Accutane is causing my severe acne to constantly pop non stop 24/7 constant blood and acne discharge. Is this normal?

Question

I started acutane and my cystic acne is extremely severe. As soon as I started the med my acne is popping like crazy I go to sleep and there is pus and blood all over the towel I lay on the pillow and I had to stop working school because it’ll continuously push pus, blood and the acne itself. Is this normal and how can I clean my face when it’s extremly painful and itchy.

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

Sheetal Sapra, MD, FRCPC · Answer

Thank you for your question. 
Accutane is a great and safe medication to treat severe acne. In some cases for patients when they start the medication they can have flare ups within the first and second month. The breakouts will start to settle down as the course of the treatment goes, you may still find you get a random breakout which will clear out as time goes. Some breakouts may be more severe than others, keep in mind you must clean the skin daily to prevent the risk for infection. I usually recommend my patients to use a gentle cleanser with water twice a day and pat dry gently. Using an ice pack to help relieve the swelling and possibly relieve swelling, warm compresses will help to bring out the discharge. Do not itch or scratch any areas that are sore as you can break the skin and introduce bacteria which can cause an infection, also try to avoid touching your face as much as possible. Also, once the inflammation is relieved you can benefit from laser to help treat any possible scarring, VBeam or Genesis will work on any red pigmentation scarring where Laser Toning will work on brown pigmentation. Depending on your skin tone your doctor will discuss if you're a candidate and if other options are available. Talk to your doctor if you don't find any improvement or if this worsens.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Sheetal Sapra, MD, FRCPC

Accutane is causing my severe acne to constantly pop non stop 24/7 constant blood and acne discharge. Is this normal?

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Accutane is causing my severe acne to constantly pop non stop 24/7 constant blood and acne discharge. Is this normal?

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.