mometasone
Mometasone furoate is a topical steroid medication that's applied onto the skin. It's used to treat certain conditions that involve red, itchy, or dry skin, such as eczema and psoriasis. It comes in different formulations for adults and children. The cream and ointment are for people 2 years and older. And the topical solution and lotion are for people 12 years and older. You apply the medication to the affected area(s) of skin once daily. Temporary side effects include burning and itching where you applied the medication.
What is Mometasone furoate?
What is Mometasone furoate used for?
How Mometasone furoate works
Mometasone furoate is a topical corticosteroid. When it’s used on the skin, it has two main actions:
It blocks inflammatory chemicals that cause redness, itching, and swelling. This helps lower skin inflammation.
It also slows down how fast new skin cells are made. This can help lessen the patches or scales from some skin problems (like psoriasis).
Drug Facts
More on Mometasone furoate essentials
Get your GoodRx coupon
What are the side effects of Mometasone furoate?
Common Side Effects
- Side effects aren't common. See other side effects.
Other Side Effects
- Burning
- Itching
- Skin thinning
- Tingling or stinging sensation
- Acne-like bumps
- Skin irritation
- Dry skin
- Loose skin (loss of skin elasticity)
Serious Side Effects
- Topical steroid withdrawal: skin redness; itchy skin; burning skin; swelling skin; sensitivity to water, clothing, movement, and temperature; tiredness; trouble sleeping
Source: DailyMed
The following side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Burning
thinning of the skin with easy bruising, especially when used on the face or where the skin folds together (eg, between the fingers)
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common
burning, itching, and pain in hairy areas, or pus at the root of the hair
loss of elasticity
loss of normal skin markings
raised, dark red, and wart-like spots on the skin, especially when used on the face
shininess
Incidence not known
Burning and itching of the skin with pinhead-sized red blisters
increased hair growth on the forehead, back, arms, and legs
lightening of normal skin color
lightening of treated areas of dark skin
reddish purple lines on the arms, face, legs, trunk, or groin
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Pros and cons of Mometasone furoate
Pros
Many formulations to choose from, such as ointment, cream, and solution
Safe to use on children of certain ages (depends on formulation)
Only applied once a day
Cons
Not safe to use on sensitive areas, like the face, armpits, or groin
Should only use for short periods of time to lower the risk of skin thinning
Risk of topical steroid withdrawal after regularly using for a long time
Pharmacist tips for Mometasone furoate
Ask your prescriber how long you should use mometasone furoate. They'll usually tell you to stop using it when your skin condition gets under control. Using this medication for too long can put you at risk of side effects, like thin skin or more sensitive skin.
If you don't see your skin get better after using mometasone furoate for 2 weeks, let your prescriber know. They might consider other treatment options for you.
Only use mometasone furoate on skin that's not broken. Don't put it on wounds or damaged skin. More medication can get absorbed into the body through broken skin. This can cause more side effects.
Don't put mometasone furoate in your mouth, eyes, nose, or ears. Also don't insert this medication into your vagina or rectum.
Wash your hands after using mometasone furoate. This helps lower the risk of getting the medication in your eye. If it does, rinse your eye with water and reach out to your care team if irritation doesn't go away.
After applying mometasone furoate, don't cover the area with a tight bandage unless your prescriber says it's okay. Covering the area tightly can make more medication get absorbed through the skin. This can make it more likely to have more side effects.
For young children, avoiding putting mometasone furoate in the diaper area. Diapers can be considered tight wrapping and could lead to more side effects.
You might feel some stinging or burning after using mometasone furoate. It should go away in a short while. But if it bothers you, doesn't get better, or gets worse, let your care team know. Also tell them if you notice a rash or if your skin condition gets worse. You might need to get your skin checked to see what's going on.
Don't use another topical steroid with mometasone furoate without checking with your prescriber first. Using more than one topical steroid at the same time can raise your risk of side effects. This can include thin skin or more serious hormone-related problems.
If you've been using mometasone furoate for a few weeks and need to stop, check in with your prescriber. They might ask you to lower how much and how often you apply slowly over time before you stop. This can help lower your risk of topical steroid withdrawal.
Frequently asked questions about Mometasone furoate
How to save using GoodRx
What are the risks and warnings for Mometasone furoate?
Mometasone furoate can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
More side effects with longer use and coverings
Risk factors: Regularly using mometasone furoate over a longer period of time | Covering the treated area with a tight bandage
Using mometasone furoate longer than prescribed can raise your risk of more skin reactions. Your risk is also higher if you put a tight bandage over the area where you used the medication.
These skin reactions can include irritation, dry skin, skin thinning, and allergic rash. It can also include stretch marks, changes in skin color, and inflamed hair follicles.
