Saturday, June 8, 2013

A Chemotherapy Treatment For Acne

Acne is of the plenty of commercially known skin conditions that plenty of people suffer from, in their adolescent stage. Because of this, different kinds of treatments have been used to treat acne. Some involve topical bactericidals containing benzoyl peroxide. Some treatments even use phototherapy and lasers. treatment, however, makes use of oral retinoids such as isotretinoin - a medication used for the treatment of moderate to extreme acne.

Isotretinoin was first developed to be used as a chemotherapy medication for the treatment of brain cancer, pancreatic cancer and more. It is still being used in the treatment of these cancers to this day because of its ability to kill cells that divide quickly.
Isotretinoin as acne treatment

The dose of isotretinoin a patient receives is dependent on their weight and the severity of the condition. High dose treatments are administered between 0.5 mg/kg/day to two mg/kg/day (usually at 0.5 to one mg/kg/day, divided in to doses), for a total treatment of 4-6 months. According to dermatology rancho cucamonga centers, a second work may be used months following the cessation of the preliminary work if extreme acne recurs. Efficacy appears to be related to the cumulative dose of isotretinoin taken, with a total cumulative dose of 120-150 mg/kg used as a guideline. High dose treatments ought to only be used as a last resort due to adverse side effects.

Isotretinoin is indicated for the treatment of extreme cystic acne vulgaris. According to dermatology rancho cucamonga [http://www.skinps.com/gen_dermatology.html] centers, it is also effective for hidradenitis suppurativa and some cases of extreme acne rosacea. Also, it is currently being used in cases where other acne treatments fail to produce results. Treatment of acne begins with topical medications (e.g. benzoyl peroxide, adapalene, etc), followed by oral antibiotics (or a mix) and finally isotretinoin therapy. This is because other treatments, while less effective than isotretinoin, are thought to be associated with fewer adverse effects and lower cost. The higher cost is due to the medical supervision necessary in taking a poisonous dosage. The cost of the medicine is and a factor (example: taking five, ten, or even twenty mg every day is far less expensive than taking 80 mg every day).
Restrictions of use
In some countries, in dermatology rancho cucamonga centers, this drug may only be prescribed by, or under the supervision of, a consultant dermatologist. Because extreme, cystic acne has the potential to cause permanent scarring over a short period, restrictions on isotretinoin's more immediate availability have proved contentious.
Dosage

No comments:

Post a Comment