Mometasone for skin

Mometasone is used to treat the itching, swollen and irritated skin you may get if you have eczema (different types, including atopic dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis) or psoriasis.

Mometasone skin treatments are a type of medicine known as a steroid (or corticosteroid). They're not the same as anabolic steroids.

Mometasone for skin does not cure conditions like eczema but it reduces the swelling (inflammation) in your skin to help manage your symptoms.

Mometasone skin treatments come as a cream, ointment or scalp lotion.

It's stronger than some other treatments and is usually prescribed when milder steroids, like hydrocortisone, have not worked.

Mometasone skin treatments are available on prescription only.

Mometasone also comes as an inhaler to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a nasal spray for allergic rhinitis, hay fever and nasal polyps.

Most adults and children aged 2 years old and over can use mometasone skin treatments.

Mometasone may not be suitable for some people.

To make sure it's safe for you, tell a doctor or pharmacist before using it if you:

• have ever had an allergic reaction to mometasone or any other medicine
• have chickenpox or shingles
• have acne or rosacea
• have a skin infection
• have broken skin, cuts or itchy skin which is not inflamed or red
• are trying to get pregnant, are already pregnant or you're breastfeeding

You'll usually use mometasone cream or ointment once a day for 1 to 2 weeks. If you think you need it for longer, speak to your doctor.

Creams are better for skin that's moist and weepy. Ointments are thicker and greasier, and are better for dry or flaky areas of skin.

The amount of cream or ointment you need to use is sometimes measured by how much you can squeeze onto the end of your finger (a fingertip unit).

As a general rule, a fingertip unit of cream is enough to treat an area that's twice the size of the palm of your hand.

A fingertip unit of cream is the amount that fits on the end of your finger.

For children, the right amount of cream or ointment depends on their age. A doctor or pharmacist can advise you.

How to apply cream or ointment

1. Wash and dry your hands and then squeeze out the right amount.
2. Spread the cream or ointment in a thin layer over the area of irritated skin.
3. Carefully smooth it into your skin in the direction that your hair grows, until the cream disappears.
4. Use the cream or ointment on all the irritated skin, not just the worst areas.
5. Be careful not to get the cream or ointment on broken skin or cuts.
6. Wash your hands afterwards (unless you're treating the skin on your hands).

Do not use mometasone cream or ointment at the same time as any other creams or ointments, such as moisturiser. Wait at least 20 to 30 minutes before using any other skin product.

If you need to use a dressing, like a bandage or plaster, wait at least 10 minutes after putting mometasone on.

If you're treating a child, do not cover the cream or ointment with dressings, bandages or a nappy. This makes it easier for the medicine to pass through the skin and increases the chance of side effects. If your doctor has prescribed it to treat very severe nappy rash, ask them how much to use and how long to use it for.

You'll usually use the scalp lotion once a day.

How to apply mometasone scalp lotion

You can use the scalp lotion on wet or dry hair.

1. Wash and dry your hands.
2. Unscrew the bottle cap and place the nozzle directly on your scalp.
3. Apply a few drops of scalp lotion to the affected area of the scalp.
4. Gently massage until the lotion disappears.
5. Wash your hands afterwards.

Skin lotions, cream and ointment can dry onto your clothes and bedding. This makes them more likely to catch fire. Avoid naked flames.

This depends on why you're using a mometasone skin treatment. Most people only use it for a few days.

Use it for as long as your doctor has recommended. However, if your skin gets better sooner, check with your doctor before you stop using it.

If you stop using it too soon, your condition could come back. If you need to restart treatment, you may need to use it for longer and this may increase the chances of you getting side effects.

If you have long-term skin problems, such eczema or psoriasis, you may need it for 1 to 2 weeks, or longer.

Once your skin is better, you can use a moisturising treatment (emollient) to stop your symptoms coming back.

You must not use mometasone skin treatments on children for more than 5 days, unless their doctor says to use it for longer.

If your doctor says you can use mometasone on your face, then it's usually OK to use it for up to 5 days. Only use the cream or ointment for longer than 5 days if your doctor tells you to.

Speak to your doctor if your skin gets worse or does not get better within 14 days (or 5 days for a child) of using mometasone skin treatments.

If you forget to use your cream, ointment or scalp lotion, use it as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose. In this case, skip the missed dose and apply the next one at the usual time.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to use your medicine.

Using too much mometasone is unlikely to harm you. But if you use too much on yourself, or a child, wash the area of skin affected carefully until all the cream or ointment has gone.

If you're worried, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

Talk to your doctor before stopping treatment if you've been using mometasone for a long time. They may tell you to gradually use less of it, and use it less often, before you stop completely. This reduces the chance of your symptoms coming back.

