The Proper Use of Panderm Plus and Its Side Effects

Panderm plus cream is a multi-purpose prescription cream that treats many skin conditions at once. It does not have any acne medications in it, although many people try to use it for acne breakouts. It is made up of the following ingredients:

• Ofloxacin – This is an anti-bacterial in the quinolone family of antibiotics.

• Terbinafine – This is an anti-fungal medication that treats fungal skin infections like ringworm, jock itch, athlete’s foot, and fungal diaper rashes.

• Ornidazole – This anti-protozoan helps treat infections caused by amoeba and trichomonads.

• Clobetasol – This is a powerful steroid that can help reduce inflammation from skin infections. It also helps with eczema and psoriasis, but the antibiotic preparations in this cream may make these skin conditions worse.

Do not use for wrong purposes

Because of the combination to treat many skin conditions, this medication can often be used for the wrong things. Dermatologists do not recommend this cream for acne or skin pigment issues. You should also avoid using it as a fairness cream in adults or children for danger of steroid dependence.

Ofloxacin

This antibiotic can actually cause a sun-sensitivity and a skin reaction that looks like sunburn. If you are using this cream it is important to cover your skin and try to get as little sun exposure as possible. Other side-effects include fever, easy bruising, dizziness, and nerve sensitivity.

Terbinaine

This antifungal medication can cause or worsen skin rashes, and itching. It may also cause headache and dizziness.

Ornidazole

This medication can cause nausea, vomiting, headache and dizziness. People who are sensitive to “azole” type antibiotics may experience certain central nervous system effects including loss of coordination, tremors, rigid stiff muscles, tired feeling, and numbness of the fingers and toes. This ingredient can also worsen skin rashes.

Clobetasol

This potent steroid can cause several skin related side effects, including:

• Skin redness

• Worsening rash

• Itching

• Burning

• Dry, cracked skin

• Skin peeling

• Thinned skin

• Facial irritation

• Inflamed hair follicles

• Hair loss

• Spider veins

• Skin darkening or lightening in spots where cream was used

• Pimples

• Blistering of skin

• Stretch marks

This cream may be absorbed internally. Side effects of internal absorption are:

• Facial puffiness

• Weight gain

• Mood swings

• Tired feeling

• Muscle weakness

• Insomnia

If you have any of the above side-effects, stop using Panderm plus and contact your doctor right away.

Risk of wrong or long term use

This medication may be prescribed by your doctor to treat an infection to your skin. This medication must be used exactly how your doctor tells you to use it. It should not be used in higher amounts or for a longer period that your doctor tells you to use it. This is because the steroids in the medication can be absorbed by your body and cause complications. Long-term use can actually cause skin conditions such as:

• Acne

• Rosacea

• Permanent sensitivity to the sun

To prevent absorption into the body, never cover areas treated with the cream with bandages or heavy clothing. When used for diaper rash in babies, never use heavy diaper material or cover diapers with rubber waterproof pants. This can cause the body to absorb too much of the medication and can cause adverse effects.

Never use this cream on a baby or young child without talking to a doctor first. This is because smaller body mass may get too much of the steroid ingredient in their system. Steroids can stunt growth in children and cause other side effects that could be dangerous. If your doctor does recommend long-term use for your child, let them know if your child does not seem to be growing properly.

When to contact doctor

If you are using this cream and your skin condition does not get better after 2 weeks of use, call your doctor. It is also important to let your doctor know if you develop new skin symptoms such as signs of fungal infection (common with steroid use), signs of bacterial infection, or signs of a virus.

• If you do develop sun-sensitivity during treatment, stop using the cream and apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen throughout the day every 2 or 3 hours. Use sunscreen even when inside your house. Try to avoid the sun as much as you can during treatment.

• If you develop dark spots during treatment, you can try a “non-steroidal” lightener called, kojic acid when you go to bed at night.

“I have been using Panderm cream for about 3 months now to lighten my skin. A friend told me that it can make you have fair-skin so I tried it. At first, my skin did lighten up and looked very smooth. I just noticed after 3 months that I am developing dark spots. I went to a dermatologist and they told me that the cream will lighten skin at first, but over time the steroids actually make your skin darker with long-term use. I was prescribed an actual skin lightener and told not to use Panderm any longer.” 

                                                                                        Kate, 36 years old

“I suffered from a rash that would not go away with antibiotic creams. The doctor was not sure what was causing the rash so I was prescribed Panderm Plus to try and cover all of the things that might be causing it. At first it worked fine and the rash started to clear up, but after a week or two I noticed pimples all over my face. I have never had a problem with acne so I called the doctor and they made me stop using the cream. The pimples and the rash are now gone.” 

                                                                                                   Billy, age 19