It depends on the treatment. Gentle options like hydrating facials, Botox, lash services, and IV therapy are usually fine on Accutane, while anything that wounds or strips the skin (waxing, microblading, microneedling, deep chemical peels, and ablative laser resurfacing) is typically postponed. The most important rule: clear every treatment with your prescribing dermatologist first, and never stop Accutane on your own to get a cosmetic service.
If you are on Accutane and wondering which cosmetic treatments on Accutane are safe, the short answer is that it depends on whether the treatment wounds or stresses your skin. Accutane (isotretinoin) is excellent at clearing acne, but it changes your skin in ways that make some treatments risky and others perfectly fine. Here is how to tell the difference, and why coordinating with your dermatologist matters more than anything else.
Why Accutane Changes What's Safe
Accutane works by shrinking your oil glands and speeding up skin cell turnover. That clears acne, but it also leaves your skin thinner, drier, more sensitive, and slower to heal. Your skin barrier is more fragile, so it tears, burns, and irritates more easily than usual. You also become more sensitive to the sun. Because of that, the concern with cosmetic treatments is mostly about healing and skin trauma. Treatments that simply sit on the surface or work below the skin are usually low risk. Treatments that wound, strip, or resurface the skin are the ones that need to wait.
The One Rule That Matters Most
Before any cosmetic treatment, tell both your prescribing dermatologist and your provider that you are on Accutane. Never stop or pause your Accutane on your own just to get a treatment, since that decision belongs to the doctor managing your acne. This article is general education, not medical advice, and your dermatologist always has the final say for your individual skin. A good provider will ask about Accutane during your consultation, and a great one will adjust your plan or recommend waiting rather than risk your skin. That caution is a feature, not a hassle.
What You Can and Cannot Usually Get on Accutane
Usually fine (with provider approval)
- Gentle hydrating facials. A soothing hydrating facial without strong acids, aggressive exfoliation, or extractions can actually help with the dryness Accutane causes.
- Botox. Because Botox is injected into the muscle and does not resurface the skin, it is generally low risk. Dermal filler is more of a case-by-case conversation, so ask your provider.
- Lash services. A lash lift or lash extensions do not treat the skin barrier, so they are generally fine. Your eyes may be drier, so mention it to your lash tech.
- IV therapy and wellness drips. IV therapy hydrates and delivers nutrients without touching your skin barrier, so it is not affected by Accutane.
Usually worth postponing
- Waxing. The clearest one to avoid. Accutane makes skin fragile enough that waxing can tear or lift the skin. Ask your dermatologist how long to wait afterward.
- Microblading and cosmetic tattoo. These create open wounds in fragile skin, raising the risk of poor healing, scarring, and bad pigment retention. A non-invasive brow lamination, which does not wound the skin, is a lower-risk way to groom brows in the meantime.
- Microneedling. It creates hundreds of tiny wounds, and impaired healing makes this a common one to postpone. Defer to your dermatologist, and see how microneedling affects reactive skin in general.
- Medium and deep chemical peels. Deeper peels remove significant layers of skin and carry a real scarring risk on Accutane.
- Ablative laser resurfacing and mechanical dermabrasion. These are the treatments experts still recommend avoiding on Accutane.
What About Laser Hair Removal and Light Peels?
This is where things have shifted. The old standard was to wait six months after finishing Accutane before almost any treatment, a rule based on a few small reports from decades ago. More recent consensus reviews from dermatologic surgery experts found insufficient evidence to justify delaying superficial chemical peels and nonablative lasers, including laser hair removal, for patients on or recently off isotretinoin.
In plain terms, the science now suggests laser hair removal and superficial peels may be safer on Accutane than the old six-month rule assumed. That said, practice still varies, your skin is more sensitive, and the safest move is to let your provider and dermatologist make the call together for your specific situation.
Can You Get Botox on Accutane?
Botox is the most searched treatment for people on Accutane, and the good news is that it is generally low risk. Because Botox is injected into the muscle and does not resurface or wound the skin's surface, it avoids the healing concerns that come with peels and lasers. Most providers are comfortable continuing Botox during Accutane, and since it does not damage the skin barrier, it does not require the long waiting period that resurfacing treatments do. Even so, tell both your prescribing dermatologist and your injector that you are on Accutane so they can confirm the timing is right for you.
