Roaccutane (aka Accutane): Do the results of using this popular acne treatment outweigh the risks?

What is Roaccutane?

It is a drug that was introduced in the early 1980s, to treat very severe forms of cystic acne, which had failed to respond to other acne treatments. It is a member of the retinoid family of medicines, which all work by altering DNA transcription.

How does Roaccutane work?

It works by:

• Reducing the size and output of the skin’s sebaceous glands.
• Making dead skin cells much less sticky, in order to ease their transport through the sebaceous glands.
• Reducing bacteria levels in the sebaceous glands, and on the skin’s surface.

Roaccutane side effects

Almost from its release onto the market in the early 1980s, there have been many concerns about the safety of this popular acne drug. The following is a list of the common alleged side effects:

• Severe headaches.
• Depression – including suicidal tendencies (between 1998 and 2000, Accutane was linked to 54 suicides, and 51 attempted suicides in the USA).
• Inflammatory bowel disorders (e.g. ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease).
• Birth defects – including cases of fetal death when Accutane was used during pregnancy.
• Eye problems.
• Liver problems.
• Increased cholesterol.
• Dry, itchy skin.
• Hair loss.

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were so concerned about the safety of Accutane, that they recommended its removal from the market in 1998. Also, in 2004, they identified it as being one of the top five most dangerous drugs in the world.

Accutane lawsuits

There have been literally hundreds of lawsuits against Hoffmann-La Roche – the manufacturers of Accutane. In a recent lawsuit (May 2007), Mr. Andrew McCarrell claimed that using Accutane had caused him to develop an inflammatory bowel disorder. The jury found in Mr. McCarrell’s favour, and he was awarded $119,000 for medical expenses incurred to date, and a further $2,600,000 as compensation for any future medical expenses, and for any future pain and suffering.

The Conclusion

Wherever possible, I try not to take any kind of drugs. I know that no drug is 100% safe, and I also know that our bodies were not designed to process chemicals. Having said that, for certain medical conditions, I realise that there is often no alternative, other than to take a drug – I don’t believe that acne is such a condition.

There are various natural solutions for acne which I would recommend trying, before risking the serious side effects associated with using such powerful drugs as Roaccutane. My recommended natural solution is Acne No More - click here for my review.

FREE Natural Acne Treatment mini-course.

Note: Some common misspellings of Accutane include acutane, and accutaine.