Acne is treated with dapsone topical in children, adolescents, and adults. Sulfone antibiotics, of which dapsone is a member, are a group of drugs. It functions by reducing inflammation and slowing or preventing bacterial development.

Dapsone is available as a skin-applicable gel. Typically, it is administered twice (5% gel) or once (7.5% gel) a day. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Administer dapsone as prescribed. Do not use more, less, or more frequently than advised by your doctor. Increasing the amount of dapsone used or using it more frequently than advised will not hasten or improve outcomes, but it may irritate your skin.

You might not experience all of the benefits of dapsone gel for up to 12 weeks. Call your doctor if your acne does not clear up after 12 weeks of treatment.

Avoid getting dapsone gel in your mouth, nose, or eyes.

To use the dapsone gel, follow these steps: Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.

1. Gently wash the affected skin and pat dry with a soft towel. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a gentle cleanser.
2. If you are using the 5% gel product, use your fingers to spread a pea-sized amount as a thin layer of gel over the affected area. If you are using the 7.5% gel product, use your fingers to spread a pea-sized amount as a thin layer of gel over the face and any other affected areas.
3. Rub the gel in gently and completely. It may feel gritty and you may see particles in the gel.
4. Put the cap back on the gel tube and close it tightly.
5. Wash your hands immediately after applying the gel.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before using dapsone,

• If you have an allergy to dapsone, sulfonamide-derived pharmaceuticals (often known as “sulfa drugs”), or any of the chemicals in dapsone gel, let your doctor and pharmacist know right once. Request a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements you are currently taking or intend to take. Incorporate any of the following: acetaminophen; anticonvulsant drugs like phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); antimalarial drugs including primaquine, quinine, and chloroquine (Aralen); oral dapsone; phenobarbital, pyrimethamine (Daraprim), nitrofurantoin (Furadantin), nitroglycerin (Minitran, Nitro-Dur, Nitromist, among others), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane; in Rifamate, in Rifater), or sulfonamide-containing drugs such as co-trimoxazole (Bactrim, Septra). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Please let your doctor know if you are taking any herbal supplements, especially St. John’s wort.
• Inform your physician if you have or have ever had methemoglobinemia, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6PD) deficiency, or hemolytic anaemia (a condition characterised by an unusually low amount of red blood cells) (a condition with defective red blood cells that are unable to carry oxygen to the tissues in the body).
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking dapsone.
• Inform the surgeon or dentist that you are using dapsone if you are undergoing surgery, including dental surgery.
• If you use topical benzoyl peroxide-containing treatments, let your doctor know (in Duac, in Onexton; found in many topical acne products). It’s possible for your skin or facial hair to turn momentarily yellow or orange if you use benzoyl peroxide products with dapsone gel.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

As soon as you realise you missed a dose, administer it. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. Applying more gel won’t make up for a forgotten dose.

Dapsone topical side effects are possible. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Skin burning or rashes
• Skin thinning
• Peeling and oily skin
• Itching

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away and stop taking dapsone if you have any of these signs:

• Hands or feet tingling, burning, or going numb
• Muscle tremor
• Lips, nails, and inside of mouth have a greyish-blue hue.
• Back ache
• Breathing difficulty
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Brown urine in colour
• Fever
• Pale or yellow skin
• Rash
• Increasing facial, lip, or ocular swelling

Other adverse effects from dapsone topical are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this drug, call your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Store it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom). This drug should not be frozen.

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Dial 1-800-222-1222 to reach your local poison control centre if you or anybody else ingests dapsone. Dial 911 to reach the nearest emergency services if the sufferer has collapsed or has stopped breathing.

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab.

Do not share your medication with anybody else. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.