How Accutane Works
Accutane is a prescribed medication for people that are suffering from
severe forms of acne. Accutane is a commercial name for the chemical
compound called Isotretinoin. Isotretinoin is a form of vitamin A and
one of the most effective treatments of acne available.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been prescribed Accutane
over the more than 20 years that it has been available. It should be
noted that there are side effects that can be present and that they
range from mild to severe. Accutane is only available through a
prescription and since some of the side effects can have huge
consequences (e.g. birth defects for those that are or become pregnant
while on Accutane, certain procedures must be followed.
For sever acne sufferers, Accutane can be extremely effective.
For instance, for those that are suffering from cystic acne vulgaris,
acne rosacea and hidradentis suppurativa. While it is not fully
understood how Accutane exactly works, it is known to be extremely
effective in reducing the production of sebum.
Sebum is an oily substance and most commonly referred to as the normal
oils that are secreted by the skin (in this case in the facial area).
Sebum is produced by sebaceous glands. These glands are inside each
hair follicle in the skin. Hormones in the body can sometimes send
messages to these sebaceous glands to overproduce sebum (oil), oil
builds up within the hair follicle or can get clogged inside the hair
follicle causing bacteria (p. acne) to feed off of the sebum and infect
the hair follicle. Once the hair follicle is infected white blood cells
are called in to kill the p. acne bacteria (the result are pimples).
Accutane counters acne by reducing the production of sebum and
shrinking the sebaceous glands. This directly stops or slows down the
amount of pimples forming. It is said that Accutane works by altering
DNA transcription which ultimately lowers the amount and severity of
acne.
Accutane is orally ingested usually once a day and can come in
a variety of dosages depending on each individual patient. However,
dosages usually are between 50 mg per day and 200 mg per day. Most
patients that are prescribed Accutane are on the medication for about
four to six months. It is said that in many cases, once Accutane is
stopped, the effects can linger for months or years, in essence many
patients do not exhibit signs of acne for months or years to come. It
should be noted that Accutane works best after eating a high fat meal.
Since the treatment of Acne is for only the most severe cases,
most dermatologists will start acne sufferers on other types of
treatments before prescribing Accutane. These treatments can consist of
topical solutions, antibiotics, laser surgery, etc. Usually Accutane is
the last resort for severe acne sufferers.
Because Accutane is extremely effective at reducing sebum it continues
to be prescribed, however most doctors will take an enormous amount of
caution consulting with you and prescribing the medication to you to
prevent and control any side effects from occurring.