Hormone cream Hormone cream

How to use hormone cream

Dosage

How much hormone cream should you use per body part? You can see this in the table below. This table is based on the fingertip as a unit of measurement. One fingertip unit is approximately equal to 0.5 grams of cream.

Hormone cream: treatment schedule and tapering off

• First week: apply twice a day
• Second week: apply once a day
• Then six days in a row: apply once a day and leave for one day
• Five days in a row: apply once a day and leave for two days
• Four days in a row: apply once a day and leave for three days
• Three days in a row: apply once a day and leave for four days (can also be done every other day)
• Two days in a row: apply once a day and leave for five days

Fingertip units

Tapering off

You will usually see a significant improvement after a week. Before you start tapering off (gradually reducing), your skin should have improved sufficiently. This means that the active eczema is no longer visible and the itching has decreased. You can gradually reduce if:

• the redness has decreased
• your skin feels smoother
• the itching has lessened.

How should you taper off?

• You start your treatment by applying hormone cream once or twice a day.
• When there is a clear improvement (the active eczema is no longer visible and the itching has lessened), you will change to applying hormone cream once a day.
• If this continues to go well: stop using the hormone cream for one day, then apply hormone cream for six days.
• If the improvement continues, stop using the hormone cream for two days, then apply the hormone cream for five days and so on.

Below are a number of possibilities. See the tapering off and treatment schedule table in this leaflet.

• Reduce until you reach zero days or are only applying the hormone cream a few days a week, for example, only on weekends. You can keep this up for a few months. If you can, reduce it to zero days. If this doesn't work for you, then continue to apply the hormone cream once or twice a week.
• Besides reducing the frequency of application, you can also taper off by using a weaker hormone cream. Instead of a 'class 3' cream, use a 'class 2' one. Discuss this with your doctor.
• Do not continue tapering off if there is no improvement or if you notice that the eczema is coming back.
• If the eczema 'flares up', start at the beginning of the schedule again. When your skin calms down, you can begin to reduce it again. If the eczema flares up during consecutive stop days, then repeat that step for the following week. And then use the hormone cream every other day.
• Inspection of your skin is the most important thing: don't taper off until your skin is calm.

Skin care tips

Below are some general tips for caring for your skin.

• Shower briefly (no longer than 5 minutes) and not too hot. Shower no more than three times a week. Preferably use a ph-neutral shower/bath oil without perfume.
• Spread cream in the direction of the hair on your forearms and lower legs.
• Do not wear woollen, nylon or tight-fitting clothing. Preferably wear cotton clothes.
• Keep your nails short and clean.
• Apply a neutral oily cream daily. Wait at least one hour between applying the neutral cream and the hormone cream.

Contact

If you have any questions, you can call the location where you are being treated.

Zwolle

Dermatology Centre
(088) 624 55 06 (available from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:30)

Meppel

Dermatology Outpatient Clinic
(088) 624 96 42 (available from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:30)

Kampen

Dermatology Outpatient Clinic
(088) 624 68 42 (available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 to 16:30)

If you are unable to make your appointment, let us know as soon as possible and we will schedule a new one.