New Acne Medication, Absorica, Launched In U.S.

There's a new severe acne treatment that will soon be hitting the market. It's a pill called Absorica.

Now, the active ingredient in Absorica is one I'm sure you've heard of before -- isotretinoin (better known as Accutane). The big difference, though, is that Absorica can be taken with or without food. This is unlike Accutane, which needs to be taken with a meal (and a high-fat meal at that). This helps the medication to absorb better. Not having to plan your treatment around your next meal could be a big plus to some.

But, just like all isotretinoin medications, this one won't be a good fit for everybody. You'll need to be monitored by your dermatologist while taking it, because it can cause side effects (some of them serious). And, you'll need to register in the iPledge Program. It's required for anyone taking isotretinoin medications.

For what it's worth, isotretinoin has been under a lot of scrutiny lately. Isotretinoin medications have been blamed for causing depression, suicides, and inflammatory bowel disease (although as of yet there is still no smoking gun of proof). Some people believe that Accutane was taken off the market in 2009 by its maker because of these problems. The manufacturer said it was simply no longer financially feasible for them to continue to market it.

So, the decision to take isotretinoin is a personal one that needs to be made with your dermatologist. But now there seems to be one more option.