Side Effects and Conditions Caused By Isotretinoin

Side Effects and Conditions Caused By Isotretinoin

Minor discomforts such as dry mouth or nose, dry eyes, dry skin, or itching usually go away as the body adjusts to the drug and do not require medical attention unless they continue or are bothersome.

Other side effects should be brought to a physician’s attention. These include:
•    burning, redness, or itching of the eyes
•    nosebleeds
•    signs of inflammation of the lips, such as peeling, burning, redness or pain

Bowel inflammation is not a common side effect, but it may occur. If any of the following signs of bowel inflammation occur, stop taking isotretinoin immediately and check with a physician:
•    pain in the abdomen
•    bleeding from the rectum
•    severe diarrhea

Conditions Caused By Benzoyl Peroxide and Tretinoin

The most common side effects of antiacne drugs applied to the skin are slight redness, dryness, peeling, and stinging, and a warm feeling to the skin. These problems usually go away as the body adjusts to the drug and do not require medical treatment.
Other side effects should be brought to a physician’s attention. Check with a physician as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

•    blistering, crusting, or swelling of the skin
•    severe burning or redness of the skin>
•    darkening or lightening of the skin (This effect will eventually go away after treatment with an antiacne drug ends.)
•    skin rash

Other side effects are possible with any type of antiacne drug. Anyone who has unusual symptoms while using antiacne drugs should get in touch with his or her physician.
Interactions

Patients using antiacne drugs on their skin should tell their physicians if they are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicine that they apply to the skin in the same area as the antiacne drug.

Isotretinoin may interact with other medicines. When this happens, the effects of one or both drugs may change or the risk of side effects may be greater. Anyone who takes isotretinoin should let the physician know about all other medicines being used and should ask whether the possible interactions can interfere with drug therapy.

Among the drugs that may interact with isotretinoin are listed below:
•    Etretinate (Tegison), used to treat severe psoriasis. Using this medicine with isotretinoin increases side effects.
•    Tretinoin (Retin-A, Renova). Using this medicine with isotretinoin increases side effects.
•    Vitamin A or any medicine containing vitamin A. Using any vitamin A preparations with isotretinoin increases side effects. Do not take vitamin supplements containing vitamin A while taking isotretinoin.
•    Tetracyclines (used to treat infections). Using these medicines with isotretinoin increases the chance of swelling of the brain. Make sure the physician knows if tetracycline is being used to treat acne or another infection.

Parental Concerns

Acne comes at a difficult time, the adolescent years. While mild acne can be treated with over-the-counter medications, more severe acne needs medical attention. Experts advise against a wait-and-see attitude. Treatment options can help control acne and avoid scarring.

Isotretinoin can cause serious birth defects, including mental retardation and physical deformities. This medicine should not be used during pregnancy. Sexually active adolescent females who are able to bear children should not use isotretinoin unless they have very severe acne that has not cleared up with the use of other antiacne drugs. In addition, acne treatments that can dry the skin should be used with caution by people with skin of color.

Ayurveda for Acne and Rosacea – part II

The word Ayurveda translates to “the science of life” (Ayru – life and Veda – science). Ayurveda has brought true health and wellness to millions of individuals throughout the ages with simple changes in daily living practices. Incorporating just a few of these proven methods into your lifestyle can bring about radical changes in your life.

It is currently considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the United States of America, but this ancient art of healing has been practiced continuously for over 5,000 years.

That said, there are some specific treatments that many recognize as effective treatments for skin conditions. For starters, regardless of the skin condition, Ayurvedic practitioners suggest staying hydrated. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that water helps to naturally stabilize dry or oily skin. Drinking enough water also helps prevent the loss of moisture through the skin, which helps to promote overall wellness.

Ayurveda also recommends adhering to a daily regimen for proper skin care, including the use of a natural soap and the use of natural skin moisturizers. This is true whether a person has naturally dry skin or suffers from a more serious condition such as psoriasis. The key is to make sure that the moisturizer is, in fact, natural, containing only substances such as aloe vera—a natural antibiotic that many believe is particularly helpful in the treatment of many skin conditions. Unfortunately, many commercially available moisturizers contain preservatives and other chemicals, and do not fully absorb into the skin, instead remaining on the surface and sometimes clogging pores as a result.

