What is Hydrocortisone?
Hydrocortisone is a topical steroid cream that helps reduce inflammation and swelling. It can help manage paronychia, a nail infection in which the skin around the nails becomes inflamed and red.
Hydrocortisone isn’t the first choice of treatment for acute (sudden) paronychia, which is typically warm soaks, antibiotics or antifungals. It’s usually used to manage chronic paronychia that lasts several months, targeting the swelling and pain.
How does Hydrocortisone work?
Hydrocortisone lowers inflammation, but the exact way it does this isn’t fully understood. This helps reduce swelling, redness, and pain associated with paronychia.[1]
How well does Hydrocortisone work for paronychia?
Although there haven’t been any studies on the effects of hydrocortisone specifically on paronychia, one study did compare the use of prednisolone (a different topical steroid) to oral antifungals. The results showed that prednisolone, the topical steroid, was more effective at improving and treating the symptoms.[2]
Will I get side effects using Hydrocortisone?
Because Hydrocortisone is mild and low in concentration (1%), it’s unlikely to cause side effects. Some people may experience mild irritation or itching after applying, but this shouldn’t last long.
Sometimes, when you stop using steroids, you might get steroid withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will try to prevent this from happening by gradually decreasing your dose.
What doses of Hydrocortisone are there?
Hydrocortisone comes in a dose of 1%. You’ll usually apply a small amount around your nails up to two times a day.
Treated trusted source:
- Drugbank (2005). Hydrocortisone. [online] go.drugbank.com.
- Tosti, A., et al. (2002). Topical steroids versus systemic antifungals in the treatment of chronic paronychia: An open, randomized double-blind and double dummy study. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, [online] 47(1), pp.73–76.
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