Is It Safe to Have Laser Hair Removal While on Accutane?

Question

I've been doing laser hair removal for over a year on my brazillian area and underarms. I'm am very tolerant and any redness from treatments fade in less than an hour at a very high setting. I recently found out about a "low dose" accutane regime. All my life I've been fighting acne and oily oily oily, but I've avoided accutane because of the side effects but I've heard that low doses don't have as many. Would it be safe to do both at the same time?

Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is not advisable to do laser hair removal while on Accutane as this could increase chances of scarring from these procedures. You should actually wait for at least 6 months after you complete Accutane to resume laser hair removal treatments.  I hope this helps.

Benjamin Barankin, MD, FRCPC · Answer

We have historically said that you shouldn't do any lasers while on accutane, but there are many types of lasers treating different things. Generally speaking, for laser hair removal, to be safe, I would wait a minimum of 1 month after Accutane for laser hair removal, but to be even safer, I would prefer waiting 3-6months. In the past we said to wait 1 year before any laser, but that is overkill.

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

It is not advisable to do lasers and Accutane at the same time, as Accutane makes you hyper photosensitive and more likely to burn from the lasers. I allow my patients to do laser treatments if they are off Accutane for a minimum of 48 hours before a laser treatment, then go on the medication again after the treatment, and so on. (Accutane has a half life of 24 hours, meaning the majority of the medication is out of your system in this time.) Some physicians will allow this, others won't. So you'll need to follow up with your physician to determine what they will and won't allow.

Is It Safe to Have Laser Hair Removal While on Accutane?

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Is It Safe to Have Laser Hair Removal While on Accutane?

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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.