My Treatment of Accutane Was Interrupted for 10 Days. Do I Have to Start the Treatment All Over?

Question

I had to travel and forgot to take roaccutane with me. I had been talking it for 5 months already. Stayed 10 days without taking it. Do I have to start the treatment from the beginning?

Steven E. Rasmussen, MD, FAAD · Answer

Small gaps up to a month or little longer have no significant impact on the end results of the therapy as long the total dose of the treatment is eventually achieved.   It is the total dose not the daily dose that seems to be the determining factor in achieving long lasting control of acne with isotretinoin therapy.

Barry Resnik, MD · Answer

Missing doses of Accutane will not affect the ultimate result. Stopping the medicine for periods of time is a common practice when dealing with side effects. We use a target dose per kilogram of body weight to ensure best results. Your doctor will take this into account as you approach the end of your therapy.

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

Just continue taking your medication. When you go back to your doctor, tell him/her that you skipped those 10 days because it will factor into the calculation for your weight/mg of Accutane calculation for how much more medication you'll need to take for the course. But don't double up or do anything crazy, just continue your medication.

My Treatment of Accutane Was Interrupted for 10 Days. Do I Have to Start the Treatment All Over?

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My Treatment of Accutane Was Interrupted for 10 Days. Do I Have to Start the Treatment All Over?

Answers (3)

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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.