How long does accutane take to work?

Question

Been taking 20mg accutane per day for 54 days now and my acne is almost gone, apart from the odd couple of zits here and there. How long before skin clears totally?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Isotretinoin is used to treat severe recalcitrant nodular acne (a certain type of severe acne) that has not been helped by other treatments, such as antibiotics. Isotretinoin is in a class of medications called retinoids. It works by slowing the production of certain natural substances that can cause pimples to form.
Consult your dermatologist.
Please see the web pages for more details on Isotretinoin.

Source(s):

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugi…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotretinoi…

Answer 2

Before Using Accutane: Risks of Taking Accuatne

In deciding to use a Accuatne, the risks of taking the Accuatnemust be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For isotretinoin (the generic name for accutane), the following should be considered:

Allergies:
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to isotretinoin, acitretin, etretinate, tretinoin, or vitamin A preparations. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives (such as parabens), or dyes.

Pregnancy:
Isotretinoin must not be taken during pregnancy because it causes birth defects in humans. In addition, isotretinoin must not be taken if there is a chance that you may become pregnant during treatment or within 1 month following treatment .

Breast-feeding:
It is not known whether isotretinoin passes into breast milk. However, isotretinoin should not be used during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children:
Children may be especially sensitive to the effects of isotretinoin. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment. Children may have the side effects of back, joint, or muscle pain more often than adults. This medicine should be used with caution in teenagers, especially those with bone problems or diseases.

Older adults:
Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of isotretinoin in the elderly with use in other age groups. However, older people may have a greater risk of problems and adverse effects when taking isotretinoin.

Check for more info, history and legacy of Accutane:
http://www.accutane-info.com/

Answer 3

your acne is probably less severe than mine was because i took 30mg 2 times a day and I've been on for 3 and a half months. my skin didn't really start looking good until between my 2nd and 3rd month it actually got worse during the first 2 months. Now my skin is basically completely clear. I have 2 zits but they are those small ones and will probably be gone by tommorrow or the next day. I do however have some minor scarring left over and my face is still kind of dry and red in places. But i can see the scars fading gradually every day and since this is my last month of accutane, my skin's moisture level and redness should go back to being normal.

So I'm guessing your cycle may go the same. but probably faster since it only took 54 days for you to see a difference. Good Luck and I hope you see results soon!

Source(s):

3.5 months on accutane