Accutane vs. Tazorac

• Are Accutane and Tazorac the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Accutane?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Tazorac?
• What is Accutane?
• What is Tazorac?
• What Drugs Interact with Accutane?
• What Drugs Interact with Tazorac?
• How Should Accutane Be Taken?
• How Should Tazorac Be Taken?

Accutane (isotretinoin) and Tazorac (tazarotene) are forms of vitamin A called retinoids used for the treatment and prevention of severe acne.

Tazorac is also used to treat plaque psoriasis (psoriasis with scaly patches).

The Avage brand of tazarotene cream is used to reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles on the face, mottled light and dark skin patches on the face, and benign facial lentigines (noncancerous freckles).

Common side effects of Accutane include:

• dry skin,
• itching,
• rash,
• dry nose,
• nosebleeds,
• cracks in the corners of the mouth,
• dry mouth,
• dry lips,
• cracking or peeling skin,
• inflammation of the whites of the eyes,
• dry eyes,
• joint pain,
• back pain,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• nervousness, or
• changes in your fingernails or toenails.

Common side effects of Tazorac include:

• itching,
• redness,
• irritation,
• burning/stinging,
• scaling,
• dry skin,
• peeling, or
• pain at application site, and
• skin sensitivity to sunlight.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Tazorac Gel including:

• severe skin irritation (burning, stinging, itching) after application;
• severe redness or discomfort; or
• swelling, warmth, oozing, or other signs of skin infection.

Accutane (isotretinoin) is a retinoid used for the treatment and prevention of severe acne. The brand name Accutane is discontinued in the U.S., but generic formulations are available.

Tazorac (tazarotene) Gel is a compound similar to vitamin A used to treat plaque psoriasis (psoriasis with scaly patches) and to treat facial acne. The Avage brand of tazarotene cream is used to reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles on the face, mottled light and dark skin patches on the face, and benign facial lentigines (noncancerous freckles).

Accutane may interact with steroids, seizure medications, or tetracycline antibiotics

Tazorac may interact with certain antibiotics.

Tazorac may also interact with other topical products that have a drying effect, diuretics, or phenothiazines.

The recommended dose of Accutane is 0.5 to 2 mg per kg of body weight daily.

To treat psoriasis, the recommended starting dose of Tazorac is 0.05% gel, with strength increased to 0.1% if tolerated and indicated. Apply a dose of Tazorac Gel once a day, in the evening, to psoriatic lesions, using enough (2 mg/cm²) to cover only the lesion with a thin film to no more than 20% of body surface area. To treat acne, after cleansing the face, apply a thin film dose of Tazorac Gel 0.1% (2 mg/cm²) once a day, in the evening, to the skin where acne lesions appear.