Table 4.

Details of the six studies on oral isotretinoin for skin aging

Author, year	n/dose/treatment time	Outcomes
Hernandez, 2000159	Group 1 (n = 60): 10–20 mg 3 × /week	Clinical: improvement of wrinkles, skin thickness and color, pores, elasticity, and pigmented lesions
	Group 2 (n = 60): placebo
	Cosmetic procedures 2 groups, 2 months
Kalil, 2008160	Single group (n = 50): 20 mg 3 × /week, 3 months	Clinical: improvement in the general appearance of the skin, wrinkles, color, and texture
		Histological: improvement of collagen and elastotic fibers of solar elastosis
Rabello-Fonseca, 2008161	Group 1 (n = 15): 10 mg 3 × /week	Clinical: improvement in the general appearance of the skin, wrinkles, color, and texture
	Group 2 (n = 15): 20 mg 3 × /week	Histological: improvement of collagen and elastotic fibers of solar elastosis
	3 months	No difference between doses
Bagatin, 2010162	Group 1 (n = 16): 20 mg 3 × /week + photoprotector	Clinical: clinical improvement, profilometry, corneometry, and viscoelastic measures
	Group 2 (n = 16): photoprotector
	3 months	Histological and immunohistochemical: slight improvement, no significant reduction in p53 protein expression
Bagatin, 2014163	Group 1 (n = 12): 20 mg 3 × /week + photoprotector	Clinical: improvement in patient opinion, blinded photographic assessment, quality of life
	Group 2 (n = 12): 0.05% tretinoin cream, on alternate nights + photoprotector	Histological and immunohistochemical: decreased corneal layer thickening of the dermis, decreased expression of p53 protein, increased type 1 collagen
	6 months
Bravo, 2015164	Single group (n = 20): 20 mg 3 × /week	Clinical: improved skin quality in the opinion of the patient and researcher
	3 months	Histological: 60% increase in the thickness of collagen fibers in 65% of patients; improved elastic tissue fragmentation