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Is 20 milligrams a week of Accutane enough to stop oily skin?

Author: Dr. Bobby Buka

Nobody likes excessively oily skin. While the oils may protect your skin from signs of aging, it can certainly do more harm in the form of acne—and a lot of it.

Thankfully, there are many options to combat oily skin nowadays, one of which being Accutane.

accutane for oily skin

What is Accutane?

Accutane is a drug used in acne treatment in order to reduce the production of oil over a period of months, which reduces overall acne and ailments caused by it.

While called Accutane widely, Isotretinoin is the name of this drug.

This is an untraditional, yet viable route to combat oily skin. Even 10 milligrams every day for this off-label indication would do just fine. With ten milligrams a day of Isotretinoin (Accutane), you will be able to decrease sebum production, leading to a less oily complexion.

Does Accutane dry your skin?

In a way, yes.

Because of the way Accutane works to reduce overall sebum production, this can cause dry skin in certain areas temporarily.

Accutane for acne side effects

There are a few side effects with a treatment for oily skin as effective as Accutane. In fact, blood monitoring is necessary during the months you take this treatment in order to monitor certain levels.

There are no specific recommendations for monitoring blood work using this low dose for an extended period of time. Some additional risks, such as bony problems, can result in bone weakness and hyperostosis, when using the medicine for a long-term.

Other side effects of Accutane for acne are:

  • Dry skin
  • Itchy skin
  • Rashes
  • Dry nose and nose bleeds
  • Cracks in the corners of your mouth
  • Dry mouth
  • Dry lips
  • Skin cracking and peeling
  • Joint pain
  • Dry eyes

Due to the nature of the drug, these side effects may vary from person to person, while some may not experience many at all.

Can you drink while on Accutane for acne?

Drinking alcohol while on Accutane for oily skin is not advised due to the way both alcohol and this drug may interact, particularly with large amounts of alcohol.

You may even experience unpleasant side effects while drinking on Accutane, like dizziness, tingly skin, nausea, and more.

 

This treatment for oily skin isn’t something that’s available over the counter.

If you want Accutane to treat oily skin, make sure to book an appointment with us to determine if this is the best course of action for you and your acne!