Ultravate (Halobetasol propionate) for Eczema

Overview
Ultravate is a prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat plaque psoriasis in people aged 18 and older. Ultravate is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat eczema. Ultravate is also known by its drug name, halobetasol propionate.

Ultravate is a highly potent corticosteroid. It is believed that Ultravate works by suppressing immune system activity.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Ultravate is applied to the affected area twice daily.

Ultravate comes in the form of a lotion.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Ultravate lists common side effects including headache, skin atrophy (thinning, wrinkling, or visible depressions of the skin), and spider veins. Topical corticosteroids have also been known to cause stretch marks, excessive hair growth, secondary infection, perioral dermatitis (rash around the mouth), allergic contact dermatitis, and folliculitis (inflammation of hair follicles).

Rare but serious side effects for corticosteroids include high blood sugar, systemic toxicity (especially in children), cataracts, glaucoma, and reversible hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression (a dysfunction of the adrenal system).

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Ultravate — Sun Dermatology
www.ultravatelotion.com

Prescription Topicals — National Eczema Association
www.nationaleczema.org/eczema/treatment/topicals/