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Are you being prescribed enough steroid eczema cream?
Did you know that doctors can prescribe more than one tube of steroid eczema cream/ointment at a time?
Depending on the amount of your body that is affected by eczema, your GP can prescribe up to 10 tubes of steroid based cream/ointment per purchase on authority script with several repeats.
In general, one script purchase should be adequate supply for one month of use. This means that if you have a large body surface area affected by eczema you might only pay approximately $41 for 3, 5 or even 10 tubes of steroid cream/ointment. If you are a health care card holder, the price per script is approximately $6.
Many patients are concerned about potential side effects of using steroid creams/ointments to treat their eczema, and as a result may be undertreating their eczema flares. As a guide, one fingertip unit (FTU) is the amount of ointment from the bend in the finger to the fingertip, which will cover an area equal to two adult hands. Controlling eczema flares early will stop eczema from getting worse or becoming infected and will help with itch.
Finger Tip Unit - the amount of steroid cream/ointment on the findertip is the amount of steroid/ointment
used for a red and/or inflamed area of eczema measuring the size of two adult open hands.
When used appropriately, these creams/ointments are very safe and effective.
Steroid creams/ointments should be used as soon as there is an eczema flare (i.e. redness/itch) and continued until the flare has completely resolved. You will still need to apply moisturiser when using topical steroids Apply the moisturiser after applying the topical steroid. Remember that when the eczema flare has resolved, you still need to use moisturiser every day to maintain and protect the skin.
Further information:
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia Eczema Brochure
Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia Eczema Information
