Exact Answer : Minimum 3 months
Acne is a very common skin disease that is seen in almost 85% of individuals around the globe between the ages of 12-24 years or sometimes more. The onset of acne in adults is very common. Most individuals catch acne during their teenage days. Tropical treatment is helpful for mild acne and oral or any kind of hormonal therapy helps in moderate acne. But these treatments are not helpful in treating very high to severe acne. Some patients also feel that tropical treatments are a lengthy process and not convenient to use. According to them, it irritates the skin and is less effective than systematic therapy. Here comes the drug named Isotretinoin.
Accutane is a brand name for Isotretinoin. It is used in the treatment of very severe acne which otherwise is not cured by other medications. If you have a very extreme acne problem and are not responding properly to other medications, then you must opt for Accutane. Accurate is mainly a retinoid. It is a derivative of vitamin A.
If a patient has a very extreme acne problem then Accutane is prescribed. Accurate is a second-line treatment used for excessive and cystic acne. These acnes don’t respond to oral forms of treatment.
Accurate helps to reduce acne by shrinking the oil glands present in the skin producing sebum. This sebum attracts acne creating bacteria
Now let’s see the pros and cons of Accutane.
Pros
- If all other acne treatment fails to work, then Accutane benefits.
- It helps to fight against acne.
- It helps to clear acne scars
- It is safe for all skin tones whether it is oily skin or dry skin or sensitive skin.
Cons
- At first, the acne gets very worse before becoming better. There will be lots of acne in the patient which may cause anxiety in the patient. After one or two weeks, the frequency of the acne on the skin will start to reduce, and then it will reduce to zero or no acne.
- The common side effects noticed in patients are dry skin and peeling of the skin.
- Blood tests are required each month to check liver function and the total amount of blood count.
- Female patients should not be pregnant while or before taking this medication.
- It also causes depression in some patients.
- It also aggravates suicidal thoughts in patients.
Tanning is the darkening of skin through exposure to U.V radiation from natural sources like sunlight or artificial sources. These may be a tanning lamp or from other sources.
The tanning is caused by the damage of DNA to your skin. When damage takes place, the body creates a defensive mechanism against the ultraviolet rays.
People opt for tanning for many reasons. The socioeconomic factors including clothing styles, medical and dermatological reasons, perception of tanned skin to the society and for fashion trends.
How Long After Accutane Can You Tan?
| How long it takes time: | Minimum | Maximum | |
| For all skin types | 3 months | 6 months | |
Normal Skin | Dry Skin | Sensitive Skin | Oily Skin |
| 3 months | 3-4 months | 6 months | 4-5 months |
After Accutane, your skin returns to the normal condition within 3 months. But before a minimum of 3 months, it is dangerous to tan. Tanning and Accutane perfectly do not mix. It is risky to start tanning before 3 months as it will trigger severe side effects to the skin. After Accutane treatment, your skin needs some rest from other kinds of skin treatments. While the treatment is going on the outer layer of the skin gets thinner, so tanning occurs more quickly and deeper.
Why Does It Take That Long To Tan After Accutane?
While on Accutane treatment one should avoid direct sunlight. You should take sun protection to avoid the sun’s rays. As Accutane makes the stratum corneum thin, it is understandable that one will get tan quicker as the sun’s U.V. rays will penetrate deeper inside the skin.
Conclusion
For this reason, one should avoid the sun’s heat for a minimum of 3 months to help your skin recover from the side effects of Accutane treatment. Accutane is necessary for individuals with severe acne. If one can keep the time span between Accutane therapy and tanning to 3 months, one will get the best result without any side effects. In this way, one can stay healthy while having Accutane treatment.