Hello. Thank you for writing to us at healthcaremagic
The total dose of
isotretinoin that is considered to be adequate/ curative in acne is 120-140 mg/kg.
If it was not given in adequate doses that might be one reason for the recurrence.
I want to assure you that Isotretinoin is an excellent antiacne product and the only product that offers any chance of cure in acne.
Many patients may require repeat courses of Isotretinoin even after adequate treatment, specially those who have had
severe acne.
Side effects are mainly cutaneous i.e dryness of lips/
cheilitis and dryness of skin.
Apart from these, Isotretinoin is considered to be relatively safe, though, it should be monitored for side effects like raised
blood lipids.
The only major precaution with Isotretinoin is that it should be avoided in females who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant as it can have serious side effects on fetus.
In past there have been a few isolated reports of suicides in patients on Isotretinoin but that is because these patients had severe acne and were already depressed.
Isotretinoin in fact improves the quality of life in acne patients.
In my view, she can be re-started on isotretinoin if her acne severity warrants it.
Regards