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What is Accutane?

Accutane (generic name isotretinoin) is a medication that’s prescribed to treat severe acne. It’s usually tried when antibiotics aren’t effective. Acne occurs when the oil-secreting glands of the skin get clogged, causing bacteria to grow in the pores and blemishes to form. Accutane reduces the amount of sebum (oil) produced by glands in the skin and shrinks the size of these glands. Although blemishes may get worse during the first two or three weeks after treatment begins, most people start to see improvement in about a month and the full effects in three to five months. The drug is effective 60 to 95 percent of the time.

You take Accutane by mouth two times a day, in doses ranging from 15 to 75 mg depending on your weight and the severity of your acne. You should take Accutane with food or milk to increase the amount of drug absorbed into your body. Women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant should never take Accutane, because it can cause serious birth defects or miscarriage.

On April 10th, 2002, the dispensing guidelines for Accutane prescriptions were changed. The new Accutane dispensing procedures were developed to reduce the risk of side effects and severe birth defects from the medication. Accutane prescriptions must now be hand written by a physician for no more then a 30 days supply of medicine. Each month, women taking Accutane must also have a negative pregnancy test result. Because of the new procedures, drugstore.com will no longer be able to fill Accutane prescriptions.

To learn more about the new dispensing procedures for Accutane, please visit the FDA’s website, here: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/102_acne.html

Sources:
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2006.
Drug Information Handbook. Lexi-Comp, Inc., 1999.
Habif, Thomas. Clinical Dermatology. Mosby-Year Book Inc., 1996.
Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2006.

This answer prepared 4/24/2002.
This information updated 11/30/2006.