Isotretinoin (Accutane) Guidelines

Dryness: You WILL have dry chapped lips and may experience dry skin.
Duration: You will take the medication for a set period, usually 6 months.
Office Visits: You will need to be seen every month in our office.
Labs: You will need to get labs checked on therapy. Most people require labs once before they start, once on the lower dose, and once on the higher dose. If there are lab abnormalities, it may be necessary to get labs more frequently.
Birth Control: Female patients will need to be on two forms of birth control or be abstinent during treatment, as well as one month before and one month after.
iPLEDGE: Female patients will have to log onto iPLEDGE every month to answer the questions.

Pharmacy Pickup: Pick up your medication from the pharmacy as soon as possible. Female patients have 1 week after getting the pregnancy test to pick up the medicine. It's better to do it sooner rather than later in case there's a backup at the pharmacy or prior authorization is needed.
Meal Timing: Take your medication with the largest meal of the day, as isotretinoin is fat soluble. About 15 grams of fat are required for absorption, such as olive oil, butter, peanut butter, etc.
Other Medications: Stop all other medications for acne, including over-the-counter acne treatments and antibiotics like doxycycline or minocycline while on Accutane if you are taking these for acne (if taking to treat active infections, please stop isotretinoin and call your dermatologist).
Nasal Care: Apply Vaseline or saline-based nasal spray to prevent nasal dryness or nosebleeds.
Skincare: Use daily moisturizer and lip balm, and wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or above. If vacationing in a sunny place, temporarily stopping the medication may be advised.
Precautions: Don't get pregnant, donate blood, have elective surgery, share medication, or consume excessive alcohol while on isotretinoin. If you develop a depressed mood, stop your medication immediately and call your doctor.