| fluticasone topical |
| Pronunciation: floo TIK a sone TOP i kal |
| Brand: Cutivate |
| What is the most important information I should know about fluticasone topical? |
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Do not use fluticasone topical in larger amounts, or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Topical steroid medicine can be absorbed through the skin, which may cause steroid side effects throughout the body. |
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Do not cover treated skin areas with a bandage or other covering. Covering the skin that is treated with fluticasone topical can increase the amount of medicine your skin absorbs, which may lead to unwanted side effects. |
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Do not use this medication on a child younger than 12 years old without medical advice. Children are more likely to absorb large amounts of a topical steroid through the skin. Steroid absorption in children may cause unwanted side effects, or a delay in growth with long-term use. Talk with your doctor if you think your child is not growing at a normal rate while using this medication. |
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Contact your doctor if your condition does not improve after 2 weeks of using this medicine, or if you develop signs of a bacterial, fungal, or viral skin infection. |
| What is fluticasone topical? |
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Fluticasone is a steroid. It reduces the actions of chemicals in the body that cause inflammation, redness, and swelling. |
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Fluticasone topical (for the skin) is used to treat the inflammation and itching caused by a number of skin conditions such as allergic reactions, eczema, and psoriasis. |
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Fluticasone topical should not be used to treat rosacea, severe acne, or viral skin infections such as chickenpox or herpes. Fluticasone should not be used on a child younger than 12 years old. |
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Fluticasone topical may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. |
| What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using fluticasone topical? |
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You should not use this medication if you are allergic to fluticasone or formaldehyde. |
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To make sure you can safely use fluticasone topical, tell your doctor if you have any type of skin infection. |
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FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether fluticasone topical will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. |
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It is not known whether fluticasone topical passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. |
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Do not use this medication on a child younger than 12 years old without medical advice. Children are more likely to absorb large amounts of a topical steroid through the skin. Steroid absorption in children may cause unwanted side effects, or a delay in growth with long-term use. Talk with your doctor if you think your child is not growing at a normal rate while using this medication. |
| How should I use fluticasone topical? |
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Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Topical steroid medicine can be absorbed through the skin, which may cause steroid side effects throughout the body. |
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Wash your hands before and after using fluticasone topical, unless you are using the medication to treat the skin on your hands. |
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Apply a small amount to the affected area and rub it gently into the skin. Do not apply the medication over a large area of skin, or use it long-term on the face. |
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If you are treating your scalp, part the hair and apply the medicine directly to the scalp, rubbing in gently. Avoid washing or rubbing the treated scalp area right away. Wait until the medicine has dried thoroughly. |
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Do not cover treated skin areas with a bandage or other covering. Covering the skin that is treated with fluticasone topical can increase the amount of medicine your skin absorbs, which may lead to unwanted side effects. |
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Contact your doctor if your condition does not improve after 2 weeks of using this medicine, or if you develop signs of a bacterial, fungal, or viral skin infection. Use fluticasone topical regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely. |
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To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects with long-term use, you may need blood tests. Do not miss any scheduled appointments. |
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If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using fluticasone topical. |
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Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Do not freeze. |
| What happens if I miss a dose? |
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Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose. |
| What happens if I overdose? |
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Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. |
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An overdose of fluticasone is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms. However, long-term use of high steroid doses can lead to symptoms such as thinning skin, easy bruising, changes in the shape or location of body fat (especially in your face, neck, back, and waist), increased acne or facial hair, menstrual problems, impotence, or loss of interest in sex. |
| What should I avoid while using fluticasone topical? |
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Do not use fluticasone topical to treat any skin condition that has not been checked by your doctor. |
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Do not use this medication to treat skin conditions around your mouth, rectum, or genital areas. |
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When using fluticasone to treat the skin around your eyes, avoid getting the medication directly into your eyes. If contact does occur, rinse with water. Do not use fluticasone topical on broken or infected skin. Also avoid using this medication in open wounds. |
| What are the possible side effects of fluticasone topical? |
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Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. |
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Although the risk of serious side effects is low when fluticasone topical is applied to the skin, side effects can occur if the medication is absorbed into your bloodstream. |
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Stop using fluticasone topical and call your doctor at once if you have signs of absorbing fluticasone topical through your skin, such as: |
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blurred vision, or seeing halos around lights; |
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sleep problems (insomnia); |
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weight gain, puffiness in your face; or |
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muscle weakness, feeling tired. |
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Less serious side effects may include: |
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mild skin itching, burning, peeling, or dryness; |
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changes in color of treated skin; |
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thinning or softening of your skin; |
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skin rash or irritation around your mouth; |
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redness or crusting around your hair follicles; |
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blisters, pimples, or crusting of treated skin; or |
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This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. |
| What other drugs will affect fluticasone topical? |
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It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on topically applied fluticasone topical. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. |
| Where can I get more information? |
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Your pharmacist can provide more information about fluticasone topical. |
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2011 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 9.01. Revision Date: 4/14/2011.
