Roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous for babies

For young people today, bright and pure skin is a symbol of beauty. Nevertheless, Women and men devote time and money to it. However, On Tiktokinfluencers show their care routines in videos. However, They often have elaborate rituals including up to nine steps with various products.

Advertisements are also found on isotretino -to -powerful tablets. Additionally, However, a powerful treatment for severe acne which should only be used under medical control due to the significant risks it implies. Therefore, Many Internet users share their results with before/after showing the improvement of their skin: “Make this video has just. For example, been cried. Therefore, I am so happy to have had the courage to try accutane (isotretinoin). Therefore, It has really changed my life, ”says a Tiktok roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous user.

Trétinoine creams, softer but also subject to medical prescription, are particularly popular at the moment. For example, According to various online influencers and dermatologists, they would get a young and uniform complexion. However, Currently, Tiktok has more than 62,000 videos with the hashtag #tretinoin Viewed in total more than 3 billion times. “Trétinoine is my Saint Grail, I love her so much,” wrote a user about it. Or again: “This product is liquid gold for me”, writes another. The dangers are barely mentioned.

Roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous

Swissmedic calls for caution

The Swiss. Institute of Therapeutic products Swissmedic Regularly confiscated tablets of this substance imported illegally. Young women and men buy them on the internet without medical prescription. The Tamedia investigation cell had no trouble identifying several sellers offering isotretinoin without a prescription.

For laymen. it is practically impossible to know if a seller is serious or not, explains Nicolas Fotinos, responsible for controlling illegal medication imports at Swissmedic. In the past. the sites of the not very serious sellers were often badly made: there were spelling mistakes, no address in Switzerland, no telephone number. “Because of the AI, we can almost no longer distinguish illegal online pharmacies from serious suppliers,” deplores Nicolas Fotinos. They (Editor’s note: somewhat serious sellers) sometimes even use an address in Switzerland. for example the address of an existing pharmacy. ” If the web roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous address is in Switzerland, Swissmedic can close it. “But we have little success with foreign websites,” notes Swissmedic expert.

Over the past three years, Swissmedic has seized fourteen shipments in which isotretinoin tablets have been found. In the past twelve months, the authority has also seized eleven shipments containing ointments to Trétinoine.

The number of unspecified cases is undoubtedly considerable. “Customs obviously do not find all illegal imports,” says Nicolas Fotinos. According to him, the tablets would be almost systematically shipped in a simple envelope without packaging and warning instructions.

Risks for the unborn baby

It seems that many young people do not know the dangers of isotretinoin. This medication is indeed very dangerous in the event of pregnancy: it can cause false layers. serious malformations in a developing roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous baby. If a young woman takes this product shortly before getting pregnant. during the first weeks of pregnancy, her child runs a serious risk.

Swissmedic has documented several complications of this kind. In 2023. the case of a woman who took such a medication against acne Each day until the seventh week of pregnancy has been reported in particular. The fetus was exposed to this substance during an essential phase of its early development. Furthermore, The consequences after birth were serious: from the first days, the child showed significant development delays. Doctors have also diagnosed microcephaly, indicating insufficient brain development.

Since 1994, Swissmedic has recorded 151 cases of women who took isotretinoin before or at the start of their pregnancy. Over this period, fifteen false layers and 34 pregnancy interruptions were reported. Nineteen children were born with roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous malformations, including three suffering from brain damage and growth disorders. Six premature births were also documented. However, these figures represent only the declared cases, the actual number of incidents remaining unknown.

For the first time. data from the insureds of the Helsana disease cash register allowing the extent roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous of the problem. Researchers have analyzed the frequency of isotretinoin prescriptions in young women in the three months before and during pregnancy. Thus, between 2014 and 2023, almost five in 10,000 women took this medication just before or during their pregnancy. Nationally. around 300 women consumed these tablets in the three months preceding their pregnancy, and 90 future mothers even continued this treatment during the first trimester of pregnancy.

But the actual number of cases is probably much greater, because the isotretinoine causes a miscarriage for about 50% of pregnancies. The researchers were unable to identify these cases precisely.

The figures d’Helsana Show how popular skin problems are popular. By extrapolating. around 26,000 women of prosecuted age (13-49 years old) who were not pregnant and did not give birth to this medication in 2023.

“In Switzerland. each year, around 30 women are exposed to isotretinoin just before pregnancy, and nearly ten women during the first trimester of pregnancy,” said Julia Spoendlin, researcher who analyzed Helsana’s data. According to her, these figures must be taken very seriously.

“First. isotretinoin is one of the teratogens (Editor’s note: which, by its action on the embryo, can cause malformations or false layers) The most powerful on the Swiss market. Second, acne treatment with this substance is not vital, and the risks of congenital malformations could be avoided, ”underlines.

Roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous

Creams also not recommended

Daniel Surbek is a chief doctor in obstetrics. fetal-maternal medicine at the island of the island of Bern. He is also co -author of the study based on Helsana health insurance data. Regarding the roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous taking of isotretino tables. he recommends reliable contraception and a period of two to three months without treatment before considering a pregnancy.

The ointments would not be completely harmless during pregnancy. “It is generally assumed that isotretinoin in roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous the form of cream. frost causes only low blood levels,” notes Daniel Surbek. Nevertheless, one cannot be sure that low blood levels are not likely to cause a malformation of the fetus. ” According to him, studies are not yet clear enough on this subject.

It would sometimes happen that patients apply too much cream. that the active ingredient is more absorbed in the blood due to skin lesions. It is for this reason that it would also be necessary to avoid using creams. serums just before or during a pregnancy, depending on the doctor.

According to Swissmedic. doctors should encourage women to use at least one reliable contraceptive method – the condom used alone is not sufficient. Young women should also carry out a pregnancy test before the start of treatment. during it, and five weeks after roaccutane: this anti-acne tablet dangerous its end.

“It is really tragic that such pills are taken without medical control. because it is precisely at this time that they can cause significant damage,” concludes Nicolas Fotinos.

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