From this article you will learn
- Skinoren instructions for use,
- gel or cream – which form is better,
- reviews of Skinoren from dermatologists.
The article was written by a specialist with higher medical education.
The drug Skinoren is a drug based on azelaic acid, which is used to treat acne, mild forms of acne, and also for the treatment of rosacea. The drug is produced well-known (Germany) and has 2 release forms - gel or cream for external use. These drugs are dispensed in pharmacies without a doctor's prescription, and according to the instructions for use, they can be used from 12 years of age.
Reviews from dermatologists about Skinoren are quite positive, however, according to international protocols for the treatment of acne, drugs with azelaic acid are only 2nd choice drugs (inferior in effectiveness to drugs from the group of topical retinoids). The latter include drugs such as Clenzit, Differin or Adaklin. However, drugs with azelaic acid also have their undeniable advantages, which we will discuss below.
What Skinoren gel looks like: photo
Indications for use –
- acne*,
- papulopustular form of acne (pimples)*,
- treatment of rosacea (gel only),
- treatment of chloasma (cream only).
* Please note that the use of drugs with azelaic acid is justified only for mild forms of acne and pimples. In addition, these drugs can be used to prevent new outbreaks of acne and pimples (after the full course of treatment with topical retinoids has been completed), i.e. used as maintenance therapy.
How much does Skinoren cost in pharmacies:
For Skinoren, the price in pharmacies depends on the size of the tube. Skinoren gel is available in tubes of 15 g, 30 g and 50 g, and their cost will be 600, 1200 and 1450 rubles, respectively. Skinoren cream is available only in 30 g tubes - at a price of 1200 to 1300 rubles. The cost is for 2021. By the way, sometimes a 30 g tube of Skinoren cream or gel can be bought at a discount for about 950-1000 rubles.
In fact, it is expensive, considering that preparations with azelaic acid are somewhat inferior in effectiveness to topical retinoids, and also require significantly greater consumption of the drug. For example, Klenzit gel costs only about 800 rubles (for a 30 g tube), and Differin gel or cream costs 900 rubles (for a 30 g tube). Although from a logical point of view everything should be quite the opposite.
Types of the drug Skinoren
Skinoren is produced only for the purpose of application to problem skin. The pharmacy sells gel and cream of the same name.
The main component in both drugs is azelaic acid. One gram of gel contains 150 mg of acid, one gram of cream contains a little more - 200 mg.
The 15% gel also contains: triglycerides, sodium hydroxide, lecithin, propylene glycol, disodium ededate, polyacrylic and benzoic acids, polysorbate and purified water.
The gel is a mass of grayish or slightly yellowish color with a weak medicinal odor, opaque. You can buy it in tubes of 15, 30 or 50 g, placed in a box complete with instructions.
Cream 20% additionally contains: benzoic acid, glycerol, macrogol glyceryl stearate, propylene glycol, a mixture of cetostearyl alcohol and coconut oil fatty acid glycerides, cetostearyl ethyl capronate and purified water.
Skinoren cream has a uniform structure and white color. Sold in 30 g aluminum tubes, placed in a cardboard package along with instructions.
Reviews
Excluding cases of skin hypersensitivity, Skinoren gel and cream have excellent patient reviews. Many users note that these drugs helped in many cases when other remedies were powerless. There are complaints about the high cost of drugs, but generally people understand that the effectiveness of treatment is worth the money spent. Reviews mainly concern the treatment of acne and pimples, but good results are also noted by those who have used the products to eliminate problems with skin pigmentation.
How does Skinoren work?
The therapeutic effect of Skinoren is due to the healing properties of azelaic acid, which can reach the deep layers of the epidermis, but practically not enter the general circulatory system.
According to the instructions for use, Skinoren has an effect in four areas:
- cleanses the skin of acne by suppressing the growth of bacteria located on the skin and causing blockage of the sebaceous glands;
- relieves inflammation, thereby preventing the appearance of new acne;
- helps exfoliate dead skin particles from its surface;
- fights skin pigmentation due to the ability to block the production of melanin in excess.
With regular use of the gel or cream, acne, manifestations of rosacea or seborrheic dermatitis, and increased pigmentation of the skin disappear.
A noticeable effect can be seen after 14-28 days of proper use.
Thanks to its more liquid consistency and the absence of an oily base, the gel penetrates the dermis faster and gives faster results compared to cream. In addition, the gel is more suitable for people with oily skin, as it has a watery base.
Cautions when using the product
Cream and gel are contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to azelaic acid or excipients from the composition of the drugs.
In children:
- Do not use both forms of the drug to combat acne until the age of 12;
- not prescribed for the treatment of rosacea and hyperpigmentation in adolescents under 18 years of age.
When diagnosed with bronchial asthma, drugs are prescribed with caution.
The manufacturer of the products warns about the possible occurrence of side effects:
- most often possible: an unpleasant burning sensation and itching, local redness of the skin, peeling of the top layer of skin, tightness and dryness;
- hypersensitivity reactions - swelling of the eyes and face, Quincke's edema, bronchospasm;
- deterioration of the condition - manifestations of seborrhea, discoloration of skin areas, increased appearance of acne.
If the condition worsens or discomfort occurs during the course of treatment, you must stop the drug and visit a doctor.
How to use Skinoren
The cream or gel should be applied only to clean, dry skin. After using the drug, you must wash your hands with soap, and the application area should not be covered with a bandage.
The gel or cream is applied twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. For application to the face, a strip 2.5 cm long is enough; the composition can be lightly rubbed into the skin. This regimen is also suitable for the treatment of acne in adolescents aged 12-18 years.
The minimum duration of treatment for acne is one month, longer use is allowed.
The use of the drug in the treatment of melasma should last for at least three months, rosacea - for at least two months.
If irritation occurs during treatment, it is necessary to reduce the amount of the drug applied or reduce the number of applications to once a day.
If Skinoren is prescribed for the treatment of increased pigmentation, then to prevent exacerbation or relapse it is necessary to use sunscreen.
Reviews of Skinoren for acne and acne –
Next, about the most important thing you should know if you decide to cure your acne and pimples on your own.
As we said above, the full course of treatment with Skinoren is 6 months, and you will receive noticeable results only after 3-4 months from the start of treatment. At the same time, the full course of topical retinoids is only 3 months (preparations Klenzit, Differin and others), and comedolytic and other effects are expressed in topical retinoids much more strongly than in preparations with azelaic acid. According to the recommendations of the most famous English-language textbook on dermatology in the world, Fitzpatrick's Dermatology, which publishes international acne treatment protocols, drugs with azelaic acid are only 2nd choice drugs. You need to start treatment with topical retinoids. However, preparations with azelaic acid can also be used as maintenance therapy - after completing a full 3-month course of treatment with topical retinoids.
Important: it is worth considering that if you have oily skin, then it is optimal to prescribe topical retinoids, because the latter significantly reduce the production of fatty secretions by the sebaceous glands. Another important point is to compare the cost-effectiveness of applying products with azelaic acid and products with retinoids. Products with topical retinoids in the form of gels are very economical and easy to apply in a thin layer (in addition, they only need to be applied once a day).
Products with azelaic acid are very different in this regard. We have already said that gels with azelaic acid are more reminiscent of regular cream in texture - they are white in color, absorb very quickly and are very difficult to apply in a thin layer (this results in more consumption). And besides, you will also have to use them 2 times a day, morning and evening, which further increases the consumption of the drug.
1) Skinoren for acne
Everything here is quite simple, because... acne is represented only by non-inflammatory elements - black and whiteheads (open or closed comedones). Therefore, if you still choose Skinoren, then in this case it does not need to be combined with other drugs for the treatment of acne, for example, with antibiotics or benzoyl peroxide. Those. Skinoren in this case is a replacement for topical retinoids, albeit somewhat less effective. But in parallel, you can use cleansers with salicylic acid or alpha hydroxy acids.
Closed and open comedones (types of acne) –
→ Acne treatment protocols
2) Features of using Skinoren for acne
The term “acne” is a colloquial expression, and in dermatology this pathology is called papulopustular acne. This name has taken root because acne can be of 2 types: firstly, in the form of pustules (these are traditional pimples with pus inside), and secondly, in the form of papules, which are inflammatory formations without pus. In this case, papules can either transform into pustules or disappear without a trace.
Pimples in the form of papules and pustules -
According to Fitzpatrick's Dermatology, the drug Skinoren and its analogues can be used to treat papulopustular acne (pimples), but only in the case of a small amount of inflammatory elements. At the same time, drugs with azelaic acid in this case will only be drugs of the 2nd choice, and preference should still be given to topical retinoids. If you are still focused on using Skinoren, then you will still have to combine it with antimicrobial agents, because Skinoren's own bacteriostatic effect is not sufficiently expressed.
- If you have papules (without pus), in this case, in addition to Skinoren, you should use products containing a bactericidal component such as benzoyl peroxide. Such drugs include, for example, the drug Baziron AS. In this case, you will use Skinoren 2 times a day in the morning and evening, and Baziron is enough to use only 1 time a day (it is applied only pointwise to areas of inflammation).
- If you have pustules (with pus inside) - in this case, in addition to using drugs with azelaic acid, you will need even more active antimicrobial therapy.
Pustules are a strict indication for the prescription of external agents with antibiotics, but in order to prevent P.acnes bacteria from developing resistance to antibiotics, antibiotics are always combined with benzoyl peroxide. In this case, it may be the drug Indoxyl (contains benzoyl peroxide 5% + antibiotic clindamycin 1%). But of course, such a scheme, given the need to use products with azelaic acid twice, is very inconvenient. In this case, it is more convenient to use topical retinoids, for example, the drug Klenzit-S (contains the retinoid adapalene + clindamycin), and it can be used only once a day at night. And in addition to it, use Baziron with benzoyl peroxide once a day in the morning. Of course, this scheme is much more convenient.
Additional Information
When using a cream or gel, you should be careful not to get the composition on the mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes, or open wounds. If this happens, the accidental contact site must be rinsed with plenty of water.
Skinoren cream is effective only in the treatment of melasma located in the epidermis and dermis. The drug has no effect on those located only in the dermis.
When treating rosacea, you should avoid using cosmetics that contain alcohol, abrasives, or exfoliants.
Contraindications and side effects
Are there any restrictions on the use of Skinoren drugs? The instructions for use clearly stipulate that the only obstacle may be individual hypersensitivity or the presence of allergic reactions. Indirect evidence of the safety of the products can be the possibility of their use even during pregnancy. Before using the products, it makes sense to find out your skin type from your doctor.
Side effects occur quite rarely, are moderate in nature and decrease with therapy. Main types of manifestations during treatment:
- dryness or slight numbness of the skin;
- the appearance of slight swelling with rosacea;
- itching or burning in the area where the cream or gel is applied;
- skin peeling;
- the appearance of spots;
- feeling of discomfort;
- allergic reactions;
- urticaria in the area where the drug is applied;
- worsening of other diseases.
If at least one of the above manifestations occurs, you should temporarily reduce the dose of the drug and be sure to consult your doctor. The reasons for the manifestation can be very diverse. Skinoren cream is not recommended to be applied after warming procedures - baths, saunas, etc.
