About this medication
- Ivermectin cream is a once-daily treatment applied to the face for the red bumps and pimples caused by rosacea.
- It is used in adults only, and it treats the skin symptoms of rosacea rather than curing the underlying condition.
Treats inflammatory rosacea lesions in adults.
How to use it
- Wash the affected area of your face with a gentle cleanser and pat it dry before applying the cream.
- Apply a pea-sized amount to each of five areas of your face: your forehead, chin, nose, and each cheek.
- Spread the cream in a thin, even layer over your whole face. Avoid your eyes and lips.
- Wash your hands right after applying the cream.
- Apply this medicine once daily at bedtime. Since it is applied to the skin rather than swallowed, there is no need to time it around meals.
- Wait until the cream has fully dried before applying makeup or other skin products.
- Do not cover the treated skin with bandages or dressings.
If you miss a dose
- If you forget to apply the cream at bedtime, just apply it the next time you would normally use it.
- Do not apply extra cream to make up for a missed application.
Apply once daily: a pea-sized amount to each cheek, forehead, nose and chin. Avoid lips and eyes. Reassess if not improving after three months.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. This medicine is not usually recommended during pregnancy.
- Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding, since it is not known how much of this medicine might pass into breast milk after skin use.
Not recommended during pregnancy; breastfeeding requires discussion of treatment and feeding options.
Before you use it
- Tell your doctor or another healthcare professional if you have ever had an allergic reaction to ivermectin or any other ingredient in this cream.
- Tell your doctor if you have sensitive skin or have reacted to skin creams or preservatives in the past.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Important warnings
- This medicine is for use on the face only. Do not swallow it, and do not use it near your eyes, mouth, or inside your body.
- If your rosacea gets noticeably worse while using this medicine, stop using it and contact your doctor.
- If you develop a severe skin reaction or signs of an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and get medical help.
Do not swallow or substitute oral or veterinary ivermectin. Avoid known ingredient allergens.
Possible side effects
- A burning feeling on your skin can happen.
- Skin irritation or redness can happen.
- Itching can happen.
- Dry skin can happen.
- Your rosacea symptoms may seem to worsen briefly before they improve; tell your doctor if this concerns you.
Burning, dryness, irritation and itching.
When to get help
When to get emergency help
- Get emergency help for signs of a severe allergic reaction: swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, or sudden difficulty breathing.
- Get emergency help if you accidentally swallow this medicine and feel unwell, or notice symptoms such as severe dizziness, vomiting, or difficulty breathing.
When to contact a healthcare professional
- Contact your doctor if your rosacea becomes noticeably worse instead of better.
- Contact your doctor if you see little or no improvement after about 3 months of regular use.
- Contact your doctor if skin irritation, burning, or itching is severe or does not go away.
- Contact your doctor if the cream accidentally gets into your eyes and your eyes continue to hurt after rinsing with water.
Stop and seek advice for marked worsening or facial swelling; emergency care for breathing difficulty.
Other medicines and products
- Tell the Care365 care team about any other creams, lotions, or skin treatments you use on your face, since combining them with this medicine has not been studied and may increase irritation.
- This medicine is applied to the skin, so it does not need to be taken with or without food.
Review other facial treatments, especially irritating cleansers.
Missed doses, storage and accidental exposure
- Store this medicine at room temperature.
- Keep it out of the sight and reach of children and pets.
- Ask the Care365 care team how to safely dispose of any unused medicine.
Follow your own product’s missed-dose instructions. If you are unsure, ask the Care365 clinical team before taking an extra dose. Contraceptives, injections and modified-release medicines may need a specific plan.
Keep the original packaging and follow its storage, expiry and disposal instructions. Keep medicines away from children and pets. Ask about refrigeration, after-opening limits and safe sharps disposal when relevant.
For suspected overdose or accidental swallowing, contact poison control or urgent medical care promptly. Call emergency services for breathing difficulty, collapse or a seizure.
Key points to remember
- Use this medicine only on your face, and only as often as your doctor or another healthcare professional recommends.
- Avoid strong sun exposure, harsh cleansers, and skin products with alcohol, since these can make rosacea worse.
- It can take several weeks to see improvement, so keep using the medicine as directed unless your doctor tells you to stop.
- Tell your healthcare professional about any new skin product you plan to start while using this medicine.
These practical points come from the Pharmasist patient handout for the same product monograph cited by this guide.