Can I Have Liposuction While I'm Taking Accutane?

Accutane affects every organ in the body, especially the liver. The lidocaine tumescent solution injected during the liposuction to numb up the fat layer is filtered threw the liver as well as any IV sedation meds given during the surgery. Even tho the risk of problems is very little when either accutane is prescribed or liposuction is done alone, the combined effect could be dangerous. I would wait 2-3 months after off accutane to do the liposuction and get a blood test to make sure the liver enzymes are normal. There also is a little more risk of scarring from wounds while on accutane but this is minimal.
David Hansen, MD

Definitely no liposuction or any kind of elective surgery while on Accutane. Isotretinoin (Accutane) tends to make wound healing somewhat more challenging by creating greater inflammation, and possibly hypertrophic scarring. You may want to postpone elective surgery for 6 months after completion of Accutane.

Liposuction can be performed while on Accutane, but the scars made on the skin may not heal as well as a procedure done while off Accutane. Liposuction addresses the deep subcutaneous tissue and should not be adversely affected by Accutane.

Dear Reetha,
Good for you for asking this question as you must be careful while on Accutane. While on Accutane and for 1 year after, you should not have any surgical procedure. Once you're safely off of it and you've waited the appropriate amount of time, it is then okay to have the liposuction treatment if your doctor recommends it. Hope this helps!
Dr. S

Since Accutane slows down wound healing and can affect scarring in unpredictable ways, it seems unreasonably risky to me to have a completely elective surgical procedure while on Accutane.

You are not able to get any type of liposuction if it’s laser assisted. While you’re on Accutane it makes you extremely sensitive to any type of heat, laser, light, sun. You’ll need to be off of Accutane for at least 6 months before considering a laser liposuction.

Accutane is a wonderful medication, but it can be pretty hard on the liver. In fact, one of the main side effects seen in many people who take the medication is alteration of liver function enzymes. We check these regularly when someone is taking Accutane.
The safest way to perform liposuction is to use the tumescent technique, or injection of large amounts of dilute local anesthetic solution. Lidocaine is the anesthetic used. Lidocaine can be toxic if high amounts are in the body. The liver has the job of clearing lidocaine from the bloodstream.
If the liver is irritated, damaged, or not working properly as a result of a medication such as Accutane, toxic amounts of lidocaine can build up in the body and lead to very serious complications.
I would advise any patient to wait until they were off Accutane, even if the liver appears to be working properly on the medication. It is simply not worth the risk.

Accutane is a powerful medication with strong side effects related to skin regeneration. Liposuction should be safe from that stand point but I would be worried about general anesthesia. In my practice, I would rather wait but I would also involve my anesthesiologist and the patient's internist in this decision. The liver function tests will come back in general higher which will create some controversy.
If I learned one thing from my training and practice: if does not feel totally right, wait do it later!
Good luck!

Accutane effects skin regeneration and healing. This is mainly important when laser procedures are considered on the face.  Accutane can also cause deformities in utero, so women cannot take it if they plan on getting pregnant.  It should not impact healing from liposuction.

The greatest concern with Accutane, as it pertains to cosmetic procedures, is its effect on skin regeneration. Accutane decreases the body's ability to regenerate or regrow skin. So, procedures that strip or burn off the skin, like laser skin resurfacing or chemical peeling, should be avoided for at least 1 year after stopping the drug. Accutane also has effects on the liver, which is the organ that processes the anesthetic used during liposuction. This might cause a greater risk of receiving a dangerous dose of anesthetic. You are better off waiting until you are off the drug, although the length of time you need to stop it to normalize this effect is less clear. Check with your board certified plastic surgeon. Good luck!