“Is Accutane Bad for You?”

Ray J. Wang Answers the Question of If Accutane is Bad for You and If You Should Take Accutane When You Have Acne.

Danny is a How To Clear Your Acne Follower and has emailed me a number of times. Here is an email that he sent to me a while back which caught my eye. It’s a story about his experience with Accutane and with his permission, I’m sharing it with you today.

I’m also going to share my story about Accutane.

So if you’ve taken Accutane in the past, are thinking about taking Accutane in the future, or know someone who is taking Accutane, you may want to read this article or share with them this article first.

Danny Writes:

Hello again Ray,

Okay so this happened a while back but I just never had time to tell/ask you about what happened to me. Okay so I HAVE taken Accutane for my acne! I did not care about the side-effects of it because I just wanted clear skin which it did help me in clearing some of my acne that I had, but the main thing I hated about it was back pain. It was bearable, so I never complained about it (yes I told my dermatologist, but she said I should be fine). My derma wanted me to take another 6 months of it… and I never went back because I found this website! :]

So a week ago I was going to do the saturation dose for 10 days I was iffy on this part because of my history with Accutane (I knew Accutane was a form of vitamin A), but I decided my body needs it so I did it (prior to this I was just taking 50000 IU). The same day I had the worst back pain in my life… I literally could barely get off the couch it hurt so much! It scared the poo out of me so the next day I cut out vitamin a and then after that I just stayed at 50000 IU. The days after that were okay I still had a little bit of back pain here and there but nothing compared to the saturation day.

The pain is pretty much gone and other than that I have been fine ever since. I don’t know what happened can you help me, and maybe warn people if they have taken Accutane that this could happen? (Not blaming you in any way! I take full responsibilities for my actions.)

I pretty much just want to know what happened. I’m thinking that the vitamin A just brought back the side effects because I still have Accutane in my body, or it changed the way I absorb vitamin A. I dunno.

=S

Thanks for your time Ray!
Danny P.

ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO DO “WHATEVER” IT TAKES FOR CLEAR SKIN?

Here’s the thing, it’s kind of sad but in a way, if you’ve ever had acne that was out of control and just wouldn’t go away, you may empathize and understand how Danny felt before he took Accutane.

He didn’t care about the side effects.

I bet he was determined, “Whatever it takes. I don’t care. I’m going to do whatever it takes to clear my acne.”

And even though there were nasty side effects, Danny probably thought to himself, “I’m willing to take the risk, there’s a possibility that I won’t have those side effects, right?”

But here’s the hook line and sinker, nothing else mattered. He just wanted clear skin.

MY STORY: I ALMOST TOOK ACCUTANE TOO

I had a friend who had severe acne on her face way back when my high school years.  I lost touch with her a while back but a few months after graduating and heading off to college, I heard that she had taken Accutane.  I also heard that her face completely cleared up afterwards.

I still had acne at the time, if you look at my before and after pictures, I was around 17 to 18 years old at the time (late high school, early college).  My friend was telling me this as we were in the car, on our way to Del Taco, a few blocks from our house.  It was our favorite place to go.  It was inexpensive, it was fast, and it had my favorite: the Macho Combo Burrito.  I asked him, “Hmm… it worked on her huh?  Wow, she had really bad acne and it all went away?”

My friend replied, “Yeah, it’s all gone now.”

“But aren’t there like really bad side effects or something?  I heard from a friend that it might even cause blindness,” I casually mentioned.  I wanted to hear what he had to say about risking being blind in respect to something like clear skin.  Of course, his skin was fine, not a single pimple.

He didn’t have a reaction.  From what I remember, it didn’t really concern him so he didn’t really care.  He couldn’t relate, he didn’t have acne and he didn’t have that desperate feeling that I had.  But I know how it felt, I know why she did it.

I remember thinking about it some more and thinking about what my life would be like if I had clear skin too.

Then we got to Del Taco and ordered food and I forgot about it.

It wasn’t until after having tried many products later, that I started thinking about it again.  Only because nothing else worked and I remembered having that sinking feeling in my chest when I looked in the mirror.

I was beginning to lose hope.

