About this medication
- This medicine is a gel or cream applied to the face to treat the red bumps, pimples, and redness of rosacea.
Reduces inflammatory rosacea bumps and pustules.
How to use it
- Wash and dry the affected skin before applying.
- Rub a thin layer into the entire affected area, once daily (1% strength) or twice daily, morning and evening (0.75% strength).
- Let the medicine dry into your skin before applying makeup.
- Improvement usually takes about 3 weeks of regular use, with the best results after several more weeks -- keep using it even if you don't see a change right away.
If you miss a dose
- Apply it as soon as you remember. If it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one -- do not double up.
Apply a thin layer to clean, dry affected skin: 1% once daily or 0.75% twice daily, as prescribed. Avoid eyes.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, so they can weigh the benefits and risks with you.
- Only a small amount of this medicine reaches the bloodstream when used on the skin.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding require an individual benefit-risk discussion; low absorption does not mean zero risk.
Before you use it
- Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had an allergic reaction to metronidazole or to antifungal creams like clotrimazole.
- Tell them if you have a blood disorder or Cockayne syndrome.
- This is not the same medicine as metronidazole tablets or vaginal gel -- do not use one in place of the other.
Important warnings
- Avoid getting this medicine in your eyes; it can cause tearing, redness, or irritation. Rinse with water if this happens.
- Stay out of the sun and avoid tanning beds while using this medicine.
- People with Cockayne syndrome should not use products containing metronidazole.
Do not use with metronidazole allergy or Cockayne syndrome. Facial, vaginal and oral formulations are different.
Possible side effects
- Dry, red, or itchy skin
- A burning or stinging feeling
- Skin peeling or tightness
- Watery eyes if the product gets close to your eyes
Dryness, stinging, itching and redness.
When to get help
When to get emergency help
- Swelling of the face, lips, or throat
- Widespread hives
- Sudden difficulty breathing
When to contact a healthcare professional
- If skin irritation, redness, or burning is severe or does not improve.
- If your eyes become irritated, red, or inflamed (conjunctivitis) after using this medicine near your face.
- If you notice a new rash or skin reaction.
Get help for facial swelling, hives or severe irritation.
Other medicines and products
- As a precaution, avoid alcohol while using this medicine -- oral metronidazole can cause a serious reaction with alcohol, and while this is not expected with the topical form, it has not been fully ruled out.
- Tell the Care365 care team about any other skin products or antifungal creams you use on your face.
Tell the clinician about warfarin and other skin treatments.
Missed doses, storage and accidental exposure
- Store at room temperature (15°C to 30°C).
- Keep out of the reach of children.
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
- This medicine is for your skin only -- do not swallow it or put it in your eyes.
- It can take several weeks of steady use before you see the full benefit -- be patient and keep using it as directed.
- Protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen while using this medicine.
These practical points come from the Pharmasist patient handout for the same product monograph cited by this guide.