Acne is treated with tazarotene (Tazorac, Fabior). Tazarotene (Tazorac) is also used to treat psoriasis, a skin condition that causes red, scaly patches to appear on certain body parts. When used with other skin care and sun protection regimens, tazarotene (Avage) helps patients with face wrinkles and discolouration. Tazarotene belongs to the retinoids drug class. It acts to treat acne and psoriasis by reducing skin cell inflammation and delaying skin cell expansion, both of which can contribute to acne or psoriasis. By increasing the thickness of the outer skin layers, it reduces facial wrinkles and discolouration.

Tazarotene is available as a skin-applying cream, foam, and gel. The only time it is typically utilized is in the evening. Use tazarotene every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. As directed, take tazarotene as prescribed. Use it only as directed by your doctor, neither more nor less often.

Depending on how well your condition is doing and any potential side effects, your doctor may vary the dosage of tazarotene, how frequently you take it, or temporarily discontinue your therapy. Inform your doctor of your treatment response right away.

Your symptoms should get better in around 4 weeks if you’re using tazarotene to cure acne. Your symptoms should become better if you are using tazarotene to treat your psoriasis in roughly 1 to 4 weeks. Contact your doctor if your symptoms do not disappear or worsen.

Before using, thoroughly shake the tazarotene foam.

Foam made by tazarotene may ignite. When applying tazarotene foam and for a short while afterward, keep away from open flames, fire, and smoke.

Tazortene should not be used on skin that has been burned, inflamed, scraped, or infected with eczema. Applying tazarotene to the affected region shouldn’t be done until the skin has healed if you have any of these disorders.

Moisturizers can be used as frequently as you wish, but you must wait until they have been thoroughly absorbed by the skin (about an hour) before using tazarotene.

To use the cream, foam, and gel follow these steps:

1. Wash the skin with water and a mild soap before applying tazarotene to treat acne or lessen facial wrinkles and discolouration. Next, wipe the skin dry with a soft towel. It is not required to wash the affected area before using tazarotene to treat psoriasis, but if you have, pat the skin dry before administering the medication.
2. On the afflicted skin, apply a thin layer of cream, foam, or gel. You can put this cream on your entire face, including your eyelids, if you’re using it to lessen facial wrinkles and discolouration. Massage it into the skin in a gentle yet thorough manner. Avoid getting tazarotene in your mouth, nose, or eyes.
3. Avoid applying any bandages, dressings, or wrappings to the injured region.
4. After handling the drug, wash your hands with soap and water.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking tazarotene,

• If you have an allergy to tazarotene, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in tazarotene cream, foam, or gel, let your doctor and pharmacist know right once. Request a list of the ingredients from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any vitamins, nutritional supplements, and prescription and over-the-counter drugs you are now taking or intend to take. Any of the following should be mentioned: Chlorothiazide (Diuril), Fluphenazine, Chlorpromazine, Chlorthalidone (in Clorpres, Edarbyclor, Tenoretic); antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, including ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gemifloxacin (Factive), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), and ofloxacin; hydrochlorothiazide (Microdize, in Dyazide, in Hyzaar, in products with the suffix HCT, among others); prochlorperazine (Compro, Procomp), indapamide, methyclothiazide, metolazone (Zaroxolyn), perphenazine, and sulfonamide drugs such co-trimoxazole (Bactrim, Septra), and sulfisoxazole (in erythromycin ethyl succinate and sulfisoxazole acetyl); drugs containing the tetracycline class, including tigecycline (Tygacil), doxycycline (Monodox, Oracea, Vibramycin, and others), and tetracycline (Achromycin V, in Pylera). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• If you also use benzoyl peroxide, use it at a different time of day than when you apply tazarotene (Benzaclin, Duac, Epiduo, etc.).
• Inform your doctor if you or a family member have ever had skin cancer, eczema, another skin ailment, or if your skin is extremely sensitive to sunlight.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Pregnancy should not occur when taking tazarotene. Consult your physician about birth control options you can use while undergoing treatment. A negative pregnancy test must be obtained within two weeks of beginning treatment if you are capable of getting pregnant. To ensure that you are not pregnant, you should begin taking tazarotene during your period. If you find out you’re pregnant while taking tazarotene, stop taking it right away and inform your doctor. The fetus may suffer from tazarotene.
• Avoid unnecessary or extended exposure to natural and artificial sunlight, including tanning beds and sunlamps, and dress protectively by wearing clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, especially if you are prone to sunburn. Avoid spending too much time in the wind or the cold. Your skin could become sensitive to sunlight or harsh weather if you take tazarotene.
• Any skin or hair care products you use, such as soaps, shampoos, permanent wave solutions, cleansers, moisturizers, and cosmetics, should be disclosed to your doctor. If you combine tazarotene with many skin care products, your skin may become irritated, especially if the products are harsh, dry out the skin, contain alcohol, spices, or lime rind. Your doctor might advise you to wait to start taking tazarotene if you have been using these products. Request product suggestions from your doctor for items that won’t aggravate your skin.
• Avoid getting tazarotene in your eyes. If you do accidentally get tazarotene in your eyes, thoroughly rinse them out.
• During your course of treatment with this medication, avoid using hot wax or electrolysis to remove unwanted hair from the area that you are treating with tazarotene.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

Skip the missed dose if you are using tazarotene gel and carry on with your regular dosing plan.

Apply the missed dose of tazarotene cream or foam as soon as you remember it if you are using it. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan.

To make up for a missed dose, do not apply additional gel, cream, or foam at the next planned dose.

Tazarotene might have negative effects. The skin you are treating with tazarotene is likely to experience the following symptoms. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Itching
• Burning
• Redness
• Rash
• Peeling
• Stinging
• Pain
• Dryness
• Swelling
• Discoloration
• Irritation or eyelid or eye swelling
• Irritated or chapped lips
• Edema in the legs or arms

Other negative effects of tazarotene may occur. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or by phone at 1-800-332-1088 if you have a serious side event.

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature and out of the bathroom and other places with excessive heat and moisture. Avoid freezing.

Keep tazarotene foam away from flames and very hot surfaces since it is combustible. The tazarotene foam container should not be pierced or burned.

To make sure that pets, kids, and other people cannot take leftover pharmaceuticals, they should be disposed of in a specific manner. You shouldn’t flush this medication down the toilet, though. The best option to get rid of your medication is instead through a medication take-back program. To find out about take-back initiatives in your neighborhood, speak with your pharmacist or get in touch with your city’s waste/recycling department. If you do not have access to a take-back program, you can find more information at the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p).

All medications should be kept out of the sight and reach of children, as many of the containers (such as weekly pill containers and those for eye drops, lotions, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for small children to open. Always lock safety caps and put the medication in a secure spot right away, up high and out of young children’s sight and reach, to prevent poisoning.http://www.upandaway.org

Call your neighborhood poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 if someone consumes tazarotene. Dial 911 to reach the nearest emergency services if the sufferer has collapsed or has stopped breathing.

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.