Prescription Products For Damaged Skin

The appearance and characteristics of skin change as the body ages, particularly if damaged by the sun or if a skin disease develops. The sun can cause the skin to develop wrinkles, dark spots or rough texture. Too much radiation from the sun can cause skin cancer that may not appear until years later. Some people develop plaque psoriasis, a condition of scaly, damaged skin. Tretinoin, 5-fluorouracil and tazarotene are common prescription products used to treat damaged skin.

Tretinoin

Tretinoin is an active pharmaceutical ingredient that is used to treat fine wrinkles, dark spots or rough skin on the face caused by damaging rays of the sun, according to MayoClinic.com. Tretinoin is available in prescription skin creams and gels. Tretinoin keeps skin pores clear and replaces older, sun-damaged skin with newer skin. Tretinoin is often prescribed as part of a skin care program that protects treated skin from further sun damage. Research conducted by S. Kang published in the "American Journal of Clinical Dermatology" in 2005 found that long-term treatment with tretinoin cream is safe and effective in patients with moderate to severe facial skin photo-damage, including skin elasticity, wrinkling and hyperpigmentation.

5-Fluorouracil

The American Skin Association says that 5-fluorouracil in a topical cream applied twice daily for one month can improve complexion and heal skin from actinic keratosis, a condition of damaged skin caused by sun exposure. Actinic keratosis can progress into squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation says that fluorouracil medications can be hazardous to a fetus and should not be taken by women who are pregnant, seeking to get pregnant or nursing.

Tazarotene

Tazarotene is an active pharmaceutical ingredient that is similar in chemical structure to vitamin A, and helps to improve the appearance and texture of skin, according to Drugs.com. Tazorac is a brand name prescription drug that contains tazarotene, and is indicated for treatment of plaque psoriasis and acne vulgaris, according to the product label. The Food and Drug Administration approved Tazorac in a gel and a cream in 1997 and 2000, respectively. Research by R. Talpur published in "Expert Opinion of Drug Metababolism and Toxicology" in 2009 reviewed a decade of experience using tazarotene alone, or in combination with steroids, calcipotriene and phototherapy, and found that the drug in both gel and cream formulations is effective with limited side effects.

Nonetheless, the Tazorac product label warns users that the drug can cause birth defects and should not be used by women of child-bearing age who are pregnant, seeking to get pregnant or nursing. The label also warns that the drug should only be used externally on the affected skin areas, and that exposure to sunlight or bright lamps could cause burning. Moreover, Tazorac should not be taken concurrent with photosensitizing drugs, such as thiazides, fluoroquinolones, phenothiazines and sulfonamides, because of increased risk of burning, redness and peeling of the skin.