
User Reviews \| Add Review \| Search Reviews	Drug Search

You have entered 0 Drug(s) and 0 Symptom(s)

Click Evaluate for a complete analysis of your drugs and symptoms

Accutane (isotretinoin)

Side Effect Search

Underlined words or phrases provide helpful links to information in wikipedia.org and when moused over often give helpful definitions of the medical terms. Keywords

Accutane may cause dry skin.

This drug may also cause the following symptoms that are related to dry skin:

Medical Source Information
Yellow highlights indicate symptoms related to dry skin.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using isotretinoin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects: depressed mood, trouble concentrating, sleep problems, crying spells, aggression or agitation, changes in behavior, hallucinations, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself; sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; blurred vision, sudden and severe headache or pain behind your eyes, sometimes with vomiting; hearing problems, hearing loss, or ringing in your ears; seizure (convulsions); severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate; loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); severe diarrhea, rectal bleeding, black, bloody, or tarry stools; fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, purple spots under your skin, easy bruising or bleeding; or joint stiffness, bone pain or fracture. Less serious side effects may include: joint pain, back pain; feeling dizzy, drowsy, or nervous; dryness of the lips, mouth, nose, or skin; or cracking or peeling skin, itching, rash, changes in your fingernails or toenails. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Dermatologic side effects have included cheilitis, severe mucosal drying, dry mouth, dry nose, dry skin, acne fulminans, flare of cystic acne, alopecia (persistent in some cases), epistaxis, eruptive xanthomas, erythema multiforme, skin fragility, hair abnormalities (including thinning of the hair), hirsutism, hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, infections (including disseminated herpes simplex), nail dystrophy, paronychia, palmoplantar desquamation, photoallergic/photosensitizing reactions, pyogenic granuloma, rash (including facial erythema, seborrhea, and eczema), Stevens-Johnson syndrome, increased sunburn susceptibility, sweating, toxic epidermal necrolysis, urticaria, abnormal wound healing (delayed healing or exuberant granulation tissue with crusting), and pruritus. Keloid formation and pyoderma gangrenosum have been reported.

In general, many side effects associated with isotretinoin are similar to those associated with very high doses of vitamin A (dryness of the skin and mucous membranes).

Ocular side effects have included corneal opacities, decreased night vision (persistent in some cases), cataracts, color vision disorder, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, keratitis, optic neuritis, eye irritation, photophobia, visual disturbances (including blurred vision), and dry eye syndrome. At least one case of transient myopia has been reported.

Dry eye syndrome, blepharitis, and conjunctivitis are due the drying effects of isotretinoin and the destabilization of tear-film caused by alterations in meibomian gland function and structure. They are commonly seen within the first four weeks of therapy and are reversible upon the discontinuation of medication. Bacterial conjunctivitis may also occur due to increased colonization of Staphylococcus aureus in the conjunctival sac. A case reported that blurred vision and photophobia resolved quickly after stopping therapy, but decreased night vision persisted for several months.

Side Effects to Watch
Watch closely for the following side effects and notify your physician immediately should any of these develop:

aggressive/violent behavior, psychosis/schizophrenia, depression or mood disturbances
Abnormal bruising or signs of bleeding such as bleeding from the gums, nose, digestive tract, vagina (females), faintness, dizziness, loss of consciousness, or rash (signs of problems with blood clot formation)

Lab and Diagnostic Tests
If certain symptoms develop, ask your physician whether you need the following lab tests or other diagnostic tests (if you've not already had them):

Monitor sugar, liver function tests and liver function tests
Hearing test (including tests for high frequency hearing loss) if hearing loss is suspected or if ringing of the ears occurs
Blood tests to assess normal clotting - in people who develop signs of bleeding such as abnormal bruising or signs of bleeding including bleeding from the gums, nose, digestive tract, vagina (females), faintness, dizziness, loss of consciousness, or rash

