Accutane is a common prescription medication that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of severe, recurring or nodular acne that does not respond to other types of treatment. Accutane is a brand name for the generic drug isotretinoin, and it is a potent drug that has shown high rates of success in treating acne. Women and men have similar effects due to Accutane; however, women also have risks associated with birth defects if this medication is taken during pregnancy.
Dosage
Accutane contains the key ingredient isotretinoin, which is a retinoid, or vitamin A derivative. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD) advises that patients are prescribed dosages of 10 to 40 mg of Accutane per day for durations of three to five months at a time. Individuals with severe or recurring acne may require additional dosages for the treatment to be effective.
Pharmaceutical Effects
The active ingredient isotretinoin in Accutane is composed of highly concentrated vitamin A retinoids and is responsible for the pharmaceutical effects to the skin. Isotretinoin reduces the size and oil, or sebum, production of the sebaceous, or oil, glands in the skin. Acne is often caused by the overproduction of sebum by the sebaceous glands, leading to oily skin and clogged, inflamed pores. The oil accumulates along with dead skin cells in the pores of the skin and traps bacteria, causing acne.
Skin Benefits
Accutane works to heal acne by drastically decreasing sebum production in the skin. This prevents oily skin, clogged pores and the growth of acne-causing bacteria that leads to inflamed acne breakouts. This medication also increases the exfoliation, or shedding, of dead or older skin cells, preventing enlarged, clogged pores, black heads and acne. According to the AOCD, improved skin exfoliation also helps to reduce skin irritation, dullness, redness and bumps.
Side Effects
Individuals who take Accutane may experience normal side effects of isotretinoin, such as heightened skin sensitivity to sunlight and UV radiation. The Food and Drug Administration's Medication Guide lists other common side effects such as severe skin dryness, peeling of the skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, dry, irritated eyes, and chapped lips. Mild nose bleeds may also occur because skin dryness can also cause the lining of the nose to become fragile. Higher dosages of Accutane may cause more severe side effects than lower amounts.
Risks in Women
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that Accutane is a known human teratogen. This means that it can cause severe birth defects in developing embryos in pregnant women. These malformations occur in the first trimester of pregnancy and cause physical defects that affect the face, the central nervous system and the cardiac structures. The risk of birth defects is very high because most women who are prescribed Accutane are of child-bearing age and may not be aware that they have become pregnant while on this medication. For these reasons, the FDA strongly recommends that physicians counsel female patients to undergo a pregnancy test before starting a course of Accutane and use two forms of birth control if they are sexually active while taking this medication.
Precautions
The birth defects caused by Accutane are so severe that both male and female individuals taking Accutane cannot donate blood because it may be given to a pregnant woman. Accutane causes birth defects due to the isotretinoin, or vitamin A retinoids, it contains, which temporarily build up in the woman's blood and tissue.
Duration of Risk
The AOCD notes that Accutane is removed completely from the bloodstream and tissues of the body within nine days after a person stops taking the drug. Previous dosages will also not cause risks in future pregnancies. As vitamin A is a naturally occurring nutrient in the body that is produced in smaller amounts, the body is able to quickly remove it without any harmful effects.
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