Elocon 10g Cream

Elocon cream is a steroid cream that contains mometasone furoate 0.1% (1 mg in each gram). We sell the Indian pack, a 10 g tube, in packs of 1, 3, 6 and 12 tubes, from $7.09 a tube in the 12 pack before shipping. Indian pharmacy listings name Fulford (India) Ltd as the marketer (Apollo Pharmacy, Tata 1mg, Truemeds); PharmEasy names Abbott Healthcare, and our own listing names MSD Pharmaceuticals, so check the carton when it arrives.

Read three things before you buy Elocon cream. First, it is a strong steroid for diagnosed, steroid-responsive skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis (eczema) and psoriasis, used once a day in short courses. It is not for ringworm or other skin infections, acne, rosacea, a rash around the mouth, nappy rash or skin lightening. Second, the US label says to avoid it on the face, groin and armpits, and the UK label limits courses on the face and in children to 5 days. Third, mometasone skin creams are prescription medicines in the US, UK and Canada, and Indian listings mark Elocon as prescription only. Use it only if a doctor has diagnosed your skin condition.

Elocon cream at a glance

Elocon cream price per tube

Prices below are as of October 2026; the pack selector shows the current price.

Every pack is under the $149 free shipping threshold, so each order pays $25 shipping. A single tube with shipping costs $35, which is $3.50 a gram: if you only need one tube, a local pharmacy is almost certainly cheaper. Our Elocon 30g Cream costs $26.25 a tube before shipping, the same per gram as three 10 g tubes.

Be clear about how much you need. The labels give no amount in grams. One fingertip unit, a line of cream from the tip of an adult index finger to the first crease, is about 0.5 g and covers an area about the size of two adult hands laid flat (Guy's and St Thomas' NHS guidance). Once daily on a patch that size is about 0.5 g a day, so one 10 g tube lasts about 20 days, and the 2 weeks after which the US label says to reassess uses about 7 g. On a larger area it goes much faster: one arm and hand needs about 4 fingertip units (2 g) a day, so a tube lasts about 5 days (our arithmetic, not a label figure). The larger packs are not a reason to keep going: the label says to stop when the skin is under control.

Compared with Elocon and generics in the US, UK, Canada and Australia

NADAC is the average price US pharmacies pay to buy a medicine, not the price you pay at the counter. Even so, the gap is plain: a US pharmacy pays $0.28 to $0.42 a gram for FDA approved generic mometasone cream, against our $0.71 to $1.00 a gram before shipping (about 40% to 60% of our lowest price per gram, our arithmetic). If you are in the US and have a prescription, compare local cash prices for generic mometasone furoate 0.1% cream before you order from abroad. The same applies in Australia, where a 15 g tube is on the PBS. We have not found a published study comparing the Indian Elocon tube with the US or UK product.

Which Elocon or mometasone product to choose

All mometasone skin products are the same strength, 0.1%; there is no stronger or weaker Elocon. For eczema that keeps coming back on the face or eyelids, where a strong steroid is a poor fit, doctors sometimes use non-steroid creams such as tacrolimus (Tacroz Forte Ointment, our listing) or pimecrolimus (Pimrolis 1% Cream, our listing). Do not swap between these on your own.

How to apply Elocon cream

1. Use it only on skin a doctor has diagnosed, for the condition it was prescribed for. It is for use on the skin only, not in the eyes, mouth or vagina (US label, section 2 and Patient Information).
2. Apply a thin film to the affected skin once a day (US label, section 2; UK label, section 4.2) and rub it in gently (UK leaflet). Neither label gives a dose of more than once a day.
3. Wash your hands after each application (US label, section 2).
4. Keep it away from the eyes. The UK label says Elocon is not for use on or around the eyes, including the eyelids, because of the very rare risk of glaucoma or cataract (section 4.4).
5. Do not cover the treated skin. The US prescribing information says "Do not use ELOCON cream with occlusion" (section 2); the US patient leaflet says not to bandage, cover or wrap the area unless your healthcare provider tells you to. The UK leaflet says to check with your doctor before covering, and never to cover treated skin on the face or in children.
6. Stop when the skin is under control. If it has not improved within 2 weeks, go back to your doctor (US label, sections 2 and 17).
7. Do not use other steroid creams or steroid tablets at the same time without asking your doctor: combined use "may increase total systemic corticosteroid exposure" (US label, section 5.1).
8. If you forget a dose, use it as soon as you remember, then carry on as before (UK leaflet).
9. Do not smoke or go near naked flames. The UK label warns that fabric (clothing, bedding, dressings) that has been in contact with the cream burns more easily and is a serious fire hazard, and washing may not remove it fully (section 4.4).

