Tyler James5 said:Just speaking from my own experience with Protopic (on an adult, so please don't take this as medical advice for little kids)...
After grinding through years of contact dermatitis that just kept getting worse—starting on my hands and eventually spreading to my face—I tried this cream back when it was just hitting the market after Fujisaw opened their factory in Germany. The first time I applied it, man, I let out this huge gasp because it burned so bad; but after a few hours, everything calmed down and settled. That was ten years ago. Since then, I’ve had red patches flare up on my face here and there, almost always reacting to some new shampoo or skincare product, but the only thing that actually works today without wrecking my skin barrier is Protopic 0.1%. I get it from Canada now with a specialist's prescription. It’s pricey, but honestly? Totally worth it.
(I just don't get why they make getting hold of a medication so complicated when you're paying full price anyway. Medicare doesn't cover a single cent of it . To even get the cream, I have to jump through hoops: see a GP for a referral, see a specialist just to get a recommendation, then go back to the GP to get a "white prescription," then send the order to the pharmacy and, of course, pay up... it's just useless running around for a chronic health issue)
I can see a massive difference in how well it works compared to all those other creams various dermatologists prescribed for my hands—which, thank God, I didn't put on my face.
My skin is incredibly sensitive to irritants, whether it's chemicals, detergents, or even certain natural stuff like raw potato starch. I've had allergies to basically everything proven multiple times. I take oral antihistamines, but even so, whenever a rash breaks out on my face or hands, I use just enough Protopic to take the redness away... so one 60g tube lasts me a whole year. Unlike steroid creams, Protopic leaves absolutely no trace behind. The effect is similar to steroids, except it DOESN'T cause skin thinning (atrophy).
One thing to watch out for— it is absolutely vital to protect treated skin from UV radiation, whether it's from the sun or artificial sources. Tacrolimus, the active ingredient, was originally designed to prevent organ transplant rejection by blocking immune responses. On one hand, that calms the irritation and allergies, but it also makes the skin potentially more vulnerable to skin cancer caused by UV rays.
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Thanks for the response... I only just noticed the post.
I haven't managed to get my hands on Protopic yet, but I fully intend to pick it up within the next few months.
My plan is to use it for seborrheic dermatitis on my face and for LS (which is also an autoimmune skin condition).
The Elocom I'm currently using isn't doing much for me; it only provides temporary relief when inflammation flares up.
And honestly, the more I rely on it, the more it seems like the area affected by the dermatitis just keeps spreading...