 |
Even though Soolantra has only just been approved as a treatment for rosacea, and won’t be available for a couple of months, can we get any idea of how well it might work ?
Thankfully the answer is yes. With credit to those who have been part of the extensive trials for Galderma’s code-named CD5024 we can have an early glimpse into how well Soolantra can treat the papules and pustules of rosacea.
Soolantra has been in trials as early as 2006, so there are plenty of rosacea sufferers who have been able to try what we now know as Soolantra.
Once Soolantra becomes more widely available and the early users of the official prescription venture online, a better picture of the utility of Soolantra will emerge.
For now, whet your appetite from the reviews of these early users of Soolantra, read on for more.
User Reviews
rachzon, Brisbane in 2008 says:
I have been on an Ivermectin trial for just over a week now with quite positive results. I have moderate Rosacea with frequent papules and pustules. My most recent flare up started in July and had continues until this week when I started the topical Ivermectin.
My skin had improved a little after I started applying Megan Gales Invisable Zinc about a month ago but the change in the last week has been quite dramatic.
My skin is still far from perfect but as the trial goes for about a year I hope it continues to improve. Initially I was getting about 20 papules on EACH cheek, forehead and even on my neck, so it was pretty ugly, the inflammation was not pleasant either.
I have the occassional papule left, the worst place is still on my neck but the texture of my skin is soft, no burning or itching and life is a hell of a lot more pleasant. My 3 year old son hasn’t been patting my cheek and asking me if it still hurts this week either.
Looks like those beastly mites have a lot to answer for in my case.
and then
It is a 30 gram tube with what I presume is 1% Ivermectin
and
I asked about other peoples experiences, they have about 10 on the trial at the Coast and all but one have had results similar to mine. The Derm mentioned that up to this point it has been very hard to treat Papular Pustule Rosacea so is very pleased with these results.
and
10 weeks I have been on the trial now and my face continues to be fantastic. I get the very occasional bump but it is gone within a few days.
RosaceaHater says:
The flare got so bad I considered withdrawing from the study. However, my study doc counted a huge change in the papules vs. pustules count that they tally on each visit and he also said it is common to see a change in the type of lesion before there is any improvement. So I kept with it and now the bumps are clearing up almost as abruptly as they arrived. I am fairly certain I got CD5024 and not the placebo. I will find out for sure in six weeks! If there are any questions thus far I would be happy to answer them.
and
Today I had my 4 week checkup with my study doc. My papule/pustule count went from 41 my baseline visit to 29 today. The nurses commented my skin looks better. And yes, CD 5024% is ivermectin! I will have my next checkup in four weeks. At that time I will provide another P/P count and I will know if I got CD 5024 or the placebo.
KP Says:
I am in the CD5024 study and they do draw blood at every monthly visit. I began the study in June 2012 and saw results quickly. I rarely break out and the cream has made my skin very smooth. My skin has never looked better. When the product finally comes on the market I fear I won’t be able to afford it as most new drugs are not covered by my insurance.
GW says:
I’m currently involved in a study of CD5024, and barring any side effects, it’s fantastic! I’ve been using it for 12 weeks, and my Rosacea was pretty much gone by the 3rd week. Now I have no visible Rosacea. What am I going to do when I run out?!
As for the white blood count, my doc knew before I did that I was sick. They called because the count was low, and that weekend I came down with a terrible cold. Thankfully, after I recovered the white count was normal.
Please Add Your Reviews
If you get to try Soolantra please do let us know below in the comments how you like it or not.
Were you on the trial, how did it go for you?
Started my 6 week on last Friday and it’s been horrible since 🙁 So many p&p on my cheeks and forehead. Also my cheeks are super red and itchy. Ugh I’m so tired of this
Hang in there. It takes up to 12 weeks for your skin to calm down and in my case it has been even longer. I’m still on Soolantra after 9 months and I still get occasional breakouts but only a few now so much less than before.
