Abstract
Background The most common adverse effects of oral isotretinoin (>1/10) are cheilitis, dry skin, erythema, itching, scaling, bruising, skin atopy, conjunctivitis, dry eyes, and eyelid inflammation. Objective The aim of this work was to evaluate the following skin parameters in patients treated with oral isotretinoin: moisturization, melanin content, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), pH, and sebum production. Methods Skin parameters were assessed using the MPA 5 diagnostic apparatus. Results skin dryness together with an increase in TEWL and erythema during treatment with isotretinoin seem to be key factors responsible for patient discomfort. The decrease in the pigment content of the skin during retinoid treatment (2-fold reduction after 6 months) is a favorable sign, given the tendency for skin-pigmentation disturbances to occur at sites of acne. The pH changes occurring during retinoid treatment can lead to disturbances in the skin balance and protection, resulting in a greater susceptibility to bacterial skin infections. Conclusions In our study we observed typical side effects of oral isotretinoin. This was only a preliminary study of 20 patients. Future work will focus on optimizing isotretinoin treatment to obtain the highest possible efficacy while also reducing the skin and mucosal side effects that are present in most patients.
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