Clobetasol propionate is a

corticosteroid Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates, as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones. Two main classes of corticosteroids, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, are invo ...

that is used to treat skin conditions such as

eczema Dermatitis is a term used for different types of skin inflammation, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened ...

contact dermatitis Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents. Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes ...

seborrheic dermatitis Seborrhoeic dermatitis (also spelled seborrheic dermatitis in American English) is a long-term skin disorder. Symptoms include flaky, scaly, greasy, and occasionally itchy and inflamed skin. Areas of the skin rich in sebum, oil-producing gland ...

, steroid responsive dermatosis, and

psoriasis Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small localized patches to complete b ...

(including scalp and plaque-type). It is applied to the skin as a cream, foam, gel, liquid, solution, ointment, or shampoo. Clobetasol propionate is a

propionate Propionic acid (, from the Greek words πρῶτος : ''prōtos'', meaning "first", and πίων : ''píōn'', meaning "fat"; also known as propanoic acid) is a naturally occurring carboxylic acid with chemical formula . It is a liquid with a p ...

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...

of the

clobetasol. Common side effects include skin irritation, dry skin, redness, pimples, and

telangiectasia Telangiectasias (), also known as spider veins, are small dilated blood vessels that can occur near the surface of the skin or mucous membranes, measuring between 0.5 and 1 millimeter in diameter. These dilated blood vessels can develop anywhere ...

. Serious side effects may include

adrenal suppression Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones. The adrenal glands—also referred to as the adrenal cortex—normally secrete glucocorticoids (primarily cortisol), mineraloco ...

allergic reactions Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, alle ...

cellulitis Cellulitis is usually a bacterial infection involving the inner layers of the skin. It specifically affects the dermis and subcutaneous fat. Signs and symptoms include an area of redness which increases in size over a few days. The borders of ...

, and

Cushing's syndrome Cushing's syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms due to prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids such as cortisol. Signs and symptoms may include high blood pressure, abdominal obesity but with thin arms and legs, reddish stretch marks, ...

. Use in

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...

and

breastfeeding Breastfeeding, also known as nursing, is the process where breast milk is fed to a child. Infants may suck the milk directly from the breast, or milk may be extracted with a Breast pump, pump and then fed to the infant. The World Health Orga ...

is of unclear safety. Clobetasol is believed to work by activating

steroid receptor Steroid hormone receptors are found in the nucleus, cytosol, and also on the plasma membrane of target cells. They are generally intracellular receptors (typically cytoplasmic or nuclear) and initiate signal transduction for steroid hormones which ...

s. Clobetasol propionate was patented in 1968 and came into medical use in 1978. It is available as a

generic medication A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...

. In 2022, it was the 156th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3million prescriptions.

Medical uses

Clobetasol propionate is used for the treatment of various skin disorders including

herpes labialis A cold sore is a type of herpes infection caused by the herpes simplex virus that affects primarily the lip. Symptoms typically include a burning pain followed by small blisters or sores. The first attack may also be accompanied by fever, sore ...

, and

lichen sclerosus Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease, of unknown cause, which can affect any body part of any person, but has a strong preference for the genitals (penis, vulva), and is also known as balanitis xerotica obliterans when i ...

. It is also used to treat several

auto-immune In immunology, autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other normal body constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an " autoimmune disease ...

diseases including

alopecia areata Alopecia areata (AA), also known as spot baldness, is a condition in which hair loss, hair is lost from some or all areas of the body. It often results in a few Baldness, bald spots on the scalp, each about the size of a coin. Psychological st ...

lichen planus Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease that affects the skin, nails, hair, and mucous membranes. It is not an actual lichen, but is named for its appearance. It is characterized by polygonal, flat-topped, violaceous p ...

(auto immune skin nodules), and

mycosis fungoides Mycosis fungoides, also known as Alibert-Bazin syndrome or granuloma fungoides, is the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It generally affects the skin, but may progress internally over time. Symptoms include rash, tumors, skin lesio ...

(T-cell skin lymphoma). It is used as a first-line treatment for both acute and chronic

GVHD Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a syndrome, characterized by inflammation in different organs. GvHD is commonly associated with bone marrow transplants and stem cell transplants. White blood cells of the donor's immune system which remain ...

of the skin. Clobetasol propionate is used cosmetically for skin whitening, although this use is controversial. The US

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

has not approved it for that purpose, and sales without a prescription are illegal in the US. Nonetheless, skin-whitening creams containing this ingredient can sometimes be found in beauty supply stores in New York City and on the internet. It is also sold internationally and does not require a prescription in some countries. Whitening creams with clobetasol propionate, such as Hyprogel, can make skin thin and easily bruised, with visible capillaries, and acne. It can also lead to hypertension, elevated blood sugar, suppression of the body's natural steroids, and stretch marks, which may be permanent. Clobetasol propionate is, along with mercury and

hydroquinone Hydroquinone, also known as benzene-1,4-diol or quinol, is an aromatic organic compound that is a type of phenol, a derivative of benzene, having the chemical formula C6H4(OH)2. It has two hydroxyl groups bonded to a benzene ring in a ''para' ...

, "amongst the most toxic, the latter in higher concentrations, and most used agents in lightening products." Many products sold illegally have higher concentrations of clobetasol propionate than is permitted for prescription drugs. Clobetasol 0.05% is considered a member of the "super-high potency" group of topical corticosteroids out of seven total groups in the United States classification system of topical corticosteroids.

Society and culture

Brand names

Clobetasol propionate is marketed and sold worldwide under many names, including Clobex, Clob-x, Clovate, Clobet, Clonovate, Cormax, Haloderm, Pentasol, Cosvate, Clop, Propysalic, Temovate, Dermovate, Olux, ClobaDerm, Tenovate, Dermatovate, Butavate, Movate, Novate, Salac, Powercort, Lotasbat, Kloderma, Lemonvate, Clobesol, Dovate, Delor, Psovate, Clinoderm hailandand Skineal.

References

{{Portal bar , Medicine Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate Corticosteroid esters Corticosteroids Propionate esters Organochlorides Organofluorides