Can Accutane Really 'Shrink' Your Nose?

Accutane has been hailed as a miracle drug for people with severe acne. Some anecdotal claims have suggested that you can get a "free nose job" from using the medication—but does your nose actually get smaller on Accutane? No, it doesn't.

If you take the medication, you may not see a significant difference in your nose size before and after Accutane use. Also, the more likely side effects can include symptoms like dry eyes, nosebleeds, and joint pain. Read on to learn more about why you shouldn't sign up for Accutane only to get a smaller nose.

How Does Accutane Work?

Accutane, aka isotretinoin, is a powerful medication used to treat a particular type of severe acne known as recalcitrant nodular acne. It's an oral medication taken twice a day with meals for up to five months at a time.

Patients may be prescribed Accutane when other treatments, like antibiotics, haven't helped. Accutane is a retinoid and slows the production of certain natural substances that can cause acne. Additionally, the medication also has anti-inflammatory effects and decreases the size of sebaceous glands, which produce oil.

Does Your Nose Get Smaller on Accutane?

The short answer is no. However, Accutane could, in theory, make your nose look smaller under certain conditions.

"Accutane may make the nose look less bulbous because of its effect on the oil glands in that area," Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Health. "We know that the nose has among the highest concentration and most active oil glands on the body." In theory, if you shrink the oil glands in your nose when you're on Accutane, it could make your nose look smaller.

Also, you'd only see a change if you had large, overactive sebaceous glands in the first place—though the majority of people don't have enlarged sebaceous glands. Even if you did have overactive sebaceous glands in your nose, New York City dermatologist Doris Day, MD told Health that Accutane isn't going to change the actual shape of your nose.

"You wouldn't suddenly have a sharper, more sculpted nose," said Dr. Day. Board-certified dermatologist Ife J. Rodney, MD, founding director of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics, told Health that the free nose job claims were "a bit of an exaggeration."

Possible Side Effects

Accutane has a long list of potential side effects, ranging from skin dryness to more serious issues like birth defects. They include the following:

• Dry, irritated eyes
• Dry mouth
• Dry skin, severely chapped lips
• Extreme sun sensitivity
• Liver damage
  
• Muscle or joint pain
• Nosebleeds
• Rash
• Stomach problems
• Temporarily worsening acne
• Thinning hair
• Trouble seeing at night
  
• Unhealthy cholesterol levels
  

Accutane can cause severe birth defects, miscarriage, and stillbirth. People who can get pregnant must take two pregnancy tests before going on the medication and must agree that they will take a monthly pregnancy test and use two forms of birth control while on Accutane.

"There is a very strict program called iPledge where [the] patient, doctor, and pharmacist must all sign off on using the drug, knowing its risks," said Dr. Rodney. "Everyone must agree that the patient is the only one allowed to use Accutane, only at the prescribed dosage." This is not a medication you can just pick up over the counter and start taking at will.

A Quick Review

Accutane can't help you end up with a smaller nose. If you're on Accutane and you noticed a subtle change in your nose—and you wanted it to look different—it's likely due to shrinking oil glands.

There are several side effects to using Accutane, from dry skin and thinning hair to liver damage and stomach problems. It's best to skip this hack and only take Accutane if it is properly prescribed by a healthcare provider.