{"id":403857,"date":"2026-01-13T00:33:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T00:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/403857\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T00:33:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T00:33:19","slug":"can-accutane-really-give-you-a-nose-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/403857\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Accutane Really Give You a \u2018Nose Job\u2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When creams, serums, and spot treatments<\/a> aren\u2019t enough to clear stubborn acne, Accutane is typically the go-to intervention. But lately, it\u2019s been gaining attention for a different\u2014and unexpected\u2014perk: the claim that it can make your nose smaller.<\/p>\n

The theory has been long viral online, with TikTokers\u2014and even celebrities like Alix Earle<\/a> and most recently, Kendall Jenner<\/a>\u2013crediting the medication for their subtle glow-ups. \u201cI swear to God, on everything that I love, I\u2019ve never had a nose job,\u201d Jenner said while addressing rhinoplasty rumors on the In Your Dreams With Owen Thiele<\/a> podcast. \u201cI did Accutane for my acne. And there\u2019s a theory on TikTok that Accutane shrinks your nose. And you guys, I swear to God, it\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n

What may sound like a clever deflection of plastic surgery speculation actually does hold some scientific truth, according to the dermatologists we spoke with. As an oral retinoid<\/a> medication, Accutane (the now discontinued brand name for isotretinoin in the US) works by reducing excess sebum\u2014the thick, oily substance naturally produced by your skin\u2019s sebaceous glands that can clog pores and cause breakouts, Ife Rodney, MD<\/a>, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Eternal Dermatology in Maryland, tells SELF.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy decreasing oil production, Accutane will shrink the glands themselves\u2014including the ones on your nose. That\u2019s why this area in particular tends to show a great level of improvement when taking the medication,\u201d Joshua Zeichner, MD<\/a>, the director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital\u2019s Department of Dermatology in New York City, tells SELF. That, along with \u201ca decrease in swelling\u201d (thanks to Accutane\u2019s anti-inflammatory effects) may result in the tip of your nose looking slightly smaller. Still, dermatologists caution, the effect is nowhere near as dramatic as some viral \u201cbefore-and-after\u201d transformations suggest.<\/p>\n

A more likely explanation, other than Accutane alone, is timing: Many people start the medication to address hormonal acne<\/a> during their teen years, Dr. Rodney points out\u2014a period when our faces are still developing. Whether or not you take the medication your features (nose included) are bound to change as your body matures into post-puberty adulthood.<\/p>\n

Something else to keep in mind: \u201cAt baseline, most people on Accutane likely have really oily or acne-prone skin<\/a> to begin with, which might make any affected area seem slightly larger or more inflamed,\u201d Dr. Rodney says. So it\u2019s not that your nose is actually shrinking. Rather, what you\u2019re probably seeing is that pre-existing puffiness, swelling, and inflammation caused by deep, cystic breakouts creating this illusion.<\/p>\n