Oxymetazoline is used to treat ongoing facial redness caused by rosacea (a skin disease that causes redness and pimples on the face). Oxymetazoline is in a class of medications called alpha_1A adrenoceptor agonists. It works by narrowing the blood vessels in the skin.

Oxymetazoline comes as a cream to apply to the skin on your face. It is usually used once a day. Use oxymetazoline at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use oxymetazoline exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Oxymetazoline cream is only for use on the skin of your face (forehead, nose, each cheek, and chin). Do not use it in your eyes, mouth, or vagina. Do not apply it to irritated skin or open wounds.

Oxymetazoline cream comes in a tube or pump bottle with instructions for use. Read these instructions and follow them carefully. Apply a pea-sized amount of the cream in a thin layer to the affected skin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about how to use oxymetazoline cream.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient.

Before using oxymetazoline,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to oxymetazoline, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in oxymetazoline cream. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: alpha blockers such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), silodosin (Rapaflo), tamsulosin (Flomax), and terazosin (Hytrin); beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), betaxolol (Betoptic S), labetalol (Normodyne), levobunolol (Betagan), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), and timolol (Betimol, Timoptic); digoxin (Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin); and other medications for high blood pressure. Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking the following medications or have stopped taking them within the past two weeks: isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had high or low blood pressure, Raynaud's disease (problems with blood flow to the fingers, toes, ears, and nose), glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye that may lead to vision loss), problems with blood circulation, a stroke or ministroke, Sjogren's syndrome (a condition that affects the immune system and causes dryness of certain parts of the body such as the eyes and mouth), scleroderma (a condition in which extra tissue grows on the skin and some organs), thromboangiitis obliterans (inflammation of the blood vessels in the arms and legs), or heart disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while using oxymetazoline, call your doctor.

Apply the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not apply extra cream to make up for a missed dose.

If someone swallows oxymetazoline, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Oxymetazoline may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• inflammation of the skin
• itching
• worsening redness
• pain
• worsening of pimples

Oxymetazoline may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Keep all appointments with your doctor.

Do not let anyone else use your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.