So I need some pep talk. I started Soolantra on 29.05.2018 so it’s been a little over three weeks. I never had any irritation caused by the medication like immediate stinging, burning or itching. I just had some crawling sensation for about 10 minutes but i think it might be just a mental thing. In the beginning it was fine and then at around day 7 I broke out. Not too badly but still noticeable. Keep in mind I have type 2 rosacea, no other. The pimples from that first breakout started getting better until like 5-6 days ago when I got pretty bad again. So according to my dermatologist I was supposed to get cured by the 20th day, which after I did my research is quite unrealistic and she said there shouldn’t be any worsening of the condition … again obviously not the case … she said that if by day 20 I am not experiencing quite a dramatic result then I am for Accutane which I am not going to take … I am only 21, I think I triggered my problems cause of a highly stressful year… I’ve had quite the severe acne when I was a teenager and I cured it with natural treatments. I was clear for about 2 years and now this. I am a female and this is just messing with my brain… I am so tired for looking like a pizza during what are supposed to be the years I look the best…I just can not deal .. Considering I am a pretty confident person, I am just tired. I do not wear foundation cause I believe it would make it worse. I was given a sunscreen to use by my dermatologist but i am quite hesitant to start so that it doesn’t make everything a little worse… What’s ur opinion on that one? I was also given a new moisturiser which just made it worse, it also stung my eyes. I started using oregano oil internally like 6 days ago but i guess it is too early for that to help (if it does at all). I am a holistic enthusiast and this is just ruining my vibe. I live a pretty organic and fit lifestyle so it’s not that part that is messing me up. The pros my skin is super soft like it hasn’t been like that in I don’t know how long, the peeling is gone, the itching is gone, the burning sensation is gone it’s just the ridiculous p&ps.This is my story and I just want someone to tell me that in the end I will be just fine. Cheers.
It takes 12 weeks plus to see the benefits. Within these 12 weeks there will be breakouts on 3,6,9 weeks or something similar. The breakouts are from mite die off. The way to combat this is to take antibiotics for the period of this 12 weeks . U will still have breakouts but the antibiotics will combat them and make them alot less severe. I use jojoba oil morning and night as a cleanser. Just splash fave with warm water then massage a little oil in then splash again and blott dry.
And bori it will get better if it’s mite related . Alot better. U just need to preserver. Just think that every night u put soolantra on your killing the root cause . Because their eggs can’t be killed they have to hatch 1St .this is y it happens in stages. Dermatologist up until a while ago wouldn’t even consider the mite theory. Some are clueless to say the least.
Since I started using Soolantra last Autumn 2017 my skin has slowly improved. I was also annoyed and desperate even after 12 weeks my skin was behaving badly but the kind people here advised me to keep using it Soolantra and now my friends even notice my skin is a lot better. I use foundation as I don’t like to reveal my red dry patches and scars as well as a few pimples on my skin but this has not made my skin worse. I use Dermalogica as my day time moisturiser with SPF 50 every day and it has helped a lot also I think. I might also be on track finding out the worst things causing my flare ups and one of them is sugar properly. I also think it will help if you change your pillow cases more often. Good luck with the journey! There is light at the end of the tunnel, you just need to be patient and forget the little crawlers. 🙂
Just keep going.
I look like a totally different person now.
I had a very severe breakout after the first week. I looked like a pin cushion.
My skin was red and bumpy and I had more tiny white dots than you would think I had pores to fill. Then it all went away. I got the VBeam laser for the redness from the veins and now my skin is pretty much totally clear.
Change your pillow case at least every other night and change your pajama top that often too. Those things really seemed to help me when I started in May 2015. You don’t want to kill mites off your face just to have more jump back on that were on your pillow or top from the days before. I used to just change my bedding once or twice a week like everyone else, but that isn’t enough for people with rosacea. The pillow cases have to be changed 3 or 4 times a week.
I barely have to use the cream at all now, but I still change the pillow case and top like I used to, so that must be working. I also wash the bedding in very hot water and dry it on high heat.
Carrie, how long did it take you to notice an actual difference and did you use sunscreen during the process? Thanks
About 2 months before the dots (red bumps and white dots) were pretty much totally gone. The redness stayed until I got the vbeam treatments.
I have not had breakouts since that first week.
No, I stopped using sunscreen because I am very oily. Which is part of why my rosacea was so bad. The mites LOVE oil (sebum). I wear a very large sunhat every time I spend more time outside than just walking to my car from work.
