Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site aecom.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!bbnccv!bbncca!linus!philabs!aecom!werner From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) Newsgroups: net.followup,net.med Subject: Re: Lack (??) of cures for acne Message-ID: <1867@aecom.UUCP> Date: Thu, 22-Aug-85 00:49:09 EDT Article-I.D.: aecom.1867 Posted: Thu Aug 22 00:49:09 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 25-Aug-85 06:28:29 EDT References: <191@tekig5.UUCP> <104@cithep.UucP> <470@baylor.UUCP> Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY Lines: 38 Xref: watmath net.followup:5228 net.med:2180 > A much more reprehensible result of modern research priorities is the total > lack of a cure for ACNE. Bill the Cat died of this horrible disease, which IS > bacterial in origin! Who's next? Actually there are several effective treatments for acne. Topical antibiotics work for some, not for all. Also a good one is Accutane (Isotrenoine or cis-retinoic acid), which is a kinked analogue of Vitamin A. Given for a short time, it works in a large percentage of cases, and its effects are permanent -- i.e. just like a cure. During the administration, the side effects are just slightly worse than taking high doses of Vitamin A alone (but Vitamin A is toxic in high doses -- not as high as are given here though by a safe margin) The side effects are dry skin, cracked lips, nose bleeds -- this stuff really dries you out. Also are blurred vision and headaches. Oh, for the first few weeks, the acne gets worse. There is also something concerning serum cholesterol, which has to be monitored. Also for women: it is very important that you not be pregnant since Accutane causes birth defects (just as Vitamin A overdoses do) in early fetuses. Thus, most dermatologists will not start women on this drug until after menses, to insure they are not pregnant, and advise them in no uncertain terms not to get pregnant while on the drug. From personal experience, I was on it several years ago for 3 months. (just when it became available for secondary trials.) I had every side effect, even ones I didn't find out about until later. Some of these went away with a slightly lowered dose. About two months after I went off it, my acne was gone (and the acne on my back was so bad it kept me from sleeping sometimes beforehand). Except for a small facial blemish here and there, it has never recurred. It was hell for three months, but it has generally been worth it. [Besides, I thought Bill the Cat crashed his sports car? ] :-) -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner "The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"