surronding the idea that one will not get pregnant. If a child is concieved then accutane causes serious...and I mean serious birth defects such as small organs, ears, large deformed head and all sorts of serious problems. But the long term effects I have not had exsperienced. Once he completes the treatment he will be acne free and if a pimple does occur it will not be on the same type of level as before.

I took it when it first came out. It worked but had lots of side effects (I had VERY dry lips, sunburned easily and there is a huge risk of birth defects so women must be on birth control) and there were few other options then. Have you tried MD Formulations? It's a topical cleanser and lotion that comes from the dermotologist and works quite well.

Acutune is a synthetic form of vitamin A in mega doses. Why not see a nutritionist and get him on some actual quality vitamins in high doses? My mom has rosacea and was on tetracycline for YEARS. It caused a slew of other health problems and more medications. Now she is off everything and takes high doses of Vitamin A (periodically) along with zinc and vitamin E. These are the skin vitamins. I would go this route first. My friend used Accutane and it does work. But if you're worried about side effects, why not try the natural route first. After all, Accutane is based on vitamin A. Real vitamin A in higher doses makes sense. Good Luck!

I work with a company called Arbonne International, and they have an amazing acne skin-care line. If you want to email me privately or call me, I can get you some before and after pictures, and get you some samples. All products have a 45 day money-back guarantee. You can reach me at ____@____.com or ###-###-####. Or visit www.everydaycounts.myarbonne.com for more information. Good luck!

-K.

Hi D....

My son used Accutane years ago, and aside from the periodic testing of his liver levels all went smoothly...you will need a jojoba based lip moisturizer as his lips will crack, but that was the only real issue

However....make sure he does not procreate while he is on it...I am not sure if it affects the male as it does the female...but I had a friend who's daughter conceived while on the accutane and they baby was born with a multitude of issues...Don't just assume your son isn't or wouldn't have sex...make sure he is very clear on birth defects...

Good Luck...
T.

Just a personal story that may help. When I was a teenager I knew a nice boy with terrible acne. I did not see him for a month and shocked to see his face was clear! His solution was no SODA of any kind. I thought it was a miracle! My own son is 18 and we used Proactive. He started it at age 16 and currently is much better. My son does not drink much soda but I would be intrested to know if this info helped others.I was a teen in the mid 70's when there was less info out there. Whatever you do please do it soon to save your child from to much scaring. Good luck and best wishes.

I took Accutane when I was 15 (14 years ago!) and my mother in-law and sister in-law both took it as adults. I remember going in for monthly bloodtests to make sure my liver was not affected. Also, it totally dries you out... so my lips were always dry and I had to use lotion on my hands. Other than that, no complaints. It was totally worth it... changed my life. I too had cystic acne and it cleared up within a month or two on Accutane. I never had even the smallest pimple since then! It was one of the best things my parents ever did for me. And they did it early enough for there to be no scarring. My dermatologist did warn me that when it's used in the teenage years, sometimes people will need another round in their 20s or 30s. So far this has not been the case for me. If I did have problems again I would not hesistate to go through it again. The only big warning is for women to not get pregnant... obviously your son won't have that problem :)
I highly recommend doing this for your son. Cystic acne is something no teenager should have to live with.

Unfortunately, there is NO cure for acne at this time and about 95% of teenagers will get it and 20% of women will continue to have it for years after! No fair!
I heard that accutane is one of the treatments as a last ditch effort to help serious acne. I had 2 friends go on it, each with different results.
One had positive results with a few side effects; dry, patchy, red skin and it can cause problems with your liver. The other friend didn't see much results after the treatment - everyone can react to medications differently. Both still have issues with acne, just not as bad a before. My later friend has seen tremendous results by using the UNBLEMISH Line by Rodan + Fields(creators of Proactiv) he and his mother said it was the first treatment they saw results with and have been using it now with success for some time. You treat the entire face, and this helps to correct and prevent acne in the future. Maybe this can help your son maintain his acne either before or after his treatment. It's worth a shot, anyone who has suffered from acne knows it destroys your self esteem. I had it in my early 20's and it was devastating - only wished they had products/treatments out there that they do now!
They do use an FDA approved OTC medications this is what helps treat and prevent the acne ...he will need to be diligent and use it as directed. He, actually YOU will love the results on his skin- it's amazing! Plus it's a 100% money back guarantee to work! Make sure to always use a broad spectrum sunscreen when out in the sun too.
Here's a link to check the UNBLEMISH out for yourself. Best wishes and good luck!

www.rodanandfields.com/christineolson

Hello, D. -

I was on Accutane for the first time when I was 18 years old. I am now 30. I actually had four different treatment cycles on the drug at different doses before my face completely cleared up. I did suffer from almost every side effect there was, but I felt it was well worth it. I think that I would have rather suffered through the side effects of the drug than the embarrassment and depression that my face was causing me. My brother also started Accutane at around 16, and went through the cycle a couple of times. Our inherited skin was obviously not the best. :0)

I now use Proactive daily and find that it prevents me from severely breaking out. I remember my dermatologist really emphasizing the depression side effect while on Accutane and making sure that my parents were monitoring both my brother and myself while on the drug for any personality changes. But remember that if he starts it and finds that the side effects are intolerable, he can always go off of it, and the side effects will go away. Good Luck with all of it!!

