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Do Latuda And Buspar Cause Acne?

Posted on Thu, 24 Sep 2015

Question: I was told by a Dr. on here that Latuda can have an uncommon effect of causing acne. How uncommon of an effect % wise? By what mechanisms does it cause acne or in other words how does it cause acne? Can buspar also cause acne? I have had problems with other anti-psychotics and mood stabilizers like Lamictal, Lithium, Risperdal, and Rexulti all cause me serious acne cysts. Please give me a detailed response other than "there is a chance". Can you please consult a dermatologist as well as a psychiatrist?

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (33 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes the drug is known to cause acne.

Detailed Answer:
Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic

I can understand your concern.

Latuda is Lurasidone and the drug is an antipsychotic drug. The drug is a second generation drug and is considered as a safe drug. But it is also associated with a number of side effects. The drug is known to cause rise in Prolactin levels which is a pituitary hormone. The rise occurs in dose department manner.

- The rise in prolactin levels are postulated as possible mechanism behind rise of acne in some patients. So this is the mechanism behind acne in Lurasidone use.

- Though detailed case-control studies are not available to find out association between Latuda use and acne but on the basis of case reports and some studies the risk is about 0.2-0.3%. The rise is dose dependent.

- Yes Buspirone is also associated with dose dependent rise in Prolactin levels, so the drug can cause rise in acne.

Thanks, Hope this helps you, if you have more doubts you can ask again. Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (7 hours later)

The other drugs i mentioned, Lamictal, Lithium, Ridperdal, Serequel, and Rexulti. Do they have a higher tendency to cause acne due to affecting prolactin levels more significantly than Latuda? Because i took Latuda before only at 20mg and it didnt have any adverse acne effects, and currently i have been switched to Latuda now at 40mg (1 day on it so far) because the others had such bad cystic acne effects or at least i deduced they were the culprit because nothing else had changed except taking each of those meds. I ask because the other drugs i mentioned seemed to cause me acne within a few days of taking them. Will the acne subside after stopping the other drugs (thats if latuda does not cause me to have that reaction) or is it a permanent effect? Are there other mechanisms by which these drugs can cause acne, such as the rise in fasting glucose level? Will that rise also cause acne? Are there ways to keep the prolactin levels down, and should i ask my pdoc to have a hormone panel taken? I eat an extremely healthy diet with barely any white carbs or bread at all, and i keep dairy to a very minimum as well. Thanks

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Most of psychotropics cause rise in prolactin levels.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again and thanks for asking a follow up

Lamictal is Lamotrigine and is a mood stabiliser. Lithium and also a mood stabiliser drug. Risperidal, Seroquel both belong to second generation antipsychotic drugs. Rexulti is Rexiprazole and the drug is a new drug used in psychotic disorders. All of these drugs are known to cause rise in prolactin levels and may result in rise in acne. Role of lithium in causing prolactin levels is controversial. But the tendency to affecting the prolactin levels is far more than Latuda. Latuda is relatively safe and is less likely to raise prolactin as compared to other drugs, though this is on basis of my clinical experience. I couldn't find definitive studies supporting it.

Yes the acne will subside after stopping the drugs. The effect on prolactin levels by most of antipsychotics and psychotropic drugs is reversible. So no need to worry. Though exact prediction can't be made but in my opinion stopping these drugs and taking Latuda will surely help. The effects are not at all permanent.

Main mechanism by psychotropics might cause acne is prolactin rise. Though most of the psychotropics cause rise in glucose and in my opinion this wouldn't cause acne.

Get your hormone levels checked. But no need to take any drugs for hormone levels reduction. Continue to take healthy diet and this will surely help.

Thanks, Hope this helps. Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (8 hours later)

So hopefully my last question is....the other anti-psychotics i mentioned, serequel, risperdal, & rexulti all have a higher chance of affecting prolactin levels than Latuda? Because Rexulti is really new and that seemed to have the worst affect on my acne, and packaging side effects barely mention prolactin increases with that drug? Mood stablizer Lithium is notorious for acne and lamictal had the same affect on me. How do they increase acne?

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Increased prolactin cause acne

Detailed Answer:
Hello again and thanks for asking a follow up

Yes they are more likely to cause prolactin rise than Latuda and thus will cause more acne.

Rexulti has not been studied vastly and this might be the probable reason. Most of psychotropics cause rise in prolactin by direct or indirect mechanisms.

Lithium also cause increased prolactin levels which lead to acne. The role of Lamotrigine is controversial but the drug is known to cause slight increase in prolactin.

Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar