Pharmacy Guide
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Pharmacy Guide
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Diprosone Cream
⚠ This medicine appears to have been discontinued
The electronic medicines compendium (emc) no longer publishes a Summary of Product Characteristics for this product, which usually means it is no longer marketed in the UK. The patient leaflet below is kept for reference, but the product may not be available.
If you were prescribed this medicine, other products containing Betamethasone dipropionate may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.
What it is and what it is used for
for
Diprosone cream contains the active ingredient betamethasone dipropionate. Betamethasone dipropionate belongs to a group of medicines called topical corticosteroids which are used on the surface of the skin to reduce the redness and itchiness caused by certain skin problems. Corticosteroid creams, ointments and other topical preparations come in four different potencies or strengths. These are known as mild, moderately potent, potent or very potent. Healthcare professionals will usually refer to topical corticosteroid potency rather than strength. A potent or strong corticosteroid has a much stronger effect than a mild corticosteroid when using the same amount. The percentage of active ingredient that is sometimes included on product packaging does not indicate potency. Diprosone is classed as a strong corticosteroid. Your healthcare professional will prescribe or advise a steroid of the appropriate potency for your condition. In adults and children, Diprosone cream is used to treat skin problems, including eczema, and all types of dermatitis and psoriasis of the scalp, hands and feet. Eczema is a common skin disease, which causes the skin to become red and itchy. Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin. Psoriasis is a skin disease in which itchy, scaly, pink patches develop on the elbows, knees, scalp and other parts of the body. 2.
What you need to know before you take it
e Diprosone cream
Do not use Diprosone cream If you have: an allergy to betamethasone dipropionate or any of the other ingredients in this medicine (listed in section 6). any other skin problem as it could make it worse especially rosacea (a skin condition affecting the face), acne, dermatitis around the mouth, genital itching, nappy rash, cold sores, chickenpox, shingles or other skin infections. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Warnings and precautions 1
If you have psoriasis, your doctor may want to review your treatment regularly. Contact your doctor if your psoriasis gets worse or you get raised bumps filled with pus under your skin. Contact your doctor if you or your child experience blurred vision or other visual disturbances. This medicine should not be used under bandages or plasters. Side effects that may happen with oral or injectable corticosteroids may also occur with corticosteroids used on the skin, especially in infants and children. If you use more than the correct amount of cream and/or use it for longer than is recommended, it can affect the levels of certain hormones in the body, particularly in infants and children. In adults the changes in hormone levels may lead rarely to puffiness or rounding of the face, weakness, tiredness, and dizziness when standing or sitting down. Do not smoke or go near naked flames – risk of severe burns. Fabric (clothing, bedding, dressings etc) that has been in contact with this product burns more easily and is a serious fire hazard. Washing clothing and bedding may reduce product build-up but not totally remove it. If there is a worsening of your condition during use consult your prescriber – you may be experiencing an allergic reaction, have an infection or your condition requires a different treatment. If you experience a recurrence of your condition shortly after stopping treatment, within 2 weeks, do not restart using the cream without consulting your prescriber unless your prescriber has previously advised you to do so. If your condition has resolved and on recurrence the redness extends beyond the initial treatment area and you experience a burning sensation, please seek medical advice before restarting treatment. Children If you use more than the correct amount of cream and/or use it for longer than is recommended, it can affect your child's hormones. Rarely this may lead to:
- Delayed growth and development
- Puffiness or rounding of the face
- A build-up of pressure around the brain which can produce
- a bulging of the fontanelle (the soft spot in the top of the skull) in infants
- a constant thumping headache
- blurred vision or other visual disturbances Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. Diprosone cream contains chlorocresol and cetostearyl alcohol Diprosone cream contains chlorocresol, which may cause allergic reactions and cetostearyl alcohol, which may cause local skin reactions (e.g. contact dermatitis). 3.