For the record I have been using Soolantra for 9 months now and I have been skeptical about this pillow case thing but you might have a point here. Every time my skin changes to beautiful and smooth is when I go on holidays and I have been thinking it is the warm weather, the humid air and the sea water but then again they also change the linens in hotel rooms quite often. So I have thought that could have an effect. Moreover, as of today my skin is flourishing, it is summer time, so the air is more humid and it is fairly warm but I’m also on a business trip and have stayed the night in the hotel so had new sheets in my bed. I actually woke up with beautiful smooth skin this morning and think I had zero break outs on my entire face. I did treat myself with a mask last night so that can help also but otherwise it might just be the lack of dust mites not irritating my skin.
I will try your tip and change my pillow case 3-4 times a week but as a working professional living in a European city in a small apartment, it might be challenging to be washing the linen all the time…but I will try. So thanks for this tip!
Also when finding out the root causes for the flare ups, do bear in mind that sugar might be one of the big things causing the skin to react. At least it is for me.
Yes, I had read it somewhere very early on that the pillow case changing was helping people so I tried it. It makes sense.
I eat sugar all the time, lol.
But I don’t have flare ups. I actually have not (knock on wood) had the P & P horrific redness and monster skin since that first horrible week on Soolantra exactly 3 years ago. It wiped mine out. I used the cream daily after that for about 18 months or so, then stopped to just once a month. Which is good, cause it’s expensive.
Bori, how are you doing now? Seeing as it’s been a few months since your poat?
I am actually quite amazed as of the last week. My skin has suddenly gone to smooth and beautiful and we even had a quite a midsummer party here so I drank alcohol also on Friday and Saturday. But still my skin is fine. Could it be that the combination of using Soolantra continuously as well as my Dermalogica products and Kiehl’s masks are helping finally? I also will try to remember to change my pillow case tonight as it is probably the 3rd or 4th day now. Any comments?
Annie, what products are you using? I meed Serious help!
My skin is getting worse. Antibiotics don’t help. Just started Soolantra tonight. Would appreciate any help.
I use only natural cosmetics now that has no harmful ingredients as I wanted to strip down all the silicons, parabens, mineral oils out of my skincare. I am also back to Soolantra as I had another flare up in the late Autumn. This time though I have also made big lifestyle changes, diet changes and started paying special attention to my skincare routine.I went to nutritionist and she gave me good instructions how to balance my gut and body. This has helped already. Next week I will get my new diet plan from my nutritionist and looking forward to this.
I’m happy to share my tips in detail if you wish but of course we are all individuals and what helps for me might be different what helps for you. One thing for sure is that gut microbiome and your body health is vital in the road to calming down rosacea and making it into inactive stage.
So week 10 and my right cheek looks terrible 🙁 dry, itchy, red and full of p&p. I think that maybe it’s not demodex, maybe some other kind of bacteria and vermectin won’t help. It’s really bad and it’s week 10. It should finally start to get better at some point but it’s the worst flare up since May 🙁
Kate, how is your skin now?
Bad 🙁 Seems that Soolantra isn’t working for me I guess. I had some really good days but for the past month it’s getting worse and worse. My face looks exactly the way it was before I started to use Soolantra. Tomorrow will be exactly 4 months since I’ve started. Don’t know what happened in the past few weeks cause I haven’t changed anything including diet, changing sheets every 2-3 days. Literally nothing. Went to my dermatologist on Friday and she was really sad it haan’t work for me. She said that these p&p may be caused by follicular xeroderma (that’s the only expression I found in the dictionary, so I hope it’s what I meant) and she gave me a cream which contains 5% of azelaic and pyroracemidc acids to exfoliate. Haven’t used it yet though because I’m scared. Maybe my cheeks are just meant to be red, itchy and covered with disgusting bumps.
Kat, I was just thinking about updating on my condition. I am almost completely healed. I have like 2-3 small active spots but they go away pretty fast. Its the scars that are left behind so I am treating that. I can not tell u how grateful I am… I can even wear foundation like a normal human being if I fancy. I had a few die offs, hope I won’t have anymore. And overall it has been a blessing to not be in pain, peeling and itching.
