Skinoren 20% Cream (Azelaic Acid)

Skinoren is a prescription-only cream containing azelaic acid 20%, used to treat mild to moderate acne — blackheads, whiteheads, red spots and pus-filled spots. It is often considered for people with sensitive skin or when other acne treatments have irritated the skin. At Ways Pharmacy it is supplied only after a pharmacist has assessed your skin 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 photos or a short video of the affected skin.
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 this medicine is suitable. Young people aged 12 to 17 can use the online service, but a parent or guardian must be present on the video call. If the photos are not clear enough, the pharmacist may ask for new ones or for you to come into the pharmacy.
3. If suitable, we send you a payment link. Once the pharmacist confirms the medicine is suitable, we send you a secure payment link for the confirmed pack by email or message. You can also 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.
4. We post your medicine or you collect it. Orders paid 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.

About this medicine

Dosage

• Apply a thin layer to clean, dry affected skin twice a day, morning and evening, and rub in gently
• About half a gram (roughly a 2.5cm line) covers the whole face; the pharmacist will advise for the chest or back
• If your skin is sensitive, the pharmacist may suggest using it once a day in the evening for the first week
• Most people need 6 to 8 weeks of regular use to see a clear improvement, so keep using it as directed
• One pack is supplied at a time. Further supplies need a review with the pharmacist to check it is working and your skin is tolerating it

Wash your hands after applying. Use a gentle, fragrance-free moisturiser and daily sun protection as part of your skincare.

Warnings and who should not take this medicine

• Children under 12
• Severe acne, such as large painful lumps or cysts under the skin, or acne that is leaving scars — please see a GP
• Spots that may be something other than acne, such as rosacea or a rash around the mouth
• Anyone allergic to azelaic acid or any ingredient in the cream
• Keep it away from the eyes, mouth and inside the nose; rinse with plenty of water if it gets in your eyes
• Tell the pharmacist if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding, make sure your baby does not touch treated skin
• Tell the pharmacist if you have asthma — worsening of asthma has rarely been reported

Possible side effects

Burning, itching or redness where the cream is applied are very common, especially in the first weeks, and usually settle. Dryness, peeling, pain or changes in skin colour can also happen. If irritation is hard to manage, use less cream or apply it once a day and speak to the pharmacist. Stop using it and get urgent medical help if you develop swelling of the face, lips or throat or difficulty breathing.

More about our acne service.

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.