In addition to proper hydration and skin care, Ayurvedic medicine has identified three natural supplements that appear to help treat a wide range of skin conditions—neem, haemafine syrup and khadir. All three of these are widely prescribed to treat acne, psoriasis, and eczema, although many believe they can be used to treat any skin condition. The tree stem, root, and bark of neem, a large evergreen tree, have antibacterial properties. It is used in supplement form to treat skin conditions. In addition, many Ayurvedic soaps contain neem extract. Haemafine syrup is a natural solution made up of more than a dozen herbs. It is used as a remedy for all types of skin diseases through its natural blood purification properties. Khadir, also known as the acacia catechu herb, is another natural blood purifier used to treat skin conditions.

Besides supplements, some Ayurvedic sources also suggest that a person with a skin condition receive an abhyanga, a traditional Ayurvedic massage that uses herbalized oils to draw toxins out through the skin.

Is Ayurveda Safe?

Ayurvedic practitioners argue that their treatments have fewer side effects than prescription drugs and other traditional medical therapies, since Ayurveda is a completely natural approach. However, certain treatments, such as herbal supplements, should be taken with caution, since they can interact with other medications or even produce side effects such as rises in blood pressure. So as with any new medical treatment, consult your doctor prior to beginning any Ayurvedic therapies. This is especially true for people with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, or for women who are pregnant.

Adult Acne

Suffering from adult acne can be a devastating blow to your self-esteem. You may wonder what your co-workers, friends, and even family are thinking about you. You may stay home alone on Friday nights, afraid to go out and meet that special someone. You may worry your employer just gave that big promotion to your colleague instead of you due to the look of your bad skin.

The good news is you live in a time with more treatment options than ever and there is no reason for you to suffer. Many great adult acne treatments are on the market today. Many are affordable and easy to get .Treatments that will not irritate your skin, but will provide results abound. Below are a few tips to make finding them easier.

Look for the Guarantee

The majority of respectable skin care manufacturers provide a decent guarantee on their products. Simply because these companies know that their products cannot solve every person’s acne problems (even though they put their best foot forward to do so). Any reputable company should stand behind their skin care cream, gel or remedy with a money back guarantee if you don’t get the results you expect.

I’d suggest you avoid anything that doesn’t have at least a 30 day guarantee (the minimum time to see if a product works). You should be able to find information about a products guarantee on the side of the packaging, or on the company’s website.

Check Ingredients for Harsh Chemicals

Before choosing an acne product, familiarize yourself with the ingredients. Not all companies - but some - use harsh chemicals to kill acne bacteria. The down side to this is these chemicals can also negatively affect your skin.

The most popular ingredient to remedy acne is Benzoyl peroxide, yet this is also one of the ingredients that can irritate your skin. If you do use a product containing Benzoyl peroxide, start with a very small dose and work your way up to the suggested amount.

If you want to avoid Benzoyl peroxide all together consider using straight Hydrogen peroxide from your bathroom cabinet (the same thing we use on cuts and scape’s). This product should be easier on your skin as well as affordable.

Use it long enough to see results

There are hundreds of various adult skin care products for acne on the market today. Most of these products require at least a month of steady usage to get results. Be sure that you are giving whatever product you choose at least 4-6 weeks before you discontinue use. If you stop using a product sooner than this then you could risk wasting time and money on a product that otherwise would’ve cleared your skin.

Chloasma - skin changes with pregnancy

Chloasma  or the “Mask of Pregnancy” can cause blotchy discoloration on your face and splashes of darkened skin that may appear on the forehead, nose, and cheeks in a mask-like configuration on some pregnant women — more often in dark-skinned women.

