The Potential Benefits of Compounded Creams for Acne, Psoriasis, and Eczema in Northern Michigan
If you live in Northern Michigan, the Thumb region, or the Upper Peninsula, you know that finding specialized healthcare services — especially dermatological care — can be a challenge. At Healthway Compounding Pharmacy in Saginaw, we’ve been proudly serving patients across communities like Traverse City, Alpena, Petoskey, Bad Axe, Escanaba, Sault Ste. Marie, and Mackinac City for over two decades with one clear mission: to offer customized medication solutions that commercial pharmacies simply can’t provide.
Among our most in-demand services are compounded creams for chronic skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. These personalized topical therapies offer a unique alternative for individuals who have not found relief with traditional prescriptions or over-the-counter products.
What Are Compounded Creams?
Compounded creams are pharmaceutical formulations prepared by licensed compounding pharmacists, tailored to the needs of a specific patient. Unlike commercially available products, compounded medications allow for flexibility in ingredients, concentrations, and dosage forms. For dermatological applications, these creams can be made:
- Without common allergens, dyes, or preservatives
- In customized strengths or unique ingredient combinations
- With multiple active ingredients in one formulation
- In a base suited for various skin types (e.g., oil-free, non-comedogenic, or hypoallergenic)
This level of customization may be particularly beneficial for patients that have special strengths and sensitivities, or have not found options that have worked for them.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
“Compounded drugs can serve an important role for patients whose medical needs cannot be met by FDA-approved drugs.”
The Role of Compounded Creams in Skin Conditions
Chronic skin issues such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis can be persistent and difficult to manage. Many individuals try numerous commercial products without long-term relief. In these cases, compounded creams may offer several potential benefits:
- Tailored Therapy: Formulations can be adjusted to suit skin sensitivity, severity of the condition, and personal preferences.
- Improved Tolerability: Customizing the cream’s base and removing irritating components may reduce unwanted reactions.
- Increased Compliance: Combining multiple medications into a single cream may simplify regimens.
These advantages may be especially valuable in the Upper Midwest, where environmental factors — like cold winds, low humidity, and seasonal allergens — can exacerbate skin problems.
Healthway Dermatology Prescription Sheets
We make it easy for Michigan practitioners to prescribe dermatological compounds and combinations through our easy-to-use Dermatology Prescription Sheet. Simply choose from recommendations or write in custom values. Then, fax into our pharmacy and our team will confirm and start compounding medication.
Acne Therapies with Compounded Creams in Northern Michigan
The Acne Struggle
Patients from Mount Pleasant, Gaylord, and Alpena turn to Healthway when traditional acne medications fail. For many teenagers and adults, over-the-counter products or even standard prescriptions do not address the root causes of persistent breakouts.
Common Ingredients in Compounded Acne Creams
Our pharmacists work closely with providers to prepare creams using topical agents such as:
- Tretinoin: Retinoids that support healthy skin turnover
- Azelaic Acid: Known for its calming and antimicrobial properties
- Clindamycin: Commonly used antibiotics for acne-prone skin
- Niacinamide: A form of vitamin B3 used to soothe inflammation
- Spironolactone: Sometimes used topically for hormonal acne
All of these ingredients can be compounded into a base that works for your skin — whether you’re dealing with harsh winter dryness in Sault Ste. Marie or summer humidity near Lake Huron.
Psoriasis Care with Compounded Creams in the Upper Peninsula
Living With Psoriasis in Michigan
The cold, dry winters in Marquette, Escanaba, and Houghton can wreak havoc on people living with psoriasis. Flare-ups become more frequent, skin becomes irritated, and commercial steroid creams lose their effectiveness over time.
Ingredients Commonly Used in Compounded Psoriasis Creams
At Healthway, we formulate compounded creams that may include:
- Calcipotriene: A vitamin D analog often used in psoriasis care
- Coal Tar or Salicylic Acid: To aid in exfoliation and plaque reduction
- Steroids of Variable Potency: Customized for the affected area and severity
- Hydrating Emollient Bases: To help support the skin’s moisture barrier
These preparations allow for targeted care of stubborn areas like elbows, knees, and the scalp, where commercial products may not be well-tolerated.
Addressing Eczema and Atopic Dermatitis for Michigan Families
Eczema in Children and Adults
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, affects infants, children, and adults. Whether triggered by cold winds, environmental allergens, or water exposure from Michigan’s many lakes, flare-ups can be frequent and uncomfortable. Families in Petoskey, Mackinaw City, and Bad Axe often rely on our pharmacy for alternative therapies.
Key Compounded Ingredients for Eczema
Healthway offers both steroidal and non-steroidal options, including:
- Hydrocortisone or Betamethasone: In low, controlled doses for sensitive skin
- Tacrolimus: Non-steroidal options used for immune modulation
- Ceramide-Enriched Bases: To help restore and maintain the skin barrier
- Diphenhydramine and Pramoxine: For soothing itch and irritation
We can make our creams fragrance-free, dye-free, and preservative-free, potentially reducing irritation for even the most delicate skin.
“Patients who have not improved sufficiently with routine use of standard over-the-counter moisturizers may prefer a trial of prescription moisturizer…”
Why Northern Michiganders Trust Healthway Compounding Pharmacy
Healthway Compounding Pharmacy is proud to be the first PCAB-accredited compounding pharmacy in Michigan — a certification we’ve held since 2007. Under the guidance of Michael E. Collins, R.Ph., F.I.A.C.P., our pharmacy provides quality-assured, custom medications built around each patient’s needs.
We offer statewide shipping, delivering compounded creams and other medications to homes throughout Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. If you can’t visit us in Saginaw, we’ll ensure your order reaches you promptly.
Areas We Serve
- Upper Peninsula: Escanaba, Houghton, Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Mackinac
- The Thumb Region: Bad Axe, Harbor Beach
- Northern Lower Michigan: Traverse City, Alpena, Petoskey, Mount Pleasant
- Shipping to Michigan, Statewide with Prescription: Our quality is known throughout the state, with top docs prescribing for their patients to get their meds delivered regardless of where in the state they live.
Potential Benefits of Choosing Compounded Creams
Here are just a few reasons more patients in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are making the switch to compounded skincare:
- Personalized ingredients and dosages
- Reduced side effects and allergies
- Consolidated/Streamlined therapies (fewer products to manage
- Tailored bases for seasonal skin challenges
- Made specifically for your environment and condition
Whether you’re facing the dry lake winds of Mackinac or the biting cold of a Traverse City winter, your skin needs a therapy plan as unique as your environment.
Ready for Clearer, Healthier Skin?
If you’re dealing with persistent acne, psoriasis, or eczema and have not found relief with traditional therapies, compounded creams may offer an alternative. Healthway Compounding Pharmacy is here to help you navigate a more customized and thoughtful approach to skincare.
If you’re a dermatologist or provider, reach out to us and we can help you provide an elevated level of care for your patients.
Healthway Compounding Pharmacy — Saginaw, Michigan
Customized Medications for the Thumb, Northern Michigan, and the U.P.
References:
- AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters, Chu, D. K., Schneider, L., Abrams, E., Ledford, D., et al. (2023). Atopic dermatitis (eczema) guidelines: 2023 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology/American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters GRADE- and Institute of Medicine-based recommendations. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 132(3), 274–312.
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