Is Accutane worth it?

Mostly yes. 3 of the 5 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 76%.

What is Accutane's Guru Score?

Accutane holds a Guru Score of 76%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

Who is Accutane best for?

Accutane is generally suited to acne-prone skin.

Accutane

Accutane.

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About this product

Accutane is a prescription oral retinoid, the brand name for isotretinoin, taken by mouth to treat acne.

Guru Score

76%

Yay

5 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

Severe cystic acne is where this prescription pill earns its strongest praise, with many takes calling it a powerful option for breakouts that risk scarring. Pregnancy is the firmest warning, since it can cause severe birth defects. Some takes also raise worries about mood and bowel disease, though better research finds no bowel link. Results can take about two months, so those with milder breakouts may want to try gentler options first.

Synthesized from 5 expert reviews · most recent take May 2026

What they liked

Can prevent scarring from severe cystic acne
May improve mood and quality of life
Shrinks oil glands to address acne at its root

What they flagged

Dry skin and chapped lips nearly unavoidable

Best for

Acne-prone skin

Type

Capsules & gummies

Where to buy

Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Doctorly

3.59M subs

✓Mixed

"Will it shrink your nose? Yeah, it can for some people, and I've definitely seen that, and it's also gone viral outside the looksmaxing community. [...] It reprograms your oil glands, it can be curative for acne, and that permanent shrinkage of oil glands where they're densest does have a physical change."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

✓Yay

"Accutane, branded name for isotretinoin, an oral retinoid, that quite literally was one of the most game-changing inventions in dermatology. [...] Before Accutane, if you had acne, nodular acne, scarring was the outcome. You were going to likely have scarring in some capacity. [...] When isotretinoin came on the scene, it completely changed that because it's really the only medication that can, being the key word here, cure the acne."

Top Pick: acne treatment

All 4 takes from Dr Dray

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"I micro dose Accutane so I currently take two pills a week each one's 40 milligrams which has really been great. [...] Accutane is the brand name of isotretinoin a retinoid given by mouth to treat acne. It works because it is a comedolytic meaning it dissolves blackheads and whiteheads and it also is sebum suppressive it reduces the output of oil."

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HOW SAFE IS RETINOL IN PREGNANCY? Dermatologist @DrDrayzday

"Accutane is a retinoid given by mouth to treat acne and while it's very effective for many people for treating acne it is not at all safe during pregnancy it causes severe fetal malformations that are not compatible with life."

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"They play up the controversial link between Accutane and depression, but in reality numerous meta-analyses show it may actually improve your overall quality of life, though it's prudent to monitor for mood changes while on the medication. There's also a claimed link between Accutane and inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's, [...] but higher quality research and meta-analyses actually show no link between inflammatory bowel disease and Accutane."

208SkinDoc

2.10M subs

✓Yay

"I had a bigger one on my cheek a couple of weeks ago. I took Accutane when I started to feel that deep one coming up, and it knocked it down, perfectly."

Top Pick: acne treatment

All 8 takes from 208SkinDoc

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"This patient's a candidate for Accutane. They've got a lot of acne and they're at risk of scarring. They really need a treatment plan to go ahead and prevent future scarring from really bad acne. Accutane can be a great option in those circumstances."

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"I might actually just put a patient on Accutane and really try to dry up those oil glands so that they're not getting this recurrently because topical medications like retinol are although effective can only go so far if you have this many forming on the skin you might need to treat it from the inside and Accutane can be a really good option and because there's not a ton of inflammation it's not inflammatory cystic acne a course of Accutane is probably going to take a little longer but ultimately it would give you a really good result."

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"I had a bigger one on my cheek a couple of weeks ago. I took Accutane when I started to feel that deep one coming up, and it knocked it down, perfectly."

Don't Take Accutane Until You Listen to This!

"Accutane is the ultimate acne treatment, and it far and away exceeds the results from topical acne treatments and oral antibiotics because once you stop taking it, the acne does not tend to come back in most patients. I took it myself for about four months as a resident and had a pretty durable response just from that, and I've been happy ever since."

How to Handle Pesky Pimples - Skinfluence Podcast Episode 4

"For the most severe cases of acne that are especially at risk of causing scarring, Accutane is typically going to be the go-to. It's a great option, it is curative to the acne, and it has a high cure rate. It's not a perfect pill, a lot of people think they're going to go on Accutane and their acne is gone forever, but it's a great option to use after we've tried less intensive things."

Accutane and Depression: What the Science Says

"I took it myself and haven't had any long-term negative effects, and most people don't either, though twenty to thirty percent will see some acne relapse down the line. The bottom line is Accutane works wonders for severe acne, but it comes with the potential for side effects and strict guidelines for use, and while relapses are possible, many people do get long-lasting relief."

How @JoeFazer Cleared His Acne - Dermatologist Explained

"It is not a toxic drug that should be banned from the market, and it's also not a drug that's appropriate for everybody with a pimple, but in the right patient, with a good relationship with your dermatologist to determine candidacy, it is something I think is a very good drug, and I absolutely love that we have a medication that can help people regain their confidence."

Is Red Light Better Than Accutane?

"It also gets patients started more slowly, since they don't really see a lot of improvement until they've been on it for about two months. Still, I think Accutane can be a good drug."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

✓Nay

"Accutane, a prescription acne medication, has been the subject of numerous lawsuits. Plaintiffs claim the drug caused serious side effects including inflammatory bowel disease and birth defects. The manufacturer of Accutane faced multiple losses and eventually discontinued the product in some countries."

Hyram

4.33M subs

✓Yay

"Accutane is basically a prescription medication that you take that's really intense but it's one of the best things if not the best thing to get rid of really severe cystic acne. I can't even count how many dramatic transformations I've seen from Accutane. [...] While it can be a really painful, just uncomfortable process most of the time, it gives pretty incredible results."

Top Pick: severe cystic acne treatment

All 2 takes from Hyram

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"I almost guarantee she's on [...] Accutane. It's a really, really powerful treatment that is life changing for so many people, especially if you have severe cystic acne like this. Typically with really severe acne like that you're going to need medication, and Accutane is an incredible option for that. It's been life changing for so many people."