Prescription medication · Topical Corticosteroid
desonide
Also sold as DesOwen. This cream treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 4,709
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- In shortage
- FDA status
What the data shows
desonide (DesOwen) is a prescription Topical Corticosteroid, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (4,709 FDA reports).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
desonide (DesOwen) is a prescription Topical Corticosteroid. This cream treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.
Desonide cream is a low-strength steroid medicine. It helps reduce swelling, itching, and redness of the skin.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Shortage Alert
desonide is currently listed as to be discontinued by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Actavis Pharma, Inc..
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.24/unit
Generic Available
Yes (11 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This cream treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.
Common side effects
Itching, Pain, Rash
Key warnings
You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from desonide's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Desonide is a type of steroid. It works by reducing inflammation. This helps to relieve itching and other skin problems.
How to Take It
Apply a thin layer of desonide cream to the affected skin. Do this two to four times each day, or as your doctor tells you. Stop using the cream when your skin gets better. Do not cover the treated area with bandages unless your doctor tells you to.
This is a plain-language summary of desonide's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine. It is not known if desonide can harm an unborn baby or pass into breast milk.
This is a plain-language summary of desonide's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
Apply the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of desonide's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store at room temperature, between 68° to 77°F. Protect from freezing.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 4,709 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for desonide, by number of reports
- Eye problem that can cause vision loss
Eye problem that can cause vision loss
773 reports
- Pain
Pain
376 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
364 reports
- Headache
Headache
313 reports
- Redness 299
Redness
299 reports
- Fever 298
Fever
298 reports
- Rash 298
Rash
298 reports
- Itching 293
Itching
293 reports
- A skin disease that causes red, itchy, scaly patches 278
A skin disease that causes red, itchy, scaly patches
278 reports
- Feeling unwell 276
Feeling unwell
276 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for desonide each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where desonide sits
desonide has more FDA adverse-event reports than 24% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is desonide; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 4,709 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
4,709
Reports Mentioning Death
186
3.9% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,057
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | MACULAR DEGENERATION | 773 |
| 4 | PAIN | 376 |
| 5 | NAUSEA | 364 |
| 6 | HEADACHE | 313 |
| 7 | ERYTHEMA | 299 |
| 8 | PYREXIA | 298 |
| 9 | RASH | 297 |
| 10 | PRURITUS | 293 |
| 11 | PSORIASIS | 278 |
| 12 | MALAISE | 276 |
| 13 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 275 |
| 14 | THERAPEUTIC PRODUCT EFFECT INCOMPLETE | 257 |
| 15 | ABDOMINAL PAIN | 221 |
| 16 | CHRONIC SINUSITIS | 216 |
| 17 | DERMATITIS ATOPIC | 210 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.
Common Questions
What is desonide cream used for?
How often should I apply the cream?
Can I use a bandage over the cream?
What should I do if my skin doesn't improve?
Can I use this cream for a long time?
What are the common side effects?
Is desonide cream safe to use during pregnancy?
What should I do if I miss a dose?
How should I store desonide cream?
Can I buy this cream over the counter?
What are the common side effects of desonide?
What drug class is desonide?
Is desonide safe during pregnancy?
Is desonide currently in shortage?
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What the FDA Data Shows for desonide
The FDA label for desonide (sold under brand names such as DesOwen) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Topical Corticosteroid class. This cream treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching. Official labeling lists 10 commonly reported side effects, including Itching, Pain, Rash.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 4,709 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.24.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: July 19, 2023
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages