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Skin CareSkin Care

This category covers medicated skin treatments, from acne and eczema to psoriasis and skin infections. Many are creams or ointments, with some oral options for stubborn cases. Because several very different skin conditions look alike, the treatment that helps one can make another worse, which is why diagnosis leads.

Protopic

Tacrolimus

0.03 · 0.1%

Tacrolimus 0.03% and 0.1% ointment, applied to the skin for atopic dermatitis. A calcineurin inhibitor rather than a topical steroid.

From$15.13/ tubeView

Minomycin

Minocycline

50 · 100mg

Minocycline 50mg and 100mg, as tablets and hard capsules, used for acne vulgaris and bacterial infection. It binds the 30S ribosomal subunit.

From$2.40/ tabletView

Sumycin

Tetracycline

250 · 500mg

Tetracycline 250mg and 500mg, as tablets and hard capsules, used for acne vulgaris and bacterial infection. Bacterial protein synthesis stops.

From$0.25/ tabletView

Vibramycin

Doxycycline

100mg

Doxycycline 100mg capsules and tablets, used for acne vulgaris, chlamydia, Lyme disease and respiratory tract infection. A broad-spectrum tetracycline.

From$1.11/ tabletView

Elocon

Mometasone

5g

Mometasone cream and ointment in 5g tubes, applied for atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and seborrhoeic dermatitis. A topical corticosteroid.

From$8.50/ tubeView

Lotrisone

Betamethasone, Clotrimazole

10g

Betamethasone with clotrimazole as a cream in a 10g tube, applied for fungal skin infection and dermatosis. An antifungal alongside a corticosteroid.

From$6.06/ tubeView

Aristocort

Triamcinolone

4mg

Triamcinolone 4mg tablets, used for inflammatory skin conditions, eczema and psoriasis. A synthetic corticosteroid taken by mouth rather than applied.

From$0.77/ tabletView

Aldara

Imiquimod

5%

Imiquimod 5% cream, applied to the skin for actinic keratosis, superficial basal cell carcinoma and genital warts. An immune response modifier.

From$10.13/ sachetView

Minocin

Minocycline

50 · 100mg

Minocycline 50mg and 100mg hard capsules, used for acne vulgaris. A semi-synthetic tetracycline that halts bacterial protein synthesis.

From$2.63/ tabletView

Retin-a Gel

Tretinoin

0.01 · 0.025%

Retin-A Gel is tretinoin at 0.01% and 0.025% in a gel base for acne vulgaris, a vitamin A derivative that speeds turnover of the skin.

From$7.54/ tubeView

Betnovate

Betamethasone

0.1%

Betamethasone 0.1% cream, applied to the skin for eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. A potent topical corticosteroid acting at glucocorticoid receptors.

From$1.63/ creamView

Tazorac

Tazarotene

1 · 5%

Tazarotene 1% and 5% cream and gel, applied to the skin for plaque psoriasis and acne vulgaris. A retinoid prodrug converted to tazarotenic acid.

From$30.46/ tubeView

Efudex

Fluorouracil

1 · 5%

Fluorouracil 1% and 5% cream, applied to the skin for actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma. An antimetabolite that blocks thymidylate synthase.

From$8.67/ tubeView

Fusiderm B

Betamethasone, Fusidic Acid

2/0.12%

Fusiderm B is betamethasone with fusidic acid as a cream for eczema and dermatitis, a potent steroid alongside an antibacterial agent.

From$21.46/ tubeView

Synalar

Fluocinolone Acetonide

0.025%

Fluocinolone acetonide 0.025% cream, applied to the skin for eczema and psoriasis. A potent synthetic corticosteroid that crosses into the cell.

From$18.70/ tubeView

Retin-a Cream

Tretinoin

0.025 · 0.05%

Tretinoin cream at 0.025% and 0.05%, applied for acne vulgaris and photoageing. It normalises keratinisation so microcomedones do not form.

From$12.35/ tubeView

A-ret

Tretinoin

0.1%

A-Ret is topical tretinoin at 0.1%, supplied as a cream and a gel and used for acne vulgaris. The retinoid raises turnover of follicular skin cells.

From$17.00/ tubeView

Isofair

Isotretinoin

10 · 20mg

Isofair is isotretinoin 10mg and 20mg soft capsules for severe, conglobate and cystic acne, a systemic retinoid that shrinks the sebaceous glands.

From$1.17/ tabletView

Aczone

Dapsone

100mg

Dapsone gel applied to the skin, used for acne vulgaris and dermatitis herpetiformis. A sulfone with both bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory action.

