Chloroxylenol and zinc oxide containing cream (Nels cream^®) vs. 5% benzoyl peroxide cream in the treatment of acne vulgaris. A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial

Abstract

Forty-one subjects completed a double-blind controlled randomized study comparing the following: (i) Nels cream (containing chloroxylenol and zinc oxide); (ii) 5% benzoyl peroxide cream; and (iii) the vehicle of the Nels cream. Patients applied the medications twice daily for 8 weeks. At the end of the test period there was no significant difference in the reduction of inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts achieved by Nels cream and benzoyl peroxide. Both creams proved superior to the vehicle. Efficacy grading by subjects and investigators showed no significant difference between Nels cream and benzoyl peroxide. However, side-effects such as peeling and dryness caused by the treatment were significantly less in the Nels cream group.

The role of zinc in the treatment of acne: A review of the literature

“…Fourteen studies compared a zinc‐containing product to other available treatments for acne vulgaris (Bojar, Eady, Jones, Cunliffe, & Holland, ; Chu, Huber, & Plott, ; Cunliffe, Burke, Dodman, & Gould, ; Cunliffe et al, ; Dreno et al, ; Feucht, Allen, Chalker, & Smith, ; Habbema, Koopmans, Menke, Doornweerd, & De Boulle, ; Langner, Sheehan‐Dare, & Layton, ; Michaëlsson, ; Michaëlsson, Juhlin, & Ljunghall, ; Michaëlsson, Juhlin, & Vahlquist, ; Papageorgiou & Chu, ; Schachner, Pestana, & Kittles, ; Sharquie, Noaimi, & Al‐Salih, ) (Table ), out of which only four were controlled (Feucht et al, ; Michaëlsson, ; Michaëlsson, Juhlin, & Vahlquist, ; Papageorgiou & Chu, ). Ten studies compared a zinc‐containing compound to an antibiotic.…”

“…Chu et al () evaluated a zinc/erythromycin combination against a benzoyl peroxide/erythromycin combination and revealed that benzoyl peroxide/erythromycin was significantly superior. Papageorgiou and Chu () studied Nels ® cream, a zinc oxide‐containing compound, in comparison with benzoyl peroxide and revealed that both groups significantly improved acne. However, they found no significant difference between the two groups.…”

S2k – Guideline on the Therapy of Acne

“…To date there are only a few meaningful published studies on the therapy of inflammatory acne with visible light. The moderate effectiveness of blue light lamps in the treatment of acne has been shown in two controlled studies [368,369]. Several case reports have also determined a moderate effect (review [370]).…”

European Evidence‐based (S3) Guidelines for the Treatment of Acne

“…Superior efficacy against NIL compared with placebo is demonstrated by: azelaic acid 45–47 (LE 1), BPO 48–60 (LE 1), and the topical retinoids 49–51,60–75 (LE 1) (Table 3).…”