Hydrocortisone ointment

This medicine contains the active ingredient hydrocortisone, which is a type of medicine called a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids are medicines used for reducing inflammation. Inflammation of the skin happens due to irritation of the skin, and is caused by the release of various substances that are important in the immune system. These substances cause blood vessels to widen, resulting in the irritated area becoming red, swollen, itchy and painful.

When hydrocortisone is applied to the skin it works by acting inside the skin cells to decrease the release of these inflammatory substances. This reduces swelling, redness and itch. Hydrocortisone is a mild corticosteroid that is applied to the skin to treat a wide variety of inflammatory skin disorders, such as eczema. The active ingredient is formulated in a moisturising base that provides a layer of oil on the surface of the skin, helping to prevent water from evaporating from the skin surface. This helps reduce the dryness, scaling and itching of skin conditions such as eczema.