Diflorasone diacetate is a type of corticosteroid medication that is used to treat various skin conditions. Corticosteroids are a class of drugs that reduce inflammation in the body. Diflorasone diacetate specifically works by inhibiting the production of inflammatory substances in the skin.
What is diflorasone diacetate used for?
Diflorasone diacetate can be used to treat a variety of inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, and seborrheic dermatitis. It is also sometimes used to treat insect bites, poison ivy, and other minor skin irritations.
Diflorasone diacetate is typically applied to the affected area of skin once or twice per day. It is important to follow the instructions of your doctor or pharmacist when using this medication. Be sure to wash your hands before and after applying diflorasone diacetate.
Diflorasone diacetate brand names
Diflorasone diacetate is a generic name of the drug. Below are the list of brand names used:
United states:
Apexicon, Apexicon E, Maxiflor, Psorcon, Psorcon E
Canada:
Florone, Flutone
Which body parts should be avoided when using diflorasone diacetate?
Only the skin may be treated with this medicine. Avoid using diflorasone topical on the face, in the vaginal and rectal areas, as well as in skin folds and armpits, unless your doctor instructs you to. Do not let diflorasone topical get into your eyes or mouth, and do not ingest it.
Avoid using tight-fitting diapers or plastic pants while applying diflorasone to a child’s diaper area. Side effects could worsen with such use.
How long does diflorasone diacetate stay in your system?
The amount of time that diflorasone diacetate stays in your system is dependent on the duration of use of the medicine. Some research suggests that suppression of cortisol levels is still apparent 96 hours after topical use of corticosteroid creams, which implies that diflorasone diacetate can stay in your system for long periods of time, possibly for up to a few weeks. Diflorasone diacetate is not recommended for long term use. More research is required about the half-life of diflorasone diacetate and how long it stays in your system.
According to the NHS, for people who use diflorasone diacetate for extended periods of time (more than 12 months in adults), a withdrawal reaction may occur which can include:
- redness or changes in skin color (hyperpigmentation)
- burning, stinging, itching or peeling of the skin, or oozing, open sores
What are the side effects of diflorasone diacetate?
According to MedlinePlus, diflorasone diacetate may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- burning, itching, irritation, redness, or drying or cracking of the skin
- acne
- rash
- increased hair growth
- change in skin color
- bruising or shiny skin
- tiny red bumps or rash around the mouth
- small white or red bumps on the skin
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
- redness, swelling, oozing pus or other signs of skin infection in the place where you applied diflorasone
- changes in the way fat is spread around the body
- sudden weight gain
- unusual tiredness
- muscle weakness
- depression and irritability
Children who use topical diflorasone may be more likely to experience negative side effects, such as reduced growth and delayed weight gain. Discuss the dangers of giving your child medication topically with your doctor.
There may be more negative effects with diflorasone. If you experience any strange issues while taking this drug, call your doctor right away.
Why does my skin burn when I apply diflorasone diacetate to my skin?
If your skin burns after applying diflorasone diacetate to your skin, you may have an allergic reaction to the steroid cream and your skin cannot tolerate it. Diflorasone diacetate also contains cetostearyl alcohol which may cause acute allergic reactions.
How do I taper down from using diflorasone diacetate?
To taper down from using diflorasone diacetate many doctors advise adjusting to using a weaker steroid cream over an extended period of time. This is commonly known as climbing down the topical steroid ladder.
Which steroid creams are weaker than diflorasone diacetate?
Diflorasone diacetate is a super-potent topical steroid according to the Topical Steroid Potency Strength Chart. Below are the topical steroids weaker than diflorasone diacetate:
- Fluocinonide
- Flurandrenolide 4 mcg/cm2
- Halobetasol propionate
- Amcinonide
- Betamethasone dipropionate
- Augmented betamethasone dipropionate
- Desoximetasone
- Halcinonide
- Mometasone furoate
- Fluticasone propionate
- Triamcinolone acetonide 0.5%
- Betamethasone valerate
- Fluocinolone acetonide
- Flurandrenolide
- Hydrocortisone valerate
- Triamcinolone acetonide
- Betamethasone valerate 0.1%
- Clocortolone pivalate
- Hydrocortisone butyrate
- Hydrocortisone probutate
- Hydrocortisone valerate 0.2%
- Prednicarbate
- Alclometasone dipropionate
- Desonide 0.05%
- Hydrocortisone 0.5% – 2.5%
- Hydrocortisone
Which steroid creams are stronger than diflorasone diacetate?
The following are topical steroids that are stronger than diflorasone diacetate:
- Augmented betamethasone dipropionate
- Clobetasol propionate
- Desoximetasone
- Augmented diflorasone diacetate
What happens when you use diflorasone diacetate too often?
If you use diflorasone diacetate too frequently or for an extended period of time, tolerance or tachyphylaxis to that potency level of steroid cream may develop. Diflorasone diacetate is not recommended for extended use which may result in some of the common side effects listed above. Consult with your doctor if you have concerns.
Does diflorasone diacetate cause topical steroid withdrawal?
More research is required to understand the complexity of Topical Steroid Withdrawal and its specific connection to diflorasone diacetate. Diflorasone diacetate is a highly potent corticosteroid commonly used for skin conditions and the side effects of discontinuing the use of this topical steroid medicine is yet to be studied.
Throughout online groups and communities, there are serious concerns, accounts, discussions and images about corticosteroid creams (not just diflorasone diacetate) causing Topical Steroid Withdrawal. The accounts and experiences of the Topical Steroid Withdrawal community continues to grow and has gathered media wide attention for the aesthetic physical severity of many suffering.
Topical Steroid Withdrawal is an iatrogenic health phenomena that requires more research and studies. The International Topical Steroid Awareness Network (ITSAN) is currently building a patient registry to begin preliminary studies.
Is there treatment for Topical Steroid Withdrawal?
Currently, there is no global protocol or medical treatment for topical steroid withdrawal. At TSW Assist, we are identifying crowd sourced insights of products, routines, and therapies that can help manage the inflammation and symptoms during the withdrawal period from topical steroids. Currently, there is no quick cure for Topical Steroid Withdrawal.
Through the community, we are finding insights of the management of the symptoms of TSW, through the tracking of the efficacy of specific products, methods and therapies.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is not medical advice. There is no known medical cure for topical steroid withdrawal, but there are collective methods to manage the symptom and inflammation during the withdrawal period. It should not be mistaken that all usage of steroid creams will cause topical steroid withdrawal. More clinical research is required to understand the cause of Topical Steroid Withdrawal within an individual.
