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.
Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w
⚠ 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 Hydrocortisone acetate 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 The name of your medicine is Hydrocortisone Cream 1%. Hydrocortisone Cream 1% contains the active ingredient hydrocortisone which belongs to a group of medicines called corticosteroids or 'steroids'. Steroids like hydrocortisone are applied to the skin to reduce inflammation. Hydrocortisone Cream 1% is used to treat all types of eczema and dermatitis and insect bite reactions. 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. Be aware the percentage of active ingredient that is sometimes included on product packaging does not indicate potency. Hydrocortisone Cream 1% is classed as a mild corticosteroid. Your healthcare professional will prescribe or advise a steroid of the appropriate potency for your condition.
What you need to know before you take it
e Hydrocortisone Cream 1% Do not use Hydrocortisone Cream 1%:
- if you are allergic to hydrocortisone or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6) (allergic reactions include mild symptoms such as itching and/or rash. More severe symptoms include swelling of the face, lips, tongue and/or throat with difficulty in swallowing or breathing).
- If you have an infection of the skin which has not been treated;
- If you have pale or reddened patches of skin – (usually as a result of an allergy; this is a condition known as urticaria);
- If you have a facial skin condition known as rosacea;
- If you have ulcers or an infection at the site of treatment;
•
If you have psoriasis (a skin condition).
Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Hydrocortisone Cream 1% if you:
- have TB (tuberculosis);
- have diabetes. 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. Contact your doctor if you experience blurred vision or other visual disturbances. If any of the above applies to you, or you are not sure please tell your doctor or pharmacist before you use this medicine. If there is a worsening of your condition during use, consult your doctor – 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 doctor unless, your doctor 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. Other medicines and Hydrocortisone Cream 1% Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. Pregnancy and breast-feeding 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 using this medicine.
How to take it
Hydrocortisone Cream 1% Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. Check that the tube seal is not broken before use. Use the point on the cap to break the seal. For adults and children Apply sparingly to the affected area of skin two or three times daily. Important Information
- Use sparingly
- Avoid using the cream continuously for a long time, particularly in children and on the face.
If you use more Hydrocortisone Cream 1% than you should If you accidentally use too much cream it is not likely to cause any harm. If anyone accidentally swallows any cream, rinse out the mouth and seek medical advice. Take the product and packaging with you. 4. Possible side effects Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If you notice;
- a skin rash,
- reddening of the skin or itching of the skin stop using the cream and tell your doctor immediately. These may be signs of an allergic reaction. Other side effects may include:
- spread of infection;
- permanent 'stretch-mark' like marks;
- thinning of the skin;
- changes in hair growth;
- acne;
- oily skin;
- slight loss of colour in the skin;
- blurred vision (uncommon – may affect up to 1 in 100 people). If you use Hydrocortisone Cream 1% for a long time, very occasionally, this may lead to problems with your hormones. This mainly happens if it is used in areas such as the folds of the skin, the face and the nappy area, or in areas where a dressing is used to cover the area after using the cream. 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 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.
How to store it
Hydrocortisone Cream 1% Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not store above 25°C.
Do not use any medicine after the expiry date on the carton and tube and keep them in their original pack. 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.
Contents of the pack and other information
What Hydrocortisone Cream 1% contains The active ingredient is hydrocortisone acetate present at a concentration of 1%. The other inactive ingredients are: cetomacrogol emulsifying wax, liquid paraffin, white soft paraffin, chlorocresol and purified water. What Hydrocortisone Cream 1% looks like and the contents of the pack Hydrocortisone Cream 1% is a soft, white cream, with a faint characteristic odour. It is available in a tube containing either 15 g, 30 g or 50 g of cream. Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer Marketing Authorisation Holder Sovereign Medical, Sovereign House, Miles Gray Road, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3FR, UK Manufacturer Waymade Plc, Sovereign House, Miles Gray Road, Basildon, Essex SS14 3FR UK This leaflet was last revised in: April 2024
PL 06464/0698
To request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio format, contact the licence holder at the above address or telephone: 01268 535200 (select option Medical Information) / e-mail: [email protected]
Frequently asked questions about Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w
How do I take Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w?
Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w 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 Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w?
The active substance in Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w is hydrocortisone acetate.
Are there equivalent medicines to Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w?
Medicines with the same active substance, strength and form include: Boots Derma Care 1% w/w Cream, Boots DermaCare Hydrocortisone 1% w/w Cream, Boots Insect Bite & Sting Treatment 1% Cream. In total there are 14 equivalent products. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
Where does this information come from?
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w, 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 Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w 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: hydrocortisone acetate
- 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
Hydrocortisone Cream is indicated for the treatment of eczema and dermatitis of all types, including atopic eczema, photodermatitis, otitis externa, primary irritant and allergic dermatitis, intertrigo, prurigo nodularis, seborrhoeic dermatitis and insect bite reactions.
4.2. Posology and method of administration
For topical administration.
Adults and children: To be applied sparingly to the affected skin two or three times daily after gently cleansing the area. Courses of treatment in children should generally be limited to not more than seven to ten days.
4.3. Contraindications
Hydrocortisone Cream is contra-indicated in patients with bacterial, viral or fungal infections of the skin. Urticaria, rosacea, ulcers and local infection are also contra-indications.
4.4. Special warnings and precautions for use
Prolonged use in infants and children and on the face should be avoided.
Hydrocortisone Cream is for symptomatic relief and is not curative. For this reason, there is a possibility of rebound of symptoms.
Hydrocortisone Cream is not recommended for pruritis.
Topical corticosteroids may be hazardous in patients with psoriasis and should therefore be avoided.
Long term use in patients with diabetes or tuberculosis is not recommended.
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.
The label will state mild steroid.
Topical steroid withdrawal syndrome
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.
Visual disturbance
Visual disturbance may be reported with systemic and topical 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 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.
4.5. Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
No known interactions.
4.6. Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
There is inadequate evidence of safety in human pregnancy. Topical administration of corticosteroids to pregnant animals can cause abnormalities of foetal development, including cleft palate and intra-uterine growth retardation. Thus, there may be a very small risk of such effects in the human foetus.
No problems have been documented for neonates when Hydrocortisone Cream is used by nursing mothers.
4.7. Effects on ability to drive and use machines
No adverse effects known.
4.8. Undesirable effects
Side effects are rare but the following local effects have been reported frequently:
spread of infection, irreversible striae atrophicae, thinning of the skin, changes in hair growth, acne, oily skin and mild depigmentation.
Serious systemic effects of pituitary suppression and hypercorticism may occur if significant systemic absorption occurs. This is likely if applied frequently or over prolonged periods or over a large areas or over moist and /or denuded areas or if an occlusive dressing is present. Systemic absorption is more likely when used over intertriginous areas. Children are particularly at risk and in these patients, Hydrocortisone Cream should only be used twice daily for a maximum of ten days over a body surface area not exceeding 10% and without an occlusive dressing.
Vision, blurred (see also section 4.4) (uncommon)
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
Following oral ingestion, symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Treatment need only be symptomatic.
No special procedures or antidotes are likely to be needed.
💬 Ask about this leaflet
Ask anything about Hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w. 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.