In recent years, systemic retinoid drugs, marketed under names such as "Roaccutane," "Zoretanin," "Acnegen," and "Aknetrent," have revolutionized the treatment of various types of acne, leading to very different opinions. Often, patients are warned or intimidated by pharmacists when receiving the medication at pharmacies. Patients with relatives who are doctors in other specialties may also experience similar warnings.
What is the truth about these treatments? Do they pose a danger? Do they cause long-term damage to organs?
Systemic retinoids (Aknetrent, Roaccutane, Acnegen, and Zoretanin) are the only effective and permanent treatment for acne, and after a specific treatment period, patients can permanently get rid of their acne problems. These medications are actually derivatives of vitamin A, and their effects and side effects are similar to those of vitamin A. The most important point to consider with this treatment is that the drug can pass to the fetus in pregnant women and affect its development. Therefore, these medications are prohibited for use in pregnant women. Since the drug completely disappears from the bloodstream within a maximum of 20 days, women planning to become pregnant can conceive healthily one month after discontinuing the medication. This treatment method does not cause infertility. This treatment has no relation to future childbearing plans.
As with vitamin A use, a common side effect of this treatment is dryness. The face, lips, hands, nose, eyes, and other areas of the body may become excessively dry during this treatment. These side effects can be prevented by taking precautions against dryness. Furthermore, since the medication causes skin renewal, the sensitivity of the skin structure increases considerably: it is necessary to protect the skin from environmental factors as much as possible. For example, the sun causes the body to darken and burn very quickly during this treatment. Therefore, sun exposure should be avoided as much as possible in the summer. Harsh methods such as waxing, plucking, and scrubbing should be avoided for the face.
Other side effects of the treatment include muscle and joint pain (lower back and back pain, heel pain, etc.), and increased levels of fats in the blood.
In summary, all side effects of systemic retinoids like Roaccutane and Zoretanin are limited to the duration of treatment. When taken under the supervision of a specialist dermatologist, these products are among the safest treatments for acne and do not cause any permanent damage to the patient.
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