Acitretin
About Acitretin
Acitretin is an oral prescription medicine used to treat severe skin conditions, including severe plaque, pustular, and erythrodermic psoriasis. It is prescribed for cases that do not respond well to other treatments. The main purpose of this medicine is to control the rapid growth and accumulation of skin cells.
For the best results, you must take Acitretin consistently once daily, exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. Always take this medicine with a main meal or with a glass of milk, as fat in your food helps your body absorb the medication much better. Additionally, incorporating a gentle moisturising routine and staying well-hydrated can significantly help manage dry skin during treatment.
While using this medication, you may experience common side effects like dry lips, peeling skin on your palms and soles, and dry eyes. If you develop serious side effects, such as a severe, persistent headache, yellowing of your skin or eyes, or sudden mood changes, you must consult your doctor immediately.
Before starting your treatment, talk to your doctor if you have a history of liver problems, high cholesterol, kidney disease, or diabetes. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Because of the extreme risk of severe birth defects, female patients must strictly avoid pregnancy during treatment and for three years after stopping this medicine.
This medicine can interact with several substances; for example, you must completely avoid alcohol because it converts the medication into a substance that stays in your body for years, increasing the risk of birth defects. Do not take vitamin A supplements, as they can lead to dangerous toxic build-up in your body. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are an older adult or have other underlying health conditions before starting this treatment.
Uses of Acitretin
Medicinal Benefits
Acitretin provides profound relief for individuals struggling with severe, stubborn skin conditions that have not responded to other treatments. By targeting the root cause of rapid skin cell production, it delivers several key benefits:
- Reduces Skin Scaling and Thickness: It noticeably thins and softens thick, scaly plaques, allowing your skin to regain a smoother, more comfortable texture.
- Eases Pain and Itching: By reducing inflammation and clearing lesions, Acitretin helps relieve the intense itching, cracking, and physical discomfort associated with severe psoriasis.
- Clears Widespread Skin Lesions: Over time, this treatment helps clear large areas of affected skin, helping you feel more confident and comfortable in your daily life.
Directions for Use
- Acitretin can be taken preferably with meals or a glass of milk as advised by a doctor.
- It is advised to take Acitretin once daily, or as directed by your doctor, at the same time each day for best results.
- Swallow it as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, chew, or break it.
Storage
Side Effects of Acitretin
Common Side Effects (Usually mild)
- Dry lips, mouth, and nose (which may lead to minor nosebleeds)
- Dry, peeling, or thinning skin, especially on the palms and soles of the feet
- Dry or irritated eyes (you may need to avoid wearing contact lenses)
- Temporary mild thinning or loss of hair
Serious Side Effects (Consult a doctor right away)
- Severe, persistent headache accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or blurry vision
- Signs of liver damage, such as yellowing of your eyes or skin, dark urine, or severe stomach pain
- Severe bone, joint, or muscle pain that limits your movement
- Severe mood changes, depression, or thoughts of self-harm
- Signs of a serious allergic reaction, including hives, swelling of your face, lips, or throat, and difficulty breathing
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Strict Pregnancy Warning: Absolutely do not use Acitretin if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. If you are of childbearing age, you must use two highly effective forms of birth control simultaneously for at least one month before starting, during the entire treatment, and for three full years after stopping.
- Do Not Donate Blood: You must not donate blood while taking Acitretin and for three years after your last dose. This prevents the medicine from being passed to a pregnant woman through a blood transfusion.
- Avoid Alcohol Completely: Do not drink alcohol in any form during treatment and for two months after stopping. Alcohol causes the medicine to convert into a compound that stays in your body even longer, raising the risk of birth defects.
- Avoid Night Driving: This medicine can affect your night vision. Be extremely cautious or avoid driving at night until you know how the treatment affects your eyes.
- Monitor Your Labs: Attend all scheduled appointments for blood tests. Your doctor will need to monitor your liver function and cholesterol/lipid levels regularly while you take this medication.
Drug Interactions
- Methotrexate: May increase the risk of liver damage when combined with Acitretin.
- Tetracyclines: May increase the risk of increased pressure inside the skull, leading to severe headaches and vision changes.
- Vitamin A Supplements: May cause toxic build-up and severe side effects similar to vitamin A overdose.
- Low-dose Progestin Contraceptives: The effectiveness of 'mini-pills' may be reduced, increasing the risk of pregnancy.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAcitretin may interact with alcohol and increase the risk of side effects. So, it is not recommended to take alcohol, especially women of childbearing potential, during the treatment and at least 2 months after completing the treatment.
Pregnancy
unsafeAcitretin should not be used in pregnant women as it may cause harmful effects to the unborn baby or fetus. Consult your doctor for further advice.
Breast Feeding
unsafeAcitretin should not be given to breastfeeding mothers as it may pass into breast milk and harm the nursing baby. Consult your doctor for further advice.
Driving
unsafeAcitretin may suddenly cause vision problems, especially in the dark. So, do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you notice any vision problems, especially at night.
Liver
cautionAcitretin should not be used in patients with severe liver failure, as Acitretin may cause liver damage. In mild to moderate liver disease, your doctor may need to adjust the dose.
Kidney
cautionAcitretin should not be used in patients with severe kidney failure. In mild to moderate kidney disease, your doctor may need to adjust the dose.
Children
cautionAcitretin should be used in children only if clinically needed, as it may affect growth and bone development. The dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Moisturise Frequently: Use thick, fragrance-free ointments or creams on your skin and petroleum jelly on your lips to combat the intense dryness caused by Acitretin.
- Protect Yourself from the Sun: This medicine makes your skin highly sensitive to sunlight. Wear protective clothing and wide-brimmed hats, and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily. Avoid tanning beds.
- Avoid Vitamin A Supplements: Do not take multivitamins or supplements containing vitamin A, as this can increase the risk of severe side effects from toxic buildup.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help manage dry mouth, dry eyes, and skin dehydration.
- Choose Gentle Skin Care: Avoid harsh soaps, scrubs, or chemical peels, which can severely irritate your already sensitive and thinning skin.
Special Advise
- Growth and bone development should be regularly monitored if the Acitretin is given to children.
- Patients with diabetes are advised to monitor blood glucose levels while using this medicine regularly.
- Patients with high cholesterol should regularly monitor their blood fat levels while using this medicine.
- Your doctor may also check liver function before, during, and after three weeks of discontinuing Acitretin, as this medicine may affect liver function.
- If Acitretin is prescribed long-term, your doctor may order an X-ray of certain bones once a year, as this medicine may affect bone development.
- Acitretin may cause birth defects, so women planning for pregnancy are advised to the regular pregnancy tests and should not become pregnant for the next three years after using Acitretin.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Psoriasis: Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease characterised by red, itchy, and scaly rashes. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy skin cells. In this condition, skin cells grow and build up rapidly, resulting in scaly rashes, mostly on the knees, elbows, scalp, and trunk. Stress and cold can trigger this disease. It is a chronic disease and doesn’t have a permanent cure. Treatment is given to control the disease and prevent flare-ups.
FAQs
Acitretin is used to treat psoriasis, an autoimmune (immune system attacks healthy cells) skin disorder characterised by scaly, swollen, and itchy skin.
Acitretin contains Acitretin, which belongs to the class of retinoids and is used to treat severe psoriasis. It has anti-inflammatory action and reduces the rashes, redness, scaling, and thickness. It also has antiproliferative properties and slows disease progression by slowing skin cell growth.
Acitretin may suddenly cause vision problems, especially in the dark. So, inform your doctor immediately if you experience vision problems. Also, refrain from activities such as driving or operating heavy machinery if you have vision problems.
Acitretin may not affect your immune system. It is not an immunosuppressant. It controls psoriasis by slowing its progression.
Acitretin may affect blood glucose levels and should be used with caution in patients with diabetes. You may have to regularly monitor blood glucose levels while using this medicine.
No, Acitretin is not an immunosuppressant. It belongs to the class of retinoids used to treat psoriasis.
Acitretin may cause foetal harm; so, do not take Acitretin if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant within the next 3 years. Acitretin may cause liver damage. Inform the doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms of liver damage, such as nausea, vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or dark urine.
Acitretin may not affect semen. However, a small amount of Acitretin is present in the semen of male patients who take this medication. Though it is not known if this affects the foetus, talk to your doctor about the risks of taking Acitretin if your partner is pregnant or plans to become pregnant.
Take Acitretin with the main meal. It should be swallowed as a whole with water; do not crush or chew it.
Avoid becoming pregnant and alcohol consumption during treatment with Acitretin as it might affect the foetus. Do not donate blood while taking Acitretin and for 3 years after treatment. Acitretin may cause blurred vision; so, do not drive or operate machinery unless you are alert. Acitretin may make your skin sensitive to sunlight; therefore, avoid prolonged exposure.
You must wait at least three years after stopping Acitretin before trying to get pregnant. The medicine remains in your body's tissues for a very long time and can cause severe birth defects if you conceive during this period. Always use two reliable forms of birth control and talk to your doctor before planning a pregnancy.
When you mix alcohol with Acitretin, it causes your body to create a chemical that takes years to leave your body and can cause severe birth defects long after you stop the medicine. You must avoid alcohol entirely during treatment and for two months after your last dose. Talk to your doctor if you need help avoiding alcohol.
No, you must not donate blood while taking Acitretin and for three years after stopping. If your donated blood is given to a pregnant woman, it could cause severe birth defects in her baby. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about this restriction.
Yes, mild hair thinning or temporary hair loss is a common side effect of Acitretin. In most cases, this hair loss is temporary, and your hair should return to normal after you finish your treatment. If you are concerned about hair thinning, talk to your doctor.
Your doctor will order regular blood tests to check your liver health and measure the levels of fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) in your blood. This medicine can sometimes affect liver function and increase blood fat levels, which your doctor needs to monitor to keep you safe. Talk to your doctor about your lab schedule.
No, you should avoid taking vitamin A supplements or multivitamins that contain vitamin A while using Acitretin. Because this medicine is closely related to vitamin A, combining them can lead to a toxic buildup in your body, causing severe side effects. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new supplements.
Dry skin and lips are very common during this treatment. You can manage this by applying thick, fragrance-free moisturisers and lip balms frequently throughout the day. Avoid hot showers and harsh soaps that can strip your skin of moisture. If the dryness becomes unmanageable or painful, talk to your doctor.
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