If Accutane could take this horribly disfiguring disease away from me that nothing else could do, maybe I should try it.

Maybe… just take enough for it to work.

How bad could it be?

It’s just a little pill, right?

And it’s going to give me clear skin. I’m probably not going to suffer from any of the side effects.

What were they again?

Something about extra bone growth… blindness… depression… don’t take if you’re pregnant.

But clear skin.

THAT… would be amazing.

But what if I did get extra bone growth after taking Accutane? Mannn… I would regret that for the rest of my life. Or what if I became blind?

I closed my eyes and imagined my life without the ability to see.  Then I opened them up again and looked at myself.  Even a simulated, 30 second version of what it would be like to be visually handicapped was enough to scare me straight.  I was relieved that I could open my eyes up again on command and not “really” be blind.

Better not do it.

I’m desperate, but not THAT desperate.

WHY I THINK PEOPLE END UP TAKING ACCUTANE

I know exactly how he felt because there was a point where I just wanted it to all go away too. And it seemed like Accutane was the “magic pill” that could make all that happen.

And I think that’s where the problem is at.

When people think about Accutane, sure they recognize that there may be a few side effects that might happen with the drug.  But I don’t think they really think about what could go wrong, until it does.  Instead, they’re dreaming about what it would be like to have clear skin again.  They don’t really “hear” any of the negative side effects.  Because they want clear skin that bad.

DO YOU WANT CLEAR SKIN SO BAD…

The way I imagine it is, let’s just say John is suffering from acne has tried practically everything on the market and nothing has worked.  He is becoming desperate.

Will I have acne the rest of my life?” he begins to panic.

I’m missing out on all the fun that’s going on right now, I need and want to up my acne before the new year, before next quarter, before college, etc…

Then he hears about a “magical pill” from his friend that can clear his acne and it’s been proven to work even when all else has failed.  And instantly, this sends him into that fantasy that he’s dreamed about so many times before… the DAY OF CLEAR SKIN.

THE DAY OF CLEAR SKIN is the day John dreams about looking at himself in the mirror and his face is crystal clear.  It’s as if he never had acne.  He imagines himself laughing and playing with his friends.  He imagines never having to worry about his complexion and looking into the mirror with a grin because life is good, he looks good, and he knows it.

John completely doesn’t hear his friend talk about the second part of Accutane.  You know, the part where some people have developed severe back pain, vision problems, dry lips, strokes, seizures, etc…  Well… John might have heard his friend talking about these side effects, but he certainly wasn’t listening.  These side effects that his friend mentioned pretty much passed through, in through one ear and out through the other.

And this image of THE DAY OF CLEAR SKIN sticks with John for some time.  Every time he goes to the bathroom, looks at a mirror or even just passes by a mirror, when he catches his reflection, he’s reminded of the fact that he has imperfections on his face.

Now it becomes almost like a mini pattern where he reminds himself about THE DAY OF CLEAR SKIN almost every time he looks in the mirror and is depressed about his acne.  And what’s connected with THE DAY OF CLEAR SKIN?  Accutane.

So with this image in his head, John goes to see a dermatologist and asks about Accutane.  The doctor prescribes it to him and maybe even warns him about the side effects.  But just like many of us have done in the past when we really wanted something, we didn’t care about anything else, we just wanted it.  I’m sure there have been many times when your parents have warned you about something or your friends warned you about that boyfriend or girlfriend that wasn’t good for you, but at the time you didn’t care because all you could see was what you wanted to see.

I call it “Tunnel Vision.”

John had a serious case of Tunnel Vision.  And what’s important if you seem to be thinking the same thing that John is thinking about how great Accutane might be for you, please remember that you DO NOT have to take Accutane for clear skin.

Don’t fall into the trap that it’s either taking Accutane and risking your health for the rest of your life OR suffering from acne forever.  Those are NOT the ONLY two choices that you have!!!

That’s why I’ve spent all this time writing this article talking about what other options you have and how I can show you the way of clearing acne WITHOUT any negative side effects.  And WITHOUT a 1 in 4 chance of your acne coming back.

Wait, what?

