Accutane and Laser Hair Removal

There is always a risk of blistering from laser hair removal, even if the practitioner uses the same parameters that you tolerated fine in the past. Therefore, it would not be wise to rush into hair laser removal within 4-6 months after completion of Accutane to minimize hypertrophic scarring.

Accutane inhibits the reepithelialization capacity of the follicles and hence, the skin in general. Laser hair removal, in most cases, should not require reepithelialization of skin and should thus be safe after Accutane treatment. In the extreme case where a burn occurs after laser hair removal, recent treatment with Accutane may disrupt the normal process of wound healing.

Dr. Khalil Khatri has demonstrated the safety of laser hair removal in patients who were taking Roaccutane in his study few years ago. He used diode laser for hair removal and we share our vast experience with long pulsed Nd:YAG laser in patients using Roaccutane. While invasive procedures causing wound formation are considered contraindicated, laser hair removal needs to be looked at differently - based on evidence. Since burns are now rarely encountered with conservative parameters used for laser hair removal, Roaccutane should be safe.

I recommend waiting 6 months after finishing a course of Accutane before having an elective invasive procedure, including laser hair removal. There is good evidence that patients on Accutane have an increased risk of keloid formation, and possibly delayed wound healing. While some have extended this waiting period to one year, 6 months is an adequate period to allow isotretinoin (Accutane) to clear the body, and procedures may be safely resumed at this time.

While laser hair removal is a non-ablative procedure, a blister could form if the setting is too high for your skin type. Accutane affects skin healing for several months after discontinuation of a full course (which is 4-6 months). In order to be safe, after a couple of months of such an abbreviated course, a test spot would insure no problems before a full treatmewnt is given.