Will stopping Isotretinoin therapy before reaching total target dose increase the risk of acne relapse?

Doctor's Answer

I personally would say that you should consult your doctor. Aside from blood tests and dry lips, my personal experience is that a relapse occurs if too low a cumulative dose is achieved within the next 2 – 3 years.

My practice when prescribing Isotretinoin is to slowly taper the dose, based on the clinical outcome as well as social needs like pregnancy and side effects minimisation. This includes placing them on a maintenance dose for a duration of 6 months.

In my patients, a sudden stopping (usually by themselves) tends to cause acne outbreaks, and they wrongly think Isotretinoin is at fault. Take heart and continue walking through the course with your trusted doctor!

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