betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid at a glance
Medicine class
Topical antibiotic combined with a potent corticosteroid.
Licensed role
Inflamed eczematous skin with confirmed or suspected secondary bacterial infection.
How it is used
Applied only to affected skin. Avoid the eyes and wash your hands afterwards unless treating them.
Fire warning
Treated fabric can burn more easily; keep it away from smoking and naked flames.
What is betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid used for?
Licensed uses are eczematous skin conditions with confirmed or suspected secondary bacterial infection.
Atopic eczema, including infantile eczema
Discoid eczema
Stasis eczema
Contact eczema
Seborrhoeic eczema
How does betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid work?
Betamethasone valerate reduces skin inflammation, redness and itching. Fusidic acid suppresses susceptible bacteria, including many staphylococci involved in infected eczema.
How to take betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid
Use only on the skin and follow the prescriber's directions.
Wash your hands before use and gently rub the cream onto affected skin.
Wash your hands afterwards unless they are being treated.
Avoid the eyes, mouth and other sensitive areas unless specifically directed.
Do not cover treated skin with a dressing, bandage or nappy unless advised.
Keep treated clothing, bedding and dressings away from cigarettes and naked flames.
betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid side effects
Common or expected effects
- No effects are classified as common in the product information. Reported local effects include itching, burning, dryness, irritation, pain, contact dermatitis or worsening eczema.
Get urgent medical advice
- Difficulty breathing, facial or throat swelling, or a severe rash may indicate hypersensitivity.
- Blurred vision, eye pain or another new visual disturbance needs prompt assessment.
- Prolonged or extensive exposure can cause skin thinning and other local steroid effects. Systemic effects such as adrenal suppression are uncommon but possible.
- After prolonged topical steroid use, redness extending beyond the treated area with burning, peeling or oozing may be a withdrawal reaction.
betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid in pregnancy
Use during pregnancy only when clearly necessary because evidence for topical betamethasone valerate is limited. A prescriber should confirm that this combination is appropriate.
betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid while breastfeeding
It can be used while breastfeeding because systemic exposure from limited skin application is expected to be low. Do not apply it to the breasts, prevent the infant touching treated skin and wash your hands before handling the baby.
betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid interactions
Formal interaction studies have not been performed. Systemic interactions are considered minimal because the cream is applied topically.
Systemically administered medicines
Clinically important interactions are considered unlikely, but the prescriber should know about all medicines being used.
Common questions about betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is betamethasone valerate + fusidic acid used for?
It treats inflammatory eczema or dermatitis when bacterial infection is confirmed or suspected.
Is it an antibiotic or a steroid?
It contains both: fusidic acid is an antibiotic and betamethasone valerate is a potent topical corticosteroid.
Can it treat any skin infection?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.