Elidel
Elidel is a pimecrolimus cream for eczema (atopic dermatitis), sold in 10g and 30g tubes, applied thinly to itchy, red patches while the skin is flaring.
- Category
- Skin Care
- Active ingredient
- Pimecrolimus
- Route
- Topical
- Form
- Cream
- Strengths
- 10/30g
You will receive a quality generic equivalent, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Eczema (Atopic dermatitis)
- Therapeutic Class
- Calcineurin Inhibitor
- Pharmacological Class
- Immunomodulator
- Minor Side Effects
- Burning sensation, Itching at site
- Moderate Side Effects
- Redness, Skin warmth
- Dosage Forms
- Cream
- Administration Route
- Topical
- Originator
- Bausch Health
- Onset Time
- Days
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Age Restrictions
- Not for children under 2 years of age.
What you will receive
Elidel is the originator brand name, made by Bausch Health. We use it to identify the medicine; the pack you receive is a generic equivalent, not the original Elidel.
- The same active ingredient (Pimecrolimus) at the same strength.
- The exact brand supplied depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
FAQ
Which Elidel tube sizes and pack quantities can I order?
Elidel comes as 10g or 30g tubes in packs of 2 or 4. This is generic pimecrolimus, not the original Elidel. Larger packs cost less per tube.
What happens if my Elidel parcel arrives damaged?
Elidel ships in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents. If your parcel arrives damaged, it is sent again free; if that is not possible, the order is refunded.
Can I use Elidel on my face?
Yes. It can be applied to the face, including the eyelids and the skin around the mouth. Take care that none gets into the eye itself, and follow the same twice-daily routine as for other areas.
Can I use a moisturiser with Elidel?
Yes, and most people should. Let the cream soak in first, then smooth a plain, fragrance-free moisturiser over the top. If you have just had a bath or shower, use the moisturiser first and the eczema cream afterwards.
Can I drink alcohol while using Elidel?
Alcohol can make the treated skin flush, feel warm or come up in a rash. The reaction stays where the cream was applied, passes by itself and does not mean the treatment has failed.
Can Elidel be used twice a week to stop flares coming back?
Yes. Once a flare has settled, the cream can be used on two days a week on skin that flares often, with a return to twice-daily application if the eczema comes back. A moisturiser does the everyday work in between.
Can children use Elidel?
Yes, from the age of 2; it is not used in younger children. A thin layer on the eczema patches twice a day is the routine, with the eyes and mouth kept clear.
About Elidel
Eczema cream with no steroid in it
Eczema on the eyelids, neck or behind the knees is the case Elidel suits best. It is a pimecrolimus cream for atopic dermatitis, the itchy, red rash most people call eczema, sold in 10g and 30g tubes. Pimecrolimus is a calcineurin inhibitor, not a corticosteroid, and it has not been linked to the skin thinning that long courses of steroid creams can cause, so it is used on thin skin where steroids call for more caution.
In a flare, immune cells in the skin use an enzyme called calcineurin to release the chemicals that keep a rash red and itchy; pimecrolimus blocks that enzyme. The patch calms over several days, not on the first evening.
Choosing 10g or 30g
For one small patch, 10g is plenty; 30g makes more sense when several areas are involved or flares keep returning. Apply a thin layer twice a day and rub it in until it vanishes, on the face, eyelids, neck and skin folds alike. Keep it out of the eye itself and off the lips; if any gets in, rinse with cool water. Hands need washing afterwards unless they are the area being treated. Dressings, wraps and plasters over the cream push more of the drug into the skin, so leave the patch uncovered. The cream is for active eczema: stop when the skin has settled, and if a flare is still going after six weeks, it needs a different treatment.
The first days, and what to watch for
Expect a burning, stinging or warm feeling under the cream for the first few days; some people also get itch, redness or tiny bumps around hair roots. If the treated skin picks up an infection such as impetigo, a cold sore, molluscum bumps or warts, the cream is paused until it clears.
A few people who used pimecrolimus or a similar cream have gone on to develop skin cancer or lymphoma, and no one knows whether the cream was responsible. That uncertainty is the reason treatment is limited to active flares and the smallest amount that works. Swelling of the lips, face or throat, widespread hives or breathing trouble needs urgent treatment.
Sun, heat and the tube itself
While the skin is being treated, skip sunbeds and sunlamps and avoid long spells in strong sun; loose clothing is the easiest cover outdoors. The cream soaks in quickly, has no smell and rarely marks sheets or clothes. Replace the cap after each use and keep the tube in a drawer or cabinet, out of the sun.
Sources
- Pimecrolimus Topical: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Pimecrolimus - DermNet NZ — DermNet NZ / New Zealand Dermatological Society