Hi D.!! :) My son used this medication when he was about your son's age and it DID work wonders!!! My son never had a problem with acne again. Just be sure to follow your dermatologist's instructions to the letter. Every person is different and reacts differently to medications, but my son suffered none of the side effects and was able to continue playing on the high school football team with practicing and work-outs and games throughout his treatment. God Bless you and I pray this will work for your son too.

Hi D.,

If your son has been diagnosed with CYSTIC acne, then this drug is the only cure for it. Nothing topical will work because the problem is not on the skins surface, it's deep below the surface in the shafts of the pores. Antibiotics won't work, because he will become resistant to them , and though they may clear it temporarily, the cysts will eventually come back. I was on a course of it for six months when I was 28 years old, and I am now 43. I had terrible painful cysts and it was affecting my whole life. It was a life altering MIRACLE drug for me. I breezed through the course of it, and my skin has been acne free for 15 years. I understand that it is for life, because it kills the shafts dead so they actually spew no more oil. One might get an occasional pimple (but we all know that's not the same thing!)Your skin is apparently made thinner for life, too, all over your body (so I have extra soft skin now!) I do remember the regular blood draws to monitor my liver, and the extremely chapped/cracked lips (which you just keep lubed constantly, even at bedtime. I found the really thick medicated ointments that come in the tube most helpful, because they stay on all night.) Dry skin is easy to combat with lotions, however I don't remember my skin being that dry. I do remember occassional nosebleeds, though, because the membranes in my nose were so much thinner. Don't go anywhere without kleenex! Anyway.....I'm a huge spokesperson for this drug, so I hope you can benefit from all this information. Most likely, your son will be just fine, and breeze through his course as well. He will be monitored closely. Sometimes a second course is needed, but I only needed one. I had done YEARS of topical and oral antibiotics, only to end up with resistance from my skin, and teeth that need whitening! Accutane is usually a last resort and given to people with severe cystic acne, and is not meant for people with a persistant pimples who just might be struggling with vanity. It is a very powerful drug, but used correctly, IS the only cure. Accutane cleared it EVERYWHERE, even my back, it's a total body acne cure...for life.

Do it!! It is a wonder medication. Your son will only be on it for about 3 months and it lasts basically forever. he may need to be on it for another period of 3 months down the road but my sons were on it 10 years ago(they are now 25 and 27) and it saved their self-concepts.

As the ad says - Just do it.

Hello D.
I also took Accutane as a young teenage girl at 15 years old. I am now 30, but prior the doctors had me on topical creams first. They however were not strong enough. I was on this pill for a very long time. I did have to get blood work once a month. It worked wonders to clear up my acne. Now I us proactive to keep my acne under controll. I had major acne while I was pregnant and this cleared it up within 2 weeks. When I don't us proactive I definetly have break outs.
Good Luck D. you have gotten alot of good advice.

I took Accutane in my early 20's. It was like a miracle for me. I went from having constant breakouts to never having a breakout again (until after I had kids, but even so the occasional small breakout is still very easily controlled). Sure, the side effects can be serious, but when you have bad acne and nothing else has worked, I would still recommend Accutane. For me, the worst part was that my lips got so dry that they would crack! I kept a tube of Aquaphor with me all the time and constantly re-applied it to keep my lips from cracking. Also, I needed a really intensive moisturizer to keep my skin from being overly dry. But the course of Accutane only lasts 6 months, and then you have a lifetime of beautiful skin. Totally worth it in my opinion!

I don't have any children that have used it, but two of my cousins did, and it worked wonderfully! The thing I remember is that with my female cousin they required her to be on birth control pills, even though she was not sexually active, because the risk of birth defect is quite high. I think it's wonderful that your son is taking advantage of this wonderful medication!!!

I would definitely NOT put my child on that stuff. It is extremely bad for you and especially with boys it has been known to cause side effects- even suicide. I learned a lot about the drug in my Esthetician class and would say PLEASE DO NOT GIVE IT TO YOUR CHILD. The risks totally outweigh the benefits! There are other ways to help with it. There is a brand called Clenziderm I have seen fabulous results from their acne kit. Or try a holistic style Esthetician- chinese herbs work wonders with acne. There are other ways to treat the problem, good luck.

