This NHS content is written for people in England. Medicine names, availability, prescribing and services may differ in other countries.
Clobetasone (also known as clobetasone butyrate) is a steroid medicine used on the skin to treat swelling, itching and irritation.
It can help with skin problems such as:
It may also be used to help keep your condition under control between courses of a stronger steroid. This is known as maintenance therapy.
Steroids (or corticosteroids) are copies of hormones your body makes naturally. They are not the same as anabolic steroids.
Clobetasone comes as cream or ointment. It's available on prescription or you can buy it from a pharmacy or shop.
There is also a cream called clobetasol, which sounds similar to clobetasone. This is a much stronger steroid cream and is only available on prescription.
Sometimes clobetasone is combined with the antibiotic oxytetracycline and the antifungal nystatin. This is called by the brand name Trimovate.
View the original NHS website page ↗. Refreshed 19 August 2026.
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