Accutane: Acne Treatment of Last Resort?

Accutane is frequently used to treat severe disfiguring nodular acne. Accutane should only be used after other acne medicines have been tried and have failed. Other skin diseases may also be treated by Accutane as determined by your doctor. This acne medicine should not be used if you are a woman who is able to still bear children unless other forms of acne treatment have been tried and have failed. This medicine should never be taken during pregnancy because of its tendency to cause birth defects in humans. If you're able to bear children it is very important that you read and understand and follow the pregnancy warnings for Accutane.

Acccutane is only available with your doctor's prescription and should only be prescribed by a doctor who has special knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of severe, uncontrolled cystic acne. This acne treatment is only available in the following dosage form.

Oral

Capsules (US and Canada)

Additional Uses for Accutane:

Frequently medicines are approved for a certain specific use while experience shows that other medical problems may also be treated with these medicines. Although these “off –label” uses are frequently not included in product labeling, Accutane is sometimes used among some patients with the following medical conditions:

Folliculitis, gram-negative (bacterial infection of skin on the face beginning near the nose)
Hidradenitis suppurativa (sweat gland problem)
Rosacea (red skin disorder of the face, usually of the nose and cheeks)
Thickened or patchy skin disorders, such as keratosis follicularis, palmoplantar keratoderma, lamellar ichthyosis, or pityriasis rubra pilaris

Other than the above information, there is no additional information available relating to the proper use, precautions or side effects for the above uses.

Information from The Consumer Reports Consumer Drug Reference

Additional Information and webpage by Paul Susic MA Licensed Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate