Melanie Hecker, MD

Any dose of Accutane can cause side effects, although some side effects are worse with higher doses.  Make sure you see your dermatologist for a live examination to properly evaluate and treat your current skin problems.

There is actually no good evidence that Vitamin E helps with side effects of Accutane.  Check with your dermatologist for more evidence-based medication that will help your issues after a good live examination.

Accutane may have unmasked something that was already there, but hidden by active acne lesions.  Have your dermatologist do a live examination of this problem.

I think you should be on 0.5 - 1 mg/kg per day for at least 20 weeks.  However, efficacy is really based on the cumulative dose, so if you take half the recommended dosage, then you should be on it for at least 40 weeks.  Sometimes dosage is kept low because of side effects, so if you don't want potentially drier lips or more thinning hair, you may want to stay on this lower dose for a longer period of time.

There should be no interaction between Panadol and Accutane, but check with your pharmacist to be certain.