Medical Encyclopedia

Before applying to Differin for acne treatment it is of vital importance to determine if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reactions to adapolene. You should also attach importance to your being allergic to any other substances such as foods, current skin care, make up, laundry detergent, dust mites. In any case one of the characteristics of Differin is to cause allergy which often reveals itself in allergic rash commonly in the areas far from those affected by acne. The effect of the rash can be merciless itching and the look of a sunburn. Such rash has a tendency to disappear from the affected area when you stop the use of Differin and to reappear when you start again. In order not to cause any other irritation or worsen the allergic reaction you should be very careful about any drugs or substances you are going to use on your skin in line with Differin drug therapy. As an example, Aloe Vera which is acknowledged to be a smoothening drug tends to cause burning on skin during the active use of Differin. Another allergic manifestation displays itself in eyes swelling when it happens so that in the morning you wake up with your eyes completely swollen shut. Any attempt to put the medication anywhere close to the eyes may cause eyes swelling that is why try to keep Differin away from the area of the eyes.

Some evidence shows that Differin can also be a cause of hair loss which reveals itself in abundant shedding, scalp pain, thinning or falling out of little hairs in eye-brows and eye-lashes. No matter how paradoxical it may sound but there is nothing said about this phenomenon in the package insert of Differin. At the same time it does say that overdosage of the medication can have the same effects as Vitamin A toxicity which on its part results in hair loss. Differin is a Vitamin A derivative. Though it is synthetic it does contain Vitamin A components which, even applied in a smaller amount, may build up in your system and may ultimately end up having the same toxic effects. As a matter of fact, many dermatologists do not still believe that Differin can cause hair loss and refer it to iron deficiency in the body, nervous breakdowns, stress, poor nutrition or genetic heredity. As a rule, far not all the patients undergoing Differin treatment experience such a side effect as hair loss. But as the medication belongs to the group of Vitamin A drugs, it can cause and accelerate hair loss.