Posted by Larry Hoover on November 23, 2004, at 8:23:17
In reply to Re: Larry: What is your opinion on accutane?, posted by stresser on November 22, 2004, at 15:51:44
> Larry,
>
> The Accutane only works when I am on it. -LI took a closer look at Accutane (isotretinoin, or 13-cis-retinoic acid). Hmmm.
For the majority of people taking it, long-term suppression of acne occurs when the cumulative dose meets the the threshold of 120 mg/kg. Daily doses should come close to 1 mg/kg.
So, if you're 120 lbs., as an example, you're 55 kg (divide by 2.2). That means your daily dose should be about 50 mg, and you need to stay at that dose for a little over four months (at 1 mg/kg/day, you need 120 days to get to the cumulative threshold). That seems to be the "best practice" recommendation. As isotretinoin interferes with vitamin A metabolism, it is not recommended that anyone use the drug long-term.
A couple of years ago, somebody came up with a potential mechanism for how it works. It inhibits one of the steroid conversions that takes place in the skin itself. The problem is, it inhibits other steroid reactions occurring elsewhere in the body. Messing with hormones can have nasty consequences. I think that's why they make the recommendations the way they do.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:417092
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041123/msgs/419246.html