Prescription medication · Topical Corticosteroid
desoximetasone
Also sold as Topicort. This medicine treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 18,159
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- $1.43
- Generic price (NADAC)
desoximetasone (Topicort) is a prescription Topical Corticosteroid. This medicine treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.
Desoximetasone is a steroid medicine that you put on your skin. It helps reduce swelling, itching, and redness.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$1.43/unit
Generic Available
Yes (19 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.
Common side effects
No common side effects listed.
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 desoximetasone's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Desoximetasone is a strong corticosteroid. It works by reducing inflammation. It also reduces itching.
How to Take It
Apply a thin layer of the cream or gel to the affected skin twice a day. Gently rub the medicine into your skin. Only use it on the areas your doctor told you to.
This is a plain-language summary of desoximetasone'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 desoximetasone can harm an unborn baby or pass into breast milk.
This is a plain-language summary of desoximetasone'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 desoximetasone's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store at room temperature, away from heat and moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 18,159 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for desoximetasone, by number of reports
- Pain
Pain
8,816 reports
- Tiredness
Tiredness
8,635 reports
- Hair loss
Hair loss
8,121 reports
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
8,064 reports
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus
7,966 reports
- Pemphigus
Pemphigus
7,742 reports
- Stomach discomfort
Stomach discomfort
7,697 reports
- Burning tongue syndrome
Burning tongue syndrome
7,510 reports
- Swelling
Swelling
7,041 reports
- Deformed hand
Deformed hand
6,818 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 desoximetasone 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 desoximetasone sits
desoximetasone has more FDA adverse-event reports than 53% 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 desoximetasone; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 18,159 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
18,159
Reports Mentioning Death
4,534
25.0% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
6,570
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | PAIN | 8,816 |
| 3 | FATIGUE | 8,635 |
| 4 | ALOPECIA | 8,121 |
| 5 | RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS | 8,064 |
| 6 | SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS | 7,966 |
| 7 | PEMPHIGUS | 7,742 |
| 8 | ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT | 7,697 |
| 9 | GLOSSODYNIA | 7,510 |
| 10 | SWELLING | 7,041 |
| 11 | HAND DEFORMITY | 6,818 |
| 12 | RASH | 6,712 |
| 13 | ARTHROPATHY | 6,684 |
| 15 | SYNOVITIS | 6,373 |
| 16 | WOUND | 6,338 |
| 17 | JOINT SWELLING | 6,325 |
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 desoximetasone used for?
How often should I apply the cream?
Can I use a bandage over the treated area?
What should I do if I get the cream in my eyes?
Can I use this cream on my face?
Are there any side effects?
Can I use this while pregnant?
How long should I use this medication?
What should I do if my skin condition gets worse?
Can I buy this over the counter?
What drug class is desoximetasone?
Is desoximetasone safe during pregnancy?
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benzoyl peroxide
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What the FDA Data Shows for desoximetasone
The FDA label for desoximetasone (sold under brand names such as Topicort) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Topical Corticosteroid class. This medicine treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching. Labeling covers dosing, contraindications, and monitoring requirements derived from clinical trials.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 18,159 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $1.43.
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).
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: December 9, 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