Soolantra

Soolantra is not right for all types of acne, just people with rosacea-related acne. This is because it:

• reduces acne rosacea symptoms
• contains an anti-inflammatory ingredient
• is great for flare-ups (when your rosacea symptoms suddenly get worse than normal)

Symptom control – if you have rosacea, Soolantra can help you control your symptoms. Soolantra has been proven to effectively reduce the overall inflammation of spots, pimples or lesions (the symptoms of rosacea) by around 80%.

Anti-inflammatory – Soolantra contains the active substance ivermectin, which belongs to a group of medicines called avermectins. It’s not clear exactly how Avermectins work, but it’s thought to be a combination of being anti-inflammatory as well as clearing Demodex mites from the skin. Used as a cream, Soolantra soothes inflamed spots or pimples that are associated with rosacea.

Soolantra isn’t right for all acne – it’s only used for rosacea-related acne, so unless you’ve had an assessment to show you have rosacea, Soolantra won’t be the right choice for your acne. It can be difficult to diagnose rosacea definitively. One of the reasons for this, is that the symptoms of rosacea (red spots and inflamed pimples) are the same symptoms as several other skin conditions, like acne.

Soolantra is useful when you have a rosacea flare-up - people with rosacea often find that their symptoms go through periods of being severe at certain times, and less severe at others. One reason is that rosacea has triggers (like stress, diet, perfumed cosmetics, or extreme weather changes).

Soolantra isn’t right for you if you:

• are allergic to any of its listed ingredients
• are under 18 years old
• are pregnant
• are currently taking certain medicines
• have severe liver problems
• have non-rosacea related skin conditions or acne
• do not have rosacea

Soolantra only works for rosacea affecting the skin – Soolantra isn’t suitable for treating other kinds of rosacea like ocular rosacea (or optical rosacea) which is a form of rosacea that affects one or both of the eyes.

Ivermectin is the active ingredient in Soolantra, a prescription cream used to treat rosacea. Each gram of Soolantra cream contains 10 mg (or 1.0% w/w) of ivermectin as the active ingredient. Ivermectin is a semi-synthetic derivative isolated from the fermentation of Streptomyces avermitilis. It belongs to the macrocyclic lactone class of compounds and is used as a topical anti-infective and anti-rosacea agent.

The inactive ingredients in Soolantra include carbomer copolymer type B, cetyl alcohol, citric acid monohydrate, dimethicone, edetate disodium, glycerol, isopropyl palmitate, methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218), propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216), propylene glycol, and stearyl alcohol.

Studies show that it is – a recent study of Soolantra found that Soolantra compared better as a treatment for the symptoms of rosacea than Metronidazole cream (another popular treatment).

Soolantra has been proven to work better than other treatments - overall, Soolantra reduces the inflamed spots or pimples of rosacea by around 80% compared to Metronidazole, which reduces the symptoms by around 70%.

Soolantra is better than managing symptoms without medication – some people prefer to try to manage their symptoms of rosacea without prescription treatment, using over-the-counter treatments or herbal remedies, instead.

Everyone’s experiences with rosacea treatment is different, but there is far more medical evidence to show that topical creams like Soolantra improve your symptoms quickly, reliably and effectively, in a way that non-prescription treatments will rarely do.

Complete a short healthcare assessment with us and your online doctor will check your Soolantra request. If they agree it’s right for you, your medication will be posted to your door.

Soolantra is a prescription medicine. You can only get it with a prescription issued to you by a licensed nurse or doctor, after a consultation. You can’t buy it over the counter.

You can request Soolantra easily through an online doctor service like ZAVA. Alternatively, you can visit your local doctor’s surgery to have a consultation before getting your prescription. Once you have your prescription, you can get Soolantra at most local high street pharmacies.

Soolantra is a popular option for the treatment of rosacea, because it is effective and very easy to use.

The recommended dose of Soolantra is one application of cream on the skin of your face per day:

• One application of Soolantra counts as a small amount of cream, about the size of a pea, to each of the 5 areas of your face: the chin, nose, the forehead, and on each cheek.
• Once you’ve applied each of these 5 pea-sized amounts of cream, spread the cream in a thin layer across your face, being careful to avoid the eyes and mouth.
• Wait until your Soolantra cream has dried fully before applying any other facial creams, cosmetics, or make-up to your face.
• Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before and after applying the cream.

You should only use Soolantra as directed by your nurse or GP. If you are ever unsure about how to use your treatment, seek medical advice or read the patient leaflet included in your Soolantra packet for further information.

Around 4 weeks, but no longer than 3 months – many people notice an improvement in their symptoms of rosacea after 4 weeks of using the cream. If you have been using Soolantra for 3 months, and you’ve noticed no improvement in your rosacea, stop using the cream and consult your GP.

If you’re not sure about when to stop using your Soolantra – a nurse or GP can tell you how long your treatment course on Soolantra should be (how long you will need to use the cream). This varies from person to person and depends on the severity of your rosacea.

If you start seeing other rosacea symptoms on other parts of your body – you shouldn’t apply it anywhere else on your body, and you should never swallow or ingest this cream. See your doctor for further rosacea treatment options.

If you forget a dose of Soolantra (one application on the skin of your face per day) - don’t use a double dose to make up for it. Just carry on the next day as usual, using the same amount of cream as you would normally.

If you use more Soolantra than the daily recommended dose - contact your nurse or GP. They will advise you whether or not further medical action is needed.

Always follow the directions for dosage and the length of treatment recommended by your prescribing nurse or GP. If you are dissatisfied with the effects of Soolantra, discuss your concerns with your nurse or GP before making the decision to stop using it.

If you ever accidentally swallow Soolantra, you should seek urgent medical attention.

Will I get any side effects?

As with any medicine, there is the chance of side effects when using Soolantra. However, these side effects tend to only be mild to moderate in severity, and most people find that their symptoms settle down after the first weeks of continued treatment.

Common side effects of Soolantra (affecting about 1 in 10 users):

• A burning or stinging feeling of the skin, where the cream has been applied

Uncommon side effects (affecting up to 1 in 100 people):

• Skin irritation
• Itchy skin
• Dry or flaky skin

Other possible side effects can include: redness or inflammation of the skin. It isn’t known exactly how many people experience these.

If you ever experience any severe, unpleasant, or unexpected side effects as a result of using Soolantra, you should seek medical assistance. You can also report unusual side effects via the Yellow Card Scheme.