Hydrocortisone is a medication used to treat a variety of skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, allergies, rash, itching of the outer, insect bites, and poison oak/ivy. It is a corticosteroid that works by activating natural substances in the skin to reduce swelling, redness, and itching. Hydrocortisone is available in different forms such as cream, ointment, lotion, and topical cream with varying strengths of 0.5%, 1%, and 2.5% .
Positive aspects of hydrocortisone:
- It is effective in reducing swelling, redness, and itching caused by skin conditions.
- It is available over-the-counter and with a doctors prescription.
- It is the maximum-strength itch relief available over the counter.
- It is the #1 Doctor Recommended OTC Topical Anti-Itch Brand.
Negative aspects of hydrocortisone:
- It may cause side effects such as stinging, burning, irritation, dryness, or redness at the application site, acne, excessive hair growth, small red bumps on the skin (folliculitis), skin thinning/discoloration, or stretch marks.
- It may cause serious side effects such as severe rash, redness, swelling, or other signs of skin infection in the place where you applied hydrocortisone.
- It may cause allergic reactions or other problems in people who are allergic to hydrocortisone or any of the ingredients in hydrocortisone topical products.
Ingredients or materials:
- Hydrocortisone acetate is the active ingredient in hydrocortisone topical products.
- Hydrocortisone topical products may contain inactive ingredients such as sulfites that can cause allergic reactions or other problems.
- Some hydrocortisone topical products may contain additional active ingredients such as aloe, bacitracin, neomycin, polymyxin B, pramoxine, or acyclovir[[4]](https://www.cortizone10.com/en-us/all-a...
