Skincare Routine on Acne Medication: Tretinoin and Isotretinoin

By Nicki Wilson in Lifestyle & Skincare · Published June 26, 2026 · Updated October 15, 2026

A pump bottle, an open jar of white cream, two squeeze tubes, a plain bottle and a small white cylinder on a white bathroom counter

Quick answer: The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) gives people taking isotretinoin a 4-step skin care plan. The steps are a gentle cleanser, a non-comedogenic moisturizer on damp skin, sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, and lip balm or petroleum jelly. For topical tretinoin, MedlinePlus says to wash with mild, bland soap and use the medicine daily at bedtime. The AAD adds that a daily moisturizer can help your skin tolerate both medicines, because they tend to dry and irritate the skin.

This page covers a daily routine for two prescriptions: tretinoin you apply and isotretinoin you swallow. It recommends no skincare brands and shows no patient photos. The medical facts come from the AAD, MedlinePlus and the DailyMed label. The service details come from our own site.

What does a daily skincare routine look like on acne medication?

Tretinoin is applied to the skin and isotretinoin is swallowed. The AAD isotretinoin plan and the MedlinePlus tretinoin page both cover cleansing, moisturizer and sun protection. The AAD tells people with acne to wash their face twice a day, once when you wake up and once before bed. You also wash after anything that makes you sweat. It recommends a mild, non-comedogenic cleanser.

A moisturizer comes next in the routine. The AAD says the acne treatments that tend to dry and irritate the skin include tretinoin and isotretinoin. Using a moisturizer every day can help your skin tolerate them. It adds that when your skin becomes dry, your body makes more oil. The extra oil can clog your pores, which may lead to more breakouts.

The AAD says to look for the words oil-free, non-comedogenic or won’t clog pores on the container. A separate AAD page says to use only makeup, sunscreen, skin and hair-care products labeled non-comedogenic or won’t clog pores. Our guide to moisturizers for dry skin on Accutane® goes deeper on that one step.

What do tretinoin and isotretinoin do to your skin?

MedlinePlus says tretinoin is in a class of medicines called retinoids and works by increasing production of new skin cells and unclogging pores. It lists dryness, itching, burning, stinging, peeling, swelling, redness, blistering or flaky skin at the treatment area. Tell your doctor if any of these is severe or doesn’t go away.

Isotretinoin is a pill, and the AAD says it affects the skin on your body, not just your face. It says dry skin, chapped lips, dry and irritated eyes, and even nosebleeds are common while taking it, and that the dryness clears once you stop. It also says your skin may sunburn more quickly and unexpectedly. That effect goes away after treatment ends.

Both drugs can make acne look worse early in treatment. MedlinePlus says your acne probably gets worse during the first 7 to 10 days of tretinoin and tells you to continue using it. For isotretinoin, the AAD says some patients see acne worsen for 1 to 2 months before it begins to clear, though that doesn’t happen to most patients. If your acne worsens, the AAD says to tell your dermatologist.

What does a morning routine look like?

Start the morning with the cleanser. The AAD says to use your fingertips, limit cleansing to twice daily and after sweating, and avoid abrasive scrubs or cleansers that contain an exfoliant. For tretinoin, MedlinePlus adds that the soap should be mild and bland, not medicated, abrasive or drying.

An unlabeled pump bottle, an open jar of white cream and an upright squeeze tube on a pale wood shelf in front of a white sink, with a folded cloth at the right

Apply moisturizer while your skin is still damp. The AAD says that on isotretinoin, you apply a non-comedogenic moisturizer while your skin is still damp after cleansing, and whenever your skin feels dry. It lists ingredients that can help strengthen your skin on isotretinoin: hyaluronic acid and glycerin, which hydrate, plus ceramides and squalane, an emollient.

Sunscreen is the last step of the morning routine. The AAD describes a non-comedogenic sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum protection and water resistance. Because your skin may be sensitive on isotretinoin, the AAD says it can help to choose a mineral sunscreen that contains titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or both. On isotretinoin, the AAD says to reapply at least every 2 hours, and after swimming or sweating.

Does the sun advice change with tretinoin?

The wording is different, but the direction is the same. MedlinePlus tells people using tretinoin to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light, including tanning beds and sunlamps. It says to wear protective clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen, especially over the treated areas. It also says wind and cold can irritate treated skin.

What does an evening routine look like?

If you use tretinoin, the medicine goes on in the evening. MedlinePlus says to use it daily at bedtime, exactly as directed, and never more often than your doctor prescribed. You wash your hands and the area, let your skin dry as directed, and apply a thin layer with clean fingertips.

