accutane

My daughter was prescribed accutane twice as a teenager, once when she was 15, for about 4 months, and again when she was 17, for about the same length of time. It did clear up her skin both times.

It works because it decreases the amount of oil caused by the skins oil glands. That causes the skin to become very dry, but it didn't peel off. Her dermatologist suggested a couple of non-greasy lotions that would help and she was advised to stay out of the sun as much as possible because of sunburn.

It may take a couple of months before there's any improvement and, at first, don't be surprised if your skin seems worse.

There are a number of side effects. The most common ones relate to skin dryness. One side effect, which is rare, is depression which can lead to suicide. That information that was not available when my daughter took the drug. Also, women who take the drug should not become pregnant because of birth defects.

There are other side effects, but not as serious. Make sure that your doctor informs you about all the side effects before you take the medication.