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Updated: May 10, 2026

A Rat Model of Compound Acne
Published on: November 1, 2024
Lip abscess associated with isotretinoin treatment of acne vulgaris
1Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California.
Importance:
Isotretinoin is frequently prescribed for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Among the numerous documented adverse effects, most common are xerostomia and cheilitis. Lip abscesses as a consequence of cheilitis present dramatically and may pose a diagnostic challenge.
Observations:
We present a case of a 15-year-old boy with a severe lip abscess requiring incision and drainage and hospital admission for intravenous antibiotic treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. We discuss the pathophysiologic characteristics of isotretinoin therapy and the likely causative role that the medication played in the development of the lip abscess.
Conclusions And Relevance:
Although rare, lip abscesses related to isotretinoin therapy present with substantial morbidity and should be promptly recognized. Misdiagnosis of mucositis and angioedema may delay appropriate therapy.
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