Hydrocortisone cream: what it treats, how to use it, side effects
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Hydrocortisone cream is a mild corticosteroid that calms itching, redness, and swelling in irritated skin. You may know it as Cortizone-10 or one of many generics. It works by activating natural substances in the skin that bring inflammation down.
What does it treat?
The over-the-counter label covers temporary relief of itching from minor skin irritation, inflammation, and rashes due to eczema, insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, jewelry, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis, plus external genital and anal itching. One caution on that list: external feminine itching with a vaginal discharge means consulting a doctor, not self-treating.
How do you use it?
Apply a small amount in a thin, even film to the affected area and rub it in gently. The OTC label allows up to 3 or 4 applications a day for adults and children 2 and older; children under 2 should not use it. Skin only - keep it out of your eyes and mouth. Do not wrap or bandage the area unless your doctor tells you to, and in the diaper area skip tight diapers and plastic pants. Here is the built-in limit: if an over-the-counter product has not improved things within 7 days, stop and call your doctor (prescription versions get 2 weeks). It treats the patch you apply it to - do not spread it to other areas or conditions without direction. Missed application: apply when you remember unless the next one is close; never apply a double amount.
Side effects to know
- Common: burning, itching, irritation, redness, or dryness where you apply it, plus acne, unwanted hair growth, skin color changes, and small white or red bumps, including tiny bumps or a rash around the mouth.
- Serious: a severe rash, or redness, swelling, or other signs of skin infection where you applied it - call your doctor immediately. MedlinePlus also notes that children using topical hydrocortisone have an increased risk of side effects including slowed growth and delayed weight gain; talk to the child's doctor about that risk.
Who should not use it?
Anyone who has had an allergic reaction to hydrocortisone or any ingredient in the product. Children under 2 should not use OTC hydrocortisone. Tell your doctor if you have diabetes or Cushing's syndrome - absorbed steroid can matter more in both. If you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor first, and call if you become pregnant while using it.
When is it an emergency?
A severe rash or spreading redness and swelling at the application site means stopping the cream and calling your doctor promptly. If someone swallows hydrocortisone cream, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222; if the person has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911. Pymander's escalation routing is built and tested specifically for this class of decision; see the safety architecture working paper.
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Common questions
Why does the package say to stop after 7 days?
MedlinePlus sets the over-the-counter rule: if your condition does not improve within 7 days, stop using it and call your doctor. Hydrocortisone treats symptoms; a rash that outlasts the week needs a diagnosis, not more cream. Prescription versions run on a 2-week check-in with your doctor instead.
Can I use hydrocortisone cream on my face?
Only with caution and direction. MedlinePlus lists tiny red bumps or rash around the mouth among its possible side effects, and warns against getting it in your eyes or mouth. Facial skin absorbs topical steroids more readily, so use it there only the way your doctor or the label directs.
Is hydrocortisone cream safe for kids?
The OTC label allows it for children 2 and older, up to 3 or 4 times a day, and says children under 2 should not use it. MedlinePlus adds a real caution: children using topical hydrocortisone have an increased risk of side effects including slowed growth and delayed weight gain, so a child's doctor should weigh in on anything more than occasional use.
Can I bandage the area after applying it?
Not by default. MedlinePlus says do not wrap or bandage the treated area unless your doctor tells you to - covering the skin drives more of the steroid into it than intended. The exception it names is psoriasis, where a doctor may recommend an occlusive dressing.
Can I drink alcohol while using hydrocortisone cream?
Alcohol does not interact with a cream applied to the skin, and neither source lists any alcohol caution for topical hydrocortisone.
Can I use hydrocortisone while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Talk to your doctor first. MedlinePlus says to tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding, and to call if you become pregnant while using it. For small areas and short stretches your clinician may be comfortable with it, but that is their call.