Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) received United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treatment of severe recalcitrant nodular acne in 1982. Today, it is used to treat a spectrum of dermatologic conditions. The efficacy of isotretinoin in treating severe nodular acne, disorders of cornification, and chemoprevention of non-melanoma cutaneous carcinoma in high-risk individuals is well documented. For some patients unresponsive to other standard therapies, isotretinoin is a miracle drug.