Analysis of the Effects of Isotretinoin on Rhinoplasty Patients

Abstract Background Although the number of cosmetic surgeries performed per year continues to increase, many candidates have skin problems. Thick-skinned rhinoplasty patients pose a real challenge for surgeons. Fear of performing surgery in patients with a history of isotretinoin use is another concern. Objectives The aim of this study was to study the effects of perioperative isotretinoin on rhinoplasty patient outcomes. Methods This research was conducted on 350 rhinoplasty patients, divided into control and experimental groups, between 2012 and 2015. The experimental group patients were requested to consume isotretinoin from 2 weeks before surgery to 2 months following the surgery. A comparison was made between the 2 groups 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the surgery. Results Statistical tests indicated that the satisfaction of experimental group patients at months 1 and 3 following the surgery was significantly higher than that of control group patients (P < 0.01). Examination of the patients’ noses found little evidence for soft tissue repair disturbance and cartilaginous deformities. Nine patients from the experimental group needed revision surgery during the study period, but none of the revision surgeries was for a cause clearly attributable to the intake of isotretinoin. Conclusions The results of this research suggest that isotretinoin causes no evident disturbance to the recovery of rhinoplastic incisions and internal nose structures. Moreover, none of the experimental group patients showed hypertrophic tissues and cartilaginous deformities, and the repair was satisfactory, similar to the control group. However, patients receiving isotretinoin were more satisfied with their operation outcomes and experienced fewer skin problems. Level of Evidence: 3