That’s right, keep reading and I’ll tell you more about how Accutane not only is extremely dangerous for you, but it actually doesn’t work as well as you think.

Now back to the dermatologist’s office…

John probably didn’t hear any of what came out of the dermatologists mouth when the dermatologist started talking about the negative side effects.  And this is just assuming that the dermatologist was actually looking out for John’s long term health and warning him about the negative side effects at all.  John probably wanted this dermatologist to shut up and give him the prescription of Accutane already so he could go home and start.  The sooner this dermatologist shut up, the sooner he could have clear skin.

No one really thinks about these side effects.  Maybe that’s the problem.  It’s the fact that they’re called side effects.  Everyone thinks that they’re on the “side.”

Maybe we should start calling them something else like… “main effects,” “agony effects,” “death effects,” or “health problems that can kill you.”  That might register differently in people’s minds.

RAY, SO WHAT ARE THESE “MAIN” EFFECTS?

Let’s start with a list of things of side effects that I found with Accutane on AccutaneSideEffects.net.  So what I have listed below are the possible side effects of Accutane.  My comments are listed in red and in parentheses so you’ll know what I think of each one of them.  The side effects range from outlandish to out of this world.  So believe me when I say that you might want to think twice before taking this stuff.

Accutane Generic name: ISOTRETINOIN
Brand names: ACCUTANE, AMNESTEEM, CLARAVIS, DECUTAN, ISOTANE, SOTRET, ORATANE, ROACCUTANE (You may want to recognize these other brand names.  Just because it doesn’t say “Accutane” doesn’t mean that it isn’t actually Accutane.)

Updated March 4, 2009
Common Reactions to Accutane

• Pain and swelling of the lips (Not so bad, I think some people are willing to sacrifice a little comfort for clear skin.  Some people might even like the fact that their lips are swelled up for a more sensual and seductive look ;p…)
• Severe itching (This one’s actually kind of hilarious.  Can you imagine someone with clear skin but whose walking around having to compulsively scratch themselves all the time?  That’s instantly what I thought of when I read this.  Not too much of a big deal, but can definitely be a nuance)
• Alopecia (hair-thinning/hair-loss/baldness) (Okay… who wants clear skin but is willing to sacrifice their hair for it?  That just seems counterproductive if you ask me.  And I’m sure there are some people who ARE willing to sacrifice having hair for clear skin but I’m telling you, you DON’T HAVE TO pick one or the other, lol.  You can have both! =), you don’t have to risk losing your hair for clear skin so I’m going to check this as Reason #1not to take Accutane and work with me on your Acne Free Clear Skin Diet.  And personally, I think this should be moved to the serious reactions of Accutane.  Who wants to be bald?)
• Fragile and weaker skin (Okay, not so bad)
• Vision problems (Err… what?  Okay, so you’re vision might not be as good, I guess this is earth shattering for too many people…)
• Decreased night vision (onset may be sudden) (I literally have a puzzled look on my face right now.  It’s funny how there’s probably someone out there right now reading this whose probably thinking, “Well… so I might not be able to see at night suddenly… it’s TOTALLY worth it still.”  I hope we don’t have a lot more car accidents at night from now on…)
