Dapsone (topical): Price, Dosage & Where to Buy

Dapsone (topical), also sold as Aczone, is a prescription medicine available as a skin gel; its pharmacological class is not formally specified. Dapsone is used for dermatitis herpetiformis, an itchy skin condition, although the treatment indications and dosing described here relate to oral tablets rather than the topical gel, so the distinction between formulations matters.

The oral dapsone label lists dermatitis herpetiformis and leprosy as its indications. In responsive patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, itching improves before the skin lesions clear. Dapsone does not affect the gastrointestinal component of this condition.

For leprosy, the label covers all forms except cases with proven dapsone resistance and describes treatment alongside other anti-leprosy medicines to reduce the development of resistance. These indications relate to the tablets; they should not be interpreted as indications for the topical gel.

The label lists topical gel strengths of 50 mg/g and 75 mg/g, and oral tablet strengths of 25 mg and 100 mg. The dosing schedules described here concern oral tablets, not the gel. The usual starting dose is 50 mg daily in adults with dermatitis herpetiformis.

The label lists a range of 50 to 300 mg daily for this condition, with individual adjustment and reduction to a minimum maintenance level as soon as possible. The label lists 100 mg daily for leprosy as part of combination treatment, with correspondingly smaller doses for children.

Treatment duration and accompanying medicines depend on the form of leprosy and response to treatment. No topical gel dosing schedule is specified here.

Dapsone has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory actions. Its antibacterial action interferes with the production of folate that susceptible bacteria need for growth. Its anti-inflammatory action reduces some of the activity of immune cells involved in inflammation, particularly neutrophils.

These actions help explain its use in bacterial infection and inflammatory skin disease. The way a medicine is formulated also matters: a gel used on the skin and an oral tablet are distinct formulations, and their treatment uses should not be assumed to be interchangeable.

Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with dapsone. Extensive but uncontrolled experience and published surveys have not shown an increased risk of fetal abnormalities, but controlled human evidence is lacking. The oral label states that dapsone should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.

It does not specify breastfeeding advice. Discuss pregnancy or breastfeeding with a doctor or pharmacist, including whether the treatment is a tablet or gel.

General pharmacy guidance is to avoid doubling a dose to make up for a missed dose. The appropriate next step depends on the formulation and how close it is to the next scheduled dose. Check the dispensing label or ask a pharmacist, particularly because the tablet schedules described here do not establish a schedule for the gel.

The tablet label describes light-resistant, child-resistant bottles. Keep the medicine in its original packaging and out of the sight and reach of children. For the gel, follow the storage directions on its packaging to maintain quality.