Finacea
Generic name:
Pharmacist-reviewed drug information from the RxWiki encyclopedia.
Overview
Finacea is a prescription medication used to treat rosacea. It clears the bumps, lesions, and swelling caused by rosacea.
Finacea belongs to a group of drugs called carboxylic acids, which work by killing the bacteria that infect pores and by decreasing the production of keratin.
This medication comes in gel form and is usually applied to the skin two times a day.
Common side effects of Finacea include itching, burning, stinging, and tingling of the skin.
What is it used for?
Finacea is a prescription medication used to treat the bumps, lesions, and swelling caused by rosacea. It does not cure rosacea.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
How to take it
Use Finacea exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.
The Finacea dose your doctor recommends will be based on the following:
- the condition being treated
- other medical conditions you have
- how you respond to this medication
- your age
The recommended dose range for Finacea is two applications to the affected skin each day.
Warnings
Serious side effects have been reported with the use of Finacea including the following:
- Skin irritation. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of skin irritation.
- itching
- burning
- stinging
- Hypopigmentation. Skin discoloration may occur with the use of Finacea.
Do not use Finacea if you are allergic to Finacea or to any of its ingredients.
Side effects
Serious side effects have been reported with Finacea. See the “Finacea Precautions” section.
Common side effects of Finacea include the following:
- itching
- burning
- stinging
- tingling
This is not a complete list of Finacea side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Drug interactions
No Finacea drug interactions have been identified. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.
Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X - are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.
Finacea falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with Finacea. But in animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.
Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
It is not known if Finacea crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Finacea.
All information on this site is provided “as-is” for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. You should consult with a medical professional if you have any questions about your health.