Originally published October 7 2005
Health risk of Accutane drives search for alternative acne treatments
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
As documentation of Accutane's side effects grows, doctors and patients consider other ways of treating acne, including photodynamic therapy, in which a blue laser is shone upon the face for ten minutes after a medication is applied to the skin.
Life changed when Giardino entered high school and a dermatologist prescribed Accutane (isotretinoin) after milder acne medicines didn't work.
Nearly 17 million people have acne, according to the National Institutes of Health, making it the most common skin disease.
That's when an overproduction of the male hormone testosterone causes the skin's sebaceous glands to enlarge and produce the oil called sebum, which is largely responsible for breakouts.
"Bacteria thrives on sebum," said Dr. Deborah Sarnoff, a dermatologist in Greenvale.
If the acne takes the form of deep, inflamed cysts, which can cause pain and permanent scarring, doctors may eventually recommend a retinoid called Accutane, which is a derivative of vitamin A and considered by many to be the drug of last resort.
It may cause damage to the eyes, stomach, liver, intestines and other organs.
There have also been reports of suicide and suicide attempts among users.
Although doctors say they've always counseled their patients about the risks and urged them not to get pregnant while being treated, nearly 2,000 pregnancies have occurred among Accutane users since it was introduced in 1982, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
IPLEDGE covers every step along the Accutane trail, from wholesalers who distribute the drug and doctors who prescribe it, to pharmacists who dispense it and the end user: the patient.
Female patients are required to submit two negative pregnancy tests before being prescribed the drug.
All the extra paperwork is going to make it more difficult for patients to be treated with Accutane, said Dr. Frank DeMento, chief of dermatology at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola.
It takes three to five treatments for the photodynamic therapy to be effective, but the results may be temporary.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml