Accutane Question

[JimC3078]

Hello.  I have been on Accutane for the last 5 months.  My acne is clearing and I have no new breakouts, however I have lots of red marks where the acne was (post inflamatory hyperpigmentation possibly?)?  Anyway, I was just curious if blue light or red light treatment would help, and can I use the light treatment while on Accutane?  If not, what else could I do to reduce the appearance of the red marks?  The acne is on my chest and is very hard to look at.  I live in Florida and it is very hot and I cannot take off my shirt with this look.  It seems to not be fading at all.  Thanks for your help.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

You don't need to do anything, Jim.  Red marks left over from acne can take several months to fade, but once the Accutane has stopped new ones from forming the spots always go away.  Save your money.  You should be very happy in the not-too-distant future.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[loiloi]

Hi. Laser treatment or microdermabrasion will clear your scars. However, you must wait for 6 months after finishing Accutane before having these types of treatments. This is because your skin will be sensitized and scarring or irritation could occur.
Eloise.