If you’re not really sure what accutane is but you’ve heard of it before, it’s basically a very extreme treatment for acne. The full medical name for it is “isotretinoin”, but is more commonly known as accutane. It’s been proven to work more often than any other treatment pills or creams for acne, but one downside is the side effects. The side effects are what makes this acne treatment dangerous for anyone to take, and is part of why some insurance companies are hesitant when providing coverage for it. The most common side effects that were found in people taking accutane are:

• Conjunctivitis (pinkeye)
• Fragile or dry skin
• Cracked or dry lips
• Dry mouth
• Dry nose
• Itching
• Pain in joints
• Nose bleeding

Those are the main less severe side effects from accutane, but there are also some dangerous risks that can occur less often. The more severe side effects of accutane are:

• Severe headaches
• Nausea
• Visual disturbances (caused from increased pressure in the skull)
• Loss of night vision
• Irregular blood sugar level
• Abdominal pain
• Birth defects

Because of so many risks with accutane, it is used as a last resort for treating acne. The side effects listed above are just a few of the more common ones, but it’s because of those high risks that some insurance companies may not cover a patient using it for acne treatment. It all depends on your insurance company and what type of coverage you have. Your coverage may only include specific type of treatments, and since acne is life threatening some policies may not provide coverage for the prescription.

It is possible to pay for the prescription without any help from health insurance, but accutane can be very expensive to keep purchasing. Especially since in most cases patients are on accutane for six months at a time, the bills could pile up fast. A prescription for accutane is mainly given from a dermatologist, so visit your doctor if you are serious about using accutane. Your dermatologist will usually try other treatments first, since accutane is used when nothing else really works. Contact your health insurance company to find out if your policy will cover the costs of accutane, because every policy is different.