DermTV - Low Dose Accutane [DermTV.com Epi

Accutane cures acne... if used at a certain dose. But can low dose accutane cure acne? In this episode of DermTV, Dr. Schultz discusses the pros and cons of low dose accutane.

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[TRANSCRIPT]

Accutane, in my opinion, is one of the most important "wonder drugs" of the 20th century. In curing otherwise untreatable cases of acne, I have seen it literally turn around lives and careers of people that were otherwise limited or even in decline as a result of the physical and emotional stigmata of relentless scarring acne.

For accutane to "cure" acne, it must be taken at a dose of at least 1 mg/kg of body weight for approximately five months. So for example, if you weight 130 pounds, you need 60mg per day.

But, accutane has certain unpleasant short term, albeit reversible side effects. These include dry skin, chapped lips, increased muscle aches and pains after sports or workouts, and even elevations of blood levels of triglycerides, one of the fats in your blood.

These and other short-term side effects are strictly dose dependent. That means they increase with higher doses of accutane. So they are more apt to occur at a full dose of 1mg/kg than they are at a quarter mg or even a half mg/kg.

And interestingly, these lower, or "low dose" accutane treatments do a pretty good job of controlling acne and stopping even severe acne breakouts.

So why not just take low dose accutane and avoid the dose dependent side effects that occur in so many people at full dosage?

Very simply because low dose accutane controls acne, it doesn't cure it. Actually, when you stop low dose accutane, your acne comes right back.

So low dose accutane, meaning doses less that 1mg/kg, while able to control acne, does not cure it. While there are some circumstances where low dose accutane may make sense... such as in post-menopausal women with ongoing acne breakouts... in general, teens and young adults with acne should be treated with a full dose to eradicate and cure their acne once and for all.

Like most other things in life, if you're going to do it, you may as well do it right. And in this case, if you're going to do it, please... do it only under the supervision of a doctor.


[ABOUT DERMTV]

Everyone can have beautiful, healthy, and younger looking skin, and DermTV, the Internet's daily skincare video show, will demonstrate how by revealing expert tips and techniques and by providing real solutions for real skincare issues.

Skincare (whether cosmetic or medical) previously required a trip to your dermatologist or a shopping spree at the pharmacy. And that's if you have a trusted nearby dermatologist or a local informed pharmacy. But not anymore. We at DermTV are committed to making best-in-class dermatology and skincare guidance accessible to everyone, anytime, at your computer.

Every weekday, our host, Dr. Neal Schultz, one of New York's most trusted and respected dermatologists (see bio below), teaches skincare's most timely and timeless issues. Topics include: the best at home techniques and new technology for facial rejuvenation, preventing and fixing sun damage from wrinkles to skin cancer, breaking news in dermatology, general skincare topics, and more.