Scarring on Accutane in places on my face that had no previous acne

Question

On isotretinoin going on 3 months now. I noticed I'm developing atrophic scarring in places I had no previous acne. Like my forehead and chin. Are developing ice pick and rolling scars. Why ? I'm very concerned that scarring will worsen. :(

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

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

You need cosmetic treatments now.  You need a cosmetic dermatologist who specializes in acne scarring/pigmentation and does a combination of treatments including: surgery, subcision, or TCA cross for deep or pitted "ice pick" scars; fillers like Bellafill or Sculptra or Radiesse for broad "boxcar" or "rolling" scars; Eclipse Micropen for all types of scars and improvement in texture and tone; lasers such as co2 laser resurfacing or Fraxel/Clear+Brilliant or radiofrequency such as Venus Viva to improve the scars and give long term collagen production. There are many options but you want someone who can customize a regimen for your short and long term goals based on your individual situation. Best, Dr. Emer.

Scarring on Accutane in places on my face that had no previous acne

Answers (2)

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