Accutane
(Isotretinoin) has been made available to patients with
severe nodular acne who do not respond to conventional
therapy (including the use of antibiotics) as a
successful treatment regimen since 1982. The drug,
presently prescribed at 0.5 mg to 2 mg/kg and given in
two alienated doses daily with food for a period
of 15 to 21 weeks. The stress on prescribing the doses
with food is based on studies that reveal its increased
bioavailability under such circumstances. Accutane
benefits start within 4 to 8 weeks
after the drug is discontinued and so it matters little
whether total clearing is achieved or not. In any event,
the use of Accutane has dramatically changed the
scenario as far as management of relentless
treatment-resistant acne is concerned. However it needs
to be kept in mind that there are side effects of
Accutane.
What are the
various Acutane benefits?
Among some of the notable Accutane benefits is
the durability of the remission which may last for
months to years with most patients for whom acne was
considered to be an incurable disease condition. Also
significant is the totality of the remission in almost
all cases. Although the mechanism of action of Accutane
is not fully understood, the drug produces a rapid and
forceful inhibition of sebaceous gland activity within
two to four weeks of starting the therapy that accounts
for the early clearing. Also, the P. acne
population is
drastically reduced during the treatment which might be
caused due to a decline in intra-follicular lipids that
encourage the growth of organisms. Also unexplained are
some of the Accutane benefits that include the drug's
anti-inflammatory characteristics and its effect on
follicular keratinization pattern.
However,
in terms of absolute cure of moderate to severe acne, Accutane
benefits pale away when compared to similar or
even far better benefits that are provided by the
holistic path of treatment. While Accutane clinically
addresses at inhibiting the oil production of sebaceous
gland activity, thereby forcefully controlling the oil
production for a limited period, the overall activity of
holistic therapies hits at the root cause of the problem
and solves it for good. A little bit of elucidation will
clear the picture thoroughly. Does Accutane help in the cure of
severe acne?
Over
production of the sebaceous oil is triggered by hormonal
imbalance in the body. Hormonal imbalance is triggered
by toxin-ridden vital bodily organs like the kidneys,
liver, colon, lungs, skin, etc that are unable to clean
the blood and the lymphatic glands of their toxic
contents. Change of diet, elimination of fast food, junk
food, red meat, alcohol and other harmful food and
beverages along with change of lifestyle re-activates
these organs to purge away the toxic debris accumulated
within the system. And once this is achieved, the
hormones start acting normally, signaling the oil
producing glands to produce that much oil only which is
suitable for the skin to remain healthy and
resilient.
The causes of acne are complex and multi factorial. Holistic remedies often work best because in this approach the body is treated as a whole, and all the individual causes of acne are identified and treated. So rather than just treat the symptoms, holistic remedies treat the acne from the inside and completely eradicates it from the inside. The results are thus much better than the Accutane benefits.