D.,

Acne can be caused by Defeciencies in Vitamin A, B3, B6 and zinc. (boils also caused by zinc defeciency)

Especially if you see acne/bumps on upper arms or the hair follicles on thighs have red bumps around them - Vit A deficient.

Yoy could try any of these and see if it helps before the meds.

D.
I do not know about this medication you mentioned. However with a google search you will be able to find out more about it. I have seen wonders occur with the Nuskin galvanic spa for teen skin problems as well as the acne skin treatment system by NuSkin.
Sorry your grandson is having such a bad time with his skin. If he is engaged and wants to learn more ask him to consider his diet as a possible way to improve his skin. I do have some wonderful contacts regarding diet and nutrition also. Email me for assistance or possible guidance.
Good luck P.

D.,

After using every other acne medication out there, my dermatologist prescribed Accutane. This was when I was 20 and had been on acne meds since junior high. It definitely works. It caused extreme dryness for my skin and I developed cracks/tears easily on my hands, lips, and even my rectum (pain with bowel movements). The side effects go away within months of stopping the medication. the other potential side effect I was not aware of at the time was increased risk of depression. My mom read about this after the fact and I now realize that may have exacerbated what was going on with me. However, I had severe acne that was painful and caused scarring and this was the one medication that finally 'fixed' it in a way. good luck

I did six months on Accutane when I was 24, before I was married. It was great! My side effects were next to nothing while I was on it, and I've had no lasting effects either. It will probaby really dry out his skin for a few months. The medication does work wonders, and think of the improvement of your son's self-image and confidence as his skin will clear up. My advice is to do it, and do it now! Don't let him suffer cystic acne when he doesn't need to. I wish my parents would have been more proactive in treating my acne as a teen. Best wishes.

D.,
Cheers to you for checking out accutane before just giving it to your son, and furthermore for trying to help him. I had terrible acne growing up. One girl actually asked me if I washed my face! It was awful. I had to do a lot of research on my own because my Mom didn't seem concerned (but that's another story.)
As far as accutane, I have had several friends that have been on it and all of them have had some sort of side effect. One of my friends took it for only about a month and his joints got so stiff he literally couldn't get out of bed! It always helps acne, but at what cost?! Who knows what kind of permanent issues it will cause.
If you are looking for something not as severe, I have a few pieces of advice...
So, I don't know where you live, but I began going to The Acne Clinic in Walnut Creek in middle school (at the height of my hideous breakouts) and they worked wonders for me.
They recently changed the name, it is now called Lumiplexion Skincare.
1225 Alpine Rd, Suite 201
Walnut Creek, CA. 94596
www.lumiplextionskincare.com
###-###-####
Pam Schwarts runs the place and she is great. She really knows her stuff.
I have also found a great product for the cyst type acne. It is amazing! It called Zeno.
Strangely enough, it was a little device that they were originally developing for something else and they realized it worked wonders for acne. It is only for the cyst type acne, I tried it on a whitehead and it just got really red. Anyway, you put this device on the cyst for 2 minutes, it heats up really hot (not enough to burn you,) the timer will let you know when you are done, then the cyst will go away. It instanly relieves the swelling and pain associated with the cysts and the zit will be gone in about 2 days. 2 days! Anyone that had had cyst acne, knows sometimes it takes up to 3 weeks for them to go away on their own.
The device is around $100, but well worth it. As you know, sometimes those cysts develop heads you can pop, and if you do pop it, you can have a big scar. The zeno just heals them right away, no waiting to pop it, it just goes away!
Here's their website
http://www.myzeno.com/
Your son is lucky to have a Mom like you!
I hope that helps :)

ITS a mircale drug!! I took it 2 times in my life. Once when I was 18 and another time when I was 21. I wished I would have taken when I was younger. Having acne was just aweful! It will make you break out but it is soooo worth it! HIGHLY recommend it!

I know of two people who used the drug and it was very effective in clearing up there acne while on the drug. However, one of the girls (a teen) had to discontinue using it due to depression. While she still has severe acne years later, she refuses to go back on it --- even prior to her wedding last summer so I guess it is pretty serious --- due to the depression side effect. I assume that it does not affect everyone in the same way so I wouldn't rule the drug out based on this ... I'd just watch my son carefully for signs of depression.

Hi D.!
My brother and a sister were both on Accutane. I don't remember that they had many problems. My brother had his unibrow waxed by another sister(we are a family of beauticians, estheticians(?) and I do massage therapy) and it pulled off the skin also, but I don't think there were many side effects. As I remember, it did work wonders with both of them. They weren't on it for a long time either.
There are alternatives. Have you tried Proactive? I put my daughter on it and it worked wonders for her. Her face was so clear and her skin was beautiful, as long as she used it as she was supposed to.
I hope this helps a little.
Good luck!
M.