What causes chloasma: Those mischievous pregnancy hormones are toying with you again, causing hyperpigmentation on many parts of your body. You might have noticed your freckles and moles are darker now, there’s probably a dark line down the center of your abdomen (the linea nigra), and your areolas are probably a deeper shade as well. (You might as well decide this is sexy.) Dark-skinned women usually notice such hyperpigmentation more, but light-skinned women aren’t off the hook completely — they too will get their fair share of darkening skin, though it may not be as noticeable.

Despite have clear skin most of their lives, many women find another “new experience” awaiting them once they discover a pregnancy.  The beginning stages can be small and unnoticeable pimples - usually showing around the jaw line or forehead due to hormonal fluctuations.

Three main factors contribute to acne: increased oil production, clogged pores, and a bacteria called P acnes. First, oil causes the dead skin cells to stick together, leading to a clogged pore, which is called a blackhead or a whitehead. Bacteria then moves into the pore, producing inflammation, which manifests as redness and pus. Addressing acne requires medications or treatments that decrease oil secretion, unclog pores, and kill bacteria.

As the pregnancy progresses, the acne will worsen. It is at this point, many women may frantically search for cures in their local drugstore or try home remedies. Perhaps they feel overwhelmed by the choices or confused by the long list of ingredients and decide to give up finding a solution. In some cases, the acne can grow to included pigmented or “age” spots as well.

All of these changes typically last the duration of the pregnancy and are due to hormonal changes and increased oil production, resulting in acne, while higher estrogen levels will activate skin color cells to make dark spots. This occurrence is so common in pregnancy that it’s been given the name “mask of pregnancy.” Sun exposure will exacerbate the issue further without a good sunscreen or sun protection.

Like many others, when facial skin suddenly becomes oily, the first reaction is to take away all moisture or anything ‘greasy’ that can increase the feel of oil on the skin layer.

Never fear, these again are temporary problems with easy fixes. First, stop using anything oil-based and switch to gel-based or water based sunscreens and moisturizers for the time being. Treat you skin as if it were the acne-prone, pigmented type and finally ask your doctor or dermatologist for a baby-safe acne treatment if the situation is really uncomfortable. Your skin should return to its previous condition soon after your baby is born.

•    In the meantime - Eat foods that contain folic acid (you’ll also get plenty in your prenatal supplement), since studies have shown that a folate deficiency can be related to hyperpigmentation. Good choices include green leafy vegetables, oranges, whole-wheat bread, and whole-grain cereal.
•    Stay out of the sun as much as possible and wear a sunscreen of at least SPF 15 (sunlight can also intensify hyperpigmentation). A hat and long sleeves are a good idea if you’re fair-skinned, headed to the beach, or have a historically sensitive complexion.

•    If you like, use a good concealer to cover particularly pesky spots, but skip bleaches or other chemically based lightening treatments until after you give birth. No peels or lasers, either.

Skin Typing Features

One of the fascinating features of Skin Typing is that people of different ethnic or racial backgrounds can share a Skin Type. In most instances, all people with the same Skin Type will follow the exact same treatment plan, but sometimes skin color can be a differentiating factor because of the way pigment (the factor in skin that produces color) is produced in different racial and ethnic groups.

For example, two best friends, Valerie, a medium-skintoned brunette, and Dana, a dark-skinned woman, came in for back-to back appointments. After they each took the questionnaire and tabulated their results, they were surprised to discover that they shared the same Skin Type. They were both “P,” Pigmented Skin Types, which gave both Valerie and Dana a tendency to develop pigmentation issues. And each of them did have a problem with pigmentation. That’s why they came to my office. Valerie had an area of dark skin discoloration (called melasma) on her cheek, and Dana had dark spots in areas where she had once had pimples. Although I recommended that they follow the exact same protocol and use the same kinds of products, there was one key difference. Valerie could benefit from an advanced cosmetic procedure that uses light instruments or lasers to treat pigment problems like hers, while Dana would benefit most from prescription products used daily and should not undergo laser treatment since this can cause discoloration in people with darker skin tones.

A Dermatologist’s Story

“A patient came to see me because of skin discoloration on her chin and cheeks. An African-American with oily skin, Sylvia never guessed that the skin scrub she’d picked up at the Neiman Marcus beauty department was causing this problem. Anyone with highly pigmented skin (like many dark skinned people) must stay away from all ingredients and procedures that cause inflammation. Yet, not knowing her SkinType, Sylvia had no idea that her choice of skin product stimulated the inflammatory response, which in turn led to dark spots. I taught Sylvia what to look for on product ingredient labels. Common ingredients, like vitamin C, AHA, and alpha lipoic acid, can create inflammation, as do buff pu ffs and strong scrubs. She was surprised to learn that hair removal formulas, like Nair, and hot wax products may also cause inflammation. In using wax or a chemical depilatory to remove facial hair, Sylvia wound up with unsightly dark patches that looked far worse than the hair she was trying to remove. Now she knew to avoid them. Once she became aware of the needs of her Skin Type, she was able to make changes that helped reduce the dark spots considerably. In addition, I recommended she use products containing oatmeal, feverfew, chamomile, or licochalone, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.” Dr. Leslie Baumann, M.D.

How to Determine Your Skin Type

Determining your skin type is easy, and the information will help you when buying moisturizers, cosmetics and facial cleansers.

Step One
Wash your face with a skin cleanser, then rinse and pat dry.

Step Two
Wait one hour.

Step Three
Note whether your skin feels “tight.”

Step Four
Press a separate piece of tissue onto each area of your face: chin, center of cheeks, outer cheeks, center of forehead, outer forehead and nose.

Step Five
Examine each tissue and look for oily residue or flaky skin residue.

Step Six
Interpret the results. Oil on each tissue indicates an oily skin type, while oil on only some tissues (specifically those on the T-zone, which is the center of forehead, nose, chin and center of cheeks) indicates a combination skin type. Flaky skin residue on all tissues - without oily residue - or a tight feeling in the skin indicates a dry skin type. No oil and no flaky residue on any parts of the tissue indicates a normal skin type.

Tips & Warnings
Pore size is another indication of skin type; small pores generally indicate dry skin, while large pores mean oily skin. Remember that there are many factors that affect your skin type, such as weather, emotions, hormones and stress, and this will cause your skin type to be in a constant state of fluctuation.
“Combination skin” products that claim to serve different functions on different parts of the face are suspicious. You’re better off using different products on different areas.

Overall Things You’ll Need
Hand or Wash Towels
Mild Facial Cleansers
Oil-free Facial Cleansers
Oil-free Moisturizers

Facial Toners

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Alcohol-free Facial Toner Best for Balancing skin PH

Facial toner should not be confused with astringent, which can strip the skin of its vital acid balance due to higher concentrations of alcohol. Alcohol-free toner helps to instantly restore the natural PH level of your skin. Toning is a step usually taken after cleansing and before moisturizing. It works best to help balance the skin, remove residual cleanser, clear the pores and soothe the skin.

“Alcohol-free facial toner is a vital transition between cleansing and treatment. The Vivoderm toner, for example, is enriched with minerals and natural herbal astringents to purify hydrate and normalize the skin. The grape seed and green tea extracts soothe and tone the skin preparing it to readily receive the maximum benefits of skin care to follow,” reports Dr. Noushin Adhami, Vice President of Vivoderm Laboratories.

Natural facial toner that combines herbal ingredients, like grape seed or green tea extract work more holistically than alcohol-based astringents. Grape seed contains “oligomeric proanthocyanidin” or OPCs showing medicinal and pharmacological properties against oxidative-caused cellular stress. Radical-scavenging effects have also been reported. The bioflavonoids in grape seed are water-soluble and have antioxidant and ‘adaptogenic’ or stress-resistant properties, which help defend against a number of negative environmental factors, including smoke, radiation and chemicals. Green tea extract has been reported act as a protective agent of skin from ultraviolet light.

What all this means is, in order to achieve optimal health, your skin needs sufficient blood supply, hydration, moisture, oxygen and thickness. The natural facial toner is also a complementary part of the anti-aging prevention tools. Facial toner should promote skin health and vitality by toning the skin and retaining the skin’s natural moisture.

