Roaccutane Treatment

Acne is a common skin condition that usually shows as oily skin with blackheads and whiteheads (comedones) and red or pus-filled spots or pustules on the face, chest, and back. Acne can also cause other types of spot formations including cysts, papules, and nodules. It varies in both severity, type, and the underlying cause of the condition.

Acne is caused by over production of oil or sebum in the sebaceous glands within the skin. These glands are close to the surface of the skin and attached to hair follicles, the sebum is produced to naturally lubricate both the skin and the hair, but in some people the glands produce too much sebum, leading to clogged pores that fill with dead skin cells and sebum and go on to become a host for acne-causing bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes or C.acnes (these used to be known as Propionibacterium acnes or P.acnes). All of this causes inflammation and the development of red, painful spots, pustules, or cysts, depending on the type and severity of acne.

Roaccutane (known medically as Isotretinoin) is a prescription only medicine taken in capsule form. It can be used to treat chronic forms of adult acne and in young people over the age of 12. Isotretinoin is a retinoid derived from Vitamin A and occurs naturally in small quantities in the body.

As an adult acne treatment, Roaccutane has been effectively used for over 30 years and is very effective in preventing further scarring from chronic forms of acne.

Accutane or Isotretinion reduces the size of the sebaceous glands, so less oil or sebum is produced. It also has anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, pores stop becoming clogged, the growth and prevalence of Cutibacterium acnes or C.acnes bacteria slows down, there is less inflammation, and acne activity such as pustule formation is stopped.

Under the professional supervision of our dermatology specialist consultant nurse, Jan Birch and consultant dermatologist, Dr Andrew Winter, Roaccutane is the fastest, most effective, and longest lasting treatment available for severe acne in patients who have not responded to other acne treatments, including the use of antibiotics.

Oral Roaccutane capsules can only be prescribed by a qualified consultant dermatologist or specialist prescriber as it’s a specialist acne medication. At Blemish Clinic, you will see either our dermatology specialist consultant nurse, Jan Birch or consultant dermatologist, Dr Andrew Winter. There are a broad range of acne medications, topical skincare, and treatment options available so during your consultation for acne treatment at Blemish Clinic, we will assess whether Roaccutane is the best solution for you. Isotretinoin is also available in a gel or cream option, depending on the requirements.

During your consultation, we will take a full medical history to discuss any underlying medical conditions or medicines you are taking which may conflict with the use of Roaccutane for acne treatment. Those with diabetes, kidney, liver, or bowel disease, severe allergies such as a peanut or soya allergy, and mental health conditions including depression are generally not suitable for treatment.

Roaccutane is not suitable for pregnant women or if you are planning on becoming pregnant during treatment. You must also not take Roaccutane if you are breastfeeding. You are advised to have effective contraception in place whilst under treatment as the medication can affect the development of an embryo or foetus. This will be discussed with you during the consultation. It is important to note that taking isotretinoin does not affect future fertility for either women or men.

The medication contains trace levels of soya oil, so it is important to alert us if you have a known allergy to soya or peanuts. Occasionally, although rarely, patients with known allergies of this kind can react to the very small levels of soya proteins present.

The most common side effects from the use of Accutane is dry skin, including dryness to the lips, the eyes, and inside the nose. You may also notice it on other areas of the body. Skin is somewhat more sensitive and fragile whilst under treatment, and thus you should avoid other treatments that affect the skin during this time including hair removal treatments such as threading, waxing, or laser/IPL hair removal.

Other side effects include mild headaches, body aches and pains. Rare complications include effects on vision and mental health.

You will be advised about the safety and all possible side effects from the use of Roaccutane to treat acne during a consultation, where you will jointly discuss if it is the best treatment option for you.

It clears inflammation, stops new inflammation, reduces the formation of closed comedones (whiteheads) and open comedones (blackheads), reduces cyst formation, clears papules, pustules, and nodules, and overall reduces the greasiness of the skin due to the restriction of sebum production.

Treatment with Isotretinoin achieves long-lasting results for sufferers of chronic acne, in some cases, the result can be as near to a cure or a significant management of the condition for many years. The sebaceous glands can be weakened, shrunk, and damaged to an extent that it stops them from over producing sebum in the same way as before treatment for many months or even years before retreatment is needed, if at all.

We believe in being transparent with our prices and want you to be fully aware and comfortable with the cost of your treatment. A full list of our prices can be found here. We will always agree a final price with you though before treatment commences.