Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Apr 22;29(2):1-6.
doi: 10.1055/s-0044-1801319. eCollection 2025 Apr.

Isotretinoin in Thick-Skin Rhinoplasty: A Review

Rafael Pessoa Porpino Dias  1 , Jose Luiz Teixeira Rodrigues  1 , Maíra Said Dias Jabour  1 , Raíssa de Oliveira E Albuquerque  1 , Henrique de Almeida Friedrich  1 , Michele Sander Westphalen  1 , Carlos Alberto Caropreso  1
Affiliations
Review

Isotretinoin in Thick-Skin Rhinoplasty: A Review

Rafael Pessoa Porpino Dias et al. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. .

Abstract

Introduction Thick-skinned patients are prevalent in the general population worldwide and represent a challenge for the rhinoplasty surgeon. The use of oral isotretinoin before and/or after surgery is a possible adjuvant treatment that can facilitate intraoperative management and improve results in the postoperative stages; however, there are still questions about its effects in the long-term. Objective To evaluate the advantages and best practices for orally administrated isotretinoin in thick-skin rhinoplasty based on the current literature. Methods An advanced search was conducted until August 31st, 2023, on the PubMed, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Embase, and LILACS databases with the keywords rhinoplasty and isotretinoin . Sixteen articles were reviewed and 4 met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 371 patients. Meta-analysis of the data collected was not possible due to heterogeneity among papers. Conclusion Isotretinoin can be a safe drug, and its use in rhinoplasty varies widely, although all studies reported a low-dose oral regime for up to 6 months. The medication use is well-established in thick-skin rhinoplasty. Small doses after the procedure can improve patient satisfaction and the quality and thickness of the skin in the first 6 months of postsurgery. After 6 months, studies with a control group did not show a significant difference in patient satisfaction rates. A strong framework and specific surgical maneuvers may be more important than isotretinoin for better outcomes in thick-skin rhinoplasty.

Keywords: isotretinoin; rhinoplasty; thick skin; thick-skin rhinoplasty.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interests The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram. Abbreviation: SLR, systematic literature review.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ishii L E, Tollefson T T, Basura G Jet al.Clinical practice guideline: improving nasal form and function after rhinoplasty Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2017156(2_suppl)S1–S30. - PubMed
    1. Fichman M, Piedra Buena I T.Rhinoplasty In: StatPearls . [Internet] Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; June 12, 2023. Available at:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK558970/. It was Accessed November 30, 2023.
    1. Yahyavi S, Jahandideh H, Izadi M, Paknejad H, Kordbache N, Taherzade S. Analysis of the Effects of Isotretinoin on Rhinoplasty Patients. Aesthet Surg J. 2020;40(12):NP657–NP665. - PubMed
    1. Cobo R, Camacho J G, Orrego J. Integrated management of the thick-skinned rhinoplasty patient. Facial Plast Surg. 2018;34(01):3–8. - PubMed
    1. Kosins A M, Obagi Z E. Managing the difficult soft tissue envelope in facial and rhinoplasty surgery. Aesthet Surg J. 2017;37(02):143–157. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources