Prescription medication · Topical Corticosteroid (Superpotent)

halobetasol

Also sold as Ultravate. This ointment treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.

Data updated 2026-05-15

793
FDA reports
$0.41
Generic price (NADAC)

halobetasol (Ultravate) is a prescription Topical Corticosteroid (Superpotent). This ointment treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.

Halobetasol Propionate Ointment is a strong steroid medicine used on the skin. It helps reduce swelling, itching, and redness.

Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →

Drug Pricing (NADAC)

Generic Price

$0.41/unit

Generic Available

Yes (6 manufacturers)

Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →

NADAC price trail: HALOBETASOL PROP 0.05% CREAM

Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (2 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: -25.9% vs prior release.

Effective NADAC / unit vs prior NDCs
October 23, 2024 $0.6752/GM - 1
December 18, 2024 $0.5007/GM -25.9% 5
Compare with Another Drug →

What it does

This ointment treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.

Common side effects

Stinging or burning

Key warnings

Using too much Halobetasol Propionate Ointment can affect your adrenal glands.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from halobetasol's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Halobetasol Propionate Ointment is a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids reduce inflammation. This helps relieve itching and other skin problems.

Side Effects (from patient reports)

Based on 793 FDA adverse event reports.

Most-reported reactions

Adverse reactions in FAERS for halobetasol, by number of reports

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.

Source FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Serious Warnings

Using too much Halobetasol Propionate Ointment can affect your adrenal glands. This medicine is very strong. Do not use it for more than two weeks.

Common Questions

Can I use this on my face?
Talk to your doctor before using this on your face.
How long should I use this medicine?
Do not use this medicine for more than 2 weeks.
What should I do if my skin gets worse?
Tell your doctor if your skin gets worse or does not improve after 2 weeks.
Can I use a bandage over the treated area?
No, do not use bandages or dressings over the treated area.
What if someone accidentally swallows the ointment?
Seek medical help immediately.
Can I buy this over the counter?
No, this medicine requires a prescription from your doctor.
Is it safe to use on children?
Use in children under 12 years of age is not recommended.
What should I do if I experience burning or stinging?
Tell your doctor if the burning or stinging is severe or does not go away.
Can I use this for any skin condition?
No, only use this for conditions your doctor has prescribed it for.
What ingredients are in this medicine?
The active ingredient is halobetasol propionate. Ask your pharmacist for a complete list of inactive ingredients.
What are the common side effects of halobetasol?
The registry lists Stinging or burning among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for halobetasol. The compiled record contains 793 FDA adverse-event reports. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
What drug class is halobetasol?
halobetasol belongs to the Topical Corticosteroid (Superpotent) drug class. It requires a prescription (Rx). This ointment treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for halobetasol?
The FDA label for halobetasol contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

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betamethasone

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What the FDA Data Shows for halobetasol

The FDA label for halobetasol (sold under brand names such as Ultravate) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Topical Corticosteroid (Superpotent) class. This ointment treats skin problems that cause inflammation and itching. Official labeling lists 1 commonly reported side effect, including Stinging or burning.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 793 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.41.

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 are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

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. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: May 29, 2024

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

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 from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

All federal data sources used on this page