How long after accutane can I restart my laser hair removal treatment?

Question

Hi, I only took isotretinoin (accutane) for 4 weeks and I stopped on the 29/12/14. How long do I have to wait before starting laser hair removal? Thanks in advance.

Michael H. Gold, MD · Answer

This is a tricky
question and the answer depends on the treating physician and their comfort
level of using laser hair removal when on or just off Accutane.  Many years ago, when I was a dermatology
resident, our program published a paper that said if you had dermabrasion (the
real thing) within 6 months of taking Accutane, there was an increased risk for
scarring.  A subsequent paper stated that
this time period should be a year.  Most
of us do not think a year is accurate but the paper is in the literature so one
must be careful when having potentially aggressive treatments within the first
year after taking Accutane.  Having said
this, there are now numerous publications in the medical literature of patients
who have been on Accutane and even just off Accutane who have had laser hair
removal without any associated side effects. 
So most of us are comfortable treating patients with laser hair removal
on or just off Accutane, but I would encourage you to seek out a board
certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon who has a great deal of experience
in laser hair removal.  This should not
be a problem in most, but the risk of scarring is always there when one does a
laser hair removal procedure.  I hope
that answer helps some.

F. Victor Rueckl, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

The answer to this will depend on the type of laser, the strength of your Accutane, and the advice/experience of the treating office. There is no one good answer for this. Some places will make you wait 6 months before laser treatments; others will be fine to treat you now. But it will all depend on the answers to your questions above.

How long after accutane can I restart my laser hair removal treatment?

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How long after accutane can I restart my laser hair removal treatment?

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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.