If you’re someone who’s experienced recurring bouts of cystic acne, you’ll know there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to keeping acne flares at bay. Clearing your skin can feel like a bit of a waiting game, and if you’ve cycled through rounds of hormonal therapies, oral antibiotics and topical retinoids to no avail, you’ve likely considered isotretinoin as a possible acne treatment.
Isotretinoin is a powerful oral retinoid that can be prescribed to treat resistant cystic acne. The medication’s acne-fighting benefits have been backed by science for decades, but it’s important to be aware of a few serious risks. Here’s what dermatologists need you to know.
What is isotretinoin? What is Accutane?
Isotretinoin is a potent derivative of vitamin A that shrinks oil glands in the face, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms, says Dr. Richard Antaya, director of pediatric dermatology for Yale Medicine. The medication was first approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in 1982 under its original brand name, Accutane. Accutane itself isn’t actually sold in the U.S. anymore, and has since been replaced by different generic formulations of isotretinoin, explains Antaya.
