One of the ways in which acne treatments differ is the degree of their effectiveness. When it comes to stopping acne once and for all, studies and real life results have shown that Isotretinoin, known under the brand name Accutane, is the best acne treatment there is. Let us examine how this acne treatment works, what are its side effects, and how effective it is.
Isotretinoin is a kind of retinoid, which is a very pure form of Vitamin A. Taken orally it works by decreasing the size of the sebaceous glands, and is also capable of reducing the number of skin bacteria. It is generally used to treat severe cases of acne, especially those who have not responded to any topical or other oral antibiotic treatments. Duration of treatment varies depending on the severity, wherein some patients just need four months of taking this medicine while others need to take it for up to a year. 
Users will generally have an initial reaction of the acne looking much worse because the breakouts will become more inflamed in appearance. This will pass after a few days and will be replaced by dry and flaky skin, which will be its general condition while one is undergoing treatment. The lips will also experience cracking and some bleeding. This is why it is recommended to use oil-free moisturizer on the face and also apply lip balm or petroleum jelly on the lips. Other side effects include nosebleeds and dizziness.
A more serious side effect would be on women who are pregnant or become pregnant while taking this medicine. It will cause birth defects on the infant. For this reason, patients are asked to sign a certification that they are not pregnant and will use birth control while under treatment. Isotretinoin will not however affect fertility and it is safe to be pregnant one month after completing the treatment. Despite these side effects, people still request to be prescribed this treatment due to its effectiveness.
Eighty-five percent of patients report to have completely clear skin even at the middle of treatment. Even better is that one will experience benefits long after the treatment has stopped. Acne outbreaks will happen rarely, or none at all. Also, there will be no scarring after the acne has cleared up. Because of this, dermatologists and patients alike believe that this is the best acne treatment available right now.