Eumovate Cream & Ointment

What Is Eumovate?

Eumovate is a corticosteroid cream that contains the ingredient clobetasone butyrate. Corticosteroids are often referred to as steroids, but this is not the same as illegal anabolic steroids.

Eumovate Cream clobetasone butyrate is much milder than other corticosteroids and is suitable for use in children and adults over the age of 12 years to reduce inflammation, providing relief from red, irritated skin.

When using Eumovate daily as directed in the Patient Information Leaflet, you should begin to see improvements to the condition of your skin within 7 days. The cream/ointment can be used for up to 4 weeks.

If you do not see any reduction in the redness, itchiness, inflammation and irritation of your skin within 7 days of using Eumovate, please speak to your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.

Eumovate Cream/Ointment Uses

Eumovate cream and ointment are easy to apply and can be used to treat inflamed skin and skin rash arising from several conditions, including eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. Its active ingredient is clobetasone butyrate, a moderately potent corticosteroid.

Corticosteroids are strong anti-inflammatory medicines. Skin becomes inflamed when the body releases inflammatory chemicals in response to an allergen or irritation. These chemicals make blood vessels widen, causing the skin to swell and become itchy and painful. Corticosteroids prevent this by inhibiting cells from releasing large amounts of these substances.

Eumovate can be used to treat the following conditions:

• Eczema
• Dermatitis
• Psoriasis
• Insect bites
• Heat rash

Note: Eumovate cream should not be used on:

• Broken skin
• Open wounds
• Acne, spots or rosacea
• Bacterial infections (impetigo)
• Fungal infections (thrush)

If Eumovate is applied in excess for a long period of time or to spots where the skin is thinner (such as the face, eyelids, lips and scalp), this can make the user more susceptible to side effects like skin thinning, stretch marks or hair growth. For the most part, these side effects are still quite rare. Eczema creams like Eumovate wouldn't be recommended for conditions like alopecia. Consult the leaflet for full details.

How Does Eumovate Work?

Creams that contain corticosteroids, such as Eumovate cream, work by mimicking the body's natural hormones produced by the adrenal glands. Steroids suppress inflammation by suppressing the cells' reaction to irritation or allergens and reducing the amount of collagen in the skin.

Eumovate Cream (100mg, 30mg) or Eumovate Ointment (100mg, 30mg)

Both Eumovate cream and ointment are used to treat skin inflammation using the steroid clobetasone. The difference between the two products is that the Eumovate ointment contains ingredients that make it a thicker, greasier formula than the cream.

It is therefore recommended that:

Eumovate cream is used for areas of moist or weeping skin.

Eumovate 0.05% ointment is used for areas of dry, flakey or scaly skin.

Is Eumovate a Steroid Cream?

Eumovate cream and ointment contain the corticosteroid, clobetasone and is just one type of steroid used to reduce skin inflammation associated with conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. For more information about treatment options, please see our Advice for Eczema and Dermatitis page.

If you have used Eumovate for 7 days and your skin condition has not improved or you suffer from skin conditions that cause moderate to severe inflammation and irritation, you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist about treatment options.

Eumovate Alternatives

Eumovate or hydrocortisone

Another corticosteroid cream used to treat skin inflammation is hydrocortisone cream. Hydrocortisone cream is the mildest available steroid cream and is often recommended as the first-line treatment for inflammation caused by eczema or dermatitis.

Hydrocortisone 1% cream is available to buy online from The Independent Pharmacy in 15mg tubes and 50g tubes.

Eumovate or Betnovate

Betnovate RD 0.025% contains betamethasone and is a corticosteroid cream with a similar strength to Eumovate, which is used to treat mild skin inflammation and irritation.

Betnovate 0.1% is a slightly stronger steroid cream which is suitable for use by those over 18 years old.

Betnovate 0.1% should only be used once milder formulas have proven to not be effective and should not be used to treat skin conditions on the face, genitals, groin and armpits.

You can purchase Betnovate RD and Betnovate 0.1% at the Independent Pharmacy online using our online consultation system.

Eumovate Cream for Eczema

Eumovate cream contains clobetasone butyrate - a moderately potent anti-inflammatory steroid. The active ingredient works by preventing the release of inflammatory substances inside the skin cells, reducing dryness, redness, and itchiness. Eumovate cream also has moisturising properties to help keep skin smooth and flake-free.

However, it is an effective short-term treatment, as using corticosteroids on the skin continuously for more than a few weeks can cause skin thinning and even permanent damage. It's advised to use Eumovate for eczema for no more than 7 days, at around the same time every day. In addition, we also advise people with eczema or dermatitis to use emollient skin products, such as Dermol Shower Emollient, to help improve the condition on a longer-term basis.