Help!!! I moved onto natural cosmetics or green stuff in summer and then also stopped using Soolantra as I had been using it for about 9 months then and also because it is synthetic stuff. Everything was fine for few months but as soon as the weather starter getting colder, my skin started going ballistic! It has gone so bad now that anything irritates my skin. I put on some Soolantra last night and feel like it immediately moisturised and helped a bit. So I’m thinking of going back to Soolantra. I really wouldn’t want to but as it has anti -inflammatory properties and my skin is like crocodile skin I have no choice. Do you think this is a good opition to continue using it? Otherwise my products are scent free non oily, as I have noticed that oils and fragrances irritate my skin also…
hi in my opinion and own experience it’s better to use every day for ever. I’ve used for 3 years. Tried coming off and tapering but skin goes back to how it was. It’s based on cetaphil moisturiser so it can be used every day and it won’t have any harmful effects.
Thank you for the message Stuart! Have you tried the Cetaphil on its own? Maybe it is about finding the right moisturiser? I would love to find non medicated solution as I really try to strip down all the chemicals out but if I have no choice I will continue using Soolantra at night time. It has dimethicone though…and I am little bit unsure of killing the mites, maybe they are there for a reason…But I for sure will get my last tube on my prescription and use it for now. Love to hear your comments though! 🙂
By the way, it is weird though as my skin gets better in hot and humid weather, in fact rosacea disappears and I’m sure the mites are not getting killed of heat exhaustion themselves then… Anyways I live in Scandinavia and we are about to have coldest months of the year meaning freezing outside and warm and dry air indoors.Which seems horrible combination for my poor face.
Hi Annie, like you said soolantra is anti inflammatory and moisturizing so y stop or be scared of chemicals? And the added bonus is that it kills mites; they may be there for a reason but in people with roasted they over populate causing more problems, that’s y anti biotic work because they kill the bacteria produced by mites but don’t eradicate the problem. So I would say just relax and use soolantra permanently. I have for 3 years now and will continue aswell. I have tried cetaphil by itself and it doesn’t have the same affect as soolantra. The list of chemicals in all products is high but that doesn’t mean they all harm us. Good luck.
Thanks so much Stuart! I really appreciate your comment! 🙂
Well I’m not scared of chemicals per se but would like to choose more sustainable options and hence creams that are more environmentally friendly and that are also good for me. I will for sure now continue with Soolantra as I know it helps.
“There is an extremely cheaper way. The docs won’t admit it. We were scared at first because of all the comments people make. We tried it. But people are rude and I won’t argue. Pm me if you want to know and I will send you a link to the message boards.
“hello, it is ivermectin from tractor supply, here in Tennessee. It is a horse medicine. The dosage is higher than soolantra. Don’t get the apple flavor or you will smell like apples.”
” it won’t hurt to try it. You can research it. I did. Just apply a think layer at night. It’s not as thick as a cream. I put it in a little container, it comes in a syringe. About $10.00. Also, get it on Amazon and there are lots of reviews.”
” I’m using Rozex cream atm (which I pay $40 a tube for). I have improved but still have some bumps. I’m thinking of asking the dr for soolantra once my Rozex runs out.
What are people in Australia paying for soolantra please?”
“$65”
“Nothing has ever worked for my permanent redness, and broken capillaries. How does this work differently than the rest of the creams?”
” I’ve used this and I works! I tried everything else too.”
” It will help with inflammation redness but permenant redness and capillaries it won’t shift”
“do you think laser would get rid of the broken capillaries? I have tons and it gives me a heat sensation I want to get rid of them.”
“Laser is the only thing that gets rid of broken capillaries”
“terrible stuff. Used as horse de-wormer. All kinds of crap in this to stabilize the medication like alch.; bad for rosacea. Don’t waste your time or money. Go straight for probiotics & LASER.”
