Accutane For Acne

Accutane, a trademark name for the chemical isotretinoin, is a potent medication that has been used for the treatment of certain types of cancers. Originally, the medication was developed for use in chemotherapy for brain cancer and pancreatic cancer, along with other forms of malignant tumors. It is still currently in use in this manner due to its ability to kill rapidly dividing cells typical of tumor growths. Currently, it is also seeing use as a treatment for severe cases of conditions such as acne.

The drug came into use first during the 1930s as an acne treatment. The medication reduces the sebum produced by drastically decreasing the activity of the sebaceous glands. Since it was introduced, pregnant women have been discouraged from using it due to it being a teratogen - a chemical that can cause birth defects. An estimated 30% of all women who took the medication while pregnant had children that had congenital malformations. In 2002, the patent on the compound lapsed, allowing manufacturers to sell cheaper generic variants of the original formula in the United States.

Accutane is a retinoid, which means that it generally acts to reduce the amount of sebum that is released by the skin, reducing one of the theorized causes of acne and increasing its ability to renew. The drug specifically attempts to decrease the amount of sebum output by the sebaceous glands by slowing down production.

Accutane is a derivative of vitamin A and is naturally occurring in the human body. It is formed by the body during vitamin A intake, but only in trace amounts. As a naturally-occurring chemical, the body is able to quickly remove it from the bloodstream. In most cases, the chemical is gone from the body within nine days and is believed to have no lasting effects on future pregnancies. The combination of the trace amounts natural to the body and higher doses from medication are believed to be the cause of the birth defects that Accutane causes.

Accutane is taken orally in the form of soft gel capsules. The usual capsule sizes are 10, 20 and 40 mg. The amount of accutane to be taken depends on quite a number of factors such as height, weight, general health and the type of medical condition you have. It is the task of physicians to determine the dose and schedule. Accutane, when taken with food, increases the absorption of the medicine. It is best absorbed when taken after a high-fat meal. This means, the more accutane one takes, the chance of cure becomes greater. However, like most drugs, it has side effects as well. Its side effects depend on the dosage taken. On one hand, at a relatively low dose, there are almost no side effects at all. On the other, at a high dose, side effects should be watched out for. Side effects are usually related to the drying of the oil glands. Therefore, the dose has to be adjusted to meet the perfect balance between effectiveness and side effects.

Common side effects from using this medication are chapped lips, dry skin, itching, dry sinuses, mild nosebleeding, eye irritation and joint and muscle pains. Less common side effects are known to be intestinal problems, urinary tract symptoms, temporary hair thinning, rashes, headaches, an increased sensitivity to sunlight and decrease in night vision. In the worst-case scenario, depression and suicidal tendencies have also been observed in some patients. If taken by sexually active women, Accutane has the potential to function as a form of birth control. However, taken during pregnancy, it can cause numerous birth defects.