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

Doctor's Answers 2

If I were in your shoes, I’d definitely NOT stop taking isotretinoin until I’ve finished the course. Many studies have shown that the risk of acne relapse is much higher if you don’t complete the course.

The total dosage you need to take depends on your BODY WEIGHT as well.

Tapering your dosage wise, please speak to your doctor. Again, if I were you, I’d just stick to the dosage that he has placed you on, since it appears that you are not suffering any adverse effects (apart from dry lips, which is very common).

Perhaps there are other reasons which you didn’t mention for which you’d like to lower the dose. In which case, yes, there are indeed regimes where by you take a lower dose less frequently, over a longer period of time. Again, it should be your doctor advising you on what the most appropriate regime is.

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!

Similar Questions

Should I go to an aesthetic clinic or the NSC for acne treatment in Singapore?

In a nutshell, I think that the single most important factor is that the doctor takes a genuine interest in you, and treating your condition. Other considerations are secondary. Of course, as Dr Winston pointed out, it’s very important that you’re compliant to the treatment regime as well.

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Should I request for a higher dose of Isotretinoin if I am on a low dose regime?

Pertaining to your isotretinoin dose, your dermatologist has done absolutely the right thing. I wouldn’t consider 30 mg low by any means. 10 – 15 mg is what’s normally considered to be in the “low range”. Even if you “shopped” around for a different doctor, I don’t think their dosage advice would differ too much from your dermatologist. Besides, it’s still relatively early days. 2 months in, and you are responding and improving. If I were you, I’d stick, rather than twist with the dose.

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