Evaluation of effects of oral isotretinoin on sexual functions in adult females with acne

Background Female sexual dysfunction is a common and largely overlooked issue in the general population. Female sexual dysfunction is a multifactorial illness that can be triggered by diseases or drugs. Objective To evaluate the impact of oral isotretinoin on sexual functions and hormonal profile in married females with acne. Patients and methods This prospective cohort study included 80 married females with moderate to severe acne. To determine the severity of acne, all study participants underwent a dermatologic examination using the Multidimensional Acne Global Grading System. As a baseline evaluation, the Arabic version of the female sexual function index was used to evaluate the sexual function, followed by laboratory testing for pregnancy, serum total testosterone, estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. Patients were given oral isotretinoin (0.5 mg/kg every day). After four months of medication, the female sexual function index and hormone assays were retested. Results After using isotretinoin, patients exhibited significantly decreased scores for sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, satisfaction, and total female sexual function index ( P <0.001 for each). Isotretinoin significantly increased follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels, but testosterone and estradiol levels decreased ( P <0.001 for each). Following treatment, 72.5% of women reported vaginal dryness, while 56.3% experienced irregular menstruation. Conclusion The present study revealed that isotretinoin has a considerable unfavorable influence on a variety of female sexual functioning. This could be explained by fluctuations in sex hormone levels.