Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For tazarotene, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to vitamin A or retinoid medicines, such as acitretin, etretinate, isotretinoin, and tretinoin. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Tazarotene is not recommended during pregnancy. It has been shown to cause serious birth defects and problems in animals. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether tazarotene passes into breast milk. However, tazarotene is not recommended during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children—Studies of this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of tazarotene in children up to 12 years of age (gel) and up to 18 years of age (cream) with use in other age groups.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether or not they work in exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing the use of tazarotene in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of tazarotene. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Eczema—Tazarotene may cause skin irritation and may worsen this condition