Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet?
This leaflet answers some common questions about Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits.
Your doctor or pharmacist has weighed the risks of using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream against the benefits this medicine is expected to have for you.
If you have any concerns about this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may need to read it again.
What is Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream?
The name of your medicine is Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
It contains the active ingredient called hydrocortisone acetate.
It is available as a cream.
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is a type of cortisone and belongs to the group of medicines called corticosteroids.
What is Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream used for?
Indications
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is a topical corticosteroid therapy for noninfected inflammatory conditions of the skin e.g. eczema, dermatitis.
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is used on the skin to relieve the redness, swelling, itching and discomfort of skin problems, such as rashes due to eczema, dermatitis, soap, detergent, cosmetics, jewellery, insect bites, itching anal and genital areas not due to infection, and sunburn.
Your doctor or pharmacist however, may have recommended Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream for another purpose.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about why Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream has been recommended or prescribed to you.
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is only available from your pharmacist.
Before you use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream
When you must not use it
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream if you have ever had an allergic reaction to:
- Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream or hydrocortisone acetate.
- Any of the ingredients in Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream listed at the end of this leaflet.
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream on:
- Untreated bacterial infections
- Parasitic skin infections (such as scabies)
- Viral skin infections (such as Herpes simplex, cold sores, shingles or chicken pox)
- Tuberculous conditions of the skin
- Vaccinia (cowpox: a viral disease passed from cattle)
- Varicella (a rare form of chicken pox)
- Acne or rosacea
- Cuts or open wounds.
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream on psoriasis unless recommended by your doctor.
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream should not be used if you suffer from poor circulation of blood in the skin region, as it may result in skin ulcers.
Do not use occlusive dressings or waterproof bandages unless a doctor has told you to.
Ask your doctor (or pharmacist) to be sure that you do not have any of these conditions.
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream after the expiry date printed on the pack. It may have no effect at all, or worse, it may give an entirely unexpected effect if you use after the expiry date.
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream if the packaging shows sign of tampering or the seal on the tube is broken, or if the product does not look quite right.
Before you start to use it
You must tell your doctor if:
- You are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.
- You have any other health problems such as diabetes or problems with your immune system.
- You are pregnant or breast-feeding. Your pharmacist or doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream when pregnant or breastfeeding.
If Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is to be applied to the breast, do not apply the cream to the breast before breast feeding. Ensure that the breast area is free of the cream before breastfeeding.
Using other medicines
Tell your doctor (or pharmacist) if you are using other creams, ointments or lotions or taking any medicine. This includes any that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may interfere with Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream if it is used excessively or for prolonged periods. Some of these medicines include medicines to treat epilepsy, diuretics, oral contraceptive pills and immunosuppressants.
Your doctor or pharmacist has a list of medicines that may interfere with Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
If you have not told your doctor (or pharmacist) about any of the above, tell them before you start using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
Use in Children
Do not use in children under 2 years unless your doctor tells you to do so.
How to use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream
How to use it
Apply a thin layer to affected areas two to four times a day or as directed. Rub in gently. Reduce the number of applications as the disorder subsides.
Do not apply this cream under occlusive dressings or waterproof bandages unless on the advice of a doctor.
It is important to use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream exactly as your doctor (or pharmacist) has told you. If you use it less than you should, it may not work as well and your skin problem may not improve.
Using it more often than you should may not improve your skin problem any faster and may cause or increase side effects.
Use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream at the same time every day.
How long to use it
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream for more than 7 days except on the advice of a doctor. If your condition persists, see your pharmacist or doctor.
Reduce the number of applications as the disorder subsides. If you use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream for a long time, the chance of side effects increases.
If you forget to use it
If you forget to use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream, use it as soon as you remember and then go back to your normal times for applying Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
Do not try to make up for the amount you missed by using more than you normally use.
If you swallow it
Telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (phone 13 11 26) or go to the accident and emergency centre at your nearest hospital immediately if anyone swallows Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
While you are using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream
Things you must do
Tell all your doctors and pharmacists who are treating you that you are using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
Tell your doctor if you feel that Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is not helping your condition.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
Things you must not do
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream under dressings or on large areas of skin unless your doctor tells you.
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream in or near the eyes.
Do not give Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream to anyone else even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.
Do not use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream to treat other conditions unless your doctor tells you. Your doctor or pharmacist has recommended Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream especially for you and your condition. If you use it for another condition, it may not work or make the condition worse.
Things to be careful of
Do not use large amounts of Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream for a long time. If you use large amounts for long time, the chance of systemic absorption through the skin and the chance of side effects increase.
Ask your doctor (or pharmacist) if you are concerned about the length of time you have been using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
Only use Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream under the arm or in the groin if your doctor tells you.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you do not feel well while you are using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream. Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream helps most people with skin problems but it may have some unwanted side effects in a few people.
Side effects reported by some people using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream include:
- itching
- burning
- dryness
- acne-form eruptions
- thinning of the skin
In addition to the above side effects, prolonged or over-use of this product may cause the following side effects in some people:
- high blood pressure
- elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood
- cataracts
- glaucoma
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream may cause other side effects. If you have any other side effects, check with your doctor.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
After using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream
Storage
Keep Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream where young children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Keep Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not leave Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream in the car or on windowsills. Heat can destroy some medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop using Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream or it has passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream left over.
Further information
This is not all the information that is available on Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream. If you need more information, ask a doctor or pharmacist.
Product description
What it looks like
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is a soft white cream.
Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream is packed in 30g tubes.
Ingredients
Hydrocortisone acetate 1% or 10 mg/g is the active ingredient in Chemists’ Own Skin Irritation Cream.
List of inactive ingredients
- Soft white paraffin,
- Liquid paraffin,
- Cetomacrogol 1000,
- Cetostearyl alcohol,
- Chlorocresol (preservative),
- Citric acid and
- Sodium citrate dihydrate
Sponsor
Arrow Pharma Pty Ltd
15-17 Chapel Street
Cremorne, VIC 3121
Australian Registration Number:
AUST R 284795
This leaflet was prepared in January 2017.
Published by MIMS December 2017