When will I see improvement from Accutane?

I'm currently in my 6th week of a 4-month course of Accutane 60 mg. I was wondering, when I will be seeing some sort of an improvement? I have a few cysts under my skin. Will Accutane still push these out to a head, or because of the decrease in sebum, will they just simply fade as the bacteria lessens in the cysts?

2 answers to “When will I see improvement from...”

A: Patience is needed for all acne treatments including Accutane

Steven E. Rasmussen, MD

I tell all my patients to be patient for the first couple months. Everyone responds to Accutane; however, the timeline varies for everyone.  The usual goal for each patient is to reach a total dose of 120-150 mg/kg, with the daily dose usually being 1 mg/kg per day. Thus... more

A: Timeline of Accutane improvement

Bryan K. Chen, MD

Within the next 4 weeks you should see some degree of improvement.  The cysts may or may not come to a head (frequently not).  I expect to see few new acne lesions developing after 2-3 months of therapy.  For the cystic acne, a helpful additional treatment  even while a person is on... more

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