Dovonex Ointment

Dovonex is a psoriasis treatment – when you have a flare up of psoriasis symptoms, Dovonex can help reduce the visible scaly patches of skin, as well as soothing irritation and itchiness. When used regularly, even when symptoms are less visible, Dovonex can help prevent flare-ups and make them less severe.

Dovonex is a first-line treatment – if you can’t manage your psoriasis without medication then Dovonex is one of 2 groups of first-line medical treatment options. Dovonex belongs to the vitamin D-like treatment group. The other group of treatments are topical corticosteroids.

What’s in Dovonex? – it contains the active ingredient ‘calcipotriol’. This ingredient reduces the extra growth of skin cells that causes the scaly skin during psoriasis flare ups. The other non-active ingredients are – disodium edatate, disodium phosphate dihydrate, DL-a tocopheol, liquid paraffin, macrogol (2) stearyl ether, propylene glycol, purified water, and white soft paraffin.

What does Dovonex look like? – it’s an off white or yellowish-white, translucent (lets light through) ointment. An ointment is different from a cream because it’s less thick and more like an oily liquid.

You cannot buy Dovonex without a prescription.

With ZAVA, you can get a prescription and treatment online if you:

• are over 18 years old
• have been diagnosed with chronic plaque psoriasis, the most common type of psoriasis
• have used Dovonex before

Simply complete a short online questionnaire so our doctors can check your symptoms and medical history, and make sure that Dovonex is suitable for you. If our doctors do prescribe treatment, we will send your medication to you by post. Alternatively, you can collect this from your nearest Post Office.

Why use our service?

There are many benefits to using ZAVA to request Dovonex. For example, you can:

• request treatment online from anywhere and at any time
• get assessed for treatment without a face to face appointment with a doctor
• ask questions or get free advice by messaging a ZAVA doctor from your account

If you choose home delivery, you don’t have to go to a pharmacy to pick up your medication either. If your local Post Office is nearby, you can collect your medication from here too.

How else can you get Dovonex?

You can make an appointment to see your GP. They can prescribe Dovonex if they think it’s appropriate for you. You will need to do this if you have not been diagnosed with psoriasis already.

You can then take your prescription to most UK pharmacies to have it filled and get your medication.

Who can use Dovonex? – Dovonex is for people who have been diagnosed with plaque psoriasis (also called psoriasis vulgaris). It’s only suitable for you if you have been assessed by a doctor and been approved for treatment. It’s only suitable for you if you’re looking to treat psoriasis on your body – it’s not right for psoriasis symptoms on your face.

Who should not use Dovonex? – Dovonex shouldn’t be used if you have a different type of psoriasis from plaque psoriasis. It’s only for psoriasis and not for you if you have a different kind of skin problem. Dovonex is not right for everyone, you need to provide correct information about your current healthcare treatments and health conditions to make sure treatment is safe.

Which health conditions/treatments means Dovonex isn’t right? – if you have one or more of the following health conditions, Dovonex may not be right for you if you:

• have an allergy to calcipotriol or other Dovonex ingredients
• have liver problems
• have kidney problems
• have been told by a doctor that you have abnormal levels of calcium in your body
• are already receiving UV light treatment for psoriasis or another health condition
• are using calcium supplements

How to apply your Dovonex – you should apply Dovonex once or twice a day depending on your doctor’s advice. For best results, apply Dovonex using the steps listed in the ‘how to apply Dovonex’ section to the right.

Additional advice on using Dovonex:

• Do not use Dovonex on your face
• Check the seal is not broken before you use your ointment for the first time
• Wash your hands before and after using Dovonex
• Do not swallow Dovonex or use it on the inside of your body
• Do not mix Dovonex with any other topical medication
• Don’t use more than 100g of your ointment in 1 week
• You can still drive and operate heavy machines
• Use Dovonex as instructed by a doctor – for more information, see the patient information leaflet which can be found inside your Dovonex packaging
• Store your medication in a cool place out of reach of children
• Use moisturiser on your symptoms
• Avoid UV exposure (sunbathing or using tanning beds) while using Dovonex
• Avoid taking calcium supplements during treatment

Risk of side effects – like any medication, Dovonex can cause side effects. Below are the possible, usually mild side effects that Dovonex can cause. These are split into 3 groups based on how likely you are to get them.

Common side effects (affects less than 10% of people) – for common side effects of Dovonex, such as skin reactions, see the ‘Common side effects of Dovonex’ section on this page.

Uncommon side effects (affects less than 1% of people):

• Your hair follicles become infected
• You get a red, itchy, scaly rash which can cause blisters that may leak fluid or become crusty
• You get dry skin
• Your skin may change colour where the medication was used

Rare side effects (affects less than 0.1% of people):

• You get an allergic reaction
• You get too much calcium building in your body
• You become sensitive to sunlight
• You skin becomes puffy or swollen

What to do about minor side effects – you should talk to your doctor or nurse if you experience mild side effects. They may suggest you wait and see if they improve or you can continue treatment anyway. If you can’t put up with them they may suggest trying another treatment option.

Emergency side effects – these are serious and if you experience them you should seek medical help as soon as you can:

• You have trouble breathing
• You face begins to swell, including around your eyes
• You get a very bad rash, including getting blisters or bleeding
• You need to urinate more often
• You feel thirsty or you lose your appetite
• You have a dry feeling in your mouth or you get a metallic taste
• You feel weaker than normal or get pain in your muscles or bones
• You get a headache or stomach pain
• You feel sick or get constipated