How to take it
Diprosone cream
Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Recommended dose
2
Usually for adults and children, a thin layer of Diprosone cream should be rubbed into the affected area of skin twice a day. You should always follow these instructions when using Diprosone cream: Do not use the cream on your face for more than 5 days. Do not use a large amount of cream on large areas of the body, open wounds or areas of the body where joints bend for a long time (for example every day for many weeks or months). Avoid getting the cream in your eyes. Use in children Use as stated above. Do not use Diprosone cream on any part of your child's body for more than 5 days. Do not put the cream under your child's nappy, as this makes it easier for the active ingredient of the medicine to pass through the skin and possibly cause some unwanted effects. If you use more Diprosone cream than you should If you (or somebody else) accidentally swallows the cream, it should not cause any problems. However, if you are worried, you should see your doctor. If you use the cream more often than you should, or on large areas of your body, it can affect some of your hormones. In children this may affect their growth and development. If you have not used the cream as you were told to do and have used it too often and/or for a long time, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist. If you forget to use Diprosone cream If you forget to use your cream at the right time, use it as soon as you remember, then carry on as before. If you stop using Diprosone cream If you have been using the cream for a long time and your skin problem seems to have got better, you should not suddenly stop using the cream. If you do, you may find that your skin becomes red and you may notice stinging or burning. To avoid this, you should speak to your doctor who will gradually reduce how often you need to use the cream until you stop treatment altogether. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. 4.
Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Most people find that when the cream is used correctly, it does not cause any problems. However, if you use the cream more than you should, particularly on your face, it can cause redness, stinging, blistering, peeling, swelling, itching, burning, skin rash, dryness of the skin, inflammation of the hair follicles, excessive hair growth, reduced skin pigmentation, allergic reactions, dermatitis (skin inflammation), other skin infections, thinning of the skin, red marks and blurred vision. This can happen more easily in infants and children. If you are worried by these or any other side effects, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist. Steroid withdrawal reaction: If used over prolonged periods a withdrawal reaction, which might appear to be different from the previous condition, may occur in some patients during treatment or within days to weeks after stopping treatment, with some or all of the following features: redness of the skin which can extend beyond the initial area treated, a burning or stinging sensation, intense itching, peeling of the skin, oozing open sores. Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine. 3
5.
How to store it
Diprosone cream
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label and carton after 'EXP'. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Do not store above 25°C. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment. 6.
Contents of the pack and other information
What Diprosone cream contains The active substance is betamethasone dipropionate. Each gram contains 0.64 mg of betamethasone dipropionate (equivalent to 0.5 mg betamethasone). The other ingredients are chlorocresol, sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate, phosphoric acid, white soft paraffin, liquid paraffin, cetomacrogol 1000, cetostearyl alcohol, sodium hydroxide and purified water. What Diprosone cream looks like and contents of the pack Diprosone cream is a smooth, white cream. It is available in tubes containing 5 g, 30 g or 100 g. Not all pack sizes may be marketed. Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer The holder of the Marketing Authorisation is: Organon Pharma (UK) Limited, Shotton Lane, Cramlington, United Kingdom, NE23 3JU. The manufacturer is: Organon Heist bv Industriepark 30 2220 Heist-op-den-Berg Belgium This leaflet was last revised in August 2024. © 2024 Organon group of companies. All rights reserved. PIL.DPSO-C.24.UK.0306.IA-MAH_Cram.NoRCN
4
Frequently asked questions about Diprosone Cream
How do I take Diprosone Cream?
Diprosone Cream comes as cream. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
What is the active substance in Diprosone Cream?
The active substance in Diprosone Cream is betamethasone dipropionate.
Where does this information come from?
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Diprosone Cream, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Can I get Diprosone Cream without a prescription?
