Breakouts after being on Accutane for 10 months, what now?

Question

I used to get cystic acne on my face, shoulders, and back. I went on a 10 month long accutane course in which i took a 40 mg pill every day. Once my course was over, my skin cleared up perfectly. However, a month after my course ended I started to get breakouts again. It started off not as bad but is progressively getting worse as time goes by. So my question is: what now? Even after being on the drug for 10 months, i still am getting frequent breakouts.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

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

Pankaj Chaturvedi, MD · Answer

Hi.. there may be multiple reasons associated with recurrent relapses of Nodular/cystic acne. The most common are - improper total dose of isotretinoin, associated hormonal factors, insulin resistance and vitamin D3 deficiency (metabolic factors) . If you have taken Isotretinoin , the total cumulative dose should be in the range of 120-150 mg/kg of your body weight. Also get your hormonal profile done to rule our hyperandrogenemia , insulin resistance, PCOS (if you are a female ). In females, the most common cause of relapse is PCOS.

Breakouts after being on Accutane for 10 months, what now?

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Breakouts after being on Accutane for 10 months, what now?

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Accutane

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.