The Worst Accutane Side Effect Nobody Wants to Talk About

When you’re making the decision about whether or not to take Accutane, you might notice that the list of potential side effects is pretty long and scary. If you’re on the fence about taking it, thinking about the worst side effect that you could face might make your decision easier (or harder). These side effects aren’t talked about enough, but if you’re on Accutane, you need to know about them. Here are the worst Accutane side effects nobody wants to talk about.

How can it happen?

In our effort to lose weight, we may put ourselves in a dangerous position. If you’re thinking about taking Accutane, consider reading up on its possible side effects. On average, there are over 400 adverse reactions that come with taking a standard dose of 20mg/day accutane and almost all of them include psychological disorders (i.e., depression). While it’s rare for someone who takes accutane to experience body acne (i.e., Accutane lips), it can happen if they’re not careful with how they use and store their medication.

What are the symptoms?

Acne is a pretty common condition, and can be a huge problem for many people. But acne isn’t always something you should treat with medication. With such strong medications on the market, it might seem that if you have acne, a dermatologist will recommend an oral prescription to take care of it. However, like other medications, there are side effects that come along with taking drugs like isotretinoin (also known as Accutane or Roaccutane). One of these side effects is weight gain, which may be severe enough to affect your quality of life. This causes many patients who go on Roaccutane to ask: does accutane make you gain weight?

How will my life be different?

For most people, taking Accutane is a huge life change. You’ll go through a period of extreme dryness and peeling. Your skin will be sensitive to light, heat, touch and chemicals. There’s also a risk you could lose your nose in extreme cases; that’s why many doctors won’t prescribe it for milder cases of acne scarring. But even if you have severe acne that hasn’t responded to other treatments, you still might not be a good candidate for Accutane—you may lose some weight as well as your nose!

How long does the effect last?

Acne often takes longer than you’d like to clear up, but that doesn’t mean you’ll still see results weeks or months after stopping treatment. Once your skin’s been free of breakouts for six months, your dermatologist may consider giving you a clean bill of health and say it’s safe for you to stop taking accutane. However, even after accutane has stopped working, it’s highly likely that your acne won’t immediately return. How much is accutane? That depends on whether or not your insurance covers it — and how severe your acne is in general. Generic versions are available from some companies at $10 per pill.

Can I prevent this from happening?

Probably not. If you’re taking Accutane, there is a very small chance that you could develop lipodystrophy. Lipodystrophy has two main parts: thinning and fatty deposits in one or more areas of your body (usually your arms, legs, face and/or neck). These changes are caused by a buildup of triglycerides within fat cells. Your doctor will want to periodically monitor for any indication of these conditions during treatment with isotretinoin; it’s important to note that even if these symptoms do appear in someone taking isotretinoin they may also be associated with other conditions (e.g., obesity). If left untreated, these side effects can lead to permanent disfigurement of affected areas.

What do I do if it does happen?

You’re going to want to talk with your doctor about what you can do in terms of controlling it and seeing a dermatologist. There is no cure for acne, but there are treatments that you can use that will clear up your skin. It may take some trial and error, but ultimately if you stick with it, your skin will be clearer than ever. If these side effects do happen, talk with your doctor so you know how best to handle them!