Hospital Treatment for Acne

When most people hear the word acne, they may think of all the pizza and chocolate they were told not to eat, followed by the endless tubes of Clearasil they bought to combat pimples. They don't generally think "hospitalization." But for some extreme cases of acne, a hospital stay is required to effectively treat the condition due to the medication prescribed.

Outpatient vs. Hospitalization

While the majority of acne can be treated with home or over-the-counter remedies, or even visits to the dermatologist, chronic acne that has resisted all other procedures may require an alternative therapy. Some of these therapies may include exposing a patient to a narrow-spectrum blue light, attacking pimple-causing bacteria with a laser or exfoliating the top layer of the patient's skin with a brush or a chemical peel. However, these therapies are mostly performed on an outpatient basis in a dermatologist's office. A patient may be hospitalized while undergoing acne therapy if he is taking a last-resort medication--one with severe side effects that needs to be closely monitored. The most commonly prescribed drug of this sort is Isotretinoin, more commonly known as Accutane.

Indications

Isotretinoin is used to treat severe, chronic, nodular acne. This is acne in which the infection grows inward and leads to painful nodules and scars. The medication, which is derived from vitamin A, shrinks the sebaceous glands in the skin. This forces them to produce less oil. The medication is available in liquid-filled capsules. It is typically prescribed only for a short duration.

Side Effects

Isotretinoin is typically not given to women of child-bearing years due to the chances of birth defects, unless all other medications have failed. The medicine has strong drug interactions with typical antibiotics that a physician may prescribe to treat acne, including tetracycline drugs such as Doxycycline. Isotrentinoin may also damage the liver or exacerbate issues with diabetes, eating disorders, depression, metabolism, asthma or heart disease.