From$0.05/ tabletView

Tretiva

Isotretinoin

5 · 10 · 20 · 30mg

Tretiva is isotretinoin from 5mg to 30mg in soft capsules for severe, nodulocystic and cystic acne, cutting sebaceous gland activity and size.

From$0.98/ tabletView

Hydroquinone Cream

Hydroquinone

4%

Hydroquinone 4% cream, applied to the skin for hyperpigmentation. A tyrosinase inhibitor that interrupts the first step of melanin formation.

From$17.14/ tubeView

Adapalen

Adapalene

15g

Adapalene gel in a 15g tube, applied to the skin for acne vulgaris. A retinoid-like compound that modulates keratinisation and cell differentiation.

From$14.71/ tubeView

Isotroin

Isotretinoin

10 · 20mg

Isotroin is isotretinoin 10mg and 20mg soft capsules for acne vulgaris and severe cystic acne, a retinoid that cuts sebum at its source.

From$1.17/ tabletView

Renova

Tretinoin

0.025 · 0.05 · 0.1%

Tretinoin cream at 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1%, applied for acne vulgaris and photoageing. A vitamin A derivative that speeds skin cell turnover.

From$8.50/ tubeView

Vaniqa

Eflornithine

13.9%

Eflornithine 13.9% cream, applied to the skin for hirsutism. It blocks ornithine decarboxylase in the follicle, which hair cells need to grow.

From$49.30/ tubeView

Soriatane

Acitretin

10mg

Soriatane is acitretin 10mg hard capsules for psoriasis, a systemic aromatic retinoid that regulates how skin cells divide and mature.

From$4.62/ tabletView

Micogel

Miconazole

15g

Micogel is miconazole in a 15g cream tube for skin fungal infection and dermatophytosis, an imidazole that disrupts the fungal cell membrane.

From$21.25/ tubeView

Elidel

Pimecrolimus

10 · 30g

Pimecrolimus cream in 10g and 30g tubes, applied for atopic dermatitis. A calcineurin inhibitor rather than a steroid, blocking T-lymphocyte activation.

From$57.80/ tubeView

Heximar Ointment

Calcipotriol

15 · 30g

Heximar Ointment is calcipotriol in 15g and 30g tubes for plaque psoriasis, a synthetic vitamin D analogue that normalises keratinocyte turnover.

From$39.10/ tubeView

Wynzora

Betamethasone, Calcipotriol

0.05/0.005%

Betamethasone with calcipotriol as a cream for plaque psoriasis. A potent corticosteroid alongside a vitamin D analogue that settles cell turnover.

From$47.43/ tubeView

Lomexin Cream

Fenticonazole

30g

Lomexin Cream is fenticonazole in a 30g tube for candidiasis, applied to the skin. It blocks ergosterol synthesis in the fungal cell membrane.

From$25.50/ tubeView

Temovate

Clobetasol

15 · 30g

Clobetasol cream in 15g and 30g tubes, applied for psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. A potent corticosteroid that damps the local immune response.

From$7.79/ tubeView

Desonate Cream

Desonide

10g

Desonide cream in a 10g tube, applied for atopic dermatitis and eczema. A low-potency topical corticosteroid, anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic.

From$17.00/ tubeView

Diprolene

Betamethasone

0.1%

Betamethasone as a 0.1% cream for eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. A potent topical steroid that damps the local immune response and swelling.

From$7.01/ tubeView

Azelex

Azelaic Acid

20%

Azelaic acid 20% cream, applied to the skin for acne vulgaris and rosacea. A dicarboxylic acid that is antimicrobial against Cutibacterium acnes.

From$18.13/ tubeView

Cutivate

Fluticasone

10 · 20g

Fluticasone propionate cream and ointment in 10g and 20g tubes, applied for atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema. A potent topical corticosteroid.

From$29.75/ tubeView

Ultravate

Halobetasol

30g

Halobetasol cream and ointment in 30g tubes, applied for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. A very potent corticosteroid for localised inflammation.

From$21.25/ tubeView

Key points

  • Most treatment here is topical, with oral options reserved for more extensive or resistant disease.
  • Topical steroids come in potencies, and matching potency to the site and severity is what makes them safe.
  • Retinoids for acne take weeks to work and can irritate at first, which is expected rather than a failure.

Classes and ingredients in this category

Conditions it covers

These medicines are used for acne vulgaris, psoriasis, eczema and atopic dermatitis. Acne, eczema, psoriasis and skin infection look similar but need different treatment, so diagnosis comes first.

Further reading

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