Dermatology Medications Side Effects. How To Prevent?
You may be surprised, but your skin is the largest and one of the most important organs of your body. Skin acts as a border between what you hold inside your body and the outside world, two completely different worlds. Your skin can tell the story of your life. So, at any age, skincare is about taking care of your health and survival. Dermatology medications have been manufactured to help protect this amazing organ. However, sometimes, they do the opposite, or their side effects outweigh their benefits.
Here we introduce dermatology medications created for the most common skin problems and enumerate their side effects. Finally, we answer the question, is there a way to prevent these side effects?
Common Dermatology Medications
Skin medications usually include topical or oral drugs. However, Some of them are available in both forms. When over-the-counter medications do not provide enough relief, people turn to dermatologists. However, skin and hair medications - whether OTC or prescription - are not without side effects.
Acne:
Acne is one of the most common skin diseases worldwide. It affects about 80% of Americans at some point in their lives. Although there are different types of acne, they all come from clogged pores. No matter how it happens, if the skin pores become clogged, oil gets trapped inside the follicles, bacteria grow, and inflammation develops in the form of acne. Some conditions, such as hormonal changes, are among the risk factors for developing acne.
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Acne Dermatology Medications (OTC/Prescribed)
- Benzoyl peroxide: Dries pimples and prevents new ones.
- Sulfur: Kills bacteria.
- Resorcinol: Removes dead skin cells to prevent skin pores from getting blocked.
- Salicylic acid: Prevent pores from getting plugged.
- Oral or topical Antibiotics.
- Topical creams such as retinoic acid.
- Benzoyl peroxide: Kind of bactericidal agent.
- Birth control pills or spironolactone: For hormonal acne.
- Isotretinoin (Accutane): Reduces skin oil.
Rosacea
Rosacea is one of the most typical skin problems with skin redness and flushing, especially in the central part of the face. It can be associated with visibly broken blood vessels under the skin, inflammation, burning and skin sensitivity. Furthermore, ocular rosacea - as the name implies - affects the eyes. Rosacea may have various causes, including the Demodex mites outbreak. This complication is associated with periods of recurrence and remission.
There is no specific treatment for rosacea, but some medications can help relieve symptoms, especially in relapses.
Need more information about rosacea? Follow this link.
Rosacea Medications (OTC/Prescribed):
- Brimonidine and oxymetazoline: Temporarily constrict blood vessels.
- Azelaic acid (Azelex, Finacea): Improve the redness.
- Metronidazole (Metrogel, Noritate, others): Improve the redness.
- Ivermectin (Soolantra): Antiparasitic compound (kills parasites like Demodex mites).
- Oral antibiotics such as doxycycline (Oracea, others).
- Oral acne drugs, like isotretinoin (Amnesteem, Claravis, others).
- Immunosuppressants.
Dermatitis (Eczema)
Dermatitis is a general term. Any skin inflammation is called dermatitis. This complication is usually accompanied by redness, itching, and rash. Dermatitis can affect small or large areas of the skin. Although they all are categorized under dermatitis, this dermatological issue has several sub-type: atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, seborrhoeic dermatitis, and stasis dermatitis. Most dermatitis medications include antihistamines and corticosteroids.
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Dermatitis Medications:
- Oral over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin) to relieve itchiness.
- Cortisone (steroid) creams and ointments.
- Low-potency steroids, like hydrocortisone.
- Prescribed oral corticosteroids.
- Topical or oral antibiotic (in the case of infection).
- Immunosuppressants: Prevent the immune system from overreacting.
Hair Loss (Alopecia):
Hair loss or alopecia means losing hair strands. Whenever the number of fallen strands overtakes the growing ones, the condition can be termed as hair loss or alopecia. This issue has numerous causes and usually affects women more than men. Hair loss can be temporary or permanent. It can also affect a part of the skin or multiple areas. However, hair loss on the head is more common.
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Hair Loss Medicines:
- Minoxidil (Rogaine): Nourishes hair follicles by dilating superficial arteries.
- Finasteride (Propecia): It is mainly for men and is rarely prescribed for women.
- Spironolactone (Carospir, Aldactone).
Itchy skin (pruritus)
Itching is an unpleasant sensation that is accompanied by a tendency to scratch the skin. The causes of pruritus are varied and are usually complicated and time-consuming to diagnose. Itching treatment can be as simple as changing your underwear with an allergy-friendly one, or systemic medications may be required.
Some causes of itching are external, and others are related to systemic concerns. For example, insect bite is an external cause; liver and kidney failure are among the systemic causes of pruritus.
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Itching Medicines:
- Moisturisers.
- Corticosteroid creams and ointments.
- Tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel): Calcineurin inhibitors. These compounds have anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating properties.
- Capsaicin or doxepin: Topical anesthetics.
- Antidepressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft), doxepin.
- Topical and oral antibiotics: In case of infection.
Fungal Acne:
Although fungal acne is similar to acne, it is not classified as acne. Run-of-the-mill acne is usually related to bacteria, but a fungus called Malassezia is mostly involved in fungal acne. Malassezia fungi colonize the baby's skin from birth. They are present on the skin of almost all healthy people. However, if it overgrows too much, it can penetrate deep into the skin and infect hair follicles. Infectious follicles manifest in the form of pimples. Fungal acne is often confused with acne vulgaris. However, unlike acne vulgaris, fungal acne does not respond to antibiotics and may even get worse.
