Over the counter equivalent to alclometasone dipropionate?

June 26, 2023 9:56 AM

Pretty much the title... I used to have a persistent itch in a certain area and got a prescription for it, then my issue went away and I gave the rest of the tube to my dad, who also had an itching issue.

Now he's finished the tube and asked if I can get another one but I've since changed insurance plans/doctors and would have to get it prescribed all over again but I don't have the itching issue anymore and I'm a terrible liar. And he's currently living in a country where healthcare/meds is not super accessible so can't get it for himself. But it seems like it's just a topical steroid, which is already sold over the counter. Is there a brand/product that would be a close equivalent?

posted by thelasttango to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)

It depends on where you are, looks like. In the US and UK, hydrocortisone is the only topical steroid approved for OTC sale. In other countries, it may actually be *easier* to get a higher-strength OTC steroid. (They can have pretty significant side effects - there are reasons they're not widely available in the US!)
posted by restless_nomad at 10:50 AM on June 26, 2023 [1 favorite]

(Note that extended topical steroid use leads to thinning of the skin applied to, which as you can imagine could lead to very undesirable results if the certain area is what I think it is.)
posted by praemunire at 12:15 PM on June 26, 2023

I would strongly advise against buying purported versions of this product off the internet or other marketplace that does not require a prescription. This class of products is widely, commonly counterfeited (and I'm saying that as someone who works in pharma regulation). I'd also say that topical steroids are usually prescription because these drugs have significant full-body, internal and external effects that are not always apparent (and I'm saying that as someone who works in pharma toxicology). It's an unsatisfying answer, but I would suggest that sending a prescription steroid to someone whose doctor might not know about it is a bad idea even if it's seemingly helping the issue that's led to the request for another tube.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 12:52 AM on June 27, 2023 [2 favorites]