“I absolutely love soolantra! Best thing that ever happened to my poor, red and bumpy face❤️ I’m like 90% clear”
Just to comment and add my experiences on the topic. I started my Soolantra treatment 2nd time late Autumn when I had a very bad flare up. I will go through with the 12 weeks now, think I’m on week 5 or 6 now. My skin has improved and the inflammation is gone as it did last time but this time I have also changed my diet, lifestyle and my skincare routine. And guess what, this has reduced the redness and hormonal acne spots even further, which Soolantra was never able to do before. Even after my 12 weeks last year, my skin never was completely clear. And don’t get me wrong Soolantra is definitely brilliant treatment cream but I think the reason it does not entirely clear your skin, is because the person like me may have a chronic inflammation in the body or likewise and that needs to be taken care of also. So I was wondering what kind of other changes have you made in terms of treating rosacea and avoiding flare ups?
I consulted a nutritionist who gave me new instructions for taking care of my gut health and reducing stress hormones. I have also been interested in Ayurveda theories and think I have a pitta imbalance in my body. So I have paid more attention on eating “cooling” ingredients instead of ingredients that warm up the body. Unfortunately I also suffer from another chronic condition and hence also the nutritionist thinks this is linked to my rosacea.
My skincare is simple now. I use a gentle gel wash in the evening to wash out my makeup and apply Soolantra for the night. Then in the morning I splash my face with water, spritz unscented rose water on it, a moisturising serum and moisturiser on top (also unscented) before I apply natural mineral makeup .I do not use any mechanical exfoliation just a purifying, exfoliating gentle mask once a week. This has also helped to reduce further irritation sometimes we get from applying too many products on our skin.
I am optimistic that with my new diet plan, lifestyle changes and skincare routine, I will be able to calm down my rosacea and hopefully cause it to be more inactive in the future.:)
Good luck everyone and your comments are welcome! 🙂 I also highly recommend Soolantra for treating inflammation but I would definitely consider other factors that may cause your skin to react in a way it does. Although the doctors have not found a root cause for rosacea, they say it is linked to gut health and possible imbalance one may have in their body due to hormones, stress, etc.
My ophthalmologist suggested that my non-stop watery eyes (not really red or itchy but tearing constantly) may be related to some form of rosacea. He didn’t mention demodex mites but I went to my dermatologist who said she had a fairly new cream that many with rosacea sufferers were getting great results with. I also mentioned the mites to her (which I had read about online when searching for info on rosacea/ocular rosacea) but she said they would have to do a scraping to test for them and I said I would just try the cream. THANK GOD I inquired about it because in about 3 weeks, my eyes were 100% back to normal. Prior to the use of Soolantra, I could not wear my contacts nor apply makeup. My skin under my eyes started looking older due to constant wiping of tears – I was very depressed about the situation. Needless to say, I am still using a pea-size amount in the morning and will continue since I am absolutely convinced that this anti-parasitic medicine CURED my watery eyes. I am planning on informing my ophthalmologist and optometrist when I see them again that this MAY just be the cure for others watery eyes – not dry eye, blepharitis, allergies, etc etc. I had tried so many different eye drops that they take up a whole shelf in my medicine cabinet! Hope this helps someone else who may be suffering this annoying condition!! SOOLANTRA was my cure!!
Id love to more info about the horse cream. I diluted it to 1% and applied it tonight for the first time. No itching. So far, so good.
Such helpful input ftom everyone. So sad about the anguish of some. My case isn’t too bad. A few red patches, a few itchy ones, a few little pimples now and then.
I can’t believe the price difference, and this is what Trump is trying to change! 65$ in Australia? It’s over $500 here! Galderma won’t give me a coupon. Even with one, it’s over $300!
The horse cream was $14.
Thanks in advance for any comments.
I’ve been using Soolantra 45 gram tube since it came onto the market with outstanding results. I’m a huge blusher and before using Soolantra I was airways red and started to get rosacea bumps on my nose. After the first few applications they were gone and over time the inflammation in my face disappeared. Since I had allergic reactions to most traditional rosacea medication treatments, Soolantra has transformed my quality of life. I used to carry a battery fan with me to restaurants and now I’m living normally. Luckily, I’ve always had great employer offered health insurance that covered the outrageous price of Soolantra paying only $25 per tube compared to $650 retail. I have tried the generic version of Soolantra but the lotion base is watery and not as emollient so I prefer the brand over generic version.
Review from a tiktok user
https://www.tiktok.com/@vickybratton/video/7071323099886521606