Epiduo Gel (Adapalene 0.1% / Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%) – 45g

Epiduo is a prescription-only gel for mild to moderate acne. It combines adapalene, a retinoid that helps unblock pores, with benzoyl peroxide, which helps clear spots. It is mainly suggested when blackheads and whiteheads are the main problem. Epiduo must not be used during pregnancy or if you are planning a pregnancy. At Ways Pharmacy it is supplied only after a pharmacist has looked at clear photos of your skin, checked your health and confirmed that it is suitable for you.

How to access this medicine

1. Start your free online assessment. Complete a short questionnaire and confirm your identity by uploading photo ID or showing it on a video call. You also upload clear, well-lit photos or a short video of the affected skin, and answer questions about pregnancy and pregnancy planning.
2. Pharmacist reviews and speaks with you. A GPhC-registered pharmacist contacts you by phone or video to go through your answers and confirm whether the medicine is suitable. If the photos are not clear enough for a safe assessment, the pharmacist will ask for new ones or for you to come into our Holborn pharmacy.
3. If suitable, order and pay on this page. Once the pharmacist confirms the medicine is suitable, you select the gel and check out on this page, or call 020 8106 7084. If it is not suitable — including when the pharmacist recommends self-care instead — you pay nothing and the pharmacist explains your other options. If you have already paid and the pharmacist finds the medicine is not suitable, you receive a full refund.
4. We post your medicine or you collect it. Once approved, orders placed by 3pm on a weekday are posted the same day (see our shipping policy), or you can collect from Holborn.

There is no separate consultation fee. If the medicine you chose is not suitable, the pharmacist may suggest another option. Young people aged 12 to 17 can use the online service, but a parent or guardian must be present on the video call.

About this medicine

How to use

• Once a day in the evening, on clean, dry skin, apply a thin layer to the whole affected area, not just individual spots
• Keep it away from the eyes, mouth, nostrils and lips, and do not apply it to cuts, grazes, sunburnt skin or eczema
• Irritation is usually strongest in the first week and then settles. Most people see a clear improvement after 6 to 8 weeks of regular use
• One pack is supplied at a time. Further supplies follow a review with the pharmacist of how well it is working and how your skin is tolerating it

See our acne treatment service for more information.

Warnings and who should not use this medicine

• Anyone who is pregnant, could be pregnant or is planning a pregnancy
• Anyone allergic to adapalene, benzoyl peroxide or any of the other ingredients
• Severe acne, such as deep painful lumps or cysts (nodular or cystic acne), or acne that is causing scarring — please see your GP
• Spots that may be something other than acne, such as rosacea or a rash around the mouth
• Tell the pharmacist if you are breastfeeding (do not apply it to the chest), have sensitive skin or eczema, or use other acne treatments on your skin

Avoid strong sunlight and sunbeds, and use a daily sunscreen. Benzoyl peroxide can bleach hair, towels, clothing and bedding, so let the gel dry fully before your skin touches fabric.

Possible side effects

The most common are dryness, redness, scaling, burning or stinging where the gel is applied. A gentle, fragrance-free moisturiser helps. If irritation is severe, stop using it and speak to the pharmacist. Get urgent help if you have signs of an allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips or throat or difficulty breathing.

Regulatory information

• Legal status: Prescription-only medicine (POM), supplied under a Patient Group Direction after pharmacist assessment
• Pharmacy: Ways Pharmacy, 77 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4ET · GPhC-registered premises 9012227
• Patient information leaflet: electronic Medicines Compendium (emc)
• Report suspected side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme

This page gives factual information about a prescription-only medicine and is not an advertisement to the public. It is supplied only after a pharmacist has assessed that it is suitable for you.