Patient
Information Leaflet
What
is this leaflet about?
This
leaflet is a summary of information about Alphaderm
Cream. Read it carefully and keep it in case you
need to refer to it again. If you have any questions
about the cream, or your illness, ask your
pharmacist (chemist) or doctor.
What is
in Alphaderm Cream?
Alphaderm
Cream contains the active ingredients hydrocortisone (1%
w/w) and urea (10% w/w) and comes in tubes of 30g and
100g.
The cream
also contains white soft paraffin, maize starch,
isopropyl myristate, glyceryl tribehenate, palmitic
acid, sorbitan laurate and polyoxyethylene fatty
glyceride.
What is
Alphaderm Cream used for?
Hydrocortisone is a steroid which is often used to treat
skin conditions such as eczema. It is not an anabolic
steroid (which are sometimes taken to build up muscle)
but a corticosteroid which fights inflammation.
Urea is used
to soften dry, scaly skin. In Alphaderm, it has the
extra benefit of helping the hydrocortisone to penetrate
deeper into the skin and be more effective.
Is
Alphaderm Cream right for you?
Tell your
doctor BEFORE use, if you have
ever had a reaction to the cream, or to any of its
ingredients (these are listed above) or if you are
pregnant, or think you might be pregnant.
Do not use
the cream on acne, on infected skin or on moist or
weeping skin or on red inflammed skin on the face or
mouth.
For how
long can you use Alphaderm Cream?
The cream
should not be used continuously for a long time. Talk to
your doctor about this if you are not sure whether to
continue using the cream.
How to
use Alphaderm Cream
The cream is
for external use only and should only be applied to the
skin. If you accidentally swallow the cream, drink
plenty of water or milk.
Do not use
the cream under nappies or on the face or eyelids unless
your doctor tells you to.
Special care
is needed when using the cream on children, and the
cream should not be used for longer than 7 days unless
your doctor tells you to.
Adults, Children and the
Elderly:-
Wash
affected areas well, rinse off all traces of soap,
dry and apply a small amount of the cream twice
daily. Your doctor may tell you to cover this with a
special "occlusive" dressing, but this is not
usually necessary.
Does
Alphaderm Cream have side effects?
If used
correctly, as directed by your doctor, steroid creams
are unlikely to cause side effects.
Over-use of
any steroid cream, especially for long periods, on large
areas of skin, can result in the body absorbing too much
steroid. This may occasionally lead to a thinning and
weakening of the skin. Some people with cracked or moist
skin notice irritation when they apply the cream. If you
have a skin infection, this may spread or get worse. Red
marks or lines may appear on the skin, the skin may
become inflammed, you may get acne, or you may see a
mild loss of pigment (colour) in the skin where the
cream is used. Skin thinning may occur where the skin
rubs together or in the nappy area of young children. If
you notice these or any other unusual effects, tell your
doctor.
Storing
Alphaderm Cream
Keep all
medicines out of the reach and sight of children and do
not store above 25˚C.
Do not use
after the expiry date shown on the carton and the base
of the tube.
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