Table 10. Top 10 most commonly used topical OTCs in descending order, with percent of total OTC use by dermatologists, by 5-year intervals: NAMCS, 1989-2008*
|
Rank |
1989-1993 |
1994-1998 |
1999-2003 |
2004-2008 |
|
1 |
Benzoyl peroxide (22.5) |
Hydrocortisone (17.0) |
Hydrocortisone (17.7) |
Sunscreen (12.8) |
|
2 |
Hydrocortisone (21.4) |
Benzoyl peroxide (14.0) |
Benzoyl peroxide (10.9) |
Hydrocortisone (12.1) |
|
3 |
Salicylic acid (8.2) |
Bacitracin and polymyxin (Polysporin®) (9.3) |
Sulfacetamide (7.1) |
Bacitracin and polymyxin (Polysporin®) (6.9) |
|
4 |
Bacitracin and polymyxin (Polysporin®) (5.4) |
Sunscreen (6.0) |
Bacitracin and polymyxin (Polysporin®) (6.6) |
Benzoyl peroxide (6.3) |
|
5 |
Sunscreen (5.1) |
Bacitracin (5.7) |
Salicylic acid (5.1) |
Bacitracin (5.2) |
|
6 |
Tar (3.2) |
Salicylic acid (5.3) |
Sunscreen (4.6) |
Salicylic acid (4.7) |
|
7 |
Minoxidil (3.2) |
Emollient / lotion / cream / moisturizer (3.2) |
Cetaphil® (4.3) |
Cetaphil® (4.4) |
|
8 |
Sulfacetamide (2.7) |
Sulfacetamide (3.1) |
Hydroquinone (4.2) |
Emollient / lotion / cream / moisturizer (3.1) |
|
9 |
Hydroquinone (2.5) |
Cetaphil® (3.1) |
Tar (3.0) |
Hydroquinone (2.6) |
|
10 |
Selenium sulfide (2.2) |
Hydroquinone (2.7) |
Bacitracin (2.1) |
Tar (2.5) |
OTC = over-the-counter
NAMCS = National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey
* For each 5-year interval, the most commonly prescribed OTC topical skin products are listed in order of decreasing frequency. OTC benzoyl peroxide recommendations decreased from 22.5% of all OTC in the first 5-year interval to 6.3% in the last 5-year interval.