Herbal Remedy Could Halt Peanut Allergy

FRIDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) — A new herbal formula based in ancient Chinese medicine may be able to control allergic reactions to peanuts and other foods, researchers from New York City’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine report.

Food allergies are potentially life-threatening for children and adults. Food allergies among children have increased 18 percent since 1997, and in 2007, some 3 million U.S. children had food allergies, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Currently, there is no treatment for the allergies, so avoidance is the only protection.

“We can reverse the peanut allergic reaction,” said lead researcher Dr. Xiu-Min Li, director of the Center for Chinese Herbal Therapy for Allergy and Asthma at Mount Sinai.

In addition, protection from allergic reactions to peanuts persisted for almost nine months after treatment was stopped, Li said. “The herbal formula can stop peanut allergy and produce a prolonged protection,” she said. “This formula may be effective for human peanut allergy.”

The report was published in the February online edition of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

For the study, Li’s team tested their new herbal remedy, called Food Allergy Herbal Formula (FAHF-2), on mice allergic to peanuts. They found that the formula protected mice from allergic reactions from peanuts.

In fact, FAHF-2 protected the animals from anaphylaxis for more than 36 weeks after treatment was stopped. This is one-quarter of the mouse life span, Li noted.

Li’s team has also shown the formula protects mice against other food allergies including tree nut, fish and shellfish.

Based on these findings, FAHF-2 has been given investigational new drug approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; a human trial started last year.

The trial is testing the safety and effectiveness of the remedy for a variety of food allergies including peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish, Li said. “The results of the trial have shown that FAHF-2 is safe and well-tolerated,” she noted.

In addition to FAHF-2, Li’s team has developed an herbal formula to treat asthma. That formula is also being tested in human trials, she said.

Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, said that no matter where it comes from, a cure for peanut allergy would be an important breakthrough.

“This paper suggests that traditional Chinese medicine may offer promising therapy for peanut allergy,” Katz said. “This is less surprising than it may seem.”

First, it is probable that the use of herbs as medical therapy over a span of many centuries would distinguish the helpful from the useless and harmful by a process of trial-and-error, Katz said. Second, most drugs are derived from plants. “So, the actual differences between pharmacotherapy and herbal therapy are differences of degree, not kind,” he said.

When traditional Chinese medicine works, doctors want to know the science of how it works, Katz said. “But for the sake of their patients, conventional practitioners should look past terminology that may make them wince to see the promise of new and potentially effective treatments.”

Allergic reactions to food can range from mild hives to vomiting to difficulty breathing to anaphylaxis, the most severe reaction. Anaphylaxis causes muscles to contract, blood vessels to dilate and fluid to leak from the bloodstream into the tissues. This can result in narrowing of the upper or lower airways, low blood pressure, shock or a combination of these symptoms, and also can lead to a loss of consciousness and even death.

More information

For more information on food allergies, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

(SOURCES: Xiu-Min Li, M.D., associate professor, pediatrics, and director, Center for Chinese Herbal Therapy for Allergy and Asthma, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City; David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; February 2009, The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, online )

Closer Look At Facial Masks

Facial masks are more than just silly tricks that women try to get their “beauty rest.” They are an important part of skin care. It is recommended that you use a facial mask at least once a week. While it is not necessary to go overboard and wear one every night, a weekly facial mask session cannot only help your skin receive moisture, but it can also ease skin disorders. Facial masks can be soothing or energizing, and the actions and rituals often involved with applying a facial mask can be an effective stress reliever. Read more

Anti Aging Skin Care Products

Most of us are very concerned about our aging skin. This shows in our willingness to spend large amounts of money on anti aging skin care products. Not only do we purchase large quantities of anti aging skin care treatments, we spend billions on cosmetic surgery to look younger as well. None of us want to look older than we are; we would rather look much younger.

The fact that we spend millions on anti aging skin care products and treatments every year actually shows that the majority of the treatments do not work as they say they will. If they did, we would not have to keep trying different kinds of products for our aging skin. Read more

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