1. The Inside Scoop
  2. Skin Care Tips
  3. Everything You Need to Know about Common Skin Conditions Medication
Medication for Skin Conditions

Everything You Need to Know about Common Skin Conditions Medication

March 7, 2023

Skin conditions affect millions of Americans. While some of them don't have a cure, most are treatable by medication. To learn more about skin conditions and common skin conditions medication, read on below.

Man applying skin cream
Inside Scoop

The Inside Rx Blog

Get the Inside Scoop on tips & tricks that may help your family save on prescriptions!

Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest news and tips

The skin is the body's largest organ and serves many vital functions. It prevents dehydration, keeps out bacteria, stabilizes the body temperature and helps us feel sensations. Any disease or irregularity affecting this organ is a known as a skin condition or disease.

The Most Common Skin Conditions and Treatment

Skin conditions can affect everyone. In America, 1 in 4 people are affected by some skin disease, as reported by the American Academy of Dermatology Association. Learning one condition from another can help a patient establish a self-care routine and allow medical practitioners to diagnose faster.

Skin conditions medication varies widely since no two patients have identical symptoms. To develop a successful treatment plan, doctors will look into the condition's location, symptoms, duration, arrangement and morphology.

Here are the most common skin conditions with their usual medication:

Acne

Acne is an inflammatory skin condition that results from bacteria in clogged pores. It affects everyone at some point in their lifetime but is most common among teenagers undergoing hormonal changes. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting 50 million people yearly.

A dermatologist can diagnose acne by looking at the breakouts. To come up with an effective treatment, the doctor will look into the following considerations:

  • The type of acne
  • The patient's age
  • Where most of the breakouts appear
  • What treatments have the patient already tried
  • When the breakouts started

Acne treatments vary widely from person to person. However, they often include the following skin conditions medication:

Generic Name Brand Name
Isotretinoin Amnesteem®, Claravis®
Spironolactone Aldactone®
Doxycycline Doryx®, Vibramycin®, Oracea®, Adoxa®
Minocycline Solodyn®
Erythromycin Erythrocin®, Erythroped®, Erymax®
Amoxicillin Amoxicot®, Amoxil®, DisperMox®

Eczema

Eczema is another inflammatory skin condition that causes dry, itchy skin. It can occur at any age but is common in young children. According to the National Eczema Association, this condition affects over 31 million people in the United States.

There are seven types of eczema, namely:

  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Contact dermatitis
  • Dyshidrotic eczema
  • Nummular eczema
  • Seborrheic dermatitis
  • Stasis dermatitis

Many who have this skin condition often get "flare-ups'' when they experience severe itchiness leading to blisters and skin infections due to excessive scratching. Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for eczema. The goal of the treatment is to reduce the symptoms and minimize flare-ups.

The usual prescriptions for this condition are the following:

Generic Name Brand Name
Triamcinolone Cinolar®, Kenalog®, Triderm®
Oral Cyclosporine Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®
Oral Azathioprine Imuran®, Azasan®
Hydroxyzine Vistaril®
Levocetirizine Xyzal®
Emollient Cream Atopiclair®

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease that speeds up cells' growth, causing thick, scaly patches on the skin. Just like eczema, it is a chronic condition that has no cure. It is a common disease affecting over 7 million adults in the United States.

A skin conditions medication is prescribed to minimize symptoms and swelling of psoriasis. A healthcare provider might take a small skin sample to develop an effective treatment plan and rule out other disorders. The medication prescribed depends on how severe the psoriasis is and how responsive it is to previous treatment. Often, patients need to try different skin conditions medication before they find an approach that works.

Prescriptions for psoriasis typically include the following:

Generic Name Brand Name
Adalimumab Humira®
Calcitriol Vectical®
Apremilast Otezla®
Cyclosporine Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®
Etanercept Enbrel®
Methotrexate Rheumatrex®, Trexall®
Mometasone Elocon®

Rosacea

Rosacea is another long-term skin condition that mainly affects the face. It has a lot of symptoms, and dermatologists created four subtypes, each requiring a different treatment.

  • Subtype 1: Facial redness and visible blood vessels
  • Subtype 2: Acne-like breakouts
  • Subtype 3: Thickening skin
  • Subtype 4: In the eyes

There are no medical tests that can diagnose rosacea. Dermatologists will only need to examine the patient's face and ask several questions about the condition's history to rule out other illnesses. There is also no permanent cure, but treatment can reduce signs of rosacea on the skin and ease discomfort.

Rosacea medication often includes:

Generic Name Brand Name
Azelaic Acid Finacea Foam®
Encapsulated Benzoyl Peroxide Cream Epsolay®
Brimonidine Mirvaso®
Oral Doxycycline Oracea®
Oxymetazoline Rhofade®

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most severe type of skin cancer that is widely believed to be linked to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight. Cancer develops when the cells that give the skin pigment start to grow out of control.

Treating melanoma typically involves surgery to remove the affected area, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and medication such as:

Generic Name Brand Name
Atezolizumab Tecentriq®
Cobimetinib Cotellic R®
Ipilimumab Yervoy®
Nivolumab Opdivo®
Nivolumab-relatlimab-rmbw Opdualag®
Pembrolizumab Keytruda®
Vemurafenib Zelboraf®
The Inside Rx prescription discount card works like a manufacturer coupon to save on the cost of prescription medication at your local pharmacy.

Spironolactone

$ 6.33
Tablet, 25 Mg
30 Tablets
Get Savings Card

Isotretinoin

$ 293.99
Capsule, 40 Mg
30 Capsules
Get Savings Card

Hydroxyzine Hcl

$ 4.00
Tablet, 25 Mg
30 Tablets
Get Savings Card

Get Healthy Discounts for Skin Conditions Medication

Most symptoms of skin conditions can be managed through appropriate medication. The best way to manage them is to keep a rigid self-care routine and take prescribed medications as scheduled. If you want to reduce out-of-the-pocket costs for any prescription drugs, Inside Rx can help.

With an Inside Rx discount card, you can potentially get up to 80 percent off on brand and generic skin conditions medication. We partner with over 60,000 pharmacies in the United States and Puerto Rico so that you can purchase your medication at lower rates. Get an Inside Rx card today for free to start saving!

Sources: