Advanced acne medication is an oral medication used to treat moderate to severe and chronic acne. It is a Vitamin-A derivative (retinoid). The liver naturally makes small quantities of isotretinoin from Vitamin-A, but the drug we prescribe is made synthetically. Isotretinoin was developed in the 1950s, and was first approved for treatment of severe acne in 1982. Annually, about 30,000 patients benefit from Isotretinoin treatment on the NHS and many more receive treatment by private prescription. All told, millions of patients have benefitted from Isotretinoin therapy in the past 40 years. Follow this link for further information on Isotretinoin.

Possibly. However, waiting lists are typically 6+ months and longer since coronavirus. If you are developing scarring from acne, waiting another 6 – 9 months will leave permanent reminders of the delay. Even when you start, your treatment may be discontinued if health services are overwhelmed. We had a large number of patients transfer to our private care when their Roaccutane treatment on the NHS was abruptly discontinued due to coronavirus.

Isotretinoin reduces your acne by:

1. Shrinking the size of your skin’s oil glands.
2. Minimising the volume of oil in your glands by up to 80%.
3. Reducing the Propionibacterium acnes bacteria that live in skin oil due to the smaller size of glands and volume of oil.
4. Slowing the speed of cell production in your pores, which reduces clogging.
5. Decreasing inflammation underneath your skin.

Patients who receive a therapeutically appropriate dose of Isotretinoin tend to fall into one of two categories. They either enjoy several years of relief from acne, or they enjoy permanent relief. The manufactures of Roaccutane do not claim that it is a cure for acne. Isotretinoin therapy is currently the most effective, fastest acting and longest lasting treatment for adult onset acne.

Advanced acne medication is a very powerful and effective treatment, but it does have some serious potential risks. It can cause severe and long lasting damage to a patient’s health, which is why blood tests are critical and why the dosage must be prescribed by an experienced doctor. For women, the medication causes birth defects so they must not become pregnant while taking the medication and for several months after finishing it. There are no reproductive issues for men who take the treatment. The medication can cause changes in mood, and causes dryness to the membranes (skin, mouth, eyes, lips, etc.) and sensitivity to light. It can also cause serious health issues such as a spike in cholesterol, drop in Gamma GTs indicating you’ve developed a neutropenia, etc. Therefore, the dose must be balanced to keep these side effects bearable during the 5 – 7 month treatment cycle. Because of these risks and inconveniences, advanced acne medication is a treatment of last resort when a patient has exhausted other options such as over the counter treatments, oral and topical antibiotics. The key advantage of advanced acne medication is that it has an extremely high success rate in resolving acne that cannot be helped in any other way. Patients who complete the course tend to enjoy benefits lasting from several years to the rest of their lives.

By law, Isotretinoin is a Prescription Only Medication in the United Kingdom. That means you must be assessed by an experienced doctor, and have regular blood tests, regular check-ups and regular pregnancy tests (if applicable) before being issued a prescription. Any website that purports to sell Roaccutane, Accutane or generic Isotretinoin to a resident of the UK without a prescription is by definition breaking the law. If after paying your money you actually do receive tablets, the medication from such websites is either counterfeit or may have an unpredictable volume of active pharmaceutical. In any event, please, please don’t take a chance because the health and psychological repercussions could be serious and long term.