What is Desonide?
Desonide is a drug used to treat various skin conditions. For example, eczema, dermatitis, allergies, rashes, and others. This drug is able to reduce swelling, itching and redness that can occur in these skin conditions.
This medication is in the mild corticosteroid class. It is also a topical medication that you can find in the form of gels, ointments, creams, lotions, and foams. You can only get this medication with a doctor’s prescription.
- Drug class: Prescription drugs.
- Category: Topical corticosteroids.
- Benefits: Overcoming inflammatory skin problems with itching, swelling, redness, eczema, dermatitis, allergies, and psoriasis.
- Consumption: Adults.
- Desonide for pregnancy and lactation: Category C: Animal studies have shown fetal interactions, but there are no specific studies in pregnant women. If you are pregnant or lactating, you should consult your doctor before using this medication.
- Trademarks: Desnicort, Dermades, Apolar, Cordeson, Calacort, Desolex, Meprolar, Desolex-N, Merprolar-N.
Benefits of Desonide
Desonide is useful for treating skin problems that can cause itching, redness, or swelling. This drug works in two ways, namely by reducing the amount of inflammatory chemicals that cause redness, itching and swelling.
That way, inflammation will also be reduced. Well, the second is by reducing the body’s immune response, so it can help overcome skin problems that occur due to a sensitive immune system, such as eczema.
Desonide Side Effects
Topical desonide medication can often cause reactions to the treated skin. Common side effects include:
- Redness.
- Stinging sensation.
- Burning sensation.
- Irritation.
- Rash.
- Worsening of skin conditions.
- Exfoliation.
- Itchy.
- Swelling.
- Dryness or crustiness.
If the side effects are mild, they usually go away within a few days or weeks. If you have more severe side effects or if they don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Desonide can also cause serious side effects. Call your doctor or go to the hospital right away if you experience any of these side effects:
- Infection. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, and cough.
- Heat rash. Symptoms include painful blisters, red bumps, itching, and prickling sensations in the skin.
- Other changes in the skin that has been treated such as loss of skin color, thinning skin, and spider veins (small blood vessels that can be seen through the skin.
- Swelling of the face, lips, and tongue.
Warnings Before Taking Desonide
Here are some things you need to pay attention to when using this drug:
- Before using desonide, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other corticosteroids (such as hydrocortisone, prednisone); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
- Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially if you have poor circulation, high blood sugar, immune system problems, other skin conditions (such as rosacea, perioral dermatitis).
- Use this medication exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not use more, more often, or for longer than your doctor recommends. Doing so may cause unwanted side effects or skin irritation.
- This medication is for use on the skin only. Do not get it in your eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina. Do not use on any skin area that has cuts, scrapes, or burns. If it comes into contact with these areas, rinse immediately with water.
- During pregnancy, you should use this medication only if you really need it. Discuss the risks and benefits with your obstetrician.
- Do not use topical gel on the groin or underarms unless recommended by your doctor.
- Do not use desonide for more than 4 weeks.
Desonide Trademark
Here are some brands of drugs containing desonide that you can use:
- Desolex 0.05% Lotion 30 ml. Is a medicine to treat skin problems with inflammatory and itchy conditions due to dermatitis, both atopic and contact, various types of eczema, erythema, and sunburn.
- Apolar, 0.5 mg/g Cream 10 g. The desonide content in this drug is a non-fluorinated synthetic corticosteroid compound used as an anti-inflammatory.
- Dermades 0.05% Ointment 10 g. Classified as a topical medicine, this medicine is useful for helping to overcome skin diseases, such as itching, inflammation due to sunburn, and inflammation of the skin that has been too long.
- Dermanide 0.5% Cream 10 g. Used to treat various types of dermatitis and has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Desnicort Cream 10 g. Can be used for various forms of dermatitis, such as atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and other dermatitis. In the form of a topical cream, this medicine can be used by applying a thin layer to the infected skin area 2-4 times a day.
Desonide Dosage
The dosage of this medication may vary depending on the skin condition you are treating. Be sure to follow your doctor’s advice or the directions on the medication packaging.
The following are general doses of desonide:
For atopic dermatitis (in foam or gel form)
- Adults: Apply a thin layer of medication to the affected skin area 2 times daily.
- Children 3 months and older: Apply a thin layer of medication to the affected skin area 2 times daily.
- Children under 3 months of age: Use and dosage should be determined by a doctor.
For redness, itching and swelling of the skin (the medicine is usually in the form of a cream, ointment or lotion)
- Adults: Apply to affected skin areas 2 or 3 times daily.
- Children: Use and dosage must be determined by a doctor.
How to Use Desonide
How to use desonide is recommended only on the skin. Here’s how to use it:
- First of all, before using the medicine, wash your hands first. Then, clean and dry the skin area you want to treat.
- Apply a thin layer of the medication to the area and gently rub it in, usually 2-3 times a day, or as directed by your doctor. If you are using the gel form of desonide, apply the gel usually only 2 times a day.
Do not cover or wrap the area with a bandage unless your doctor recommends it. If using it in the diaper area on a baby, do not use tight diapers or plastic pants.
It is important for mothers to know how to treat atopic dermatitis in babies so that they can properly treat the skin problems that bother their little ones.
Protect the skin area where you have applied the medicine as much as possible from water or clothing until the medicine dries. If using desonide in lotion form, shake it well before use.
After applying the medication, wash and dry your hands, unless you are using this medication to treat your hands. When applying this medication near the eyes, avoid contact with the eyes as it may worsen or cause glaucoma, or cause irritation.
Also, avoid putting this medicine in your nose or mouth. If this medicine comes into contact with your eyes, nose, or mouth, rinse immediately with plenty of water.
You may also only use this medication for certain conditions.
Desonide Interactions
Desonide may cause interactions when used with certain medications. These interactions may change how the medications work or increase the risk of serious side effects.
So, it is important to tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking or using, from non-prescription medicines, prescription medicines, herbal medicines, to vitamin supplements.
Some products that may interact with desonide include oral corticosteroids (such as prednisone), other topical corticosteroids (such as hydrocortisone), drugs that suppress the immune system (such as cyclosporine).
Desonide Contraindications
Desonide is contraindicated in any patient who has a history of desonide hypersensitivity or hypersensitivity to any ingredient in the drug. This topical corticosteroid drug also needs to be used with caution in people with diabetes mellitus.
Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers need to discuss it with their doctor first if they want to use desonide, and it is not recommended to use this drug in large amounts.