References

Photoaggravated allergic reaction to isotretinoin. Auffret N, Bruley C, Brunetiere RA, Decot MC, Binet O J Am Acad Dermatol 1990;23:321-2.
Atypical facial scarring after isotretinoin therapy in a patient with previous dermabrasion. Katz BE, Macfarlane DF J Am Acad Dermatol 1994;30:852-3.
Atypical pyoderma as a side effect of isotretinoin. Elpern DJ J Am Acad Dermatol 1985;13:1045-6.
Granulomatous lesions appearing during isotretinoin therapy. Lane PR, Hogan DJ Can Med Assoc J 1984;130:550.
Mucosal denudation of the lips from isotretinoin therapy. Graham BS Arch Dermatol 1999;135:349-50.
Uses and complications of isotretinoin therapy. Ellis CN, Krach KJ J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;45:S150-7.
Photosensitivity and isotretinoin therapy. McCormack LS, Turner ML J Am Acad Dermatol 1983;9:273-4.
Isotretinoin. A review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic efficacy in acne and other skin disorders. Ward A, Brogden RN, Heel RC, Speight TM, Avery GS Drugs 1984;28:6-37.
Product Information. Accutane (isotretinoin). Anonymous Roche Laboratories, Nutley, NJ. PROD;
How safe is oral isotretinoin? Meigel WN Dermatology 1997;195:22-8.
Retinoid associated phototoxicity and photosensitivity. Ferguson J, Johnson BE Pharmacol Ther 1989;40:123-35.
Isotretinoin: new therapy for severe acne. Perry MD, McEvoy GK Clin Pharm 1983;2:12-9.
Pyoderma gangrenosum following isotretinoin therapy for acne nodulocystic. Tinoco MP, Tamler C, Maciel G, Soares D, Avelleira JC, Azulay D Int J Dermatol 2008;47:953-6.
Adverse reactions to isotretinoin. A report from the Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting System. Bigby M, Stern RS J Am Acad Dermatol 1988;18:543-52.
Acne fulminans with severe myalgia precipitated by isotretinoin therapy. Huston NR, Mules R N Z Med J 1985;98:821.
Long-term safety of isotretinoin as a treatment for acne vulgaris. Goulden V, Layton AM, Cunliffe WJ Br J Dermatol 1994;131:360-3.
Isotretinoin: a reappraisal. Conner CS Drug Intell Clin Pharm 1984;18:308-9.
Reversible melasma associated with isotretinoin. Burke H, Carmichael AJ Br J Dermatol 1996;135:862.
Analysis of common side effects of isotretinoin. McLane J J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;45:S188-94.
Excess granulation tissue responses associated with isotretinoin therapy. Robertson DB, Kubiak E, Gomez EC Br J Dermatol 1984;111:689-94.
Atypical keloids after dermabrasion of patients taking isotretinoin. Rubenstein R, Roenigk HH, Jr Stegman SJ, Hanke CW J Am Acad Dermatol 1986;15:280-5.

Multum version: 154.0 (Jun 16, 2010)

Add a User Review

To add a User Review fill out the fields below. A drug name is required to post. You will be asked to enter the dosage, which is listed on the bottle/container, along with units such as mg, ounces, etc; as well as how often you take the drug. When you enter a possible side effect, you will be asked about its severity. In the comment field, please describe your experiences or any comment that you will think help other users understand what they can expect from their drug treatment. We also welcome comments and suggestions about our site through feedback.

* Enter drug name- enter one drug at a time, by typing at least 3 letters of the drug name and select the appropriate drug from the list, then proceed to entering the next drug. Google

* Enter condition name - the "condition" is the reason you are taking the drug, which could be a disease such as "diabetes" or a symptom such as "joint aches". Enter a condition and select from the list shown, then enter the next condition if you are experiencing more than one.

* Enter side effects - these are any undesirable effects you might be experiencing from the drug(s). Enter your side effect and select from the list shown, then enter the next side effect if you are experiencing more than one. If you are not experiencing any side effects check the box below, No Side Effects.

No Side Effects

Enter comments - tell the community about your experiences and any information you may have about taking these drugs.

Age Gender:

Thank you for adding your review.

Return to Current Page

To help protect against automated posting, please enter the words that appear in the box below (more info).
Words should be separated by space.

Unable to see the image? (get another image)

* Required fields

NOTE: Just because a drug or combination of drugs can cause a symptom does not mean it is actually causing your symptom. Symptoms can be caused by medical conditions as well. Make sure that your physician is aware of any symptoms you are experiencing so he/she can work with you to determine the cause. Please DO NOT STOP MEDICATIONS without first consulting a physician since doing so could be hazardous to your health.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the information DoubleCheckMD.com provides is intended to help individuals to work with their medical professionals and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or healthcare advice and serves to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of a healthcare professional. In all cases individuals should consult with a physician before taking any action based on DoubleCheckMD feedback including, but not limited to ceasing taking any drug, changing diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment. The information provided by DoubleCheckMD.com is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that the use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective.