A LARGE nationwide Danish study has found no evidence that isotretinoin treatment during adolescence is associated with reduced adult height, offering reassurance to clinicians and families concerned about potential effects on growth.
Nationwide Analysis Included More Than 379,000 Individuals
The population-based cross-sectional study examined 379,196 individuals with acne who underwent military conscription assessment in Denmark between 2001 and 2015. Researchers linked conscription records with nationwide prescription and health registries to evaluate whether isotretinoin exposure during adolescence influenced final adult height.
Concerns surrounding isotretinoin and impaired linear growth have persisted for years, largely due to isolated case reports and theoretical effects on growth plates. To investigate this further, the authors compared adult height among individuals treated with isotretinoin, oral tetracycline-class antibiotics, topical acne therapies, and those without prescribed acne treatment.
The cohort included 368,338 men and 10,858 women, with isotretinoin exposure recorded in 4.5% of men and 2.6% of women. Median age at conscription was approximately 19 years. Mean adult height was 180.4 cm in men and 168.3 cm in women.
No Clinically Meaningful Difference in Adult Height Observed
Compared with untreated individuals, isotretinoin users showed no clinically meaningful reduction in adult height. Among men, isotretinoin use was associated with a small adjusted mean height difference of 0.31 cm (95% CI, 0.20–0.41 cm), while among women the difference was 0.25 cm (95% CI, –0.47 to 0.96 cm). Both estimates were well below the predefined threshold for clinical importance of 5 cm or greater.
Importantly, findings remained consistent across analyses stratified by age at treatment initiation and cumulative isotretinoin dose. Secondary analyses examining stunting also showed no association between isotretinoin exposure and impaired growth.
Study May Reassure Clinicians and Families Considering Isotretinoin
The authors concluded that isotretinoin treatment for acne during adolescence was not associated with reduced adult height. They noted that the findings may help support evidence-based decision-making when considering isotretinoin therapy in younger patients.
Reference
Schmidt SAJ et al. Isotretinoin treatment in adolescence and adult height. JAMA Dermatol. 2026; DOI: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2026.1197.
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