• Conjunctivitis (Okay, this one’s just gross.  Conjunctivitis is PINK EYE So clear skin but ever 3-4 months you get pink eye?  Hmm…)
• Contact lens intolerance (That’s cool, not too serious, not everyone wears contacts anyway)
• Dry mucous membranes (dry nose, lungs, bladder, anus) (This could get annoying but nothing that would probably stop anyone who was desperate for an acne solution)
• Peeling skin on palms/soles (Still, I bet someone out there is thinking, “Well..  at least it’s not on my face.)
• Nail changes
• Nosebleeds (Totally random but still, I don’t think this would stop someone who really wanted clear skin desperately)
• Photosensitivity (sensitivity to light)
• Elevated triglycerides in the blood (Okay… this is getting interesting now… while this may not be an immediate serious reaction to Accutane.  You have to realize that elevated triglycerides in the blood basically means more fats in the blood.  This could eventually increase the chances of you getting a stroke or having heart disease.)
• Elevated liver enzymes (indicating liver damage) (This one’s actually counterproductive to clear skin the LONG RUN.  You need a good liver for good health and clear skin.  This is how important your liver is, basically, if your liver goes down, so does the rest of your body.  Maybe not your kidneys, maybe not your lungs because you have two of them.  But your liver is pretty much the trash man of the house.  If the liver isn’t there, there’s just going to be more trash and more trash and eventually you’ll end up poisoning yourself with all the toxic that your body produces and no one to take it out.  This one’s not to be taken lightly at all.  And what’s worse is that you might have clear skin for a few months while your liver is slowly dying.  Then suddenly your liver is damaged beyond repair, )
• Tinnitus (ringing in ears or buzzing in ears) (Has anyone told you that the ringing in your ears actually meant that there was a specific sound cell dying and that you’ll never hear that pitch again?  It’s kind of like a piano, you have a certain number of keys or sound/hearing cells in your ear right now.  Whenever you listen to loud music or damage them in some way they can die and you’ll never get them back.)
• Joint pain and muscle pain (Hm… so I’ll have clear skin but I’ll act and move like a 80 year old…)
• Back pain
• Depression (I think this one’s something that most people think, “That won’t happen to me” or even if it does they’ll think “It’s okay, I can over come it because it’s mind over matter and it’s just gonna be in my head.”  Well you’re absolutely right, if you have depression, it IS all in your head.  The chemistry in your mind is literally out of sync.  Let me ask you this, would you believe me if I told you that alcohol had an affect on motor skills (your body’s movements) and brain chemistry?  YES, it does.  Well if you’re old enough to drink and have gotten drunk before, you may know what I’m talking about when I say, “It’s not easy to have mind over matter after drinking say… 10 shots of vodka.”  Not that I’ve done this boys and girls, but the point is to give a real life example that you may have experienced where we had no control over our minds because something that we may or may not have eaten/drank (e.g. whether it be alcohol or Accutane) is tampering with our brain chemistry.  So if you understand that something you drink like alcohol can mess with your mind, can you see how something that you eat like Accutane can mess with your mind too?  By the way, don’t drink 10 shots of vodka, you could get alcohol poisoning and that’s not fun. =(

