As a dermatologist, I often encounter many patients in the clinic who treat themselves as an experimental field and try all kinds of drugs on their bodies. Often come to see the doctor has tried many kinds of topical drugs, some even the name and role of drugs do not know, look very distressed and worried. In fact, skin diseases can often be complicated and aggravated if you use drugs on your own. Especially now that pharmacies are blooming everywhere, there are indeed many online pharmacies, which greatly facilitates patients and may also reduce some of their medical costs. Dermatologists often see many patients in their outpatient clinics purchasing their own medications at pharmacies or patients picking up their own medications at pharmacies after their doctor has prescribed them. Dermatologists are not opposed to patients purchasing their own medications, but strongly recommend that they do so under the guidance of a professional dermatologist. Although the benefits of self-purchase are greater than the costs, it does not stop patients from shopping on their own. Many people think that skin diseases are minor, so it is enough to buy some medicine from the pharmacy and rub it in. However, there is something to be learned from shopping for your own medication. This is something that most patients would like to know, but as a dermatologist, it is not recommended that patients purchase topical skin medications without the guidance of a professional dermatologist. If this is the case, why write this article? Because the urge to buy drugs on their own is too strong, and in order to avoid the majority of patients making some unnecessary mistakes when buying drugs on their own, dermatologists should talk about how to buy topical skin medications on their own. The first thing you need to do is to look at the lot number of the drug when you buy topical skin medication. A qualified drug can be used in clinical practice, generally through continuous animal and human trials before it can be widely used in the clinic, which there are many drugs that are not suitable for clinical use or widespread use, the production had to be discontinued in the middle. Many of these drugs are not suitable for clinical use or are used on a large scale and have to be discontinued. The FDA generally gives these qualified drugs a lot number, indicating approval for clinical application. Therefore a qualified and safe drug, generally has a drug approval number, which is usually the drug approval word plus a bunch of letters and numbers. Generally on the outer packaging of the drug can be found. On the contrary, a lot of drugs in pharmacies are not real drugs, at most cosmetics or disinfectants, these drugs do not have a national drug registration number, generally is the word or makeup, or even national food or health, which is nonsense, disinfectants or even health products can cure? The second look at the efficacy of the drug, if a so-called drug to say the efficacy of the ceiling, what disease are cured, this drug simply can not be trusted, the last is what disease can not be cured. There are many kinds of skin diseases, some are infectious, some are allergic, and many others, you can see the classification of dermatologists. The pathogenesis of many of these diseases is simply the opposite, that is, if the wrong one is used, that does not treat at all, but will aggravate the disease. Therefore, when buying drugs, be sure to look at the efficacy, for the treatment of a single disease the highest credibility of the drug, and vice versa low credibility. In addition do not overly believe in what Miao medicine, Tibetan medicine, Mongolian medicine and other drugs. Dermatologists do not deny the efficacy of traditional minority medicines, but many manufacturers now sell their products with very little real minority medicine in them. The first time you enter a pharmacy, the clerk is so enthusiastic that he or she will introduce and recommend certain drugs to you. Sometimes patients want to buy a drug drug, the clerk will put this drug down to nothing, but will give you a recommendation for another drug. For this situation, listen less to their foolishness. The more they strongly recommend you to buy a drug, the most profitable this drug, the efficacy is not necessarily, but the cheaper drugs may be more effective. Therefore, when buying drugs, do not look at the price, do not think that the higher-priced drugs are more effective, it is not necessarily. You should not listen to the shopkeeper, but have your own opinion and understanding. The skin characteristics of each part of the body are not the same, and some parts in particular should not be tried indiscriminately. If patients want to buy drugs to treat, the most taboo to use drugs indiscriminately are the following parts. 1, face: the face is their own face, for the face should be careful and cautious. 2, the whole body: the circumference of a large area of the use of topical drugs, at this time will aggravate the toxic side effects of drugs, and sometimes even greater than the side effects of oral drugs. 3, long time use: long time use of topical drugs, will also aggravate the toxic side effects of drugs. Generally a topical drug should not be used for more than a week. If you do not see results within a week, you should consider whether the drug is right. 4, children: children’s skin is also more delicate, so for children’s topical drugs, it is best to consult a professional dermatologist. 5, vulva: In addition to the skin, the vulva also has mucous membranes, which are much less resistant than the skin. The resistance of the mucous membrane is much worse than the skin. Therefore, the vulva medication should be used with care. 6, hormones: hormonal topical medications, it is best to use with caution. What is hormonal topical drugs, look at the composition contains what what pine, generally are hormones, such as dexamethasone. Because of hormonal topical drugs, it can cause skin atrophy, hyperpigmentation and other side effects. Not that hormonal topical drugs can not be used, but must be applied under the guidance of a professional dermatologist. The last and most important point is that dermatologists recommend that patients buy medications preferably under the guidance of a professional dermatologist.