Accutane Alternatives
I remember both my cousin and I, who were only two years apart
in age, each suffering through adolescence with fairly severe
acne problems, dreamt of a day when we'd find a miracle cure for
a smooth and beautiful complexion. I, on one hand, had been on
everything from Retin-A to Tetracycline and Erythromycin for my
acne. She had also been prescribed these drugs and even
additional topical treatments which would work for a little
while, but then become ineffective.
That was fifteen years ago. At this time, there were no serious
and effective alternatives to agressive acne treatment. Accutane
was pretty much it.
I remember feeling envious when she was allowed to go on
Accutane, which at the time was practically a "miracle"
treatment for those with stubborn and persistent breakouts. The
drug was not without it's warnings back then though. I remember
the biggest warning was to not get pregnant while on the
medication. It was actually mandatory to be on birth control if
you were being treated with Accutane, since the medication
drastically increases the likelihood of birth defects.
Other than that, I was oblivious to any other warnings and I
didn't care about them quite frankly. When you're fifteen and
you have severe acne, you would do almost anything to have a
clear complexion, especially when your peers can be cruel about
physical imperfections!
Green with envy, I tracked my cousin's progress eagerly, and
hoped to talk my parents into allowing me to go on this
agressive medical treatment. Her skin did break out much worse
at first - to the point where she did not want to go out in
public due to the large and painful inflammations. This was a
known drawback, so I took heart in knowing she would clear up
later. Then, as promised, her skin did clear very nicely, and
all that was left was the old scarring.
Looking back, I am glad I never took this serious drug.
Especially now, hearing about the new allegations of serious
depression and even suicidal tendencies that some Accutane
patients have experienced. You can't search the net for Accutane
without coming across stories of litigation, and advertisements
for lawyers who exclusively represent Accutane patients.
Not only are the potential side effects scary, the drug also
permanently dries up your primary oil-producing glands, which
are the mechanism responsible for acne. While this is good in
acne prone adolescents, what about when your skin starts aging?
You WILL need that oil as your skin ages, to replenish and
protect the moisture in your skin, and help prevent the signs of
aging and progression of wrinkles.
My cousin now has some regrets too, since her skin seems to be
chronically dry and flaky. She blames the medication for some of
her premature aging signs as well, and hypothesizes that had she
not undergone Accutane therapy, her skin may have maintained
more of it's elasticity in later years.
You should know, there are some excellent natural alternatives
on the market today that will prevent and fight acne internally
just as well as Accutane can, for a fraction of the cost, with
no adverse side effects and excellent, long-lasting results. You
just need to know where to look!