The Independent Pharmacy
Skinoren 20% Cream

Skinoren 20% Cream

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Skinoren Cream for Acne

If you’re struggling with acne breakouts, Skinoren cream might be the answer: Skinoren is a prescription-only topical treatment for acne that contains azelaic acid, a naturally-occuring acid that kills acne-causing bacteria and reduces the growth of keratin skin cells.

Skinoren is effective at treating all types of acne, including mild, moderate, hormonal, cystic, and severe. Following a short online consultation, get your acne treatment delivered straight to your door with our fast and discreet UK delivery.

  • Suitable for age:18 years +
  • Maximum per order:3
  • Consultation required?Yes
    This treatment requires an online consultation for review by our medical team. The decision to supply the specific treatment and quantity requested will be based on whether our medical team are satisfied that it will be safe, appropriate, and effective.

Skinoren Information

  • 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 ingredients: azelaic acid 20% w/w (the active ingredient), Arlatone 983 S, Cutina CBS, Cetearyl octanoate, Propylene glycol, Glycerol, Benzoic acid & Purified water.

  • 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

Skinoren 20% Cream reviews

Skinoren 20% Cream FAQs

  • Skinoren cream contains azelaic acid 20%. Azelaic acid has a dual mode of action; it helps to reduce the excess growth of skin cells that block pores as well as reducing the number of acne-causing bacteria living on the skin.

  • In adults and children 18 years and over, you should apply Skinoren to the affected areas of acne twice daily. You should cover the whole affected area, not just the individual spots. If you find that Skinoren causes irritation to your skin initially, reduce the applications to once daily until the irritation passes and then slowly increase back to twice daily applications. You should not use Skinoren for more than 6 months consecutively.

  • You can combine Skinoren with antibiotic acne treatments such as Tetralysal (lymecycline), Minocin (minocycline) or Erythromycin tablets. Skinoren should not be used with any other acne creams as it may cause excess drying or irritation to your skin.

  • Redness and irritation of the treated area can occur when you use Skinoren Cream for the first time. This is not usually serious and normally subsides within a week. During this time reduce the frequency of Skinoren application to once daily to allow your skin to recover and then slowly build up to using it twice daily.

  • Skinoren is an prescription-only acne treatment. For that reason, to ensure the safety of our patients and the legal operating of our pharmacy, we only supply a maximum of 3 months treatment at one time. Skinoren treatment is normally judged for effectiveness after 8-12 weeks. This means that if you do not find Skinoren as effective as you would like, you are not stuck with an excess of medication. If you are happy with the results you can log in and re-order another supply to give you up to 6 months treatment.

  • Yes, we understand that sometimes you want to get your treatment as soon as possible. If ordered before 4pm Monday to Friday, Skinoren Cream is available for next day delivery.

  • Yes, as long as you are buying from a website that is a legally operating and regulated pharmacy it is perfectly safe to buy Skinoren Cream online. The Independent Pharmacy is an NHS Online Pharmacy based in Bristol and has all the necessary regulation to be able to safely provide convenient access to genuine prescription acne treatments through our Online Pharmacy & Online Doctor.

  • It simple! Just select 'Start Consultation' above, you will need to fill in a simple health questionnaire so our GPs & Pharmacists can ensure it is safe for us to supply your Skinoren to you. It all takes around 3 minutes and your treatment can be delivered to your door.

  • There are many advantages to buying Skinoren online, some include:

    • It's quick & easy - there is no need to spend time at the doctor or pharmacy.
    • Fast delivery - We offer same day dispatch before 4pm and fast delivery to your address of choice with Royal Mail.
    • Great prices - we are able to offer very competitive prices and we guarantee to beat any other Online Doctor service.
    • Tons of information - we provide all the information you could need on Skinoren/azeliac acid and other acne treatments, in easy to digest formats, at a time to suit you.
  • Temporary itching, burning or a tight sensation is common when you first start using this cream. However, once your skin adapts, these side effects should subside. If they do not, consult our online doctor or your local GP for more advice.

  • This topical treatment lacks the potential to bleach or lighten clothes. However, it is recommended that you use this cream at night to avoid soiling your clothing.

  • There are a number of other topical treatments that can be used to treat acne if this cream does not work for you. Benzoyl Peroxide (Panoxyl), Zineryt and Duac are just some of your options. Consult your doctor to discuss your options.

  • There have been no formal studies carried out on the effects of azelaic acid in pregnant or breastfeeding women. However, animal studies do indicate the potential for effects with respect to pregnancy, embryo-fetal development and postnatal development. However, dose levels without observed adverse effects were well above the maximum recommended human dose.

    It is advisable to avoid using Skinoren on the chest while breastfeeding, in case the cream is ingested by the baby

  • Skinoren is sometimes prescribed to treat Rosacea or Melasma (brown hyperpigmentation marks). It is also often believed that this cream can reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but we do not prescribe it for this purpose.

Haven’t found the right treatment for you?

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