Managing Cyclosporine-Induced Sebaceous Hyperplasia in a Renal Transplant Patient: Efficacy of Oral Isotretinoin

Case Report

Volume 7, Issue 6

Managing Cyclosporine-Induced Sebaceous Hyperplasia in a Renal Transplant Patient: Efficacy of Oral Isotretinoin

Sophia Manduca¹ and Genevieve Kaunitz^2*

¹New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
²Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA

^*Corresponding author: Genevieve Kaunitz, Department of Dermatology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.
E-mail: gkaunitz@health.ucsd.edu

Received: August 11, 2025; Accepted: August 30, 2025; Published: September 15, 2025

Citation: Manduca S, Kaunitz G. Managing Cyclosporine-Induced Sebaceous Hyperplasia in a Renal Transplant Patient: Efficacy of Oral Isotretinoin. Clin Image Case Rep J. 2025; 7(6): 576.

Download PDF

Managing Cyclosporine-Induced Sebaceous Hyperplasia in a Renal Transplant Patient: Efficacy of Oral Isotretinoin

Abstract

Sebaceous hyperplasia (SH) is a benign proliferation of sebaceous glands that can pose aesthetic concerns and treatment challenges, especially in renal transplant recipients, where lesions may be larger and more diffuse. This report presents a 33-year-old male, 18 years post-kidney transplant, with a two-year history of facial papules on an immunosuppressive regimen of cyclosporine, prednisone, and mycophenolate. Treatment with isotretinoin 10 mg daily resulted in significant improvement. Isotretinoin, known for its antiproliferative and sebostatic effects, has demonstrated safety and efficacy without impacting renal function. This case supports low-dose isotretinoin as a potential treatment for SH in renal transplant patients.

Keywords: Isotretinoin; Renal transplant; Immunosuppression; Sebaceous hyperplasia; Sebaceous hyperplasia treatment; Sebaceous hyperplasia treatment in immunosuppressed patients