Corticosteroid cream is normally used to treat a number of skin conditions topically. The most common active ingredient is a 0.5-2.5% dose of hydrocortisone which can relieve inflammation because of minor skin irritations and rashes. The different strengths are usually essential when looking at different bodily applications, for example corticosteroid cream for hemorrhoids in a sensitive area like the groin is generally a lower preparation than that used somewhere else. It is generally sold at any drugstore in some form although there are different ingredients based on brand and use available while purchasing corticosteroid cream over the counter. More severe conditions will need prescription for higher dosages of corticosteroid creams like those used to treat dermatitis, scabies, and psoriasis. It is usually used to manage symptoms rather than treat the actual cause.

A prescription dosage of corticosteroid cream can be as high as 600% more effective than a hydrocortizone cream you may find in store. For instance dexamethasone cream is one of the most potent available and is nearly 30 times more potent than the naturally occurring hormone cortisol. Prescription strength creams are often an important factor in patient healing since they will let the skin rest and not be agitated by the patients constant scratching. This could even be true of a general cortisol cream when used in regards to bug bites or plant irritations. There are various corticosteroid cream brands available both as a prescription and over the counter. For instance Aveeno Anti Itch cream and Good Sense has a gentle form of corticosteroid, while CVS and other retailers offer their own version of the preferred hydrocortisone. There are some side-effects to using corticosteroid creams and though these might not be severe it is necessary to know about them before beginning the regime and reporting them to your doctor upon occurrence.

Topical corticosteroids can even be prescribed by vets and open places such as PetsMart or PetCo will have a dispensary for pet medicines like corticosteroids. There are also web sites such as 1800petmeds who specialize in pet medications and stock corticosteroid cream for veterinary use. It isn't advised to use these drugs to replace those approved for human beings because they often contain various ingredients that aren't safe. Normally these creams, like fluocinonide cream, are used to treat allergies although they can even have serious side effects for your pet.

When looking at where to purchase your corticosteroid cream it is necessary to know how strong you need to use and if it is available without having a prescription. Chances are you have seen your healthcare provider and they advised it, so if they have given you a prescription, say for betamethasone cream, you may need to take it to your normal pharmacy and drop it off along with any other prescription. The fantastic thing about having a regular pharmacy is that they will even have records of your other medications and can tell you if you have any possible drug interactions from your corticosteroid cream. When dealing with any medicine it is necessary to follow the guidelines given by your physician or pharmacist for your dosage or risk severe problems.

If your doctor doesn't have an on site pharmacy consider going to a general pharmacy store such as CVS or Walgreen's. Usually they have the same products and knowledge that the healthcare centers do and certainly can offer the same level of care and knowledge when purchasing your corticosteroid cream. Many grocery chains also have their own pharmacy section that will even give you points towards store discounts for purchasing with them.

Corticosteroid cream