DRYNESS FROM ACCUTANE (ISOTRETINOIN, CLARUS)



Serving Hamilton, Stoney Creek, Grimsby and surrounding areas.

Dryness from Accutane for Hamilton, Grimsby and Stoney Creek

Accutane (Isotretinoin) General Recommendations:

  • Accutane works by decreasing sebum (oil) production in the skin.  Dryness is a very common and normal side effect of the medication.
  • There are many strategies to combat these side effects.
  • Put a humidifier in the bedroom, especially in the wintertime
  • Use lukewarm water to wash your face and body, hot water will dry out your skin
  • Do not wax your eyebrows, upper lip or any other parts of your body.
  • Your skin is very fragile and may tear easily if waxed during Accutane treatment
  • Do not have major cosmetic procedures (e.g. Laser Wrinkle Removal) performed while on Accutane or within 1 year of finishing a course of the medication because excessive or abnormal scarring may result.
  • You must wait 6 months after finishing Accutane to have a Exfoliating Peel
  • You must wait 3 months after your last dose of Accutane to have an IPL treatment (Fotofacial) or microdermabrasion
  • If your dryness is severe and intolerable, your dose of Isotretinoin may be lowered

Accutane (Isotretinoin, Clarus) - Specific Recommendations:

Patents often ask my advice about the products that they should use to combat the side effects of Accutane. I have chosen La Roche-Posay skin care products because these products meet my high standards for effectiveness and cosmetic elegance.

  • Wash your face once or twice daily with a gentle cleanser such as Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser (milk or foaming mousse) which, can also be used to remove make-up
  • For very dry facial skin use a good quality moisturizer such as Toleriane Riche moisturizer which, is specially formulated for the treatment of dry, sensitive skin
  • For severely dry facial skin use a lipid emulsion such as Nutritic
  • Use a high, quality gentle bar soap, such as Surgras to wash your body or a non-soap cleanser such as Lipikar Syndet
  • For dryness on the arms, legs chest or back use an emollient such as Lipikar
  • The best time to apply moisturizer is after a bath or shower when the skin is still damp
  • For cracked lips regularly apply a moisturizing balm such as Nutritic Lips to the lips
  • If you will be in the sun use a lip balm with a sunscreen such as the Anthelios 60 stick.
  • Your skin may burn more easily than it normally would while you are taking Accutane
  • Therefore, you should protect yourself from the sun with a sunscreen such as Anthelios SPF 60
  • For dry eyes, regularly apply drops such as Tears Naturelle
  • Rosaliac cream may be used in the morning to conceal and improve the redness of your acne spots as they improve

Most of these products are available in my office for your convenience.

If you would like to learn more about any of these products, click on the underlined name in the text above.

A new treatment called Levulan PDT - (Photodynamic therapy) is available for acne. This treatment combines a medication called Levulan with either Blue Light or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments. Levulan PDT is an alternative for patients who do not want treatment with pills. As an added bonus it also treats brown freckling, shrinks pores, improves sun damage and increases collagen in the skin. All of these lead to smoother, younger looking skin and reduced redness at the same time. To learn more about Levulan PDT click here