How to Take Care of Your Skin and Mind While on Accutane — and After (2023)

FAQs

How do I maintain my skin after Accutane? ›

In the first few weeks after completing isotretinoin, your skin is still likely to be red, flaky and sensitive. Therefore, it is best to keep your routine simple. Stick to a gentle non-comedogenic cleanser, a gel/lotion based moisturiser and a daily sunscreen.

There are several things that I think are important in a skin care regimen after isotretinoin therapy. These include the following: daily sunblock, a gentle cleanser, a daily moisturizer, and semi regular to daily use of a topical retinoid.

So, here's your Accutane care guide:

Mix equal amounts of Aquaphor and Egyptian Magic and apply a generous amount on all areas of your face and body, concentrating on areas where you are experiencing the most itching or dryness.

Treating acne with retinoids

Your acne will start to improve in one to two months, and the vast majority of people are clear at the end of treatment. However studies have shown that 80% to 90% of patients experience relapse within 12 to 24 months.

Some people do experience worsening if they have long-standing acne. This is usually due to purging, in which the isotretinoin pushes out dead skin cells and debris. Because your skin can become red and dry, the medication sometimes makes acne look more inflamed and obvious.

In the evening use a gentle, non comedogenic moisturizer such as Cetaphil night cream or Neutrogena deep moisture night cream. In the morning, use a good sunscreen such as Elta MD or Vanicream. If your lips are very dry, we recommend using Vaseline or Aquaphor throughout the day.

You should also apply a non-comedogenic moisturiser three times per day. Use a light product in the daytime such as Cerave Moisturising Lotion for Dry Skin Cetaphil Lotion, Aveeno Lotion or Cerave Lotion, and a heavier product at night such as Epaderm Ointment or Cerave Moisturising Cream for Dry Skin.

Patients with thick sebaceous skin may notice a thinning of their nasal skin with Accutane therapy as well. However, Accutane has also been linked to delayed wound healing. Therefore, patients need to discontinue Accutane for at least 6 months before any elective surgery involving the skin, including the nose.

Isotretinoin has a great advantage over antibiotics, in that four to five months of treatment usually leads to marked clearing of the acne and acne scarring. These improvements in the skin continue to occur, even after the Isotretinoin is stopped.

Usually the skin oiliness does return, but may not completely return to the degree it was before. Most patients find this is an additional benefit of the treatment.

What not to do while on isotretinoin? ›

plan to avoid hair removal by waxing, laser skin treatments, and dermabrasion (surgical smoothing of the skin) while you are taking isotretinoin and for 6 months after your treatment. Isotretinoin increases the risk that you will develop scars from these treatments.

The “with food” is important because this medication is better absorbed by the body with consumption of food. Specifically, it is best absorbed with consumption of fatty foods. I recommend patients take their pill twice daily with some type of fat–nuts, cheese, avocado, meats or fatty fish such as tuna or salmon.

“While it's impossible to completely avoid a skin purge when using new therapies like isotretinoin, retinols, or acids, the trick is to go slow,” says Dr. Gabriel. Introduce new products one at a time, and if irritation pops up, space out applications to every other day.

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking ISOtretinoin. You may have unpleasant side effects such as fast heartbeats, warmth or redness under your skin, tingly feeling, nausea, and vomiting. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.

Accutane will make you purge for the first 2-3 months before you start to clear, during this time the skin on your entire body will be weak, thin, and cracked. After 5 or 6 months your Rx will expire and you still have about a 25% chance of your acne returning.

YES, the best thing about Accutane is that it prevents acne scarring because it is highly effective in clearing up acne.

Isotretinoin can cause alterations in the adrenal hormone levels. Hirsutism and menstrual irregularity can be observed during treatment follow-ups.

They advise avoidance of all dairy products both during and after their treatment with isotretinoin.

Worsening acne is a temporary side effect: When you start taking isotretinoin, acne can worsen for 1-2 months before it begins to clear. This happens with many other acne treatments.

Depression can be a severe side effect of Accutane. Doctors usually tell people to stop taking the drug if they experience depression. Awareness of depression and mood changes with Accutane helps detect psychological side effects early. In some situations, depression may persist despite stopping this medication.

Does Accutane shrink your nose? ›

The short answer: No. "Unfortunately, Accutane cannot actually shrink your nose," said Dr.

If you want to wear makeup while using acne medication, apply the acne medication first. Yes, you can wear makeup, but you'll want to choose it carefully. Some cosmetics can cause acne.

A few medications known to hinder your ability to get wet include antihistamines, Accutane, and antidepressants.

While Accutane is exceptionally helpful for acne, it does not heal scar tissue. Other modalities, such as chemical peels and the carbon dioxide laser, are effective in treating damaged scar tissue.

People sometimes mention weight gain or weight loss when talking about Accutane. However, the FDA do not currently list weight change as a side effect of this drug.

Four to five months of Accutane treatment usually leads to clearing of acne. It is a potent medication that is very effective for nearly all types of breakouts.

Some people can develop serious skin rashes from taking Accutane. If you develop a rash, especially one that's accompanied by a fever or by blistering or peeling skin, stop the medication and contact your healthcare provider right away.

How Accutane Works. Put simply, Accutane permanently shrinks your oil glands. Because people with acne produce more sebum than necessary, the elimination of the excess causes your skin to stay clear because your pores no longer get clogged.

Isotretinoin can cause dryness that takes a while to settle after stopping. In many patients it does but one might need to be a bit gentler on t he hair for 3-6 months than they might have otherwise.

Is your skin permanently dry after Accutane? ›

The dryness of the skin is usually not a problem for most patients, as most patients with acne have oily skin anyway. However, some patients will experience dryness and peeling of the skin on the face. You can try regular moisturizers to combat this dryness. This dryness will disappear once the Isotretinoin is stopped.

Some people do experience worsening if they have long-standing acne. This is usually due to purging, in which the isotretinoin pushes out dead skin cells and debris. Because your skin can become red and dry, the medication sometimes makes acne look more inflamed and obvious.

Accutane is an effective way to defeat a severe acne problem; but are its results permanent? Most of the time, the answer is yes. For the vast majority of patients who take Accutane, severe acne never returns. There may be an occasional breakout, but those occurrences should be minor and uncommon.

Usually the skin oiliness does return, but may not completely return to the degree it was before. Most patients find this is an additional benefit of the treatment.

Say goodbye to your drying products and hello to your new super gentle skin care! Since Accutane does the heavy lifting, keep your routine simple: a gentle cleanser, a non-comedogenic moisturizer, and don't forget sunscreen. Also, favor so-called hypoallergenic treatments to minimize the risk of an allergic reaction.

A: There is no evidence that Accutane causes skin thinning. Accutane causes the skin to become fragile, or more sensitive, due to the decrease in oil production. People wrongly attribute this fragility to thinning.

The short answer: No. "Unfortunately, Accutane cannot actually shrink your nose," said Dr.