Winlevi Reviews: Acne has tormented me for over a decade, and it’s one of the main reasons I decided to pursue a career in the beauty industry. This is a matter near and dear to my heart, as over 50 million Americans suffer from acne on a yearly basis (and my skin, too). Given how much I enjoy acne Treatments, you can imagine my delight when I first learned about Winlevi, the FDA’s newest acne treatment.
How does Winlevi function?
Winlevi (clascoterone cream 1%), a new acne-fighting topical drug, was authorized by the FDA in August 2020 for use in 2021 to treat acne vulgaris. It’s the first new acne medicine with a new mechanism of action to be authorized by the FDA since 1982. “It’s a topical drug that targets the androgen receptor directly in the skin,” says Corey L. Hartman, MD, of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Ala. “Clascoterone is a cream that inhibits the impact of hormones on oil production and inflammation. Acne is thought to be caused by an increase in sebum production and a shift in lipid composition.”
Winlevi is unlike any other acne cream on the market, making it a game-changer for acne patients around. Because it’s such a hot topic, we sought the expertise of two doctors to explain it to you. In the past, oral medicines like spironolactone or isotretinoin were the only way to control oil production (formerly known as Accutane). Winlevi is the first-in-class chemical since it is thought to reduce sebocyte activity when applied topically, according to Hartman. Despite the lack of “head-to-head trials to test it against” oral medicines that target the sebaceous glands, such as Accutane and spironolactone, Dr. Hartman feels Winlevi could be a viable alternative.
Who is the best match for Winlevi?
Winlevi is a terrific product because it can be used on both men and women. According to NYU School of Medicine clinical assistant professor of dermatology Shari Marchbein, MD, Winlevi was the first hormonal acne treatment that didn’t rely on oral medicines like combined oral contraceptives and spironolactone. Winlevi could be an adjuvant treatment option for men and women who don’t want to use oral medications. In clinical trials, Winlevi was shown to be helpful for both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesions in adults aged 12 and up.
What sets Winlevi apart from the competition when it comes to acne medications?
Unlike other topical medications and chemicals routinely used to treat acne, Winlevi concentrates on hormones (especially androgens) on the skin to treat hormonal acne. Dr. Marchbein describes how Winlevi works “is the first anti-hormonal topical treatment for acne (topical spironolactone has been researched previously and truly does not work well as an acne treatment). “Birth control pills and spironolactone are the only topicals I’m familiar with that target androgens in the skin, so I’m excited to try this one.
What are the side effects of Winlevi?
According to Dr. Hartman, the side effects in the studies were mild and largely consisted of moderate skin reactions in the control group. Dr. Marchbein says that redness, stinging, and burning are frequent adverse effects of topical acne treatments like retinoids. ” Even though it is conceivable, Dr. Marchbein sees Winlevi as an additional treatment option rather than a monotherapy for hormonal acne. According to Dr. Marchbein, Winlevi can be used as a first-line treatment or as a supplement to more traditional acne treatments. “I wouldn’t use this as a monotherapy because there aren’t many topical acne medicines that would eradicate blemishes more than 30% of the time,” says the author.
Is possible to use Winlevi in conjunction with ingredients?
Dr. Hartman continues, “Winlevi was used as monotherapy in the studies to confirm safety and efficacy, but there’s no reason to think it couldn’t be used as part of a regimen with other active components.” “We will undoubtedly discover more once the drug is released and utilized in clinical practice.” It remains to be seen whether Winlevi can take the place of Accutane and Spironolactone.
For her acne patients, Dr. Marchbein recommends Winlevi in combination with other topicals including retinoids, as well as birth control pills and spironolactone. With the addition of Winlevi to the treatment routine, Dr. Marchbein believes it will be very interesting to see if oral anti-hormonal therapies (like spironolactone) and hormonal therapies (like birth control pills), which are known to bind to androgens in the skin/oil glands and blood, respectively, can be used at lower doses or even not used at all. This medicine is unlikely to replace oral contraceptive pills or spironolactone, for example, but doctors won’t know for sure until they start using it in their acne treatments.
There are few trials that show efficacy when one topical acne treatment is coupled with another during the FDA approval process, as Dr. Marchbein explains. Acne is a complicated illness that necessitates a combination of two to four topicals that work through different mechanisms, as well as birth control pills and spironolactone for women, oral antibiotics on occasion, and even isotretinoin “Dr. Marchbein adds. Winlevi, like retinoids (the core of any acne treatment), benzoyl peroxide, topical dapsone, and topical antibiotics, is expected to join the group of prescription creams.
Is There a Risk in Using This Medicine?
Several probable side effects were discovered during Winlevi’s clinical testing. According to Dr. Rabach, skin inflammation such as itching, burning, redness, or peeling can develop as a side effect. Winlevi, she explains, can produce hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal suppression in some people, which means it can mess with your hormone balance.
Is it a good replacement for Spironolactone and Accutane?
Despite the fact that Winlevi is considered to be a game-changing treatment, experts predict that some patients may still require Accutane and Spironolactone after taking the medicine. “Accutane gives the extra benefit of potentially providing a lifelong cure for acne as well as may aid with scarring, blackheads, and whiteheads,” says Dr. Nazarian. 3 “Spironolactone has the added benefit of lowering oil production and improving hair because it is taken orally, which are both beneficial side effects for many people. If you have body acne or severe acne, a topical acne treatment may not be the best solution.”
Conclusions
Winlevi may be beneficial to anyone who suffers from hormonal acne and is willing to use topical medication to manage it. It has been found in clinical trials2 to be safe and effective in the treatment of hormonal acne in people aged 12 and up. If you’ve had a bad experience with other acne treatments, you should try Winlevi. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne affects up to 50 million people in the United States each year.
Cleansers and over-the-counter drugs can be used to treat acne. Accutane and Spironolactone were the most commonly prescribed acne treatments for a long time. For the first time since 1982, the FDA has finally authorized a new hormonal acne treatment (when Accutane was approved). Winlevi, a Cassiopea cream, is now available.
