Skin diseases today affect most of the world's population. Some of them are more serious, some less. However, it is obvious that any skin diseases cause a lot of inconvenience. The causes of their occurrence are different: internal disturbances (manifestation of a malfunction of one of the body systems, lack of necessary vitamins and minerals, manifestation of allergies), exposure to external factors (poor environmental situation, regular use of cleaning products without personal protective equipment, skin reaction to too low or too high ambient temperatures).
Many try to cope with these difficulties using folk remedies, but often they do not achieve the desired result or even harm their health even more. Conservative medicine insists on the use in such cases of high-quality pharmacological preparations containing active substances that can gently cope with a certain problem for a certain time. Such medicines should be selected by a competent specialist who is well aware of the patient’s medical history, as well as all the individual characteristics of the functioning of his body.
One of these drugs, which is popular among both professionals and consumers, is the drug "Elok", which can be purchased in one of three convenient forms of release: "Elok" -maz, "Elok" -cream, "Elok" - lotion. Price depending on the form of release may vary. What are the features of this drug? Why is he so popular? In what cases is this drug effective? How should it be used? All this information will be provided to you in this article.
Reviews
Many people leave their comments about the drug "Elokom" (lotion). Reviews for psoriasis confirm its incredible effectiveness in combating this serious problem. Most buyers report positive results and symptom relief after the first use. Significant improvements become noticeable after a few days of regular use of the drug. Some customers claim that they have developed an allergy to the drug in question. This shows that the need to consult with your doctor before choosing a drug to fight the disease cannot be ignored.
Still in doubt, is it worth using Elok (lotion) in treatment? Reviews show the real effectiveness of the drug. But it would be wise to learn more about its features. We will talk about this further.
"Elokom": indications for use
In what cases is it appropriate to use "Elokom" (lotion)? The instructions for use recommend it to those patients who suffer from plaque-like psoriasis (both moderate and severe).
Contraindications
There are certain conditions that may prevent the appointment of therapy with the drug in question. Among them are individual intolerance to salicylic acid, mometasone furoate or any other component of this drug, syphilis, herpes simplex, pyoderma, chickenpox, tuberculosis, warts, herpes zoster, parasitic skin diseases, fungal infections (including yeast and dermatophytes), contagious mollusk, genital warts, skin atrophy, rosacea, perioral dermatitis, post-vaccination infections, common acne. If the patient suffers from one of the diseases listed above, the use instruction is strictly forbidden to use "Elokom" (lotion). This should be given special attention.
Mode of application
"Elokom" (ointment) instructions for use are recommended as follows. Adults and children over twelve years of age can apply a thin layer of the product on the affected areas of the skin once or twice a day (lotion and cream are used in a similar way). A maximum of one day can use fifteen grams of the drug, which can be applied to no more than thirty percent of the surface of the body.
The duration of therapy can only be determined by the attending physician individually for each patient. The specialist takes into account the severity of the disease and the features of the course of the disease. The maximum allowable duration of treatment is three weeks. Longer use of the drug and its effects have not been studied. Since the drug in question belongs to the group of powerful corticosteroids, the amount of substance used should be gradually reduced.
Highlights some features of the use of the drug "Elokom (ointment)" instructions for use for children. So, for example, how effective and safe the medication in question for children who have not reached the age of twelve has been found out. Babies should be given the minimum amount of the drug. Long-term therapy for children is unacceptable.
Overdose
Due to the prolonged use of the drug in question, overdose symptoms may occur. For example, pituitary-adrenaline function disorders may occur. This, in turn, leads to the development of insufficiency of the adrenal cortex, which causes a variety of symptoms of hypercorticism (including Cushing's syndrome).
Treatment of the problems that arise consists in dose adjustment in the direction of its reduction or in the complete discontinuation of the drug. Therapy should also alleviate the onset of symptoms.
Sometimes, if the patient decides to apply the drug to large areas of the body, the toxic effect of salicylic acid may occur. In this case, the drug should be discontinued. If necessary, sodium bicarbonate, potassium and agents for the induction of diuresis are prescribed. They are either taken orally or administered intravenously.
Adverse reactions
Can there be any unpleasant consequences of using Elokom (lotion)? Side effects of this drug may be as follows: suppression of adrenal function; itching scabs; rosacea-like dermatitis; local atrophy of the skin; prickly heat; hypertrichosis ecchymosis; hypopigmentation of the skin; folliculitis; skin irritation; carbon-like dermatitis; peeling of the skin; contact dermatitis; teleangiectasia; infections burning sensation at the site of application; hypersensitivity from the immune system; tingling sensation; perioral dermatitis; expansion of superficial vessels, including on the face.
