⚠️ Warnings
If an allergic reaction develops during treatment, therapy must be discontinued immediately.
Areas treated with the cream should not be covered with occlusive dressings unless strictly necessary. Local and systemic toxicity is common, particularly with prolonged continuous use on extensive areas of damaged skin, in flexures, or under polyethylene occlusion. In children or when applied to the face, treatment must be limited to 5 days. Long-term continuous treatment is undesirable in all patients regardless of age.
The cream must not be applied to the eyes or the periorbital area because of the risk of cataract, glaucoma, fungal eye infections, and exacerbation of herpes simplex.
Certain body areas, such as the groin, axillae, and perianal region, are more prone to the development of striae during treatment with Belogent. Application to these sites must therefore be kept as brief as possible.
Do not use to treat wounds or leg ulcers.
Systemic absorption of betamethasone dipropionate may induce reversible suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, with potential glucocorticoid insufficiency following discontinuation of treatment. Some patients may develop Cushing's syndrome. Patients receiving high doses of potent corticosteroids over extensive skin areas should have HPA axis function evaluated regularly. If signs of HPA axis suppression appear, treatment should be discontinued, the dosing frequency reduced, or the product substituted with a less potent corticosteroid.
Recovery of HPA axis function after dose reduction is usually rapid and complete. Rarely, symptoms of corticosteroid withdrawal similar to those seen following systemic therapy may occur.
Use in children: Compared with adults, children may have increased susceptibility to topical-corticosteroid-induced HPA axis suppression and to exogenous corticosteroid effects, owing to greater absorption resulting from a higher body surface area to body weight ratio.
Belogent cream may be used to treat nappy rash only when strictly necessary.
If fungal superinfection of the lesions occurs, additional antifungal therapy is required.
Prolonged topical use of gentamicin may lead to the emergence of aminoglycoside-resistant bacteria. For this reason, topical gentamicin is not recommended in immunosuppressed patients or other high-risk patient groups. If resistance or secondary infection develops during treatment, the product must be discontinued and appropriate therapy initiated.
Visual disturbance
Visual disturbance has been reported with both systemic and topical corticosteroid use. If a patient presents with symptoms such as blurred vision or other visual disturbances, referral to an ophthalmologist should be considered to evaluate possible causes, including cataract, glaucoma, or rare conditions such as central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR), which has been reported following systemic and topical corticosteroid administration.
This product contains cetostearyl alcohol, which may cause local skin reactions (e.g. contact dermatitis), and chlorocresol, which may cause allergic reactions.
