Forms and strengths
- 1% cream once daily (Rx, generic)
How to use it
Pea-sized amount to the face once daily for at least 12 weeks; many people continue as maintenance.
Side effects and cautions
- Burning or stinging
- Dryness
- Itch
Get advice first if
Limited pregnancy data; discuss with your clinician. Not the oral drug and not for parasitic infections.
Regulatory status
FDA-approved prescription drug for inflammatory rosacea lesions; prescription-only elsewhere.
Sources on file
These links support the claims above. Reviewed September 1, 2026. Drug labels link to DailyMed searches so the current label is always one click away.
- NIH DailyMed — ivermectin cream labels (opens in a new tab)
- JAAD Int 2025 — minocycline, metronidazole, ivermectin, and azelaic acid in papulopustular rosacea: network meta-analysis (PubMed) (opens in a new tab)
- JAMA Dermatol 2026 — topical preparations for moderate to severe rosacea: network meta-analysis (PubMed) (opens in a new tab)
- American Academy of Dermatology — rosacea treatment (opens in a new tab)