While most people have some experience with acne, there are some who truly suffer from it. Acne is unpleasant to look at and those who suffer from it are more than aware of that fact. Many people have experienced emotional pain due to their suffering with acne. In fact it's the feeling inside that comes from having acne that is usually much more damaging and much more painful than any physical effects.
Health Canada has now issued a warning about potentially serious side effects associated with a popular prescription medication. Isotretinoin, sold under the brand name Accutane has been linked to rare, but severe, skin reactions that could lead to hospitalization, disability or death.Not all side effects caused by the use of accutane are severe. These include thinning hair, dry lips, extremely dry skin, dry eyes, nosebleeds and increased sun sensitivity. You can say these are somewhat tolerable compared to the long list of rather severe side effects such as: severe lower back pains, large joint pains, allergic reactions such as rashes, breathing difficulties, loss of hearing, vision problems, headaches and migraines which persist, skeletal problems such as hyperostosis and permanent liver damage.A prescription treatment may be more effective for your skin when compared to an over-the-counter acne medication. Plus, with the careful scrutiny of a trained dermatologist, you'll be able to get the best diagnosis to treat your specific skin condition.The molecular structure is similar to that of vitamin A. It's an analog, or retinoid, of that vitamin. Doses usually range between ten and forty milligrams. The reason it's seen as a last resort treatment is due to the potency of the drug. Isotretinoin is actually the generic term for Accutane. It is a synthetic Vitamin A derivative that creates a potentially long lasting change in the cells, lining the pore. This change allows cells to slough off naturally with clumping and plugging the pore.After four to five moths of use, it results in a noticeable clearing of acne affected areas. Because of this level of potency, you will not prescribed this drug unless your acne is moderate to severeImportant thing to remember is that Accutane is derived from vitamin A. So you shouldn't take any supplements that contain vitamin A, while going through your treatment. Also stay away from the sun, because this drug makes your skin more sensitive to sunburn.
And one more thing, Accutane doesn't give a 100 percent effect. Many patients had success with Accutane. Otherwise dermatologists wouldn't prescribe it. However, while it is recorded to be very effective in curing acne, for some people it simply doesn't work. So, if you don't see significant improvement, you might have to accept the fact that this drug is not for you.
