Fraxel Ok if Taking Roaccutane?

One should wait at least 6 months after accutane therapy before having a Fraxel treatment. Accutane changes the way skin heals and it is safest to recover before having laser treatment or surgery. If surgery is unavoidable, it may be performed but special precautions should be observed. Ask your surgeon.

There is a lot of controversy as to the time period after cessation of Accutane therapy before undergoing laser resurfacing. At one time, it was suggested that people be off Accutane for one year prior to undergoing laser resurfacing. Today we don’t wait anywhere near as long. The recommendation is 1-6 months based on different physicians’ viewpoints.

If you have non-ablative (such as Fraxel Restore) you can usually safely have that laser 6 months after Accutane treatment, if you have ablative (such as Fraxel Repair) you should wait 12 months.

12 months waiting period after completion of isotretinoin (Accutane) for laser resurfacing, dermabrasion, or chemical peel has been a dogma in cosmetic dermatology. However, more and more physicians have experience in performing fractionated laser resurfacing such as Fractional CO2 Laser Resurfacing 6 months after completion of isotretinoin. The key is to work with an experienced board-certified dermatologist to make sure that you are a good candidate prior to procedure and to manage... more