To help prevent these skin reactions, use the lowest dose and smallest amount of mometasone furoate needed for the shortest time possible. If you notice any new or worsening skin problems, tell your care team.
Changes in stress hormone levels
Risk factors: Applying mometasone furoate regularly for a long time | Applying too much mometasone furoate on your skin | Applying mometasone furoate to large areas of the body | Covering the treated area with a tight bandage | Applying onto damaged skin | Liver problems | Younger age
Using topical steroids like mometasone furoate can sometimes change your body's stress hormone levels. This is more likely to happen if you use the medication regularly for a long time. It's also more likely if you apply it over larger areas of skin or cover the treated skin with tight bandages.
Sometimes, your stress hormone levels could get too high in these situations. This could cause symptoms of Cushing's syndrome and high blood sugar.
To stay safe, you'll use the lowest possible dose of mometasone furoate for the shortest time needed. Don't use the medication for more than 2 weeks at a time unless your prescriber told you to.
Topical steroid withdrawal
Topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) is possible with mometasone furoate. This can happen if you stop using the medication suddenly after regular use. Some symptoms of TSW include itchy, burning, or flaky skin. You might also become sensitive to water, clothing, movement, and temperature.
If this happens, talk to your prescriber. They can suggest ways to help with this problem. Don't suddenly stop using mometasone furoate without talking to your prescriber first.
Higher risk of cataracts and glaucoma
Let your prescriber know if you have any eye conditions. Tell your care team and eye specialist if you have any blurry vision, eye pain, or halos around lights. They can check to see if your eyes are okay.
Worsening of skin infections
Tell your care team if you get a skin infection while using mometasone furoate. Watch out for signs of a skin infection, like redness, pain, swelling, or pus.
Topical steroids can sometimes make skin infections worse or take longer to heal. So, it's important to treat the infection with the right medication, like an antifungal or antibacterial. If the infection doesn't get better with treatment, tell your care team. You might have to stop using mometasone furoate until the infection goes away.
Allergic skin reaction
Skin irritation that doesn't go away can be an early sign of an allergic skin reaction to mometasone furoate. Tell your prescriber if your skin condition doesn't get better or worsens. They can check to see what's happening and figure out if you need a different medication.
More on Mometasone furoate warnings
Mometasone furoate dosage forms
Typical dosing for Mometasone furoate
Mometasone furoate cream or ointment
Adults and children 2 years and older: Apply a small amount to the affected area(s) of skin once daily. Cover the area with a thin layer of medication.
Mometasone furoate topical solution or lotion
Adults and children 12 years and older: Apply a few drops to the affected area(s) of skin once daily. Gently massage the medication in until it disappears.
Interactions between Mometasone furoate and other drugs
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Bemiparin
- Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate
- Macimorelin
- Nadroparin
- Ritonavir
- Sargramostim
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Auranofin
- Ketoconazole
How much does Mometasone furoate cost?
What are alternatives to Mometasone furoate?
Inflammation and itchy skin conditions
Mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis in people 18 years or older - Sernivo brand only
What is the latest news about Mometasone furoate?
Mometasone furoate images
Get savings updates for Mometasone furoate
Receive price alerts, news, and other messages from GoodRx about Mometasone furoate and other healthcare topics and relevant savings offers.By providing your email, you consent to receive marketing communications from GoodRx, which may include content and/or data related to men’s health, women's health, reproductive care, or sexual health. You agree to the GoodRx Terms of Use and acknowledge the Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
References
Best studies we foundAmerican Academy of Dermatology Association. (n.d.). Psoriasis treatment: Corticosteroids you apply to the skin.
Cosette Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2023). Mometasone furoate- mometasone furoate ointment [package insert]. DailyMed.
Encube Ethicals Private Limited. (2025). Mometasone furoate- mometasone furoate lotion [package insert]. DailyMed.
Ference, J. D., et al. (2009). Choosing topical corticosteroids. American Family Physician.
Padagis Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (2023). Mometasone furoate- mometasone furoate solution [package insert]. DailyMed.
Padagis Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (2025). Mometasone furoate cream [package insert]. DailyMed.
Phan, K., et al. (2019). Topical corticosteroids and risk of diabetes mellitus: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dermatological Treatment.
Stacey, S. K., et al. (2021). Topical corticosteroids: Choice and application. American Family Physician.
Uva, L., et al. (2012). Mechanisms of action of topical corticosteroids in psoriasis. International Journal of Endocrinology.
Compare other Eczema, Psoriasis, Itching, Seborrheic Dermatitis drugs
Browse medications
View AllResearch prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.