This 17 year old male patient has been dealing with acne for the past three years. He has tried topical and oral prescriptions and although he did see some improvement, he was still breaking out. He stated he was also concerned with the scarring left from his acne. After consulting with Dr. Badia and his family, we felt that the next best step for this patient was isotretinoin therapy, or Accutane.
Accutane or isotretinoin is a medication used not only to treat severe acne, but also to treat acne that has not responded to less aggressive treatments. Dr. Badia has over 10 years of experience with this medication. Accutane is a serious medication; therefore Dr. Badia will often use this treatment option as a last resort.
Isotretinoin is an oral medication in a class of medications called Retinoids, vitamin A derivative. It works by slowing the production of certain natural substances— mainly the oil glands— that can cause acne to form. This medication can cause a number of side effects; therefore Dr. Badia will always do baseline blood work on patients recommended to start this treatment, to make sure the patient is healthy overall before taking this medication. She will also order blood work monthly to ensure this medication is not causing any harm to the body.
Below is the same patient above after a 5-month course of isotretinoin therapy.
This 17 year old male patient has been dealing with acne for the past three years. He has tried topical and oral prescriptions and although he did see some improvement, he was still breaking out. He stated he was also concerned with the scarring left from his acne. After consulting with Dr. Badia and his family, we felt that the next best step for this patient was isotretinoin therapy, or Accutane.