Features of use
When using the drug "Elokom" (lotion), the instructions for use recommend that certain nuances be taken into account. For example, the drug should not be used in ophthalmology and is intended exclusively for external use. If the medicine is applied to large areas of the skin, then appropriate precautions must be taken.
Ointment "Elokom", lotion, instructions for use are forbidden to apply under dressings, on the skin of the face, groin or genitals, as well as on diaper rash, open wounds, mucous membranes. It is not recommended to use for scabs, wounds, ulcerative skin lesions. Also, the desired result will not be achieved with drip or pustular psoriasis.
If skin irritation appears or it becomes too dry, it is urgent to stop using the drug and choose symptomatic therapy that will be effective in this particular case.
It is important to remember that the drugs of this group have the ability to mask skin infections, stimulate their development or even aggravate the course. In this case, it would be reasonable to additionally use an appropriate antimicrobial or antifungal drug. Until the fight against infection is completely over, the use of the drug in question should be discontinued.
Salicylic acid has a certain sunscreen effect. Therefore, it is recommended that UV residues be removed from the area of the body where the procedure will be directed during UV therapy. After a treatment session, the drug can again be applied to the skin.
There is another feature of the drug "Elokom" (lotion). The composition of the product is such that one of the active ingredients (namely propylene glycol stearate) can cause serious skin irritation. This must be taken into account.
How to use "Elokom" (lotion) during pregnancy? Authoritative laboratories did not conduct studies regarding the use of the drug during the period of gestation. It is not recommended to use the medication in question in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, it is strictly forbidden - in the third trimester.
There is no data on whether the substance in question is able to pass into breast milk, which means that women should not use this drug during breastfeeding.
As a rule, the drug in question does not have any effect on the patient's ability to drive a car or any other complex mechanisms.
Interaction with other drugs
According to studies, a small amount of salicylates is absorbed into the blood with external use of the drug. This medication affects the mechanism of action of such drugs and substances as heparin, uricosuric agents, tolbutumide, pyrazinamide, methotrexate, coumarin-type drugs.
"Elokom": analogues
The cost of the drug is not too low, so some prefer to use its cheaper substitutes. Others can not use the drug in question for any physiological reasons, so they decide to purchase analogues instead of Elokom. Among these substitute medicines are the following: Uniderm, Avecort, Akrikhin, Silkaren, Gistan-M, Vertex.
These funds can be replaced by Elok (cream), the price of which exceeds the cost of most of the listed drugs. Next, we will consider the two most common analogues of the drug in question.
"Uniderm" is a cream for the treatment of skin diseases, the active substance of which, the synthetic hydrocorticosteroid mometasone, has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, relieves itching, narrows capillaries passing through the skin and eliminates local edema. Mometasone blocks the release into the tissue of biologically active substances that enhance the inflammatory response - leukotrienes and prostaglandins, which leads to the subsidence of inflammation and the restoration of affected skin areas.
The drug "Avecort" is used in the following cases: inflammation of the skin or obtrusive itching with dermatoses (including psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis) for adult patients and children from two years of age (local application); exacerbation of sinusitis (used in combination with antibiotic therapy) in children from twelve years old and adult patients, allergic rhinitis, including chronic and seasonal (can be used for patients from two years old), as well as for the prevention of allergic rhinitis (intranasal use).
Price
The cost of the drug depends on the form of release. So, for example, the “Elok” lotion is the cheapest. Its price is an average of two hundred thirty-four rubles. This is one of the reasons why this particular form of release is most popular.
Information for those who prefer Elokom cream: the average price of the drug is three hundred and eighty rubles. The same cost and ointment.
The drug "Elokom" is a drug that helps to effectively cope with a variety of symptoms of skin diseases in a relatively short time. Available in three forms: ointment, lotion and cream. They differ in structure and ease of application. Each consumer can choose a convenient use case for himself and apply it. The effectiveness of the drug does not change depending on the form of release. Together with the drug "Elok" the fight against skin diseases will forever cease to seem an insurmountable task.
Pay due attention to the selection of high-quality drugs for yourself and your loved ones, do not neglect the need to regularly consult with an experienced doctor and examine all available information about the chosen treatment method. This will help to make a decision that you will not have to regret later. Take care of your well-being and the well-being of your family. And be always healthy!