As a skincare girlie who cruised through her teens without a single blemish on her skin, you can imagine how a sudden outbreak of adult acne was my worst fear, realised. I was in my late 20s, with severe breakouts—painful cystic eruptions followed by scarring that no antibiotics or topical treatment seemed to fix. It left me with one last option: isotretinoin.
What is it, you ask? Isotretinoin is a powerful oral medication primarily used to treat severe acne. While known to be highly effective, it comes with significant side effects and requires close medical supervision. "Isotretinoin works by shrinking the sebaceous (oil) glands and significantly reducing oil production," explains Dr Mikki Singh, medical director at Bodycraft Clinics.
This stops pores from getting clogged, prevents new acne from forming and also promotes skin cell turnover to keep pores clear. However, consistency is key—my own experience only revealed noticeable improvement after six months on the medication. Before you consider starting the treatment, here are some things to keep in mind.
The immediate risks of isotretinoin Dr Neha Khuraana, founder of House of Aesthetics, advises that after taking isotretinoin, it's common for the skin to remain dry for a long time. It may even become more sensitive and prone to irritation. I personally noticed dry, flaky skin, cracked lips that would sometimes bleed, and increased skin sensitivity, especially to the sun.
More severe but rare side effects like liver .