How long to use it: face, skin folds and children

Elocon cream is meant for short courses. The UK label says "Long term continuous therapy should be avoided in all patients irrespective of age" (section 4.4). Where you put it matters:

• Face. The US label says "Avoid use on the face, groin, or axillae" (section 2). The UK label says that if it is used on the face, "courses should be limited to 5 days and occlusion should not be used" (section 4.4). For psoriasis, the UK NICE guideline says "Do not use potent or very potent corticosteroids on the face, flexures or genitals" (1.3.4.4).
• Groin, armpits and other skin folds. Avoid them unless a doctor directs it (US label). The UK label says local and systemic toxicity is common especially after long use on large areas of damaged skin, in flexures and under polythene covering (section 4.4). Genital itching is a UK contraindication.
• Children 2 years and older. The US label says safety and efficacy for longer than three weeks have not been established in children 2 and older (section 8.4). The UK leaflet says: "Do not apply the cream to children, on any part of their body, for more than 5 days."
• Under 2 years. Not recommended (US and UK labels). It must not be used for nappy rash: the US label says "Do not use ELOCON cream in the treatment of diaper dermatitis", and the US patient leaflet says not to apply it in the nappy area if the child wears nappies or plastic pants.
• Psoriasis. The UK label says topical steroids may be hazardous in psoriasis because of rebound relapses, a risk of pustular psoriasis and local or systemic toxicity, so careful supervision is important (section 4.4). Widespread plaque psoriasis is excluded from the UK indication. NICE says not to use a potent steroid continuously at any site for longer than 8 weeks, and to aim for a break of 4 weeks between courses (1.3.1.14, 1.3.1.11).

Stopping after long use. The UK label says to avoid stopping suddenly after long term use, because a rebound dermatitis with intense redness, stinging and burning can develop; it can be prevented by slowly reducing treatment (section 4.4). It also describes topical steroid withdrawal reactions, more likely on delicate sites such as the face and skin folds, that can spread beyond the area treated. The MHRA says these reactions are estimated to be rare, and advises: if your skin worsens within 2 weeks of stopping a topical steroid, do not start treatment again without consulting your doctor, unless they have previously advised you to.

Not for ringworm, acne or skin lightening

Steroid creams are widely misused in India, and mometasone has been at the centre of it:

• Fungal infections (ringworm, jock itch). Fungal infections such as candida or dermatophyte infections are a contraindication on the UK label. A steroid can make a fungal rash look better for a while as the infection spreads. In a study across 13 Indian centres, 50.9% of people with chronic or recurrent ringworm had misused topical steroid creams (Shenoy 2022, PMID 34378240), and an Indian dermatology expert group "strongly discouraged" any topical steroid for ringworm, alone or in combination (Rengasamy 2020, PMID 32832435).
• Skin lightening and melasma. In a 12 centre Indian study of 433 people using steroid creams on the face, use as a fairness or general purpose cream or aftershave was the most common reason (29%), and 90.5% had side effects, most often acne or worsening acne (Saraswat 2011, PMID 21393945). An Indian Pigmentary Expert Group consensus on melasma said: "Mometasone or fluticasone containing creams should be totally discouraged" (Sarkar 2017, PMID 29263529). Elocon does not lighten skin.
• Acne, rosacea and a rash around the mouth. Facial rosacea, acne vulgaris and perioral dermatitis are contraindications on the UK label. The US label records reports of rosacea with Elocon cream (section 6.1) and lists perioral dermatitis and acne-like eruptions among post-marketing reactions to topical steroids (section 6.2).

Extra care for some groups

• Children: they absorb more steroid for their size and are at greater risk than adults of adrenal (HPA axis) suppression and Cushing's syndrome, during and after treatment (US label, section 8.4). In a US label study of 97 children aged 6 to 23 months with atopic dermatitis, who applied Elocon once daily over an average 41% of the body surface, about 16% showed adrenal suppression (sections 8.4, 12.2). Slowed growth, delayed weight gain and raised pressure in the head have been reported in children using topical steroids.
• Pregnancy: the US label says to use it on the smallest area of skin for the shortest time possible. Observational studies linked potent or very potent topical steroids with low birth weight, especially above 300 g in total during pregnancy, although one study of 60,497 pregnancies exposed to topical steroids, 10,056 of them to mometasone, did not find an increased risk (section 8.1). The UK label says use in pregnancy should be only on a doctor's order, avoiding large areas and long use (section 4.6).
• Breastfeeding: use the smallest area for the shortest time, and do not apply it to the nipple and areola (US label, section 8.2). The UK label says that if higher doses or long term use are needed, breastfeeding should be stopped (section 4.6).
• Diabetes, adrenal or liver problems, or thin skin at the site: tell your doctor first (US Patient Information). Absorbed steroid can raise blood sugar (US label, section 5.1), and liver failure is one of the factors that make adrenal suppression more likely.
• Older people: no overall differences were seen in the trials, but greater sensitivity of some older people cannot be ruled out (US label, section 8.5).

Elocon cream side effects

In US controlled trials of 319 people, side effects linked to Elocon cream occurred in 1.6%: burning, itching and skin thinning. In children aged 2 to 12 the rate was about 7%: stinging, itching and boils (US label, section 6.1). Selected reactions from the UK label (section 4.8):

Selected from the UK Elocon SmPC, section 4.8. Taken into the body, a topical steroid can also cause adrenal suppression, Cushing's syndrome (a rounded face, weight gain), high blood sugar and, in children, effects on growth (US label, sections 5.1 and 8.4). Studies in people found about 0.4% of an applied dose enters the circulation after 8 hours on normal skin, and inflamed skin may absorb more (US label, section 12.3). If irritation is troublesome, stop and speak to a doctor.

When to stop and get help

• Dizziness, fainting or feeling very weak, especially after long use on large areas or after stopping suddenly: get urgent medical help. The MHRA says adrenal suppression from overuse of topical steroids causes low blood pressure, dizziness and fainting, is a serious, life-threatening condition that needs urgent treatment, and that stopping the steroid suddenly is dangerous if adrenal suppression is present. Tell the emergency staff what you used, how much and for how long.
• In a child using the cream: headaches or, in a baby, a bulging soft spot on the head. The US label lists these among the signs of raised pressure in the head reported with topical steroids in children (section 8.4). Seeing a doctor urgently is our advice.
• Blurred vision or other changes in your eyesight: "Contact your doctor immediately" (UK leaflet). The UK label says causes to check for include cataract, glaucoma and central serous chorioretinopathy.
• Pain, tenderness, swelling or problems healing at the treated skin: stop using it and tell your doctor (US Patient Information). Pus-filled bumps, or psoriasis that gets worse: contact your doctor (UK leaflet).
• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, trouble breathing, or widespread hives: get urgent medical help. True allergy to the cream is rare; this is general safety advice.
• Redness, burning or stinging that spreads beyond the treated area within days to weeks of stopping: see a doctor before you restart (UK label and leaflet, MHRA).
• If someone swallows some: the UK label says the steroid content of a tube is so low as to have little or no toxic effect, but see a doctor if you are worried (UK label, section 4.9, and leaflet).

Who should not use Elocon cream

Never use it if you are allergic to mometasone furoate or any ingredient of the cream (US label, section 4; UK label, section 4.3). The UK label also contraindicates use if you are sensitive to other corticosteroids.

The UK label (section 4.3) also contraindicates it in:

• facial rosacea, acne vulgaris, perioral dermatitis and skin atrophy (thin skin)
• itching around the anus or genitals, and nappy rash
• bacterial infections such as impetigo; viral infections such as cold sores, shingles, chickenpox, warts and molluscum; parasitic and fungal infections (candida, ringworm); tuberculosis or syphilis of the skin; reactions after vaccination
• wounds or ulcerated skin

The US label's only contraindication is allergy, but it says a skin infection should be treated with an appropriate antimicrobial medicine, and the cream gradually withdrawn if the infection does not respond promptly (section 5.4). Avoid or limit it on the face, groin and armpits, under bandages, on large areas, in children under 2, and for nappy rash (US and UK labels). Talk to a doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have diabetes, adrenal or liver problems. Keep it out of reach of children.

Prescription and legal status

Elocon cream is a prescription medicine on the Indian listings we checked (Apollo Pharmacy, Tata 1mg and Truemeds). Mometasone 0.1% cream is a prescription medicine in the US ("a prescription medicine", US Patient Information), the UK (Elocon is a prescription only medicine on the emc) and Canada (Elocom is listed as prescription in Health Canada's database). In Australia, the October 2026 Poisons Standard makes mometasone 0.1% skin products in packs of 15 g or less Schedule 3, Pharmacist Only Medicine, and other packs Schedule 4, Prescription Only Medicine. This Indian pack is not registered with the FDA, the MHRA, the TGA or Health Canada, and in the US the FDA says personal importation of unapproved medicines is illegal in most circumstances. See a doctor before you start, and check the rules where you live.

