What is the treatment that some experts are calling a 'cure' for
acne?
In order to 'cure' acne a drug must aggressively address the
root causes of the disease, and stop it in its path.
Unfortunately there are so many contributing factors that cause
acne, there is never going to be a single miracle cure that is
able to address all of these causes. However there is a drug
that statistically helps 60% of people treated with it, to
effectively be cured from acne, and not require any further
treatment.
This drug is called Isotretinoin (Roaccutane), and it works by
stopping the driving forces behind acne - the excess production
of sebum, and the building up of the ducts, which combine to
cause blockages of the pores. The treatment is both very
powerful, and at the same time causes a range of troublesome
side-effects, including:
1) Extreme dryness of the skin
2) Extreme dryness of the soft mucous membranes such as inside
the lips and eyelids
3) Muscle and joint pains
4) Acne can be worsened for the first 8 weeks of treatment
5) Foetal damage if the drug is taken during pregnancy
6) Elevated liver enzymes
Regular blood tests are required during the treatment, which
generally lasts 4 months. This is a critical requirement of the
treatment, and is part of the licensing of the use of this drug
for acne, and should not be ignored. The blood tests will
monitor liver enzymes which can be elevated by the use of the
drug. This potential adverse effect on the liver may also
preclude individuals that already have liver damage (for example
from excessive alcohol abuse) from taking the drug.
This drug is very much a doubled edged sword, in that it is both
very powerful, but has some serious downsides. It must only be
taken under the close supervision of a specialist in this area,
and the full implications should be spelt out, at the outset of
the treatment. You should insist on a copy of the leaflet
produced by the drug company, to make sure you fully understand
all aspects of its use. This is not the sort of treatment you
buy over the internet, and administer to yourself.