Common side effects
Some people feel burning or stinging for a few minutes when they put clobetasol cream on their skin. This usually stops happening after you've been using it for a few days.
If your doctor has prescribed high doses of clobetasol, or you're also taking other steroid medicines or tablets for fungal infections or HIV, you may get symptoms of underactive adrenal glands as a side effect.
Ask your doctor if you need to carry a steroid emergency card.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects are rare. They happen to less than 1 in 10,000 people who use clobetasol. You're more likely to have a serious side effect if you use clobetasol on a large area of skin for a long time.
Clobetasol cream contains cetostearyl alcohol, which may cause a skin reaction in the area you are treating, and chlorocresol, which may cause an allergic reaction.
Stop using clobetasol and call a doctor or call 111 now if:
- your skin becomes more red (which may be more difficult to see on black or brown skin), or swollen, you get white patches on your skin or yellow fluid is weeping from your skin – these are signs of a new skin infection or an existing one getting worse
- you are using clobetasol for psoriasis and you get raised bumps filled with pus (pustules) under the skin
- you have stomach pain, feel sick or are being sick, have muscle weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, you feel dizzy, faint or very tired, or your mood changes – these can be signs of adrenal gland problems
- you feel confused, sleepy, more thirsty or more hungry than usual, you pee more often, have hot flushes or your breath smells of fruit – these can be signs of high blood sugar
- you have any new problems with your eyesight after starting to use clobetasol
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to clobetasol.
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Long-term side effects
Using clobetasol for a long time can make your skin thinner or cause stretch marks. Stretch marks are likely to be permanent, but they usually fade over time.
Children and teenagers
In very rare cases, using clobetasol for a long time can slow down the normal growth of children and teenagers. This is because it is a steroid.
Your child's doctor will monitor their height and weight carefully while they are using this medicine. This will help them spot any slowing down of your child's growth and change their treatment if needed.
Even if your child's growth slows down, it does not seem to have much effect on their eventual adult height.
Talk to a doctor if you're worried. They will be able to explain the benefits and risks of your child using clobetasol.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of clobetasol. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.