Some patients may also have allergic reactions to ingredients in certain medications and will need the medication to be made without the allergen. Side effects can be serious or even lethal, and millions are hospitalized each year because of them as it is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States. It is important to discuss with your doctor and pharmacist any known side effects you’ve experienced with current or past medications, as well as any allergies. Care Plus Pharmacy can help make the experience with medication a successful one by personalizing prescriptions.

In addition to creating various combinations of pain relievers, we can also adjust the administration route for our patients. Although many pain medications are taken orally, it may perhaps benefit the patient to apply a topical or transdermal cream or gel instead. Creams and gels allow the patient to target the specific area they are experiencing pain, and apply a higher concentration of the drug to that area. When drugs are administered in this way, the absorption process by the body differs, and oftentimes, patients experience fewer side effects while still enjoying the full relief provided by the medication.

Pain medications available for compounding include:

• Corticosteroids like hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone
• Muscle relaxants like cyclobenzaprine and baclofen
• Nerve pain modifiers like gabapentin, ketamine, amitriptyline, and clonidine
• NSAIDs like ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and diclofenac
• Opiates like morphine, hydromorphone, and oxycodone
• Topical anesthetics like lidocaine, benzocaine, and tetracaine

Careful adjustment and compounding by pharmacists at Care Plus Pharmacy will ensure the best possible administration and dosage for individual pain management needs.

Acne is frequently treated with over-the-counter creams, gels, and scrubs but patients struggling with especially resistant cases might benefit from treatments such as 5% topical spironolactone gel or topical nicotinamide gel. School-age children tend to be a high-risk age group for head lice, as it often spreads in the close confines of classrooms, and many parents worry about the long-term effects of traditional treatments with permethrins. Herbal formulations compounded by our pharmacists are a more natural, but equally effective treatment option; additionally, we can compound ivermectin for use as a topical ointment or as an oral medication created in just the right dose.

Many people worry about the myriad of troubles caused by sun damage. From early signs of aging to skin cancer, the sun can wreak havoc on patients’ skin. While sunscreen can certainly reduce the unwanted effects of summertime sunbathing, it is not without its issues. Some states have begun banning the use of sunscreen that isn’t reef-safe, and all the chemicals involved in making sunscreen as effective as it is can leach into your bloodstream. Sunscreen is certainly not a one-size-fits-all product. Melatonin has been shown to have protective qualities against UV radiation, which is the main cause of skin cancer. A topical cream of 0.1% melatonin solution applied 15 minutes before sun exposure works as an antioxidant in addition to regulating gene expression and stabilizing DNA, thus effectively protecting skin at a cellular level.

Additional examples of ingredients Care Plus Pharmacy can include in medications for dermatological use are:

• Alpha lipoic acid
• Azelaic acid
• Coal tar
• Collagenase
• Fluconazole
• Hydroquinone
• Ibuprofen
• Ivermectin
• Minoxidil
• Niacinamide
• Tamoxifen
• Tea tree oil
• Tretinoin
• Triamcinolone
• Zinc

Depending on the reason behind a patient’s thinning hair, a compounding pharmacist can create a medication containing any of the following:

• Azelaic acid
• Biotin
• Estradiol
• Finasteride
• Fluocinonide
• Ketoconazole
• Latanoprost
• Minoxidil
• Niacinamide
• Progesterone
• Saw palmetto
• Tretinoin
• Zinc sulfate

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is commonly known as “male pattern baldness” and is a result of hormone imbalances. This type of hair loss is responsible for approximately 95% of all male alopecia cases. Hair loss is more common in men than women, and over 65% of men over 35 experience some form of balding. By age 50, that number grows to approximately 85% of the male population. While this may seem like a problem related to aging, nearly 25% of men who suffer from hair loss begin before they are 21.

Female pattern hair loss is also a form of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) but differs in that the thinning occurs more diffusely across the scalp rather than in one particular area. While AGA is not as common in women, it still affects over 30% of the female population at some point in their lives. In postmenopausal women, that number climbs to over 65%. Women are also generally more affected by their hair loss because it is considered less socially acceptable. For female pattern hair loss, doctors use the Ludwig Classification to describe the severity.

• Type I – minimal thinning that can be camouflaged by styling the hair
• Type II – moderate thinning wherein hair volume is decreased, and part becomes visibly wider
• Type III – significant, diffuse thinning and the scalp becomes easily visible

No matter the cause or stage of a patient’s thinning hair, Care Plus Pharmacy can help create a personalized medication to slow or stop hair loss, and in some cases even help the patient regrow their hair.

Commercially available medications are often limited to a small number of doses and delivery methods. Many are available only in oral form and simply aren’t as effective in some cases as a topical cream or gel, or iontophoresis. Since downtime is such a big factor in sports medicine, it is a field often at the forefront of safely trying out new ways to treat pain and injuries. Compounding pharmacies are in stride with this cutting edge treatment process and can create custom medications not commercially available.

For example, topical medications, including pain relievers like ketoprofen are more effective at treating pain and inflammation at the source versus taking ketoprofen by mouth. Additionally, analgesics to be taken orally often have a mild sedative effect or can cause gastrointestinal upset, which is counterproductive for athletes. Applying such medications topically can avoid this unwanted side effect, and is something only a compound pharmacy can do.

In addition to common sports injuries, we can create customized solutions to the following sports-related conditions:

• Athlete’s foot – treated with topical antifungals
• Calluses – treated with compounded lotions
• Carpal tunnel – treated with transdermal gels
• Cramps – treated with topical gels and/or customized electrolyte solutions
• Dehydration – treated with personalized electrolyte solutions
• Excessive perspiration – treated with customized deodorants and gels
• Dry skin – treated with customized moisturizing creams
• Hemorrhoids – treated with suppositories or topical creams
• Nutrition – personalized vitamin and mineral supplements
• Wounds – treated with compounded healing gels and ointments

Because every wound is unique in its location, severity, and ability to heal, a compounding pharmacy is a patient’s best resource when working towards recovery. Care Plus Pharmacy will work with the prescribing physician to ensure the best combination of medications is compounded in a delivery method that will work for the individual on their road to recovery.

An example of this is the “polyox bandage,” which comes as a powder and can be compounded to include any necessary medication to aid in the healing process. The powder is puffed onto the wound in layers, and if not already moist, a small amount of water is added in between the application of the powder layers. This creates a flexible, rubber-like barrier which protects the wound from excess moisture and germs that would inhibit healing.

Some wounds, such as ulcerated tumors, pressure ulcers, and fungating tumors might emit an unpleasant odor during the healing process. This can be embarrassing for the patient and make them self-conscious. Application of topical metronidazole has been shown to eliminate such odors, thereby creating a more comfortable healing process.

Other medications we can compound for wound-healing include:

• Benzoyl peroxide
• Caffeine
• Cholestyramine
• EGCG (green tea polyphenols)
• Meadowsweet extract
• Mupirocin
• Pentoxifylline
• Phenytoin
• Polyethylene glycol
• Pracaxi oil
• Sildenafil
• Sucralfate
• Topical insulin
• Tranilast
• Urea paste

While most of the daily vitamins your body needs is supplied by the food you eat and by spending time in the sun, you may need to supplement your diet with additional vitamins if you are on a special diet or if you are deficient in a certain vitamin. Here at Care Plus Pharmacy, we are your one-stop shop for not only the medication you may need, but also the supplements that can help keep your body healthy and operating optimally.