Skinoren 20% Cream

What is Skinoren cream?

Skinoren is a topical cream used to treat acne. It contains the active ingredient azelaic acid, which has a dual mode of action: it helps to reduce the growth of the keratin skin cells that block pores and sebaceous glands (often leading to skin breakouts) and kills the bacteria that live on your skin and can be responsible for causing acne.

Skinoren cream is available to purchase through The Independent Pharmacy’s online doctor service following a short online consultation. Once your assessment is complete, you can order the treatment securely and discreetly online with next-day UK delivery.

What is Skinoren cream used for?

Skinoren is used in the treatment of mild to severe acne, a common skin condition (affecting around 1 in 3 adults in the UK) that causes oily skin, spots, crusting, and often scarring of the skin. It’s more prevalent in young people, but many adults experience acne in later life. Skinoren helps to prevent and reduce acne breakouts by killing acne-causing bacteria and stopping the growth of keratinocytes that clog pores, resulting in clearer, less oily skin.

Skinoren cream is sometimes used to treat acne scars, rosacea, and dark spots. It has many clear benefits: it reduces inflammation, soothes and moisturises the skin, improves microcirculation, and lessens localised redness. Research also suggests that it may be used to treat hair loss (alopecia) in men and women. The Independent Pharmacy also stocks Finacea, another azelaic acid product, which is used to treat mild to moderate acne and rosacea.

How does Skinoren cream work to treat acne?

Skinoren contains the active ingredient azelaic acid, a naturally-occurring acid which treats acne symptoms in two ways:

• Reducing the growth of keratin surface skin cells. Keratin skin cells can mix with sebum (an oily substance produced by the skin in the sebaceous glands) and form plugs, blocking the pores and leading to spots developing. By reducing the growth of keratin cells, azelaic acid reduces the chances of pore-blocking plugs forming.
• Killing the bacteria associated with acne. Common bacteria (propionibacterium) trigger the production of waste products and fatty acids that irritate the sebaceous glands, causing them to become infected and inflamed. Azelaic acid works to decrease the number of propionibacterium by reducing the sebum on which they feed, allowing the skin to heal naturally.

Azelaic acid also has the ability to lighten the skin by affecting melanin production, which is why some people use it to treat hyperpigmentation or dark underarm skin.

How long does Skinoren cream take to work?

Most users will see an improvement in their skin condition within 4-8 weeks of using Skinoren cream, but this can vary from person to person; the speed at which it produces results will depend on the severity of your acne symptoms (among other factors). For optimal results, Skinoren should be applied consistently over a period of several months.

Where can you buy Skinoren 20% cream?

You can buy Skinoren cream to treat acne online from The Independent Pharmacy — a UK-based online pharmacy service — following a free consultation. A prescription-only cream, Skinoren is not available over the counter. To find out more about acne and review a range of genuine prescription acne treatments, visit our acne information page.

Skinoren alternatives

At The Independent Pharmacy, we stock a number of effective acne treatments, including over-the-counter products and prescription-only medications that can be purchased following an online consultation. You should have a thorough discussion with your doctor or pharmacist to determine the most suitable treatment for your acne symptoms.

If you suffer from moderate to severe acne, your doctor may recommend an antibiotic cream. Antibiotic acne creams include:

• Duac Gel, an antibiotic combination treatment that contains clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide.
• Zineryt Lotion, an antibiotic solution for moderate acne that contains erythromycin.
• Treclin Gel, an antibiotic combination treatment that contains clindamycin and tretinoin.

Antibiotic treatments for acne also come in the form of oral antibiotics. Oral antibiotic acne treatments include Oxytetracycline and Minocycline (broad-spectrum antibiotics that stop the growth of bacteria).

For more mild cases of acne, other acne treatments are available over the counter, including face wash treatments such as Acnecide, cleansing products such as Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser, and emollients such as CeraVe Moisturising Lotion.

How to use Skinoren cream

When using Skinoren cream, a single dose of about 2.5cm (roughly 1 inch or 0.5g) should be enough to cover the entire facial area. If other areas are affected, the amount used should be scaled to the size of the area affected.

To use Skinoren cream, follow these simple instructions:

• Skinoren cream should be rubbed into the affected areas twice daily after washing.
• Those with sensitive skin may wish to apply Skinoren cream once daily in the evening for the first week of treatment.
• Skinoren cream should not be used for more than 12 months continuously.

To get the best effects from Skinoren cream, it’s important to use it regularly and continuously for several months, though improvement should be seen after around 4 weeks.

Skinoren ingredients

Skinoren cream contains the following active ingredients: azelaic acid 20% w/w

The inactive ingredients are:

• Benzoic acid (E210)
• Cetearyl octanoate + isopropyl myristate (PCL Liquid)
• Glycerol 85%
• Propylene glycol
• Purified water
• Stearoyl macrogolglycerides
• Glycerol monostearate 40-55
• Cetostearyl alcohol

Skinoren side effects

As with any cream, it’s possible to be allergic to Skinoren cream. We recommend you do a spot test before commencing treatment to ensure the cream does not produce an allergic reaction.

Skinoren does also come with some potential side effects, although the majority of users will not experience them. If you do experience any side effects from using Skinoren cream, they can include:

• A burning, stinging or tingling feeling.
• Skin dryness.
• Skin irritation.
• Itching.
• Redness.
• A rash.
• Skin sensitivity to light.

Please read the Patient Information Leaflet enclosed with your medicine for a full list of side effects.

Skinoren warnings

Skinoren is for external use on the skin only. You should not allow Skinoren to come into contact with your eyes or mouth. If it does, wash your eyes or mouth immediately with large amounts of cool water.

Do not use Skinoren if you are allergic to azelaic acid or any of the other ingredients listed below.

Skinoren is not recommended for use in children below the age of 12 due to a lack of data on safety and efficacy.

Skinoren and other medications

Skinoren can be used safely with most other medications and should not impact their effectiveness, or vice versa. However, you should always speak your doctor or pharmacist before using Skinoren if you are using, have recently used, or plan to use any other medications.

Skinoren during pregnancy or breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. This is due to limited information around the use of the active substance azelaic acid during pregnancy.

Sources

Skinoren Patient Information Leaflet: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/285/pil