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
About this leaflet
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
- Source: electronic medicines compendium (emc), Datapharm
- Active substance: betamethasone dipropionate
- Official document: view the original leaflet on emc →
⚕For healthcare professionals — Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC)Full SmPC: dosage, interactions, contraindications, warnings+
4.1. Therapeutic indications
Betamethasone Dipropionate is a synthetic fluorinated corticosteroid. It is active topically and produces a rapid and sustained response in eczema and dermatitis of all types, including atopic eczema, photodermatitis, lichen planus, lichen simplex, prurigo nodularis, discoid lupus erythematosus, necrobiosis lipoidica, pretibial myxodemea and erythroderma. It is also effective in the less responsive conditions such as psoriasis of the scalp and chronic plaque psoriasis of the hands and feet, but excluding widespread plaque psoriasis.
4.2. Posology and method of administration
Adults and Children:
Once to twice daily. In most cases a thin film of Diprosone Cream should be applied to cover the affected area twice daily. For some patients adequate maintenance therapy may be achieved with less frequent application.
Diprosone Cream is especially appropriate for moist or weeping surfaces and the ointment for dry, lichenifield or scaly lesions but this is not invariably so.
Control over the dosage regimen may be achieved during intermittent and maintenance therapy by using Diprobase Cream or Ointment, the base vehicles of Diprosone Cream and Ointment. Such control may be necessary in mild and improving dry skin conditions requiring low dose steroid treatment.
4.3. Contraindications
Rosacea, acne, perioral dermatitis, perianal and genital pruritus. Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients of the Diprosone presentations contra-indicates their use as does tuberculous and most viral lesions of the skin, particularly herpes simplex, vacinia, varicella. Diprosone should not be used in napkin eruptions, fungal or bacterial skin infections without suitable concomitant anti-infective therapy.
4.4. Special warnings and precautions for use
The label will state strong steroid.
Local and systemic toxicity is common, especially following long continuous use on large areas of damaged skin, in flexures or with polythene occlusion. If used in children or on the face courses should be limited to 5 days. Long term continuous therapy should be avoided in all patients irrespective of age.
Occlusion must not be used.
Topical corticosteroids may be hazardous in psoriasis for a number of reasons, including rebound relapses following development of tolerance, risk of generalised pustular psoriasis and local systemic toxicity due to impaired barrier function of the skin. Careful patient supervision is important.
General: Systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids can produce reversible HPA axis suppression with the potential for glucocorticosteroid insufficiency after withdrawal of treatment. Manifestations of Cushing's syndrome also can be produced in some patients by systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids while on treatment. Patients receiving a large dose of a potent topical steroid applied to a large surface area should be evaluated periodically for evidence of HPA axis suppression. If HPA axis suppression is noted, an attempt should be made to withdraw the drug, to reduce the frequency of application, or to substitute a less potent corticosteroid.
Recovery of HPA axis function is generally prompt and complete upon discontinuation of the drug. Infrequently, signs and symptoms of steroid withdrawal may occur, requiring supplemental systemic corticosteroids.
Any of the side effects that are reported following systemic use of corticosteroids, including adrenal suppression, may also occur with topical corticosteroids, especially in infants and children.
Paediatric patients may be more susceptible to systemic toxicity from equivalent doses due to their larger skin surface to body mass ratios.
If irritation develops, treatment should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted.
Diprosone is not for ophthalmic use.
Visual disturbance may be reported with systemic and topical (including, intranasal, inhaled and intraocular) corticosteroid use. If a patient presents with symptoms such as blurred vision or other visual disturbances, the patient should be considered for referral to an ophthalmologist for evaluation of possible causes of visual disturbances which may include cataract, glaucoma or rare diseases such as central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) which have been reported after use of systemic and topical corticosteroids.
Long term use of topical steroids can result in the development of rebound flares after stopping treatment (topical steroid withdrawal syndrome). A severe form of rebound flare can develop which takes the form of a dermatitis with intense redness, stinging and burning that can spread beyond the initial treatment area. It is more likely to occur when delicate skin sites such as the face and flexures are treated. Should there be a reoccurrence of the condition within days to weeks after successful treatment a withdrawal reaction should be suspected. Reapplication should be with caution and specialist advise is recommended in these cases or other treatment options should be considered.
Paediatric population:
Paediatric patients may demonstrate greater susceptibility to topical corticosteroid-induced HPA axis suppression and to exogenous corticosteroid-induced HPA axis suppression and to exogenous corticosteroid effects than adult patients because of greater absorption due to a larger skin surface area to body weight ratio. HPA axis suppression, Cushing's syndrome and intracranial hypertension have been reported in paediatric patients receiving topical corticosteroids. Manifestations of adrenal suppression in paediatric patients include linear growth retardation, delayed weight gain, low plasma cortisol levels and an absence of response to ACTH stimulation. Manifestations of intracranial hypertension include a bulging fontanelle, headaches and bilateral papilledema.
Instruct patients not to smoke or go near naked flames – risk of severe burns. Fabric (clothing, bedding, dressings etc) that has been in contact with this product burns more easily and is a serious fire hazard. Washing clothing and bedding may reduce product build-up but not totally remove it.
4.5. Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
None stated.
4.6. Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
There are no adequate and well controlled studies of the teratogenic potential of topically applied corticosteroids in pregnant women. Therefore topical steroids should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the foetus.
It is not known whether topical administration of corticosteroids would result in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in breast milk. Systemically administered corticosteroids are secreted into breast milk in quantities not likely to have a deleterious effect on the infant. Nevertheless, a decision should be made whether to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
4.7. Effects on ability to drive and use machines
None stated.
4.8. Undesirable effects
Diprosone skin preparations are generally well tolerated and side-effects are rare. The systemic absorption of betamethasone dipropionate may be increased if extensive body surface areas or skin folds are treated for prolonged periods or with excessive amounts of steroids. Suitable precautions should be taken in these circumstances, particularly with infants and children.
The following local adverse reactions that have been reported with the use of Diprosone include: burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, maceration of the skin, secondary infection, striae and miliaria.
Continuous application without interruption may result in local atrophy of the skin, striae and superficial vascular dilation, particularly on the face.
Vision blurred (see also section 4.4) has been reported with corticosteroid use (frequency not known).
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders
Not known (cannot be estimated from available data): Withdrawal reactions - redness of the skin which may extend to areas beyond the initial affected area, burning or stinging sensation, itch, skin peeling, oozing pustules (see section 4.4).
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
4.9. Overdose
Excessive prolonged use of topical corticosteroids can suppress pituitary-adrenal functions resulting in secondary adrenal insufficiency which is usually reversible. In such cases appropriate symptomatic treatment is indicated. If HPA axis suppression is noted, an attempt should be made to withdraw the drug, reduce the frequency of application, or to substitute a less potent steroid.
The steroid content of each tube is so low as to have little or no toxic effect in the unlikely event of accidental oral ingestion.
🇷🇴 Known in Romania as
Medicines sold in Romania with the same active substance: Cunoscut în România ca
- EKARZIN 0,5 mg/g prescriptionBETAMETHASONUM · skin / topical
- BETADERM 1 mg/g prescriptionBETAMETHASONUM · skin / topical
- BETAMETAZONA FITERMAN 0,5 mg/g prescriptionBETAMETHASONUM · skin / topical
Same active substance. The strength, the form and whether you need a prescription can differ. Always ask a pharmacist before you switch. Romanian medicines in the UK →
🇵🇱 Known in Poland as
Medicines sold in Poland with the same active substance: W Polsce znany jako
⚠ Same active substance, but a different pharmaceutical form (for example a gel instead of a tablet). Not interchangeable — ask a pharmacist.
- CelestoneBetamethasonum · injection / infusion
- BelodermBetamethasonum
Same active substance. The strength, the form and whether you need a prescription can differ. Always ask a pharmacist before you switch. Polish medicines in the UK →
💬 Ask about this leaflet
Ask anything about Diprosone Cream. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.