PAIR Acne Cream W is an external medicine for acne you already have. Apply it to individual affected areas after cleansing, let them dry, then moisturize. Makeup can follow. Its labelled uses do not include all-over preventive skincare, fading leftover marks or filling pitted scars.
I’m Irene, a Taiwanese pharmacist working in Japan.
You may recognize PAIR but still wonder where it fits in your skincare routine. Let’s check the box, walk through application, and separate everyday use from situations that need professional advice.
Three points to remember
- Purpose: treating acne, including inflamed, red spots. Keep application to affected skin, rather than spreading over a large surrounding area.
- Order: cleanse → apply PAIR locally → let the area dry → moisturize. Makeup can come after skincare.
- Ask first: if receiving medical treatment, with a history of allergy to medicines or cosmetics, or with severely weeping or eroded skin. During pregnancy or breastfeeding, Lion also recommends checking with your doctor.
Which box? Look for ペアアクネクリームW
Names you may recognize
PAIR Acne Cream W
Lion’s Traditional Chinese site calls it “PAIR ACNE 痘痘膏W”. Hong Kong retailers also use names such as “PAIR暗瘡膏W”. In Japan, match ペアアクネクリームW on the box.
Retail names here are identification aids only. This guide follows the Japanese manufacturer’s directions and safety information.
Japanese Class 2 OTC medicine · External use
14 g / 24 g
These are two pack sizes of the same medicine, not different strengths. It contains ibuprofen piconol (IPPN) 3.0% for inflammation and isopropyl methylphenol (IPMP) 0.3% for antibacterial action.
Lion says it contains no steroid. Irritation or allergy is still possible.
Show this at the pharmacy:
「ペアアクネクリームWの14グラムはありますか？」
“Do you have PAIR Acne Cream W, 14 grams?” Replace 14 with 24 for the larger tube.
Opening the tube and applying the cream
Use the reversed cap to open the seal
The leaflet instructs you to turn the cap over and press it firmly onto the tube opening. Compare the official diagram below with the instructions in your own pack.
An appropriate amount, several times daily
The labelled directions are to apply an appropriate amount to the affected area after washing, several times a day. No fixed strip length or mandatory twice-daily schedule is given. Take some on a fingertip and gently spread it over the acne spot. Keep it off large areas of surrounding skin.
- Cleanse first
Wash with a facial cleanser.
- Apply to the spot
Use an appropriate amount on existing acne. Let the treated area dry.
- Then moisturize
Once dry, continue with toner, emulsion or other moisturizer.
The cream is white in the tube and becomes transparent when spread. You do not need to squeeze a spot open before using it. Avoid picking, squeezing or repeatedly rubbing the affected skin.
Where do toner, moisturizer, sunscreen and makeup fit?
The easy order:
Cleanse → apply PAIR to the spot → let it dry → moisturize → continue your daytime skincare and makeup.
Lion specifies applying the medicine to clean affected skin, then waiting until the treated area is dry before using toner or emulsion. It does not specify a number of minutes. If you use sunscreen or foundation, follow their own instructions in your subsequent daytime routine. PAIR does not replace sunscreen or moisturizer.
Permission to wear makeup over the cream is not an instruction to keep topping it up over finished makeup. Plan around the after-cleansing directions. If you use other acne medicines, especially a prescribed treatment, show the products to your doctor or pharmacist before combining them on the same spot.
Irene’s tip:Identify the small area you want to treat before squeezing the tube. It makes it easier to keep this a spot-treatment step. When you moisturize afterwards, avoid rubbing the treated skin vigorously.
What if the spot has gone, leaving a mark or pit?
Active acne and a leftover mark are different treatment questions. The cream’s approved indication is acne. It has no labelled indication for pigmentation, skin whitening or repairing pitted scars. Do not keep applying it as a mark-fading cream after the acne itself has resolved.
The manufacturer’s discussion of avoiding acne marks concerns treating active acne and limiting irritation. It does not establish that this product removes existing marks or scars. If acne keeps recurring, is not responding to care, or the remaining marks concern you, ask a dermatologist to assess the problem.
When to ask first or stop
Consult a doctor, pharmacist or Japanese registered medicine salesperson before use if you:
- Are receiving medical treatment
- Have had an allergic reaction to a medicine or cosmetic
- Have severe weeping or erosion at the affected site
Do not apply in or around the eyes. External use only. If it enters an eye, rinse promptly with water or lukewarm water. Seek eye care for severe symptoms.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children
Lion says the cream can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but recommends consulting your doctor before use. Children may use it under a parent’s guidance and supervision. The current Japanese leaflet and product FAQ do not give a numerical minimum age. Ask a professional if you are unsure whether a child’s skin problem is acne.
Do not push through irritation
Stop immediately and consult with the leaflet for rash, redness, itching, stinging, swelling or dryness with tightness. Stop and seek advice if symptoms worsen or have not improved after about one month. You do not need to wait a month when the skin is worsening or reacting.
Keep the tube and leaflet together
Close the cap firmly; keep in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and children. Do not transfer to another container or use beyond the expiry date.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply PAIR all over my face to prevent acne?
No. Japanese directions restrict use to existing acne, avoiding broad surrounding areas. It is not an all-over preventive face cream.
Does PAIR go before toner and moisturizer?
Yes. Cleanse, apply to the acne spot, and wait for the treated area to dry before moisturizing. Lion does not specify a fixed waiting time in minutes.
Can I wear makeup over it?
Yes. Lion says the cream becomes transparent when spread and allows makeup over it. Follow the cleansing, treatment, drying and moisturizing order rather than repeatedly applying over finished makeup.
Does PAIR fade acne marks or remove scars?
Acne is its approved indication. It has no labelled indication for fading pigmentation, whitening skin or repairing pitted scars. Seek advice for marks left after active acne has resolved.
Is the 24 g tube stronger than 14 g?
No. They are pack sizes of the same medicine, with IPPN 3.0% and IPMP 0.3%.
Can I use it for chest or back acne?
Lion’s product FAQ says yes. Apply only to acne spots, not a broad area. Consult first for severely weeping or eroded skin, or if you are receiving medical treatment.
Can pregnant or breastfeeding people and children use it?
Lion says it can be used in pregnancy or breastfeeding but recommends checking with your doctor first. Children need parental guidance and supervision; the current Japanese leaflet and FAQ give no numerical minimum age.
When should I stop if it is not helping?
Stop and seek advice with the leaflet if acne has not improved after about one month or gets worse. Stop immediately for possible reactions such as rash, redness, itching, stinging, swelling or dry tightness.
Sources and image credits
- Lion Traditional Chinese site: product name and steps
- Lion English site: PAIR Acne Cream W
- Lion Japanese product page: sizes, ingredients, directions and images
- Japanese leaflet: opening, application, warnings and storage
- Lion product information: indications, precautions and current pack image
- Lion FAQ: order with toner and emulsion
- Lion FAQ: pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Lion FAQ: children
- PAIR FAQ: cream colour, steroids and chest/back acne
- Lion acne-care article: acne and the risk of marks
- Hong Kong retail wording: “PAIR暗瘡膏W” (name only)
