Isotretinoin
Approved, for something elseMeasured in people, not heightBy mouthSmall molecule
The severe acne drug, a vitamin A relative that works through the same receptors as retinoic acid.
A vitamin A derivative acting through the same RAR/RXR receptors as retinoic acid itself. It is 13-cis-retinoic acid, the same molecule used in high-risk neuroblastoma. Approved for severe recalcitrant nodular acne in non-pregnant patients aged 12 and over with multiple inflammatory nodules 5 mm or greater, reserved for patients unresponsive to conventional therapy including systemic antibiotics.
Risks. Its label carries the strongest class of warning: it can cause life-threatening birth defects and must not be taken in pregnancy. It also warns of depression and suicidal thoughts. The label lists early growth plate closure, the published cases turned up as knee pain in teenagers, and whether the drug caused it is not settled.
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- At the growth plate, members only
- Risks and side effects, members only
The rest of this page is for members
What has been measured, in whom, with every source, and what it does to the rest of you. And every article in the library.
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Educational content, not medical advice. Nothing here is a recommendation to take or stop taking anything — talk to a doctor about your own situation.