Buying genuine Elocon cream

The MHRA warns: "Any medicine not authorised for sale in the UK can be unsafe or ineffective and there is no way of knowing what is in them or the negative health effects they can have." It advises UK buyers: "Only use UK-registered pharmacies, including online pharmacies displaying the official green cross logo". That warning covers this Indian Elocon tube, which is not the pack authorised in the UK. When your order arrives, check that the carton and tube say Elocon and mometasone furoate 0.1%, name the maker, and show a batch number and an expiry date, and that the tube is sealed. These checks cannot prove a tube is genuine, because counterfeiters copy packaging. If a tube causes unusual symptoms, stop using it, seek medical advice, and report it to your medicines regulator (the MHRA Yellow Card scheme in the UK, FDA MedWatch in the US, the TGA in Australia or Health Canada) as well as to us. Store it below 30 °C, away from sunlight, and do not freeze it (Truemeds listing).

Delivery

We ship Elocon cream to the US, UK, Australia and Canada in plain packaging with tracking. Standard delivery takes 7 to 14 business days to most countries. Shipping costs a flat $25 on orders under $149 and is free from $149. See our shipping page and refund policy.

Related guides

• Skin lightening creams compared: why steroid creams on the face cause harm
• Betnovate-S 20g: our page on a betamethasone ointment with salicylic acid, with more on steroid misuse in India

Sources

• ELOCON (mometasone furoate) cream, US prescribing information and Patient Information, sections 1 to 6, 8, 12, 14, 16 and 17. Organon LLC, revised July 2026 (NDA 019625, supplement 27). FDA
• FDA Drugs@FDA (openFDA), NDA 019625 ELOCON cream: marketing status discontinued, Federal Register determination that it was not discontinued for safety or effectiveness reasons. Checked 28 October 2026.
• Elocon 0.1% w/w Cream SmPC, sections 4.1 to 4.9, 5.1, 5.2 and 6.4, patient leaflet, and legal category. Organon Pharma (UK) Limited, PL 00025/0577, text revised 29 November 2024. emc
• Health Canada Drug Product Database: Elocom cream, DIN 00851744, Organon Canada Inc., marketed, prescription. Checked 28 October 2026.
• Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard October 2026) Instrument 2026 (F2026L01327), mometasone entries in Schedules 3 and 4. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme item 1913Q, mometasone furoate 0.1% cream 15 g, checked 28 October 2026.
• Indian listings for Elocon Cream 10 g (marketer, strength, prescription status, storage): PharmEasy, Apollo Pharmacy, Tata 1mg and Truemeds, checked 28 October 2026.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC), mometasone furoate 0.1% cream, NDCs 00713063415, 00713063437, 45802025735 and 45802025742, effective 21 October 2026. data.medicaid.gov
• MHRA Drug Safety Update. Topical corticosteroids: information on the risk of topical steroid withdrawal reactions, 15 September 2021; and Topical steroids: introduction of new labelling and a reminder of the possibility of severe side effects, including topical steroid withdrawal reactions, May 2024. GOV.UK.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Psoriasis: assessment and management (CG153), recommendations 1.3.1.11, 1.3.1.14 and 1.3.4.4. NICE
• Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Topical steroids (fingertip units). Long CC, Finlay AY. The finger-tip unit: a new practical measure. Clin Exp Dermatol 1991. PMID 1806320.
• Saraswat A, et al. Topical corticosteroid abuse on the face: a prospective, multicenter study of dermatology outpatients. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2011. PMID 21393945.
• Jha AK, et al. Misuse of topical corticosteroids on the face: a cross-sectional study among dermatology outpatients. Indian Dermatol Online J 2016. PMID 27559498.
• Sarkar R, et al. Medical management of melasma: a review with consensus recommendations by Indian Pigmentary Expert Group. Indian J Dermatol 2017. PMID 29263529.
• Shenoy MM, et al. A multicentric clinical and epidemiological study of chronic and recurrent dermatophytosis in India. Mycoses 2022. PMID 34378240.
• Rengasamy M, et al. IADVL Task Force against Recalcitrant Tinea (ITART) consensus on the management of glabrous tinea (INTACT). Indian Dermatol Online J 2020. PMID 32832435.
• MHRA. 20 million illegal erectile dysfunction pills seized as MHRA warns against risky online buys, 13 February 2026. GOV.UK.
• US Food and Drug Administration. Personal Importation. FDA

This page is for information and is not medical advice. Elocon cream contains a strong steroid and is sold on prescription in India; talk to a doctor before using it.