In my teenage years I suffered from terrible acne and whilst my skin is nowhere near as bad as it used to be, I still suffer from the occasional large spot and lots of blemishes. Years ago a friend recommended the Quinoderm cream to me and it became an essential soon after. I haven't used the cream in 2 or 3 years now but recently the spots on my neck have become so bad again (for some strange reason) I've quickly had to buy another tube of this stuff.
What is Quinoderm?
Quinoderm Cream for acne is for people who suffer from acne such as Acne Vulgaris (common acne), acneform eruptions (acne like rash), and folliculitis. In simple terms if you have lots of spots or blemishes then this cream is for you.
First of all I should point out that Quinoderm is simply a cream with the active ingredient Benzoyl Peroxide. Any sufferer from acne/spots will notice this straight away, it's often found in any good product aimed at fighting spots. I will also point out that the brand Freederm do a similar cream, at a much more expensive price however you really don't need to spend that sort of money! Indeed, all it will contain is the same Benzoyl Peroxide ingredient and it's this that you mainly need to look out for.
Quinoderm is only available over the counter (along with the Freederm cream), but doctor's
often prescribe it too. It's much cheaper to buy than on a prescription, however if you are under 16 you obviously may get this free anyway. The pharmacist will offer advice on the cream and explain how to use it however it also comes with a leaflet which I seriously suggest to read first. This cream is much stronger than your average Clearasil product! Quinoderm also comes in 2 strengths. 5% and 10%, this percentage relates to the amount of Benzoyl Peroxide cream. I always go for the 10% cream as I know it works well with my skin however the first time using this cream I would ask for advice or opt for the 5% one.
This cream should not be used if you suffer from rosacea or if you have had a previous allergic reaction to the ingredients. So if you have used any cream with Benzoly Peroxide in it before, I strongly advise against using this cream.
Application
So far this cream sounds pretty terrible for something going on your face, the ingredient 'Benzoyl Peroxide' alone sounding quite scary! Before using this cream for the first time the leaflet does recommend testing it on a small area of skin behind your ear, and leaving it for twelve hours.
The cream comes in a tube not so different from a tube of toothpaste and it's very easy to squeeze some out. I recommend only using a small amount, squeezing it onto your fingers and then massaging it gently into the skin surrounding the problem area. You should note aim the cream directly at a spot, the point is to use it on a whole area. If you only have 1 spot this cream is not for you and you should be looking at products reaidly available on shelves, usually along the lines of 'instant spot treament gel.' This cream is aimed at areas/blemishes where spots will constantly appear. The cream doesn't smell too strong, but it also doesn't smell very pleasant. It's important to ensure you rub the cream in well, and then IMMEDIATELY wash your hands. I can't stress this enough, and do not touch your eyes or fabrics... the cream contains peroxide which is not a kind ingredient.
On more severe spots you may find some tingling and stinging of the cream, and it is common for some slight redness in the early stages of using this treatment, however this will gradually disappear as your skin grows used to it. I use the cream twice a day however you should monitor your skin carefully. This cream obviously completely dries your skin out and I would not suggest this should be used all over your face! I use the cream twice a day, morning and night, and I do get a slight itchiness in the area but nothing too severe.
Does it work?
The cream does work, within a few days I notice a difference and within a week or so I find the area vastly improving. It does dry the skin out which is the only reason I stopped using it for a few years, I hated the dryness and putting make-up on was appalling. I use a good moisturiser to help this problem and you can apply it once a day if you prefer. I've found my skin becomes used to the cream, I often don't notice the tingling feeling anymore, and it really does the job.
The oilyness of my skin disappears and I notice spots will not appear, I may still get little pimpley blemish like ones, but the big spots are kept at bay. I'm always really pleased with the results and I know I can always rely on this cream.
If you suffer from severe acne I recommend visiting your doctor before attempting creams such as these, as you can probably be prescribed something stronger. I remember having the doctor recommend something much stronger to me which had to be kept in the fridge and made my skin appear rather pale!
Watch out for the bleaching!
It's important to realise this cream will bleach clothes, towels and bed sheets/pillows. You should wash your hands after use thoroughly before drying them on a towel, and even then I suggest using a white, old towel rather than a dark coloured towel! I speak from experience when my Mum noticed a lot of the dark purple towels suddenly becoming speckled with a bleach like appearance, which didn't make her happy! I also suggest covering your pillow at night with a towel or an old pillowcase as it will bleach your pillowcases too. Care should also be taken with clothes however I found it only affected my clothes if I had applied some cream on my chest.
Price and Value for Money
The cream isn't too expensive at all. In Boots I pay £2.50 for the 10% strength, 25g bottle. There is a larger bottle at £4 something, and of course there is the 5% strength. I noticed the Freederm Treatment was much more expensive than this, and really isn't needed as they both contain the same thing and do the same thing! Ask for Quinoderm at the counter in Boots and they can offer some advice on the 2 strengths and how to apply, I don't recieve the advice anymore as I do offer the fact I've used the cream before, however sometimes they give me the advice anyway.
The tubes of cream always last me a long time, despite being applied twice a day. The expiry date will be 2-3 years (read the tube carefully) however I've found after many months the cream takes on a yellow tinge, and I always throw it out and buy a new one when it reaches this stage.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Use Quinoderm facewash morning and night in place of your normal soap to help remove any ... more
excess facial oil, grease or dirt leaving the skin feeling clean and healthy. Its anti-bacterial action also helps kill the bacteria that can lead to spots.The Qui...
Postage & Packaging: £2.50 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Works better than any prescription medication I've tried, extremely affordable Disadvantages: Can cause irritations, dehydrates skin, suspected health hazards
Ci-borg 15.02.2006 (15.02.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Quinoderm Quinoderm
Aug 2nd, 2009
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