Can You Get Filler or Lip Filler on Accutane?
This is one of the most searched questions, and the answer is similar to Botox. Dermal filler and lip filler are injected under the skin rather than resurfacing it, so they carry less risk on Accutane than treatments that wound or strip the skin. Even so, they place product into skin that is more fragile and slower to heal, which is why most providers treat filler on Accutane as a case-by-case decision, and some prefer to wait until you finish your course. Always clear dermal filler or lip filler with both your prescribing dermatologist and your injector first. If you are planning ahead, getting lip filler before you start Accutane is generally fine once it has settled, though the timing is still worth confirming with your provider.
Does Accutane dissolve fillers? No, and this is a common myth. Accutane (isotretinoin) works on your oil glands and skin cell turnover, not on the hyaluronic acid used in most fillers, so it will not dissolve or break down filler you already have. Hyaluronic acid filler is only broken down by an enzyme called hyaluronidase, not by Accutane.
Can You Get a Facial on Accutane?
Yes, as long as it is the right kind of facial. Gentle, hydrating facials are usually fine on Accutane and can actually help with the dryness the medication causes, provided they skip strong acids, aggressive exfoliation, and extractions. What to avoid are facials built around glycolic or salicylic peels, microdermabrasion, or heavy extractions, since those strip or wound already-fragile skin. Ask for a soothing, barrier-friendly treatment, and see our facial treatments for the gentler options that suit sensitive, Accutane-era skin.
Can You Get a Lash Lift on Accutane?
Generally, yes. A lash lift and lash extensions work on your lashes, not on the skin barrier, so they are not affected by Accutane the way skin-resurfacing treatments are. The one thing to keep in mind is that Accutane can leave your eyes drier and more sensitive, so let your lash technician know you are on it so they can keep the treatment gentle and comfortable.
Not Sure What's Safe for Your Skin? Let's Talk First
Accutane does not mean you have to pause your entire self-care routine, it just means your treatments should be chosen carefully and coordinated with your dermatologist. At Eye Candy Medspa and Lash Bar, our licensed providers review your skin, ask the right questions, and build a plan that keeps you safe, seven days a week across our three locations. Book a consultation in Buena Park, Lakewood, or Newport Beach, or contact us here to get started.
Book a ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
Can you get Botox while on Accutane?
Generally yes. Botox is injected into the muscle and does not resurface the skin, so it is considered low risk. Always confirm with your provider and dermatologist first.
Can you wax while on Accutane?
No. Waxing can tear fragile, Accutane-thinned skin. Avoid waxing during treatment and for a period afterward, and ask your dermatologist when it is safe to resume.
How long after Accutane should you wait for treatments like microneedling or deep peels?
The traditional guidance is around six months for wounding or resurfacing treatments, though newer evidence is more lenient for some procedures. Your dermatologist will give you a timeline based on your skin and your dose.
Can you get facials while on Accutane?
Gentle, hydrating facials without strong exfoliation or extractions are usually fine and can ease dryness. Avoid facials with active acids, aggressive exfoliation, or extractions.
Can you get lip filler on Accutane?
Lip filler and other dermal fillers are injected rather than resurfacing, so they are lower risk than wounding treatments, but most providers still treat filler on Accutane as a case-by-case decision and some prefer to wait until you finish. Clear it with your dermatologist and injector first.
Does Accutane dissolve fillers?
No. Accutane works on your oil glands and skin, not on the hyaluronic acid in most fillers, so it does not dissolve filler you already have. Hyaluronic acid filler is only broken down by hyaluronidase, an enzyme, not by Accutane.
How long after Accutane can you get Botox, filler, or a facial?
Low-risk treatments that do not wound the skin, such as Botox, filler, lash lifts, and gentle facials, generally do not require the long waiting period that wounding or resurfacing treatments do. Your dermatologist will confirm the right timing for your skin.
Can you get a lash lift on Accutane?
Generally yes. A lash lift works on your lashes, not the skin barrier, so it is usually fine on Accutane. Your eyes may be drier and more sensitive, so let your lash technician know you are on Accutane.
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