Saturday, September 12, 2009

Accutane Prescription Acne Medication

By Arnold Foley

Anyone who has suffered from acne breakouts for a considerable amount of time has likely heard about the miracle drug known as Accutane. This is a prescription-grade medication that has been attacked by the media for triggering adverse symptoms in a very small number of patients. Derived from Vitamin-A, the drug (at its worst) carries the risk of depression. Acne also places individuals at risk for developing depression, especially more severe cases. So, the risk is not sufficiently deterring for most. Dermatologists treat Accutane with the respect it deserves, prescribing it to patients who really need it. Those who are placed on this treatment are watched closely and get blood work done regularly. This is to ensure the drug does not have adverse reactions in the liver.

Accutane treats the one source of acne which other medications leave alone - sebum. Isotretinoin, as it is known by its generic name, stops oil gland activity. When the body no longer produces sebum, p. acnes bacteria starve. Any effective acne medication causes breakouts initially, and in the case of this drug, they can last up to six weeks are more. The beautiful thing about this medication is that it can be a permanent cure. Some never have to pick up another medication in their entire lives. In most cases, however, topical medications are often required to sustain the results.

There are some harmless yet uncomfortable symptoms to expect with this medication. Dry skin and lips, for instance, are always reported. Moisturizer and chap stick are inexpensive solutions to these problems. Muscle soreness is another issue that can be treated in multiple ways. If you are involved in sporty activities, be sure to carefully speak with your dermatologist.

As mentioned earlier, there are some hurdles you will have to overcome to get this medication prescribed to you. Unless you have a serve case of acne, you will have to experiment with at least one or two combinations of topicals and antibiotics before your physician prescribes isotretinoin. Your blood assessment should also yield good results.

If you acne has become un-manageable in recent months, you need to take action. You will probably not get this medication right away, however, your acne may respond quite nicely to other treatments. If you have to hold off on the doctor's visit, stop popping your pimples and treat your skin gently. The faster you can get to the doctor, the better.

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