Miss Vicky 
Last month, my friend had acne break out. So she approached me for recommendation. I casually recommended Nixoderm cream to her. Despite the fact that I have of recent used some anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory creams and tubes that works, which I didn’t recommend those to her. I wanted her to try Nixoderm because I have tried this cream when I was a teenager and it worked, so I wanted her to try it and give me her feedback since acne and pimples aren’t really my skin major concern, which I would have tried it myself should that be the case.
I have wanted to do a review on this cream for a while now, so I used the opportunity to know if the cream is still what it used to be in the past.
So, this article is based on the feedback I got from my friend that recently used this cream to treat her acne.
Nixoderm cream is marketed as a medicated cream, not a skincare. Hence you would be able to find it on the shelf of pharmacies near you.
So, she decided to get the smallest, in case it didn’t wouldn’t work for her. It is a small tin, just like the size of tin tomato’s in width but shorter in height as seen in the picture above. Manufactured by the Scanlab Sdn. Bhd., Nixoderm Ointment comes with an information paper written in English, Malay and Mandarin. Although it’s made Malaysia, I believe Nixoderm cream is owned by a Parent American based company, Johnson company.
It is good to know that nixoderm has tube too as seen in the image below;
Let’s Understand This Nixoderm:
“Nixoderm is a firm ointment that adheres to the skin. Thus it is formulated to keep active ingredients in contact with the skin for the maximum amount of time. This gives better results than liquids or thin, greasy applications that quickly run off”
Product Info;
Name : Nixoderm Ointment
Brand : Nixoderm
Country of Origin : Made in Malaysia
Content : 5.34 gram / 17.7 gram
Limited Edition : No
Fregrance:
According to my friend nixoderm cream has unpleasant sulphur scent. Yes, I know of the pure sulphur smell before because I have used when I was a teenager. The scent is quite strong, but she said she don’t really mind since she always go to bed after applying it. The sulphur content is the same reason why the cream is a bit yellowish.
Texture:
It is thick, cream-like paste. It doesn’t have any viscosity agent, hence the dry texture. It’s not oily either, but feels kinda bit waxy and has some gritty to it. She said, Nixoderm cream will leave a white cast on your face since it does not absorb well into skin, so it’s definitely not something you could wear under makeup.
As you can see the image below;
The Ingredients
There are only 3 ingredients needed to make this ointment.
-Benzoic Acid 6%
-Salicylic Acid 2.5%
-Precipitated Sulphur 4.6%
Just like the controversial parabens, benzoic acid is a common preservative used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. Apart from being a preservative, it is said to be effecting in treating skin inflammation and irritation.
Now, I’m not a chemistry expert, also I don’t know how much is the safest concentration of benzoic acid that KKM (Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia) permitted it to be in a product, but 6% is considered high according to CIR experts [source: here]. Both CIR and also from my understanding when learning clinical pharmacology during university, 5% is considered safe to skin and is absorbed in an 8 hour period.
Avoid applying Nixoderm to your skin if you’re using ascorbic acid/vitamin c based skincare products, example; serum. Some studies (although there are not related to skincare) have found that benzoic acid + vitamin c = benzene, and benzene is a chemical linked to cancer.
Salicylic acid possesses antibacterial, keratolytic (keratin-dissolving at 3%-6% concentration) and has anti-inflammatory benefits. Derived from the bark of a Willow tree, it’s indeed a popular ingredient together with benzoyl peroxide in treating acnes and zits. Side note; benzoic acid + oxygen = benzoyl peroxide. I don’t have a lot to say about salicylic acid, though. Common sangat dah ingredient ni. If any of you allergic to aspirin, then avoid using this since salicylic acid belongs to the same class of drugs as aspirin.
Last but not least, precipitated sulphur. It’s able to treat acne because of the keratolytic and antiseptic properties its exhibit. Sulphur is actually pretty common in skincare products! I remember Mario Badescu’s Healing Mask and lotion are both formulated with sulphur. Same goes to Peter Thomas Roth Acne Treatment Mask. The amount of precipitated sulphur in Nixoderm is 4.6%, that’s enough to give the product sulphur-ish scent.
Based on the ingredients, I believe that Nixoderm cream works to cleanse pores, remove dead skin cell (since all the ingredients induce exfoliation) and stimulate new skin cell growth.
Nixoderm Cream Benefits
The benefits of using this cream are as follows;
- It will clear your pimples
- It helps to clear blackspots
- It reduces itching
- It helps to cure rashes
- It will cure ringworm on your skin and scalp
Nixoderm Cream Side Effects
According to my friend, she said it caused her burning, irritation, itching and redness of her skin. Reaction to skin may differ according to an individual anyways, but it’s good to know that all the major three ingredients can be drying to your skin and able to create sensations.
How To Use Nixoderm
On the pamphlet, Nixoderm suggested that you apply this cream twice daily- morning and evening. For eczema, acne, pimples and rashes- Use twice daily. The treatment should be followed for 7 days then discontinued for 3 days and resumed for a further 7 days. Nixoderm said to continue treatment until the skin condition has cleared up.
How Long Should I Apply Nixoderm Cream?
My friend wears makeup on daily basis, so she only applies it during night time. But from what she told me, she saw visible result after some days, like 6 days and she continued for like another 4 days which brought it to a total of 10 days she applied this cream. So I would suggest you stop using it immediately you see results or it cures what you bought it for, which shouldn’t be more than 2 weeks maximum.
But, generally Nixoderm takes minimum of 5 days and maximum of 2 weeks to work.
Does Nixoderm Cause Peeling?
For some skin types, yes. So this should depend on your skin type.
Is Nixoderm an Anti-fungal?
Yes, it is an anti-fungal cream. See other anti-fungal cream to try; Funbact A, Skineal, Epiderm.
Does Nixoderm Bleach The Face
No, Nixoderm doesn’t bleach but can lighten your face because of the black spots clearing properties it has.
Does Nixoderm Works?
YES- my firend pimples cleared after 4 days at most, the smaller ones have gone after 2 times of applications. However, this is for sure an uncomfortable product to use as it stings and burns horribly. But, she already expected it after we carefully see what it contains before she started using it. The burning sensation goes away after 3 minutes. Nixoderm provides a tip for sensitive skin- apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly (I can only think of Vaseline) before the application of the ointment.
Does Nixoderm Contain Steroid?
No, steroid is not among the ingredients when I checked the ingredients used to produce it. Refer to the ingredients section, to see the major ingredients used in producing this cream.
Nixoderm Price In Nigeria
She bought the small thin container at the cost of 5,500 naira from a pharmacy near her. But this price might differ depending on your location and store you want to buy from.
Conclusion
I would give nixoderm cream a 9 out of 10. It’s excellent. My friend was happy with it and I will suggest it to you all. Also, from the reviews I saw online from other users, Nixoderm cream does really have a lot of positive evaluations!
In any case, you can get from pharmacy stores and cosmetics shops around you. Be aware that it is manufactured in a different countries. The one on Amazon has different ingredients. For instance, it has 6.6% of Nigeria’s benzoic acid, 10% titanium dioxide, 2.5% salicylic acid, 1.1% menthol, and 4.6% precipitated sulfur.