Serious Reactions to Accutane

• Depression (Here it is again.  The reason why pharmaceutical companies put this side effect of depression in here twice, once at the common reactions and again here at the serious reactions is because sometimes it’s just mild depression and you don’t want to go anywhere, you don’t like people, or you don’t like your life.  Other times it’s serious and people HATE their live and end up committing suicide.  Don’t believe me? Check this article out.But again, I think there are still going to be some people who think that this isn’t going to happen to them or that they can just will themselves out of being depressed.  Like I said, it’s basic anatomy and physiology.  Our bodies produce certain chemicals to make us do things.  You might be able to go against it, but chances are, even if you slip a little in willpower, you might slip a lot in losing large parts of your life.)
• Erectile dysfunction (difficulty in maintaining erection) (Okay, I’m going to be honest here.  This is definitely going to be PG-13 so for those of you who are younger please skip this one.  If you’re a girl, this affects you too.  Because like it or not, this basically means that Accutane affects sexual performance different people in different ways.   But basically, I’m a male and what’s the point of clear skin if “it” doesn’t work?  If I had clear skin but “it” didn’t work, I think I would have bigger problems to worry about.  This is a HUGE problem and actually, I think that this should be RED FLAG for every male out there.  If there’s ever a drug or pill that could threaten your ability to “get it up” do NOT take it!  Please don’t leave me with the job of having to single-handedly repopulating this planet!  Just kidding =).  And if you’re thinking, “it’s okay, I can just take Viagra” then I think we may have another problem on our hands where you may just want short term solutions and instant gratification.  But that’s another story and I won’t get into that now =)
• Violent behavior/aggression (So now Accutane brings something interesting… someone who is violent and aggressive, wow, I bet that’s gonna win over tons of ladies.  Who knows though, maybe some people are into that.)
• Psychosis (seeing or hearing things that are not real) (Okay, this one’s silly.  I can see it now.  The Accutane commercial, “You’ll have clear skin but people will think you’re crazy” or a superhero of some kind.)
• Suicidal ideation (rare) (Just note, everyone, “rare” means that it DID happen.  Sucks for that guy or girl huh?  Bet he or she didn’t think that they’d end up killing themselves because of some acne pill they took.  They probably would’ve rethought things before taking it or at least signed up with me and my personal acne coaching! =)
• Suicide attempts (Seriously… this is a major indication that there is something wrong with this Accutane.  “If you take this you MAY try and kill yourself.”  Have this be anything else and people would probably think, “Wait… WHAT?!”)
• Hearing impairment
• Pseudotumor cerebri (swelling pressure in the brain) (I hope you noticed that there is the word “tumor” right there.  And it’s going to happen in YOUR BRAIN)
• Osteopenia/osteoporosis (loss in bone mass and strength/weak and fragile bones) (If you live in America, you’ve probably heard a lot about osteoporosis and having strong bones.  Accutane could take away all that work and you could possibly experience what it’s like to live in a 3rd world country where osteoporosis and weak bones is a real thing.  Talk about a reality check, you won’t have to fly to Ethiopia for this eye opening experience, ladies and gentlemen.)
• Hepatotoxicity (liver damage) (Again, weak liver = disease.  And by the way, did I mention that a lot of antibiotics and drugs that you take when you’re sick require the kidney and liver to process?  What that means to you is that if you somehow take Accutane and hurt your liver, then maybe one day you get sick (which does happen to “normal” human beings once in a while) and you need to take medicine, be prepared to hear the doctor say that your options are limited because you took Accutane which damaged your liver.)
• Anaphylaxis (rapid and deadly allergic reaction) (“Deadly allergic reaction?”  ‘Nuff said.)
• Allergic vasculitis (inflammation and damage to blood vessels) (This one just sounds painful)
• Major birth defects (Okay, experimenting with your own life is one thing, but messing with your baby’s?  C’mon.  That’s just not responsible.)
• Cataracts/corneal opacities (can cause a decrease in vision and lead to eventual blindness) (Key words there, “eventual blindness.”  And if you think this is worth it, remember that BLINDNESS IS NOT REVERSIBLE.)
• Premature epiphyseal closure (short stature) (You’ll be short.)
• Neutropenia (low white blood cell count, which makes the body vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections)  (This one means that if you take Accutane then you’ll be more susceptible to disease and infections.  You’ll get sick a lot more and you won’t be able to fight it off.  This has ramifications that I have NO IDEA what it could possibly lead to because there are HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of diseases out there that I hope never even get close to me.  So taking Accutane ultimately gives these germs and deathly diseases a helping hand in destroying your body.)
• Agranulocytosis (a serious condition in which white blood cells decrease in number or disappear altogether) (rare) (Again, “rare” means that this ACTUALLY happened!  In other words, for these people they were NOT or virtually unable to fight off disease.  They’re probably dead now.  Or living in a bubble somewhere… =|)
• Rhabdomyolysis (potentially fatal disease that destroys skeletal muscle) (rare) (Holy crap, I didn’t even know that was possible.)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (inflammation of the intestine and resulting in abdominal cramping and persistent diarrhea) (Just… not… sexy…. at all.  Okay, seriously, these side effects are getting crazy.)
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas, an organ important in digestion) (Yes, you need this.)
• Vascular thrombosis (heart attack) (You could die.  Instantly.  Out of nowhere)
• Stroke (A mild heart attack.  Have one of these and be prepared to have your life completely changed in an instant.  You could lose function in your limbs permanently, you could lose parts of your mind, the possibilities are definitely very serious.)
• Seizures (… If you know what seizures are or know someone who has previous had a seizure, you know that this is no joke and should not be taken lightly.)

ARE YOU SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT THINK THOSE SIDE EFFECTS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU?

Do you think these side effects won’t happen to you?  Here are the stats…

According to www.aocd.org, the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the probabilities of these side effects are actually quite high.