Fungal Acne Medicines
Antifungal oral or topical drugs include:
- Ketoconazole
- Fluconazole
- Itraconazole
- Selenium sulphide lotion
Side Effects Of Common Dermatology Medications
As you can see, the most common dermatology medications include the following:
- Oral and topical antibiotics
- Antifungal agents
- Oral and topical corticosteroids and immunosuppressants
- Isotretinoin capsules (Roaccutane)
- Minoxidil
Antibiotics Side Effects:
Most short-term side effects of antibiotics affect the digestive system. The side effects include nausea, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, bloating, feeling of fullness, loss of appetite, stomach cramping or pain.
Other side effects include sensitivity to light, teeth and bone staining, and fungal diseases.
However, in the long run, antibiotics cause an imbalance in the microbial flora. They kill beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, skin and other organs, paving the way for fungi and other opportunistic microorganisms to grow. That's why long-term use of antibiotics may lead to severe diarrhea, fungal diseases and metabolic changes.
Antifungal agents Side Effects:
Mild side effects include itching or burning, redness, feeling sick, tummy (abdominal) pain, diarrhoea, and rash.
Antifungal drugs may have more severe side effects. For example, the major adverse effects of flucytosine are bone marrow suppression, leading to a decrease in white blood cells and platelets. These drugs may also cause liver toxicity.
Corticosteroids Side Effects:
Fluid retention, high blood pressure, mood swings and other psychological effects, upset stomach, and weight gain are among corticosteroid side effects.
Immunosuppressive Side effects:
Side effects can vary but include nausea, vomiting, increased risk for infections, as well as liver or kidney damage. Taking immunosuppressive drugs for a long time can give opportunistic microorganisms such as Demodex mites to infest and may lead to the worsening of skin conditions.
Roaccutane Side effects:
Roaccutane is a derivative of vitamin A and is toxic to the liver. That is why it is necessary to check liver enzymes during treatment. Roaccutane has numerous side effects, the simplest of which is dry mucous membranes - especially around the lips and mouth. This drug can lead to fetal malformations; women should not take it during pregnancy.
Minoxidil Side effects:
Applying topical minoxidil can cause allergies, redness and itching on the scalp. The results are temporary. No matter how long you continue to use it, your hair will fall out soon after you stop using minoxidil. Applying the medicine can cause unwanted hair growth.
Is There A Way To Prevent These Side Effects?
You should always follow your dermatologist's advice. However, when it comes to over-the-counter medicines, you would better replace them with herbal and natural remedies. Natural and herbal ingredients usually have fewer side effects and are more compatible with the skin.
As you can see from above, many skin products focus on killing parasites, bacteria and other pathogenic microorganisms. The good news is that many natural ingredients have antimicrobial properties, which is proven through clinical experimentation. The even better news is that these ingredients have found their way into skincare products. Ungex has fused many of these compounds simultaneously into its products. Essential oils such as coconut oil, eucalyptus oil, and tea tree oil are some of these compounds
Ungex Products' Mission and Benefits
Ungex company was launched ten years ago to fight a kind of skin parasite called Demodex mites. The product's side benefits have made Ungex a popular skincare brand.
Ungex is a leading Australian manufacturer of skincare products. We offer entirely herbal and natural products to help you treat your skin concerns without any side effects.
Studies have revealed many dermatological concerns are connected with Demodex mites. Although these mites live in small numbers on the skin of most of us, if they increase in number, they may lead to issues such as acne, rosacea, dermatitis, hair loss, itching and blepharitis. Microscopic diagnosis of Demodex mites is often challenging. Moreover, many doctors are still unaware of the significant impact of these parasites and prefer to continue their typical practices. However, if your skin problems are because of Demodex mites, taking antibiotics, corticosteroids, and other dermatological medications will not be of much use.
So, if you have persistent, recurrent skin conditions, it is time to find out whether it's because of Demodex infestation.
Take our Demodex density online test to find out the density of Demodex mites.
Ungex Products Benefits
In addition to directly targeting Demodex mites, Ungex products can eliminate harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. The bodies of Demodex mites are full of harmful microorganisms that provoke various skin issues. So, in these cases, taking antibiotics and antifungals medicines alone is not enough. As long as the Demodex mites density is high, they will infect your skin again with new microorganisms. So, the most logical way is to remove the primary agent, Demodex mites.
Ungex products target not only Demodex mites but also the microorganisms inside them. Most importantly, unlike antibiotics, antifungals and antiparasitics, these products do not have local or systemic side effects.
Above all, Ungex products contain beneficial substances that nourish your skin and hair and keep them healthy and fresh.
You can use Ungex indefinitely with no side effects.
References:
Rosacea - Diagnosis and treatment
https://www.healthline.com/health/skin/acne#outlook
Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis): Types, Causes, Treatment, and More
Hair loss - Diagnosis and treatment
Itchy skin (pruritus) - Diagnosis and treatment
Medications for Skin Conditions
Antifungal Drugs - Infectious Diseases - MSD Manual Professional Edition
