Drinking while on Roaccutane/Accutane is not recommended so if you are a heavy drinker you need to be extra careful.
For young people who see drinking as a social hobby this is a difficult prospect, but going tea total for a short period of time is a small price to pay for clear skin.
One of Accutane rare side effects is liver damage. Whilst taking Accutane, you will need a monthly blood test to check your liver, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. This may seem like a time wasting chore but peace of mind concerning your health, is priceless. Your dermatologist will be looking for Hepatitis and Pancreatitis.
Drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis can also cause liver damage so mixed with Accutane, you have a dangerous combination.
When I was on Accutane I drank in moderation and I’ve never experienced any problems. What do I mean by moderation? - adhere to the recommended daily unit intake. So a key word you want to remember is moderation. Don’t binge drink on Accutane.
The UK Department of Health advises that men should not regularly drink more than 3 - 4 units of alcohol per day, and women should not regularly drink more than 2 - 3 units of alcohol per day.
What is a unit of alcohol?
- A pint of ordinary strength lager (Carling Black Label, Fosters) - 2 units
- A pint of strong lager (Stella Artois, Kronenbourg 1664) - 3 units
- A pint of ordinary bitter (John Smith’s, Boddingtons) - 2 units
- A pint of best bitter (Fuller’s ESB, Young’s Special) - 3 units
- A pint of ordinary strength cider (Woodpecker) - 2 units
- A pint of strong cider (Dry Blackthorn, Strongbow) - 3 units
- A 175ml glass of red or white wine - around 2 units
- A pub measure of spirits - 1 unit
- An alcopop (eg Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Breezer, WKD, Reef) - around 1.5 units
Check out The Department of Health website for more information