Can I stop taking Roaccutane early if my acne has cleared up?

Doctor's Answers 5

This is not an easy question to answer because there are a lot of factors that a doctor will need to to consider before starting or stopping Roaccutane. The best person to ask would be the doctor who has been treating you and following you up because he or she knows your condition best.

In my opinion, it is not ideal to stop it immediately. You may want to continue on a low dose for a period of time as a maintenance. This is to avoid a rebound acne breakout, which can happen if one stops taking Roaccutane suddenly.

In summary,

1) Give your doctor/clinic a call to arrange an appointment to see your doctor

2) Explain your concern - medication is expensive

3) Let your doctor assess your condition and advise you further. There may be alternatives that your doctor can recommend

Hello Chia,

Prescription of Roaccutane (Isotretinoin) is based on your weight. The target dose in the treatment of inflammed acne (especially severe, pus filled acne) is 120mg/kg.

While it is tempting to stop isotretinoin use once your acne has cleared up, hitting this target dose will reduce the chance of a relapse in future.

For example if you are 60kg, you will need to completed 7200mg of isotretinoin. Depending on the dose that you are taking daily, the treatment duration will vary.

Most patients are able to tolerate a dose of 20-30mg/day. We will titrate the dose according to the side effects that you experience. It is also good practice to monitor your blood cholesterol and liver function test as there are rare instances that these parameters may be affected with treatment.

Hope this answers your question

I wouldn't rush to stop Roaccutane.

From my experience with patients, I prefer to tail them down over a period of 6-8 months until it's about once a week before I stop it.

I find that this helps to stabilise them for a longer period of time.

Prior to starting on Roaccutane, I think that it's always useful for patients to discuss the long term plan for the Roaccutane course with their doctors to get a good gauge of what his/her experience will lead him to prescribe.

Hope your acne stays away!

Hello Chia

Thank you for your question. Roaccutane treatment is usually tailored and the treatment dose and duration are determined by a few factors - patient weight/ acne severity/ response to treatment/ side effects from treatment.

Some doctors prefer to achieve a total cumulative dose of 120mg/kg as it may reduce the risk of acne relapse. This will take months to years in some cases. Other doctors may have a different approach that is unrelated to body weight. You should speak to your doctor first before deciding.

Good to hear that your acne is clearing up! All the best.

Regards,

Great to hear that your face has cleared up! However, I personally I wouldn't stop Roaccutane prematurely before you have completed the course.

As Dr Jiwei has mentioned, there is a target dosage of 120mg/kg to "hit" in order to complete the regimen.

Studies have shown it is the total cumulative dosage that affects whether your acne returns.

Similar Questions

Is oral spironolactone effective for the treatment of acne?

Permanent solution? Roaccutane. Personally, I don’t subscribe to the scary effects that the internet and some doctors make it out as having, because there have been many good studies that show it is a very safe drug, if prescribed and managed appropriately. You can read this previous post about accutane in Singapore, and my personal experience with it. Having said that, spironolactone is also a very good choice in acne treatment for females, especially if you find that your acne is hormonal (happens cyclically, say around your periods), and occurs mostly at your jaw/chin/neck.

Photo of Human

Answered By

Human

Should I see a skin doctor for cystic acne on my cheek, or can I use OTC products?

Cystic acne happens when an infection/inflammatory process goes deep into your skin. If a cyst bursts, the infection can spread, causing more breakouts. By definition, cystic acne tends to scar. Hence if your cystic acne looks very red, angry and inflamed like that 2 big zits on the chin: It’s best to nip it in the bud early by seeing a dermatologist/doctor for effective treatment.

Photo of Human

Answered By

Human

Ask any health question for free

I’m not so sure about a procedure...

Ask Icon Ask a Question

Join Human

Sign up now for a free Human account to get answers from specialists in Singapore.

Sign Up

Get The Pill

Be healthier with our Bite-sized health news straight in your inbox