LONG TERM SAFETY OF ACCUTANE
Report #7225
Isotretinoin, sold under the brand name, Accutane, is the only drug that can cure acne, but it can cause horrible birth defects when taken by pregnant women. A recent report in the British Journal of Dermatology shows that Accutane, otherwise, is much safer than we used to think.
Acne is a condition in which normally colorless, liquid skin oils are converted to solid white material. Then the skin responds to the trapped solid oil by turning red and swelling. A three or four-month course of Accutane can damage the oil glands and markedly reduce the amount of oil that your skin produces, making Accutane the most effective drug to treat acne. Having less skin oil should not cause any serious side effects as its only known function is to keep you from feeling too cold in the winter, because it slows evaporation of sweat. Dry skin is associated with lack of water and aging of skin is associated with lack of collagen.
In the British study, ninety-three per cent of the people reported no long- term side effects. The British researchers reported that two per cent suffered muscle aches at follow up and 5% suffered from dry mouth. Fewer than 1% claimed that they had dry eyes and skin/ and joint pains. Higher doses were not associated with more side effects. The authors concluded that their study showed that isotretinoin is a safe drug with no serious long-term side-effects. However, it causes birth defects when taken during pregnancy.
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News
V Goulden, AM Layton, WJ Cunliffe. Long-term safety of isotretinoin as a treatment for
acne vulgaris. British Journal of Dermatology 1994(Sept);131(3):360-363. Most doctors
prescribe 40 mg Accutane twice a day. You can take it with food. Get liver function and
triglyceride blood tests before start and once a month. Do not get pregnant. Apply
vaseline to your lips as often as possible. Stop at 14 weeks. Accutane is the only drug
that can destroy oil glands.
Reported 9/20/97; Checked 9/5/05