Eumovate Benefits

With the use of any medicine or topical cream, there are always risks and benefits involved. Luckily, Eumovate cream is generally very well tolerated, and side effects are rare. Patients are able to relieve the itching and redness associated with eczema in a relatively short amount of time. When the cream is prescribed, our pharmacists will consider the risks and weigh them against the benefits - if you are pregnant, then this would be a factor, for example.

Eumovate can be applied in conjunction with other moisturisers, though it's best to wait around half an hour between applications to let the Eumovate cream sink in. Always use the minimum quantity prescribed for the minimum duration advised by your doctor.

Eumovate and Pregnancy

Eumovate ointment shouldn't be used while pregnant or breastfeeding to treat eczema unless discussed and approved by your doctor. Even so, it shouldn't be used on large areas of skin or for a long period. Some studies suggest that corticosteroids applied to the skin during pregnancy may cause birth defects.

Non-prescription eczema treatment alternatives

• Moisturisers and emollients
• Bath and shower gels
• Cotton gloves (to keep from scratching)
• Antihistamine tablets (to ease the itching)

How to use Eumovate Cream/Ointment

Apply a thin, even layer of Eumovate to the affected skin. You will be advised to do this either once or twice each day. Always follow your prescription exactly.

If you have been using airtight dressings on the inflamed skin, clean the affected area before using the clobetasone 0.05% ointment and apply a new dressing. Remember to wash your hands after each application.

You may be using other topical medicines or moisturisers alongside Eumovate. If this is the case, you are advised to wait at least 30 minutes between applications. This will prevent either medicine from becoming diluted.

Eumovate ingredients

The active ingredient in Eumovate: clobetasone butyrate, each 1 gram contains 0.5mg (0.05%w/w).

Eumovate cream other ingredients: chloroscresol, cetostearyl alcohol, beeswax substitute 6621, citric acid monohydrate.

Eumovate ointment other ingredients: liquid paraffin and soft white paraffin.

For a full list of ingredients please refer to the Patient Information Leaflets.

Eumovate side effects

As with all medication, Eumovate may cause some people to experience unwanted side effects. Most side effects are, however, very rare when using Eumovate cream and ointment.

• If you are using or have recently used Eumovate to treat psoriasis and notice pus-filled lumps appear under your skin, this is called pustular psoriasis, and you should get advice from a doctor immediately.

Some reported side effects associated with Eumovate use may include:

• Localised allergic reaction to the skin where Eumovate has been applied- burning, irritation, itching, rash, redness.
• Increased hair growth
• Changes in skin colour or thinning of the skin and bones
• Weight gain causing rounding of the face
• Eye conditions - cataract or glaucoma
• High blood pressure

For a full list of side effects associated with Eumovate, please read the Patient Information Leaflet thoroughly.

If you are worried about side effects or they do not get better once you stop using Eumovate, you should speak to a doctor or pharmacist for advice.

If you experience a severe allergic reaction as a result of using Eumovate, seek immediate medical attention from your nearest Emergency Department.

Eumovate warnings

For a complete list of warnings and precautions associated with the use of Eumovate cream or ointment, please read the Patient Information Leaflet thoroughly.

Eumovate can cause the following conditions to worsen:

• Acne
• Infected skin
• Rosacea (a flushing of the skin around the nose)
• Skin which is itchy but not inflamed.

You should speak to your doctor or a pharmacist before using Eumovate if any of the following apply:

• You have a history of allergic reactions to steroid medicines
• You are applying Eumovate under an airtight dressing
• You are using Eumovate on the face, especially near the eyes
• You are applying Eumovate to broken skin or skin folds
• You are applying Eumovate to inflamed skin around the genitals or anus
• You have psoriasis
• You are using Eumovate on a chronic leg ulcer.

Do not use Eumovate for more than 4 weeks. If you do not see an improvement to the condition of your skin within 7 days of commencing treatment, you should speak to a doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Eumovate ointment contains liquid paraffin and soft white paraffin, which is flammable. Avoid smoking and open fires when using the product, and take extra care to wash bedding and clothing that has come into contact with the ointment.

Sources

• NHS (2023). Clobetasone - https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/clobetasone/
• NHS (2024) Steroids - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/steroids/
• NHS (2024). Topical steroids - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/topical-steroids/
• British Association of Dermatologists (2024) - https://www.bad.org.uk/
• Eumovate Ointment, Patient Information Leaflet: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/3808/pil
• Eumovate Cream, Patient Information Leaflet: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/3807/pil