Accutane ‘microdosing’: How women are taking low doses of acne drug to maintain perfect skin
THE quest for blemish-free skin has led many women to go online to illegally buy an intense acne drug only meant to be prescribed by a doctor.
BEFORE she started taking the popular acne medication isotretinoin, sold under the name Accutane, Rachel* says she suffered from “terrible skin” her whole life.
After she was prescribed a strong daily 80mg dose of Accutane by a doctor at the age of 19, her skin immediately cleared up.
But Rachel was afraid her acne would return once she stopped taking the drug, so she began “microdosing”, taking a small 20mg dose of Accutance twice a week in an attempt to keep her pimples at bay.
Microdosing is a term often used to describe the habit of taking a smaller dose of a drug than is typically recommended.
“I’ve done two official courses of Accutane through a doctor but am microdosing on my own terms after learning about it on bodybuilding forums,” Rachel told news.com.au.
“I had a few leftover from my script, but I buy them online now. It took a lot of research but I found a forum that doesn’t let sellers post their products until they send the moderators test results,” she said.
Now 25, Rachel says the peace of mind that comes with knowing her skin will always be clear is a huge relief.
“I don’t break out anymore. Growing up with acne was terrible and I can finally not feel disgusting without foundation,” she said.
Vanessa is also microdosing on Accutane, taking a smaller dose less regularly than she was prescribed by her dermatologist.
She’s always been extremely self-conscious about her skin and has found microdosing keeps big breakouts from cropping up.
“I just felt like all eyes were on my skin and the rough bumps that had started forming,” Vanessa told news.com.au.
“I tried every skincare product. I spent hundreds on skincare and finally I just thought, ‘I’m going to speak to a dermatologist and if they put me on Accutane, so be it,” Vanessa said.
She was given a prescription for a six-month dose, which cost her $30. Within eight weeks her skin was completely clear.
MORE: Woman’s amazing skin transformation after using Accutane
But when Vanessa stopped taking Accutane, her bad skin came back. She still had pills leftover from her old prescription, so she decided to start taking them again but less frequently.
“In the beginning I was doing one 20mg tablet a day and now I take one tablet every two days,” she said.
“It was the peace of mind of knowing my skin would always be clear and because it’s so cheap. Compared to spending hundreds of dollars on skincare products that may or may not work, this is a guarantee.”
Australasian College of Dermatologists spokesman Associate Professor Stephen Shumack says obtaining prescription medication through any means other than a qualified doctor is illegal.
“Legally, you have to be a dermatologist to prescribe Accutane. For a pharmacy to dispense it, it has to be prescribed by a dermatologist. So if they’re not getting it from a dermatologist, it’s illegal,” Assoc Prof Shumack told news.com.au.
“[Microdosing] is obviously off label and you normally would want this to be done under the supervision of a dermatologist,” he said.
Pregnant women or women trying to fall pregnant soon should not take Accutane as it can cause deformities in foetuses. Women who take the drug are required to use contraception.
This is the only long-term health risk associated with taking Accutane, Assoc Prof Shumack said.
“Accutane is one of those drugs that has a very high risk of deforming the foetus or baby. So we’re very keen to make sure pregnancy doesn’t occur when people are taking Accutane,” he said.
“If people are taking it for a long period of time they need to understand that risk and use appropriate contraception. That is the main serious complication from a long-term low dose.”
Accutane’s side effects include extremely dry skin. It can also exacerbate feelings of depression and self harm among people with a history of mental illness.
Accutane is often nicknamed the “suicide drug”, with a spate of suicides linked to young people who took it for their acne.
The side effects of Accutane were even used as part of a teen’s defence case in a murder trial earlier this year. A 15-year-old boy stabbed a woman to death in Colorado and his lawyers argued the drug can invoke aggressive behaviour.
Both Rachel and Vanessa say the side effects — both dryness and impact on mood — are reduced when taking a small dose.
“I’ve found that microdosing compared to a regular dermatologist-prescribed dose has less side effects. Microdosing is definitely preferable,” Rachel said.
Vanessa said the only downsides are dry skin, eyes and dandruff.
“I’m more thirsty, but you don’t have to wash your hair as much,” she said.
*Name has been changed for privacy reasons.