What are the side effects of Alitretinoin?
Last updated September 7, 2026.
Alitretinoin most often causes skin irritation at the application site when used as a gel, and headache, dry lips and skin, and cholesterol or thyroid changes when taken as capsules. Which side effects you get depends on the form you use. Alitretinoin gel 0.1% is the version approved in the US, and it is applied to cutaneous Kaposi sarcoma lesions, so its effects stay mostly local: redness, itching, flaking, stinging, rash, and swelling on treated skin. Oral alitretinoin capsules are used in the UK and other countries for severe chronic hand eczema that has not responded to strong topical steroids, and their effects are body-wide, including headache in a large share of users plus changes in blood lipids and thyroid tests. Both forms are retinoids, so they can cause serious birth defects and are not used in pregnancy. Applying gel thinly to lesions only, using bland moisturizer and lip balm, avoiding sun and sunlamps, and keeping scheduled blood tests all make treatment easier to tolerate.
What to do
- Apply the gel thinly: Cover only the lesions, let it dry, and keep it off healthy surrounding skin to limit irritation.
- Expect some early irritation: Mild redness and peeling often settle as treatment continues, but stop and check in if skin becomes raw or blistered.
- Protect treated skin: Use sun protection and skip sunlamps and tanning beds, since retinoids make skin more sensitive to light.
- Manage dryness: Use a plain moisturizer, lip balm, and preservative free eye drops if you are taking oral alitretinoin.
- Keep your blood tests: Oral alitretinoin needs monitoring of lipids, liver enzymes, and thyroid levels before and during treatment.
- Prevent pregnancy: Reliable contraception and pregnancy testing are required with oral retinoids, and anyone who could become pregnant should confirm the plan with a clinician first.
Related questions
- Are medication side effects worse at first
- Can i get health insurance outside open enrollment
- Can i see what my doctor wrote about me
- Can i text a doctor about medication side effects