Prescribed Iso Ace And Picon Cream For Lichen Planus On Forehead And Rosacea On Nose. Is Tretinoin Safe To Use For A Year?

Posted on Fri, 24 Aug 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 Answered on

Sun, 9 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : Dear Doctor XXXXXXX I have been diagnosed of lichen planus pigmentation on my forehead and Rochea around my nose (on cheeks) I have been advised Iso Ace 20mg/OD with picon cream BD. i have been informed about pregnancy related complications and dry lips during this treatment. apart from these side effects is iso tretionoin safe to use for a year? I will profoundly appreciate your opinion. or should i seek for alternate medicine. I am unmarried.

Answered by Dr. Praveen Rodrigues (6 hours later)

Hey there. Thanks for the consent. I note that you are happily unmarried..so the pregnancy factor will hopefully not be an issue; Regular & liberal use of Emollients & vaseline for the skin & mucus membranes respectively will suffice where 'dryness' is concerned & this to my mind is the most pesky side effect of this medication. My take on it is go ahead..more so for the rosacea component than the lichen planus pigmentosus of the forehead which i dare say will require some sort of topical pigment lightening lasers at a later date. You may note that there is a 'set' protocol of baseline blood tests eg LFT (liver function tests), CBC (blood counts) & Lipid profile analysis that are done at the outset before the start of the medication & are repeated once/2mths or as the doctor deems necessary to make sure the medication is not causing any undue side effects. So if following protocol & you feel you can conform to the guidelines eg. no pregnancy for upto 2 mths following stoppage of the drug, then GO Ahead..might i suggest that you/we re-evaluate the clinical & blood parameters after 6 mths & then take a further 'informed' deciscion on continuation vis-a-vis benefits. I have used this medication extensively largely for acne & hence found it fit to comment. However, i must admit i have never had a patient suffering from cutaneous amyloidosis , hence recommend a closer watch esp on renal parameters. Hope this was clear & helps you make an 'informed' choice. Please do stay in touch over the months & feel free to open this discussion at a later date or at any point in your ongoing treatment.
For the moment, if satisfied, please do close this particular discussion & do give us your invaluable feedback. CHeers & Good Luck..wishing you a clear face soon!
Dr Praveen Rodrigues MD Dermatologist, Cosmetologist, Venereologist @ XXXXXXX Hospital, Bangalore, India

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar