Precautions and Warnings With Desonide Cream

• Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
• Are breastfeeding
• Have any allergies, including to foods, dyes, or preservatives.

• Desonide cream is a steroid and can cause serious side effects, such as Cushing's syndrome or diabetes. Although this is more likely to occur with oral or injectable steroids, it is still possible with topical steroids, including desonide cream. The more you apply and the longer you use the drug, the more likely these problems are to occur. Covering the medicine with a dressing (which is generally not recommended) may also increase this risk.

• If you use this medication for an extended period of time, it may lead to Cushing's syndrome (a group of symptoms caused by prolonged exposure to steroids). Contact your healthcare provider if you develop signs of this condition, such as:

• A rounded face
• Unusual body fat distribution (more fat in the trunk, face, and neck, and less fat in the extremities)
• High blood sugar levels.

• Desonide cream can suppress the body's ability to make natural steroids. This typically happens when large doses are used over a long period of time. In such circumstances, desonide cream should be stopped gradually, to give your body a chance to begin making its own natural steroids again. If this is not feasible, you might need to take an oral steroid for a while (after which you will slowly be weaned off the oral steroid).

• Like all steroids, desonide cream may slow down the growth rate of children and teenagers. Contact your child's healthcare provider if you are concerned about a slow growth rate in your child. In general, children may be more susceptible to the side effects of steroids. Close monitoring is necessary for any child receiving long-term steroids.

• Desonide cream may react with a few other medications (see Drug Interactions With Desonide Cream).

• Desonide cream is a pregnancy Category C medication. This means that it may not be safe for use during pregnancy, although the full risks are currently unknown (see DesOwen and Pregnancy).

• It is unknown if desonide cream (when applied on the skin) passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start, discuss this with your healthcare provider before using this product (see DesOwen and Breastfeeding).