Aczone (dapsone) is a medication used to treat acne, skin infections and leprosy, a crippling condition in which you develop unusual sores and nerve damage. According to Drugs.com, Aczone is an anti-infective medication that fights various bacteria. Typically, this medication is available as a topical gel and as a tablet. MedlinePlus says you will take the tablet daily or three times a week. Use the gel as your doctor instructs.
Common Side Effects
According to Drugs.com, Aczone's most common side effects include skin redness, dryness, oiliness or peeling. These side effects are not life-threatening but can severely alter your appearance and be bothersome. In a study of 1,819 patients receiving Aczone, the National Library of Medicine found that 9 percent developed mild redness, 14 percent developed mild dryness, and 13 percent developed mild peeling and oiliness. Notify your physician when these side effects do not disappear within four to five days.
Serious Side Effects
MedlinePlus says that Aczone can cause such serious side effects as a fever, sore throat or rash. It may also cause abnormal bruising and jaundice, a condition in which the white parts of the eyes (the sclera) and the skin turn yellow. Fever and a sore throat typically indicate an infection. Bruising may be the result of lowered platelet counts, and jaundice is a common sign of liver damage. The National Library of Medicine says that Aczone may also cause stomach pain, suicidal behaviors, convulsions, intense vomiting and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Symptoms of pancreatitis include stomach pain that radiates to the back, and nausea. Call your doctor at once when these symptoms develop.
Additional Concerns
Avoid Aczone if you are hypersensitive to dapsone. You can develop such potentially fatal effects as difficulty breathing, hives and closing up of your throat. Your face, lips and tongue may also swell.
Prior to taking Aczone, inform your doctor whether you have liver disease, anemia (a condition of low red blood cell counts) or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (a condition in which you lack an enzyme necessary for glucose breakdown). Aczone can worsen any or all of these conditions.
It is unknown whether Aczone passes into your unborn child. However, it does contaminate breast milk. Tell your doctor if you decide to breastfeed or are pregnant.
Avoid combining Aczone with rifampin, probenacid, trimethoprim, clofazamine and didanosine. These combinations may provoke the aforementioned effects.
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