When Will I See Improvement from Accutane?

Be patient, I find that Accutane works every time. Some patients start to improve during their first month, others take the entire 6 months to get better. But everyone gets better.

While Accutane is the most effective treatment for acne, it does take time to work-- most patients should expect some improvement at month 2 or 3 of treatment.  This is because the effects of accutane-- reducing oil production, reducing inflammation and unclogging pores-- takes time.  Most patients notice fewer new acne lesions developing and the old ones shrink over time.   You are on a great course of therapy, be patient and you will get better! Best, Dr. Mann... more

Accutane is by far our most effective treatment for acne, and I rarely see a patient that does not get fabulous results. A typical course of Accutane is a 5 month course, and I maintain patients at 1mg/kg/day -- so at typical teenager of about 130lbs would get 60mg/day. Our goal is to get a total dose of 120-150mg/kg of medicine in over 5months-- I generally prefer the higher end of the dose. Some more severe or resistant patients may require a 6th or 7th month. Most patients see little... more

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, it usually takes 4-6 months to reach this total dose. However, the daily dose and the final dose may vary depending on the patient. Your doctor will determine your daily does and your final dose depending on your... more

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 accutane is intralesional injections of cortisone. Good luck.