866-333-6747Photosensitizing medications can cause adverse reactions when treating the skin with medical grade chemical peels or with laser light energies. Such adverse results include hyper-pigmentation, IGE mediated responses, and possibly hypo-pigmentation (loss of pigmentation). This list of potentially photosensitizing medications is a comprehensive listing of medications but may not be all encumbering. Most of these are discussed during the advanced medical aesthetics program sponsored by Empire Medical Training. New medications are continually being introduced or current medications are being revised, please use this reference as a quick reference guide for patients taking such types of medications.
Please note that many of these medications may be relative contraindications, refer to the half life of these medications and make an educated judgment as to the type of treatment and whether a short-term elimination of these medications will allow for these aesthetic procedures. Never allow for an aesthetic procedure for a patient with a medical “at risk” condition that is either uncontrolled or needs monitoring.
Empire Medical Training provides this information in an effort to continually give you the latest information to ensure the safety and efficacy to your patients
Acne Meds
Isotretinoin (Accutane) Tretinoin (Retin-A)
Anticancer
Chlorambucil Cyclophosphamide
Dacarbazine Fluorouacil
Flutamide Mercaptopurine
Methotrexate Procarbazine
Thioguanine Vinblastine
Antidepressants
Amitriptyline Amoxapine
Clomipramine Doxepin
Imipramine Isocarboxazid
Maprotiline Phenelzine
Protriptyline Trazadone
Trimipramine
Antiepileptics, Sedative, Muscle Relaxants
Carbamazepine Cyclobenzaprine
Diazepam Meprobamate
Phenobarbitol Phenytoin
Antihistamines
Azatadine Clemastine
Diphenhydramine Terfenadine
Tripelennamine
Antihypertensives
Captopril Dilitiazem
Methyldopa Minoxidil
Nifedipine
Antimicrobials
Ciprofloxacin Clofazimine
Dapsone Demeclocycline
Doxycycline Enoxacine
Flucytosine Griseafulvin
Ketoconazole Lomefloxacine
Methacycline Minocycline
Nalidixic acid Narfloxacin
Ofloxacin Oxytetracycline
Pyrazinamide
Sulfa drugs
(Bactrim, Septra,Tetracycline)
Antiparasitics
Bithionol Chloroquine
Pyruvinium pamoate Quinine
Thiabendazole
Antipsychotics
Chlorpromazine Chlorprothixene
Fluphenazine Haloperidol
Perphenazine Prochlorperazine
Promethazine Thioridazine
Thiothixane Trifluoperazine
Thioflupromazine Trimeprazine
Cardiovascular
Amiodarone Atenolol
Captopril Diltiazem
Disopyramide Nifedipine
Propranolol Quinidine gluconate
Quinidine sulfate Verapamil
Diuretics
Acetazolaminde Amiloride
Bendroflumethiazide Benzthiazide
Chlorothiazide Furosemide
Hydrochlorothiazide Hydro flumethiazide
Methyclothiazide Metalazone
Polythiazide Quinethazone
Trichlormethia-zide
Hypoglycemics
Acetohexamide Chlorpropamide
Glipizide Tolazamide
Tolbutamide
NSAIDS
Diclofenac Fenoprofen
Flurbiprofen Indomethacin
Ketoprofen Meclofenamate
Naproxen Phenylbutazone
Piroxicam Sulindac
Others
Bergamot oil Oils of citron, lavender, lime, sandalwood
Benzocaine Clofibrate Oral contraceptive
Etretinate Gold salts
Hexachlorophene Lovastatin
St John’s Wort Gmethylcoumarin (used in perfumes, lotions, etc)
Thank you for the comprehensive list of photosentizing medication. It’s been very helpful with deciding which medications can cause a high risk for my patients during treatments.
Dear Dr Chauhan;
You are very welcome, please feel free to contact me directly if there is anything i can help you with regarding your practice. Our team is working diligently at transforming our website to function more as a resource for this type of information. We have also added a section of video pearls which are now available under resources. We will continue to add videos to this section of our website and will include other topics in medicine, surgery, and pain management as well. In addition, we will post these videos on Facebook as well. Thanks for your feedback, take care.