Hydrocortisone valerate is a type of medicine called a topical corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are a type of medication that is used to treat inflammatory conditions.
What is Hydrocortisone valerate used for?
Hydrocortisone valerate is a prescription medication used to treat inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Hydrocortisone valerate works by reducing inflammation and redness in the skin.
Hydrocortisone valerate is available as a cream, ointment, or solution. Hydrocortisone valerate is applied to the affected area of skin two or three times daily.
Hydrocortisone valerate brand names
Hydrocortisone valerate is the generic name of the drug. The brand names used for this drug are the following:
United States:
- Westcort
Canada
- Hydroval, Tarocort
Which body parts should be avoided when using Hydrocortisone valerate?
This medicine should only be used for problems being treated by your doctor. Check with your doctor before using it for other problems, especially if you think that an infection may be present. This medicine should not be used to treat certain kinds of skin infections or serious problems, such as severe burns. Do not use this medicine on the face, groin, or underarms unless directed to do so by your doctor.
How long does Hydrocortisone valerate stay in your system?
The amount of time that Hydrocortisone valerate 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 Hydrocortisone valerate can stay in your system for long periods of time, possibly for up to a few weeks. Hydrocortisone valerate is not recommended for long term use. More research is required about the half-life of Hydrocortisone valerate and how long it stays in your system.
According to the NHS, for people who use Hydrocortisone valerate 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 Hydrocortisone valerate?
The Mayo Clinic explains that the use of hydrocortisone valerate may or may not have side effects. Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
- Skin rash, encrusted, scaly, and oozing
- stinging
Less common
- Burning, itching, redness, skin rash, swelling, or soreness at the application site
- cough or hoarseness
- dry skin
- fever or chills
- itching in the genital or other skin areas
- lower back or side pain
- painful or difficult urination
- rash
- rash with flat lesions or small raised lesions on the skin
- skin irritation
Incidence not known
- Blistering, burning, crusting, dryness, or flaking of the skin
- itching, scaling, severe redness, soreness, or swelling of the skin
- redness and scaling around the mouth
- thinning of the skin with easy bruising, especially when used on facial or intertriginous areas.
Why does my skin burn when I apply Hydrocortisone valerate to my skin?
If your skin burns after applying Hydrocortisone valerate to your skin, you may have an allergic reaction to the steroid cream and your skin cannot tolerate it. Hydrocortisone valerate also contains cetostearyl alcohol which may cause acute allergic reactions.
How do I taper down from using Hydrocortisone valerate?
To taper down from using Hydrocortisone valerate 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 Hydrocortisone valerate?
Hydrocortisone valerate is a medium-strength topical steroid. Below is the list of topical steroids that are weaker than 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 Hydrocortisone valerate?
Since hydrocortisone valerate is a medium-strength topical steroid, there are stronger options available and here are some of them:
- Augmented betamethasone dipropionate
- Clobetasol propionate
- Desoximetasone
- Augmented diflorasone diacetate
- Diflorasone diacetate
- Fluocinonide
- Flurandrenolide 4 mcg/cm2
- Halobetasol propionate
- Amcinonide
- Betamethasone dipropionate
- Desoximetasone
- Halcinonide
- Mometasone furoate
- Fluticasone propionate
- Triamcinolone acetonide 0.5%
- Betamethasone valerate
- Fluocinolone acetonide
- Flurandrenolide
What happens when you use Hydrocortisone valerate too often?
If you use Hydrocortisone valerate too frequently or for an extended period of time, tolerance or tachyphylaxis to that potency level of steroid cream may develop. Hydrocortisone valerate 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 Hydrocortisone valerate cause topical steroid withdrawal?
More research is required to understand the complexity of Topical Steroid Withdrawal and its specific connection to Hydrocortisone valerate. Hydrocortisone valerate 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 Hydrocortisone valerate) 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. However, medical advice favours the gradual reduction of topical steroids, rather than stopping usage abruptly.
At TSW Assist, we are identifying crowd sourced insights 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.
