Dermatology Handbook

The professional's guide to product selection

Corticosteroids (group 1, mild)

Canesten Hydrocortisone Athlete’s Foot 1% w/w Cream

Canesten Hydrocortisone Athlete’s Foot 1% w/w Cream

Used to treat athlete’s foot and fungal sweat rash when there are additional symptoms of inflammation (such as swelling, redness and itching). Treats the fungal skin infection and reduces the swelling and itching caused by it. The active substances are clotrimazole and hydrocortisone acetate. Clotrimazole belongs to a group of medicines called imidazoles, which destroy the fungi and some bacteria that cause skin infections. Hydrocortisone acetate is a mild steroid which reduces swelling, redness and itching associated with inflammation of the skin.

Dermacort

The cream formulation of Dermacort was developed in order to optimise the release and partition of its active ingredient, hydrocortisone, into the skin which is presented as a saturated or near saturated solution in aqueous propylene glycol, which represents the continuous phase of the emulsion system. It has been shown, by the vasoconstrictor assay on normal skin, that in this environment, a 0.1% concentration of the hydrocortisone is equivalent to the 1% concentration where the drug substance is in suspension. Clinical studies have confirmed that 0.1% Dermacort is equivalent to 1.0% hydrocortisone cream BP/BPC whilst the reduced strength of Dermacort increases the margin of safety.