The same page lists places where it should not go. Do not let tretinoin get into your eyes, ears, mouth, corners along your nose or vaginal area. Do not apply it to sunburned skin or skin affected by eczema. It says your doctor may tell you to use a skin moisturizer to help with dryness. Ask your prescriber whether the moisturizer goes on before or after the tretinoin, because the sources we checked don’t say.

If you take isotretinoin, there is nothing to apply for the drug itself. MedlinePlus says it’s usually taken twice a day with meals for 4 to 5 months at a time. At night, the AAD steps that still apply are a gentle wash, a non-comedogenic moisturizer on damp skin, and petroleum jelly on the lips before bed.

The AAD says using only some of the acne treatment your dermatologist prescribes could be the reason you still have acne.

Which products and ingredients should you skip?

The AAD wrote this list for people taking isotretinoin. It says to avoid vitamin A supplements, retinol on the skin, benzoyl peroxide or sulfur, vitamin C skin care, exfoliants, fragrances and dyes, and toners. Exfoliants include glycolic, lactic and salicylic acid, sugar, coffee grounds and exfoliating beads. The Accutane® label also advises against vitamin supplements containing vitamin A.

For tretinoin, MedlinePlus gives its own cautions. It says to use only non-medicated cosmetics and to skip products with a lot of alcohol, menthol, spices or lime, such as shaving lotions, astringents and perfumes. It also says not to use other topical medications unless your doctor directs you to do so. It names benzoyl peroxide, hair removers, salicylic acid, and dandruff shampoos containing sulfur or resorcinol.

That means two different lists, so don’t merge them from memory. If you take both a topical retinoid and isotretinoin, or you want to add retinol, ask your prescriber before you change anything. Our article on retinol and tretinoin while on Accutane® covers that question, and a separate one compares retinol vs tretinoin.

The AAD also lists habits that can worsen acne. One is trying a new acne treatment every week or so, which can irritate your skin and cause breakouts. Another is popping or squeezing, which can push what’s inside deeper and lead to more inflammation and sometimes scarring.

How do you care for dry lips, eyes and nose on isotretinoin?

The AAD gives a separate care step for each spot. For lips, use lip balm with SPF 30 or higher while outdoors, and apply petroleum jelly throughout the day and before bed while indoors. For the nose, treat dryness as soon as you notice it. Use a moisturizing nasal spray or a very small dab of petroleum jelly just inside the nostril.

A squeeze tube with a drop of clear ointment, a dropper bottle, a nasal spray bottle and a small white cylinder on a light wood nightstand beside a tissue and a glass of water

Do not snort or inhale petroleum jelly. The AAD suggests a squeeze tube to reduce the likelihood of placing germs from the container in your nose. For eyes, it suggests saline eye drops or artificial tears, and says to use medicated eye drops only if your dermatologist recommends them.

Petroleum jelly has a limit on the rest of your face. The AAD’s page on it says to avoid putting petroleum jelly on your face if you are acne-prone, as it may cause breakouts in some people. It says to consider applying petroleum jelly to dry skin, including your lips and eyelids.

What about waxing, laser and other hair removal?

The Accutane® Medication Guide is direct about this. It says not to have cosmetic procedures to smooth your skin, including waxing, dermabrasion or laser procedures, while you use Accutane® and for at least 6 months after you stop. It says Accutane® can increase your chance of scarring from these procedures, and to check with your doctor about when you can have them.

MedlinePlus says to plan to avoid hair removal by waxing, laser skin treatments and dermabrasion while you take isotretinoin and for 6 months after treatment. Our Accutane® FAQ says the label does not address shaving or makeup, so ask your dermatologist in the dashboard, with a photo of the product.

How long until a routine and medication start to show results?

Give the plan time before you judge it. For acne treatment in general, the AAD says it takes at least 6 to 8 weeks before you start to see fewer breakouts. Its page on skin care habits adds that complete clearing generally takes 3 to 4 months. That is a general acne timeline, not one written for a single drug.

For tretinoin, MedlinePlus says the acne sores should improve in 2 to 3 weeks, and sometimes more than 6 weeks, of regular use. Our tretinoin before and after article is a separate read. For isotretinoin, the AAD’s overview says one course takes about four to five months, while its side effects page says treatment usually takes about six months. The overview adds that a course sometimes takes less time or a bit more, and the side effects page says it may be longer or shorter.

The AAD also says that in studies, most patients saw less acne between 4 and 8 weeks after starting an acne-friendly moisturizer. All of them were also following an acne treatment plan.

When should you call your doctor about your skin?

Dryness is expected, but some signs are not. The Accutane® Medication Guide says to stop it and call your doctor right away for any vision problems or dryness of the eyes that is painful or constant. Each of those is its own reason to call.

