An Overview of Uses for Alclometasone
Alclometasone dipropionate (
Aclovate®) is a prescription skin medication used to treat inflammation and itching due to a wide variety of conditions. Some of these conditions include but are not limited to:
Specifically, alclometasone is approved to treat itching and inflammation due to any skin condition that is responsive to corticosteroids (alclometasone is a corticosteroid).
How Does This Medication Work?
Alclometasone is part of a group of medications known as glucocorticoids, which are a type of corticosteroid (or "steroid" for short). Although glucocorticoids have numerous effects in the body, they are used mostly for their anti-inflammatory or immune-suppressing properties. Alclometasone works by decreasing inflammation and suppressing an overactive immune system.
Is It Safe for Children to Use Alclometasone?
This medication is a relatively mild steroid and is approved for use in children one year of age and older for up to three weeks. It has not been adequately studied for use in young infants or for periods longer than three weeks for children.
As with all steroids, young children are more likely to absorb too much of this medication, perhaps leading to serious side effects. This is especially true if alclometasone is applied to the diaper area. Alclometasone should not be applied to the diaper area, as the diaper acts like a bandage, which increases the absorption of the medication and the risk for serious side effects.
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