DERMATITIS

The terms eczema and dermatitis are often used interchangeably to describe the same condition. Dermatitis is characterized by a rash, dryness of skin, itching, and redness of skin. The symptoms of dermatitis occur due to the over production of damaging inflammatory skin cells and continue to worsen as a result of certain factors in the environment.

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Elidel for Treatment of Dermatitis

Elidel is a prescription topical medication for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema.

Elidel is for use on the skin only .

Elidel is for adults and children age 2 years and older.

You can use Elidel for short or intermittent long periods of treatment. Intermittent means starting and stopping repeatedly, as directed by your doctor.

You can use it on all affected areas of your skin, including your face and neck.

When is Elidel not recommended?

If you are pregnant or a nursing mother, you should use Elidel only if your doctor determines that it is clearly necessary. It is not known if the medicine in Elidel will pass through your milk to the baby.

If you have a skin condition called Netherton's syndrome, ask your doctor before you start using Elidel.

If you are allergic to Elidel or any of its ingredients. The active ingredient is pimecrolimus. If you need to know the inactive ingredients, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If you think you have a viral infection of your skin, such as chicken pox or herpes, do not apply Elidel on these areas. Check with your doctor about what to do.

General Precautions with Elidel:
Avoid sunlight and sun lamps, tanning beds, and treatment with UVA or UVB light. If you need to be outdoors after applying Elidel, wear loose fitting clothing that protects the treated area from the sun. In addition, ask your doctor what other type of protection from the sun you should use.


Before you start using Elidel, tell your doctor if you are using any other prescription medicines, non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicines, supplements or herbal medicines. Some medicines should be used carefully if you use Elidel.

Notify your doctor if you are receiving any form of light therapy (phototherapy, UVA or UVB) on your skin.

Tell your doctor about any other products or medicatins you are using.

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, Elidel may not be right for you.

Some possible side effects of Elidel include but are not limited to:

The most common side effect at the site of application is burning or a feeling of warmth. The burning feeling is usually mild or moderate, occurring in the first 5 days of treatment, and the burning usually clears up in a few days. See your doctor if an application site reaction is severe or persists for more than 1 week.

Other common side effects include headache, and with long-term intermittent use, nasopharyngitis (common cold/stuffy nose), influenza, pharyngitis (sore throat), fever, viral infection, and cough. Some people may get herpes skin infections (like cold sores, chicken pox, or shingles), warts, or swollen lymph nodes (glands).

See your doctor if side effects continue or become a problem.