Using mometasone for a long time can increase the risk of having a withdrawal reaction when you stop using it. You might have a burning feeling and redness, although this may be more difficult to see on brown or black skin.

The reaction will feel different to the skin condition you've been using mometasone for. It may cover a larger area than the area you were treating.

If you get a withdrawal reaction or your condition comes back within 2 weeks of stopping mometasone, do not start using it again without checking with your doctor

Some people get a burning or stinging feeling for a few minutes when they put mometasone on their skin. This stops happening after you've been using it for a few days.

If you get lighter or darker patches on your skin (this may be more difficult to see on brown or black skin), these are a sign of changes to the pigment in your skin. Speak to your doctor if this happens.

If your skin becomes irritated or sensitive while using mometasone cream, stop using it and tell your doctor straight away.

Speak to a doctor if your condition gets worse while you're using mometasone, or comes back within 2 weeks of stopping treatment. Do not start using mometasone again without speaking to a doctor.

Serious side effects are rare. You're more likely to have a serious side effect if you use mometasone on a large area of skin for a long time.

Using mometasone for a long time can make your skin thinner or cause stretch marks. Stretch marks are likely to be permanent, but they usually fade over time.

If you're on high doses of mometasone, or you're also taking other steroid medicines or tablets for fungal infections or HIV, you may get underactive adrenal glands as a side effect. Ask your doctor if you need to carry a red steroid emergency card (for adults) or an adrenal insufficiency card if the treatment is for a child.

Call your doctor or call 111 now if:

• your skin becomes swollen, yellow fluid is weeping from your skin or your skin becomes redder (redness may be less obvious on brown or black skin) – these are signs of a new skin infection or an existing one getting worse
• you're using mometasone for psoriasis and you get raised bumps filled with pus under your skin
• you have a very upset stomach or you're being sick (vomiting), feel very tired, have very bad dizziness or fainting, muscle weakness, mood changes, loss of appetite and weight loss – these can be signs of adrenal gland problems
• you have new problems with your eyesight after starting to use mometasone

Serious allergic reaction

It happens rarely but it is possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to mometasone.

Call 999 now if:

• your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
• your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
• your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• someone faints and cannot be woken up
• a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.

These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.

Using mometasone skin treatments for a long time without stopping can mean some of the medicine gets into your blood.

Sometimes, there's a very small chance that this can cause serious side effects, such as adrenal gland problems, high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia), or problems with your eyesight.

If you've been using mometasone for a long time, your doctor may tell you to gradually reduce the amount you use before stopping completely.

Sometimes, stopping after a long time can cause a skin reaction within a few days or weeks of stopping treatment (topical steroid withdrawal reaction). You may have a burning feeling and redness, although this may be more difficult to see on brown or black skin. If this happens, ask your doctor for advice.

Children and teenagers

In very rare cases, using mometasone for a long time can slow down the normal growth of children and teenagers.

Your child's doctor will monitor their height and weight carefully for as long as they're using this medicine. This will help them to notice if your child's growth is being affected and change their treatment if needed.

Even if your child's growth slows down, it does not seem to have much effect on their overall adult height.

Talk to your doctor if you're worried. They'll be able to explain the benefits and risks of your child using mometasone.

These are not all the side effects of mometasone. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

Mometasone skin treatments can be used in pregnancy.

Very little of the medicine gets into your blood and almost none gets to your baby. Even if a small amount does get to your baby, it will not harm them.

You can use mometasone skin treatments when breastfeeding, but try to apply it to the smallest areas possible, and try to avoid using it for long periods of time.

It's not known how much mometasone passes into breast milk, but it's only likely to be a tiny amount, and your baby will not absorb much of it into their body. It's unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby.

Take care that your baby does not touch any areas of your body where you've used mometasone. Wash your hands before touching your baby.

If you need to treat your breasts, it might be better to use a medicine that is less strong. However, if you're using mometasone on your breasts, wash off any cream or ointment from your breasts, then wash your hands before feeding your baby.

It's usually better to use cream rather than ointment when breastfeeding, as it's easier to wash off.

If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible.

There's no evidence that mometasone skin treatments affect fertility in either men or women.

Tell your doctor if you're:

• trying to get pregnant
• pregnant
• breastfeeding

It's very unlikely that other medicines will affect the way mometasone skin treatments work.

However, tell a pharmacist or doctor if you're taking:

• medicines used to treat HIV, such as ritonavir or cobicistat
• medicines used to treat fungal infections, such as itraconazole
• other medicines that contain steroids, such as eczema creams, asthma inhalers, steroid tablets, injections, nasal spray, or eye or nose drops

There's not enough information to say that complementary medicines, herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take while using mometasone skin treatments. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.