I took accutane in my teens for cystic acne. I had to work with a nutritionist to watch my intake of vitamin D. Use LOTS Of sunscreen. The only side effects I had was dry, sensitive skin which became worse with exposure to sun. For girls back when I took it, there were significant concerns about birth defects so they required monthly pregnancy tests through your dr. There were no long term effects to getting pregnant & I am a proud mother of healthy twin girls, 15 months.

Hi D,

I actually was on this stuff myself about 12 years ago, what I remember is mostly extreme sun sensitivity and dry, cracked lips. I guess maybe there's some concern about possible long-term effects on the liver, but I wouldn't worry about it for a short regimen (3 - 6 months, isn't it?) It _did_ help the acne noticeably, in fact it was never as bad again, tho it continued at a milder level until I just outgrew it. They're usually quicker to prescribe to boys than girls because it causes severe birth defects if a woman is taking it and gets pregnant - they made me take birth control pills even tho I wasn't sexually active and didn't plan to be - embarrassing! I think it's worth a try in such a severe case - there are ways to cope with the side effects.

Hi D.,

As an adult who had acne, Accutane was a miracle drug for me! I was on it six years ago at the age of 42. Since then, my skin has been great, although I'm still under my dermatologist's care. After I had been off accutane for a while, my face was breaking out again. I use a strong perscription wash and the strongest perscription of tazarak cream at night (retin-a). Those seem to do the trick (where it didn't work at all prior to accutane). When my daughter was 15, I put her on Accutane. Now, as a 16 year old, she has clear skin -- but uses the tazarak cream at night, as well. But, I must warn you, there are a lot of hoops to jump through every month (worse if you're a girl and of age to get pregnant) -- blood tests, and a quiz on the computer, but it is all worth it when you finally have clear skin.

Good luck! L.

i was on accutane at 14 and it changed my life. its too bad that persistent acne is so unaccepted in our culture, as so many have it, but its true. the only side effect i had was elevated cholesterol levels. as a mom whose kids are likely to have the same skin problem, i would let them go on it. however, i would start with some other things first. i believe that accutane works by administering semi-toxic levels of vitamin A, so i would try to increase that in the diet/give supplememts. i also know that my mom told me after the fact that she always thought my acne was an allergic reaction to milk, but we never tried to eliminate it. i would have liked the opportunity to explore everything before going on this drug. it is intense, and somewhat counterintuitive. but at the end of the day, its benefits outweighed the risks for myself and a handful of my peers who have been on it.

If you decide against the Accutane, you might try Proactiv Solution. My son used that for pimples, and it worked wonders. It is a bit pricey--about $40 - $50 a month. We got it by mail order, but I have seen kiosks in the mall that sell it. Check with your son's dermatologist about it. You can read about it at http://www.proactiv.com/index.php?acnt=GHP00000&s_kwc...# or http://www.acne.com/treatments/proactiv.php?source=google... or just search for proactiv solution.

Hi D.,

When my husband was a teenager he had cystic acne. He went through two cycles of accutane. It made his sking very very red for a few months and really dried out it out. The doctor used to inject cortizone into the cysts on his face and it would not faze them at all. Accutane was the only thing that worked. HOWEVER, I have read that it is also one of the most dangerous drugs out there. But the article did not elaborate on why.

Again, Accutane is the only thing that cleared up my husbands skin. To get a full understanding of how bad his acne was (which i am assuming your sons is pretty bad as well for a dr to suggest accutane) he has scars down his spine, up his neck, on his chest and down his temples. He used to wear two shirts to school because he would lean against the back of the desk and bleed through one shirt.

So, my point is Accutane is extremely strong, and has side effects like the red skin and dry skin, but it was the only thing that worked for the cyctic acne. My husband is now 30, so 13 years later, he still has extremely dry skin as a side effect from the drug.

IF your son really needs it, use it. My husband wishes he would have been given it sooner so he wouldn't have scarred so bad.

Hope this helps,

D.

Hi D.,
My younger brother has had absolutely terrible acne throughout his teen years. He was an athlete and never stopped sweating or being active. My mom tried everything to help his acne. She tried every face wash under the sun (including some pretty pricey ones) and a few different medications including Accutane. Everything seemed to help some for a little while but what eventually wiped it out completely and prevents his breakouts is an natural esssantial oil called Joy oil. It's awesome because it is all natural and it works! He doesn't have to worry about what chemicals he is putting on or in his body. I would look into it. Try looking up essential oils and then Joy oil. If you are really interested I could get more info from my mom. Good Luck.

T.

Don't worry! Accutane can cause some side effects such as painful swallowing, severe heartburn, seizures, dizziness, and severe headache. Better to cure soon.