Corticosteroids are medications used to reduce inflammation.
Dermatitis occurs due to the release of various substances produced by the immune system.
These substances cause blood vessels to dilate, causing the irritated area to become red, swollen, itchy, and painful, as seen in dermatitis or eczema.
When betamethasone is applied to the skin it works by acting within the skin cells to reduce the release of inflammatory substances.
This reduces swelling, redness and itching.
There is a range of effectiveness for corticosteroids applied to the skin.
Betamethasone valerate 0.1% is classified as a potent corticosteroid.
It is prescribed to treat inflammatory skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis that have not responded to weaker corticosteroids.
Betnovate scalp application is thinner and easier to apply to the scalp than an ointment or cream. It is used to treat inflammatory disorders of the scalp.
How to use:
Betnovate Scalp Treatment should be applied to the scalp twice a day (morning and evening) to begin with. Once your condition begins to improve, you should use it less frequently, as directed by your doctor.
The liquid should be gently applied to the areas of the scalp that need treatment using the nozzle of the bottle. You can rub the liquid into your scalp if you wish, but allow it to dry naturally (do not use a hair dryer).
Betamethasone will be left on the scalp - it should not be washed off.
If you need to wash your hair, you should wash and dry your hair before applying to the scalp.
Take care to avoid scalp application to the face or in the eyes, rinse with cold water if accidental contact occurs and avoid applying to broken skin.
Wash your hands after scalp application to avoid accidentally transferring it to other areas.
Do not apply moisturizers to the same area of skin at the same time as this medication.
Try to leave at least 30 minutes between applying moisturizers and this medication, otherwise the moisturizer may dilute the corticosteroid and make it less effective.
If there is no improvement in your scalp after two to four weeks of treatment, you should consult a doctor.
Repeated courses may be necessary to control flare-ups of psoriasis or eczema, but should only be started on the advice of your doctor.
Warnings and precautions:
Children under one year old.
Psoriasis: If you have been prescribed this medication to treat psoriasis, you should have regular check-ups with your doctor.
This is because although corticosteroids may be helpful for psoriasis in the short term, they can sometimes worsen psoriasis, and may cause the condition to relapse into generalized pustular psoriasis after treatment stops.
Skin infected with viruses (eg chickenpox, shingles), fungi (eg ringworm) or bacteria (eg herpes).
The components:
Betnovate scalp application contains the active ingredient betamethasone valerate, which is a type of medicine called a topical corticosteroid.