Skin Care While Taking MEK Inhibitors

Your skin might have a reaction to the MEK inhibitors. This is very normal. To minimize this side effect, you can do extra things to care for your skin.

Some of these treatments include prescription and over-the-counter products. Use these medicines only if your healthcare provider recommends them. Check with your healthcare provider first before using any type of medicine.

Bathing daily allows your skin to stay hydrated.

• Limit your baths and showers to 10 minutes.
• Use cleansers that are not likely to cause allergies, like soaps that say pH-balanced, sensitive or fragrance free. Some examples are Vanicream cleansing bar or CeraVe hydrating cleanser. Avoid soaps with fragrances and additional chemicals, because they can strip natural oils and moisture from your skin.
• Do not use rough or scratchy materials to wash your skin. Examples include sponges, loofahs, baby wipes and washcloths.
• Add plain bleach to bathwater at least 2 to 3 times per week. Baths with bleach help to decrease skin infections and skin inflammation.
  
  • Use 1/2 cup of bleach per full tub of water.
  • Sit in the bath for 10 minutes before draining and rinsing the tub.

Dry skin is one of the most common types of skin reactions in people on MEK Inhibitors. Dry skin becomes itchy and is at risk of having an infection. Apply moisturizer right after bathing to help keep water in your skin.

• Use a thick moisturizer (thick cream or ointment) from head to toe.
• For dry lips, it is best to use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or ointment like Aquaphor. Apply to your lips every 2 hours or more frequently if needed.

Clean your scalp regularly with gentle, pH-balanced shampoo and conditioner designed for your hair type. You may need to clean your scalp and hair more often than you normally do. Gentle shampoo and conditioner have limited detergent. This helps prevents scalp rashes and infections.

It is common for UV (ultraviolet) light to trigger an acne-like rash on your face if taking MEK inhibitors. Take steps to protect your skin:

• Use a physical sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 50 that is water-resistant up to 80 minutes. This means that the sunscreen can protect your skin from the sun for up to 80 minutes of being in the water.
• Apply sunscreen every 2 hours when outside. Try to use mineral-based sunscreens with active ingredients like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, since they are gentler on the skin. Avoid putting sunscreen on inflamed skin.
• Wear clothes that protect you from the sun, such as long-sleeved shirts and a hat with a wide brim.

While on MEK inhibitors, you might experience some skin changes that can cause discomfort. Most medicine names below are generic. There could be several brand names for each one. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions. The strategies below may help.

If you have dry skin:

• Use a sensitive-skin body wash that has no fragrances or dyes, because they may irritate your skin and cause dryness.
• Moisturize your skin with an ointment like Aquaphor or petroleum jelly (Vaseline), 1 to 2 times a day.
• When washing your clothes, use detergents with no fragrances or dyes. Look for words on detergents like sensitive, gentle or hypoallergenic.

If you have a dry scalp:

• Start washing your hair with your preferred over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoo.
• Use fluocinolone (Synalar) 0.01% topical solution if you need more treatment for a dry scalp. Fluocinolone 0.01% is an oil that helps treat dry skin. You can get this with a prescription from your doctor. Use as instructed on your damp scalp - either after washing or after using a spray bottle filled with water.
• If fluocinolone 0.01% is too oily for you, use clobetasol liquid or foam. You can get this with a prescription from your doctor.

If you have acne-like rashes (looks like pimples) on your face and body:

• Wash the parts of your body with the rash with a mild soap, such as Cetaphil.
• Use clindamycin 1% gel if you need more treatment. You can get this with a prescription from your doctor. Apply this gel to affected areas twice per day after cleaning the areas on your body with the rash.
• A doctor may prescribe an antibiotic (doxycycline) if you need more treatment. You will take this medicine until the rashes go away. If the rashes come back, take the medicine again. Your doctor may also prescribe cephalexin (Keflex) instead of doxycycline.

• If you are suffering from ingrown nails or swollen, tender nail beds, the skin may look different than its regular color. Add 1/2 cup Epsom salt to a large basin of warm water. Soak your affected foot in the warm water with Epsom salt 2 to 3 times per day. Let your foot sit in the water for 20 minutes each time. Make a fresh basin of Epsom salt water for each soak.
• Apply hydrocortisone 1% cream to the affected areas 2 times per day.
• Mix equal parts desonide 0.05% ointment mixed with mupirocin 2% ointment. Apply 2 times per day until healed. You can get these medicines with a prescription from your doctor.
• If you need more treatment, contact your doctor, who may recommend triamcinolone 0.1% instead of hydrocortisone 1% cream. Apply triamcinolone 0.1% cream to the affected areas on your foot 2 times per day.
• You may need a referral to a foot doctor (podiatrist) if further treatment is needed after you have tried the above options or a course of oral antibiotics.

If you have infected or damaged hair follicles (folliculitis):

• Use benzoyl peroxide wash or chlorhexidine wash on the areas of the arms and legs that have infected or damaged hair follicles. Avoid using chlorhexidine on the face, as this medicine can damage the skin and eyes.
• Apply clindamycin 1% lotion to the areas with folliculitis on the trunk and extremities as prescribed until it gets better. You can get this with a prescription from your doctor.

If you have mouth sores or open sores (also called ulcers):

• Gargle with salt water after each meal. If you are unable to tolerate the salt due to sensitivity of the mouth sores, gargle with regular water after meals.
• After brushing teeth, swish mouth with chlorhexidine for 30 seconds and spit. Do this 2 to 3 times per day for 5 days.
• Apply fluocinonide ointment twice daily for up to 2 to 3 weeks as needed until the sores heal. You can get this with a prescription from your doctor.

If you have inflammation and small cracks in the corners of the mouth (angular cheilitis):

• Mix equal parts desonide 0.05% ointment mixed with mupirocin 2% ointment. Apply 2 times per day until healed. You can get these medicines with a prescription from your doctor.

Talk to your doctor if you see these skin reactions:

• Painful or bleeding bumps
• Boils or pus-filled bumps
• Tender lumps or bumps under the skin
• Skin crusting or blistering
• Scaly bumps on the skin that do not go away