Alclometasone dipropionate cream is a low-potency topical steroid used to treat inflamed, itchy skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis. It’s available in a 0.05% concentration as both a cream and an ointment, sold under the brand name Aclovate. Because it sits near the bottom of the steroid potency scale (class VI out of VII, with I being the strongest), it’s one of the gentler options available and is often chosen for sensitive areas of the body or for use in children.
Conditions It Treats
This cream is designed for inflammatory skin conditions that cause redness, swelling, and itching. The most common uses include atopic dermatitis (eczema), contact dermatitis from irritants or allergens, and other forms of localized skin inflammation. It works by reducing three things at once: inflammation, itching, and the dilation of small blood vessels in the skin that causes redness. The medication triggers the production of proteins that block the release of chemicals your body uses to drive inflammation, which is why symptoms tend to calm down within days of starting treatment.
Why It’s Chosen Over Stronger Steroids
Topical steroids range from ultra-high potency (class I) to the weakest (class VII). Alclometasone sits in class VI, making it a low-potency option. That classification matters because it determines where on the body the cream can safely be applied and for how long.
Stronger steroids carry a higher risk of thinning the skin, stretch marks, and absorption into the bloodstream. Because alclometasone is mild, it can be safely used on all areas of the body, including the face and skin folds (the groin, armpits, and under the breasts) for short periods. These are areas where the skin is thinner and absorbs medication more readily, so higher-potency steroids are typically avoided there. This makes alclometasone a practical choice when inflammation shows up in places where you’d rather not risk skin damage from a stronger product.
Use in Children
Alclometasone dipropionate cream and ointment can be used in children 1 year of age and older. It is not recommended for infants under 1 year. Even for older children, safety and effectiveness beyond 3 weeks of continuous use have not been established, so treatment courses are generally kept short.
One important restriction: this medication should not be used to treat diaper rash. Diapers and plastic pants act like an occlusive covering, trapping the medication against the skin and dramatically increasing how much gets absorbed. That absorption can suppress the body’s natural cortisol production, a concern that’s more significant in small children because they have a higher ratio of skin surface area to body weight.
How to Apply It
The standard approach is to apply a thin layer to the affected area two to three times daily. You don’t need to glob it on. A thin, even film is enough. Rub it in gently until it disappears.
Avoid covering the treated area with bandages or tight wraps unless specifically instructed to do so. Occlusive coverings increase absorption and raise the risk of side effects. In clinical testing, when the ointment was applied to 30% of the body twice daily for a week with occlusive dressings, and when the cream was applied to 80% of the body for three weeks with whole-body occlusion, cortisol levels dropped by about 10%, a sign that enough steroid was getting into the bloodstream to start affecting the body’s hormone balance.
Potential Side Effects
Most people tolerate alclometasone well, especially compared to stronger topical steroids. The most commonly reported side effects are mild: burning, stinging, or itching at the application site. These tend to be brief and often resolve as your skin adjusts.
Less common side effects, which are more likely when the cream is used under occlusive dressings or for extended periods, include:
- Folliculitis: small, inflamed bumps around hair follicles
- Acne-like eruptions
- Lightening of the skin at the application site
- Perioral dermatitis: a rash around the mouth
- Skin thinning and stretch marks with prolonged use
- Secondary infection if the barrier function of the skin is compromised
The risk of systemic effects, where enough medication absorbs to affect the rest of your body, is low with normal use. It rises when you apply the cream to large areas of skin, use it under wraps or bandages, or continue treatment for weeks without a break.
When Not to Use It
Do not apply alclometasone to skin that has an active infection, whether bacterial, viral, or fungal. Topical steroids suppress the local immune response, which can allow infections to worsen or spread. If you have an infected area that’s also inflamed, the infection typically needs to be treated first or alongside the steroid under medical guidance.
The cream and ointment forms serve slightly different purposes. The cream is generally better for moist or weeping areas and for skin folds, while the ointment provides more moisture and is better suited for dry, scaly patches. Both contain the same active ingredient at the same concentration, so the choice comes down to the type of skin condition and the location on the body.