Acne Scar Treatment While on Accutane?

Accutane is a very effective medicine for treating ongoing acne. However, it dramatically affects wound healing and it would be wise to avoid any surgical treatment for acne scarring until you are off of the medication. Conservative facials or light peels can be done while on accutane and fillers can be used but nothing that can affect wound healing should be done while on accutane and not until being off of acutane for at least 10 to 12 months.

Accutane is a go-to medication for patients with recalcitrant cystic acne. It can reduce pore size and also reduce sebum production in your skin, making it less oily; and in turn, dryer. Accutane can be used to control acne, but patients receiving the medication should be carefully monitored. In terms of skincare, always wear an appropriate sunscreen and reduce direct sun exposure. In my patients, I recommend a good ceramide moisturizer such as Elevase whenever they are on Accutane. This will keep the skin hydrated and reduce the oiliness of the skin that is associated with oil-based moisturizers.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Any treatment that requires healing of the skin surface should not be performed while on Accutane. This product can impair of delay healing. Some physicians recommend waiting at least 6 months and others advise up to 2 years.

Generally 6 months after finishing would be safe, though 1 year would be ideal. That said, it all depends on how aggressive one is as far as acne treatment. Mild things like chemical peels & microdermabrasion & fillers & subcision would be fine after 6 months, while ablative or resurfacing lasers (e.g. CO2, fractional lasers) are worth waiting for 1 year to be perfectly safe. Good luck!

Accutane affects wound healing. Therefore, you should be off accutane for at least one year before undergoing any ablative or surgical procedure to treat the acne scars.

There is no resurfacing procedure, neither ablative nor non-ablative, that is recommended until AT LEAST 6 months after Accutane is discontinued. The same goes for peels. Less aggressive treatments can be tested after 6 months, but most wait 12 months to be sure.
If the scarring is the result of irregular contours, filling in the depressions with Restylane, Cosmoderm, Evolence, Radiesse, or Juvederm may be an option while on Accutane . Talk to your dermatologist.

Thank you for your question.

It is very important to not be aggressive with any surgical or scar removal procedures while on accutane. It is generally recommended to wait 8-12 months after finishing accutane before doing any surgical procedure, or one that would cause damage to the top layer of the skin. In that regard, CO2 laser resurfacing would be a great choice for many acne scar patients, but if you've done accutane, even this is something I would wait for almost a year after finishing accutane before doing. Simply waiting will ensure that you have a minimal risk of complications.

Good luck!

Accutane can interfere with the production of collagenase. This is an enzyme that breaks down excessive collagen during the healing process. When this happens, a keloidal type scar or a hyperplastic scar (excess tissue) may result. This is why most dermatologists and plastic surgeons advise avoiding ablative procedures for 6 months to a year after Accutane.
Many of us, including myself, have used collagen injections to help acne scarring. I never had an untoward result and have not read of the same in others. Although I am unaware of similar findings with hyaluronic fillers, these appear to be safe for acne scar injections also.