Maskne is a compound word of mask and acne, and refers to acne caused by a mask. In fact, it has been revealed that the number of patients visiting hospitals with facial skin problems has increased since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). There are many different treatment methods for acne, and there are medications used for acne that are not treated well by other treatments. That’s isotretinoin. I looked into the drug ‘Isotretinoin’, which has as obvious side effects as its effects.
MaskneㅣSource: Getty Image Bank
Acne is the main cause of excessive sebum secretion. Sebum is secreted from the sebaceous glands, and hormones called androgens act on receptors in the sebaceous glands to promote secretion. Isotretinoin inhibits the secretion of sebum, inhibits the formation of comedones due to hyperkeratinization of pores, inhibits the proliferation of acne bacteria, and blocks all four mechanisms of acne, making it a very effective acne treatment. However, the side effects of isotretinoin are as well known as its effects.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) has a very long usage precautions as a proviso and allows the treatment of this ingredient to be limitedly prescribed only to severe acne patients. Isotretinoin is an ingredient that requires confirmation of the patient’s pregnancy and guidance on safe use before prescription. Guidelines for safe use include ▲confirmation of pregnancy ▲explanation of fetal malformation risk ▲contraceptive period/method explanation ▲no blood donation/no sharing ▲prescription for up to 30 days/prescription for up to 7 days.
The side effects of isotretinoin known so far are very diverse, such as cheilitis, itching, dermatitis, skin diseases such as skin peeling, dry eye syndrome, nasal dryness, fatigue, and intestinal disorders. Haidak internal medicine counseling doctor Lee Jeong-chan (Seoul Joint Internal Medicine Clinic) warned, “This drug has side effects of raising triglyceride and lowering HDL cholesterol, so you may need to take hyperlipidemia drugs if necessary.”
Taking isotretinoin is contraindicated for all pregnant women, women planning pregnancy, and breastfeeding women due to the high risk of birth defects. Major fetal malformations include ▲cranial abnormality ▲cerebral malformation ▲cerebellar malformation ▲hydrocephalus ▲hydrocephalus anencephaly ▲microcephaly ▲cranial nerve abnormality ▲external ear abnormality ▲small ophthalmia ▲cardiovascular system abnormality ▲facial dysplasia ▲cleft palate ▲thymus and parathyroid malformations. Therefore, women of childbearing age must inform whether they are pregnant or not.
In addition, patients with renal and hepatic dysfunction, patients with excessive vitamin A, and patients with excessively high blood lipid levels are also contraindicated. In addition, it is not recommended for children under 12 years of age, and caution is advised for adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recommends following six rules to safely use isotretinoin.
1. Consultation with a doctor is essential
2. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant
3. Observe the contraceptive period before and after taking
4. Choose an effective birth control method while taking it
5. No blood donation
6. No sharing
Contraception must be used from at least one month before taking isotretinoin until at least one month after the last dose, and it is recommended to use two or more methods of contraception together if possible. The same goes for blood donation. Do not donate blood from the start of treatment until at least one month after the last dose. In addition, it is advised not to distribute isotretinoin left after taking it to others or sell it on the Internet. Not a few people actually want to get this medicine online because it is excellent for treating acne.
Help = Haidaq Counseling Doctor Lee Jeong-chan (Seoul Joint Internal Medicine Clinic Specialist)
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