The same guide says to stop using it and call your doctor right away for conjunctivitis, a rash with a fever, or skin that begins to peel. It gives the same instruction for blisters on your legs, arms or face, or sores in your mouth, throat, nose or eyes. For hives, a swollen face or mouth, or trouble breathing, it says to stop taking it and get emergency care right away.

For tretinoin, MedlinePlus says to call your doctor immediately for itching, rash or hives, or for pain or discomfort at the treatment area. It says to tell your doctor if dryness, itching, burning, stinging, peeling, swelling, redness, blistering or flaky skin is severe or doesn’t go away. Our Accutane® side effects article lists more.

Can you take doxycycline while on isotretinoin?

The labels say to avoid combining them. The Accutane® label says isotretinoin use has been associated with cases of pseudotumor cerebri, some involving tetracyclines, and says concomitant treatment with tetracyclines should be avoided. The Doryx® MPC (doxycycline) label says to avoid using it together with isotretinoin. Tell every prescriber what you take. Our acne treatment comparison looks at the other treatments.

Where does The Goal Is Clear fit in your routine?

At The Goal Is Clear, every case is reviewed by a board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state. You take a quiz of about two minutes, upload a front photo and a side photo, and check out through secure billing. The dermatologist reviews your case within 24 hours, and a prescription is never guaranteed.

After that, you can message your dermatologist through the dashboard. The how it works page says that covers refill questions, side-effect reports and photo updates, and that a real person reads every message. That is the place to ask when you’re unsure about a product.

The pricing page says medication is billed separately by the pharmacy, as low as $0 for the prescription with insurance. The Accutane® cost FAQ has more on costs. You pay at checkout and get a full refund if your dermatologist doesn’t prescribe. If isotretinoin is part of your plan, our iPledge FAQ explains the program. BNG Health Services, LLC operates the brand and is not the prescribing physician.

Common questions about a skincare routine on acne medication

What is a simple daily routine on tretinoin or isotretinoin? Wash gently twice a day, moisturize while skin is damp, and wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, per the AAD’s isotretinoin plan. With tretinoin, MedlinePlus says to apply it daily at bedtime exactly as directed. Isotretinoin is swallowed, so there is nothing to apply for the drug itself. You still use a gentle wash, a moisturizer and sunscreen, plus lip balm with SPF 30 outdoors and petroleum jelly on the lips indoors.

Do you need a moisturizer on acne medication? The AAD says tretinoin and isotretinoin tend to dry and irritate the skin, and that a daily moisturizer can help you tolerate them. Look for oil-free, non-comedogenic or won’t-clog-pores wording on the container.

Which ingredients should you avoid on isotretinoin? The AAD lists vitamin A supplements, retinol on the skin, benzoyl peroxide or sulfur, vitamin C skin care, exfoliants, fragrances and dyes, and toners. For tretinoin, MedlinePlus has a separate list that includes benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid unless your doctor directs you to use them.

Can you wax or get laser hair removal on isotretinoin? The Accutane® Medication Guide says not to have waxing, dermabrasion or laser procedures while you use it and for at least 6 months after you stop. Ask your doctor when you can have them.

How long does it take for acne medication to work? For acne treatment in general, the AAD says it takes at least 6 to 8 weeks to start seeing fewer breakouts. For tretinoin, MedlinePlus says acne sores should improve in 2 to 3 weeks, and sometimes more than 6 weeks, of regular use. The AAD overview says an isotretinoin course takes about four to five months, sometimes less or a bit more. Its side effects page says treatment usually takes about six months and may be longer or shorter.

What is a realistic plan for the next few weeks?

Pick a gentle cleanser, a non-comedogenic moisturizer and a sunscreen, and keep them steady. Use your prescription exactly as directed, and don’t add a new active product on top of it without asking. Plan for dryness and a possible early flare, and watch for the signs that mean a call.

If you’d like a board-certified dermatologist to look at your case, take the quiz, which takes about two minutes. Our about page explains who runs the company.

This article is general information, not medical advice. A prescription is never guaranteed, and treatment decisions stay with the board-certified dermatologist who reviews your case. Accutane® is a registered trademark of its respective owner, and isotretinoin is the generic name. Doryx® is a registered trademark of its respective owner. The Goal Is Clear is operated by BNG Health Services, LLC, which is not the prescribing physician; board-certified dermatologists prescribe.

Sources

General information from published sources, not medical advice. Your dermatologist makes every treatment decision after reviewing your case. The Goal Is Clear is operated by BNG Health Services, LLC, which is not the prescribing physician.

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