• Chapped lips (90%)
• Dry skin and itching (80%)
• Dryness of nose, mild nosebleed (80%)
• Irritation of the eyelids and eyes (40%)
• Joint and muscle pains (15%)
• Temporary hair thinning (10%)
• Rash (7%)
• Intestinal symptoms (5%)
• Urinary symptoms (5%)
• Headache (5%)
• Increased sensitivity to sun (5%)
• Decreased night vision (<1%)
• Depression, thoughts of suicide (<1%)

And here’s the worse part, it’s actually not even a permanent solution!  You go through all that headache just to clear your face, risk possibly killing yourself and in 1 in 4 people their acne will come back?

What?

According to Acne.org, on the matter of Accutane, there is a 25% relapse of people that use Accutane.

Basically, assuming that you’re lucky enough to be one of those people who haven’t had any too serious of side effects to be still standing.  Even after all the things that could happen to you, 1 of every 4 people that take it get acne again.  In other words… for 1 out of every 4 people, “it didn’t work.”

MANY PEOPLE DO NOT NEED ACCUTANE

A two year long U.S. Congressional investigation found that many dermatologists have prescribed Accutane even when patients did not necessarily need it. Accutane, or isotretinoin, was previously a drug approved for only severe, scar forming, nodular acne, which may be untreated via other methods.

How many people who received Accutane did not need it? The government found that in 90% of women and close to 50% of teens who received Accutane had been prescribe Accutane despite suffering from only a mild case of acne.

Accutane is a very powerful drug. It definitely is able to do amazing things in a matter of months. One particular type of isotretinoin (Accutane) takes 5 months has about an 85% success rate.

“But as powerful as Accutane can be in improving patients’ lives,” says the FDA Consumer Magazine, “the adverse effects can be just as powerful.”

FDA Consumer Magazine goes on to state that, “The drug is known to cause miscarriage and severe birth defects. Patients taking Accutane may develop potentially serious problems affecting a number of organs, including the liver, intestines, eyes, ears, and skeletal system. And some patients taking Accutane have developed serious psychiatric problems.”

PERMANENT HAIR LOSS?

Many former Accutane users, like Danny who has written above about his experience with Accutane, have talked about unfortunate things happening while on Accutane such as back pain or other terrible experiences like hair, eyelashes, and even eyebrows falling out for months at a time. Some have even claimed that their hair loss is permanent.

According to DRUG-NEWS, this happens because “Accutane impacts the oil-gland function of the skin (including the scalp) and causes changes in cells that provide structure to hair and skin, all of which leads to hair and skin dryness and fragility, which can cause hair-thinning, hair-loss, and even baldness.”

One lady, who is a 37 year old nurse with cystic acne claims that Accutane caused her to have permanent and severe lower back pain, severe joint pain and thinning hair. She says, “Now, almost 7 years later, I suffer from severe back and generalized joint pain to the point I can no longer work full-time. Before Accutane, I was a healthy, active young woman. It definitely ages you prematurely. If you haven’t had these awful symptoms, count yourself blessed.”

Experts definitely have agreed that if you’re able to find an alternative, that should be tried first.

 

ACCUTANE HAS THE BLACK BOX WARNING?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires the following “black box” warning on isotretinoin, including Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, and Sotret, which means that medical studies indicate these drugs carry a significant risk of serious, or even life-threatening, adverse effects.”

HowToClearYourAcne.com © All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to freely print, unmodified, up to 200 copies of the most up to date version of this document from http://www.howtoclearyouracne.com, or to copy it in off-the-net electronic form.  Permission for any usual classroom use is granted. On the net/WWW, however, you MUST link here rather than put up your own page. If you had not seen a notice like this on the document, you would have to assume you did not have permission to copy it. This document is still protected by you-know-what even though it has no copyright notice. Please DO NOT send mail asking me if you can link here — you can do so, without asking or telling me.

NEXT STEP:

10 Steps to Cure Acne 10 Things Every Acne Sufferer Must Know for Clear Skin. A must have basic foundation for any beginner. Regular Price: $110 Your Price: $19.97 10 Acne Free Principles Magic Formula for Clear Skin Every Acne Sufferer Needs This Buy Package Now »