Hydrocortisone Butyrate: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Hydrocortisone Butyrate is a corticosteroid sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for adrenal insufficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and ulcerative colitis. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Corticosteroid
- Treats (across its forms)
- Adrenal Insufficiency, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Ulcerative Colitis
- Available as
- Topical · Solution
- Sold as
- 2 products — Locoid and Locoid Lipocream
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
- Half-life
- about 1.5 hours
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How Locoid Lipocream is dosed
From the FDA label for Locoid Lipocream (application NDA020769). Other hydrocortisone butyrate products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Recommended Dosage for Corticosteroid-Responsive Dermatoses For corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses in adults, apply a thin layer to the affected skin areas 2 or 3 times daily, depending on the severity of the condition, and rub in gently. Recommended Dosage for Atopic Dermatitis For atopic dermatitis in patients 3 months of age and older, apply a thin layer to the affected skin areas 2 times daily and rub in gently. Administration Instructions Discontinue therapy when control is achieved. If no improvement is seen within 2 weeks, reassessment of the diagnosis may be necessary. Before prescribing for more than 2 weeks, weigh any additional benefits of extending treatment to 4 weeks against the risk of HPA-axis suppression and local adverse events [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] . Hydrocortisone Butyrate Cream (lipid), 0.1% is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use. Do not use Hydrocortisone Butyrate Cream (lipid), 0.1%: With occlusive dressings unless directed by a healthcare provider. Avoid use in the diaper area, as diapers or plastic pants may constitute occlusive dressings. On the face, underarms, or groin areas unless directed by a healthcare provider. Corticosteroid-Responsive Dermatoses: Apply a thin layer to the affected skin areas 2 or 3 times daily for corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses in adults. Rub in gently. ( 2 ) Atopic Dermatitis: Apply a thin…
Everything below is the FDA label for Locoid Lipocream (topical). Hydrocortisone Butyrate is also sold as solution, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Locoid Lipocream side effects
The following adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling: Endocrine system adverse reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ), Use in Specific Populations ( 8.4 )] Ophthalmic adverse reactions [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Skin infections [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Allergic contact dermatitis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] The most common adverse reactions (≥1%) are application site reactions. ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Oceanside Pharmaceuticals at 1-800-321-4576 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice. The safety data derived from Hydrocortisone Butyrate Cream (lipid), 0.1% clinical trials reflect exposure to Hydrocortisone Butyrate Cream (lipid), 0.1% twice daily for up to 4 weeks in pediatric subjects 3 months of age and older with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. Table 1. Frequency of Adverse Reactions in Pediatric Subjects 3 Months of Age and Older with Mild to Moderate Atopic Dermatitis Hydrocortisone Butyrate Cream (lipid), 0.1% (n=131) Vehicle (n=133)…
Who shouldn’t take Locoid Lipocream
None. None. ( 4 )
Every hydrocortisone butyrate product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Topical | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Topical | No data | — | View → |
How long hydrocortisone butyrate keeps
No hydrocortisone butyrate label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does hydrocortisone butyrate expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about hydrocortisone butyrate
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 1,896 reports naming hydrocortisone butyrate, and the FDA flagged 93% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- infusion related reaction513 reports
- fatigue507 reports
- rash507 reports
- glossodynia497 reports
- systemic lupus erythematosus488 reports
- hand deformity484 reports
- duodenal ulcer perforation480 reports
- joint swelling472 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean hydrocortisone butyrate caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
How long hydrocortisone butyrate stays in your system
The elimination half-life of hydrocortisone butyrate is about 1.5 hours. This is the plasma (terminal) elimination half-life; the FDA label states "The terminal half-life of hydrocortisone is about 1.5 hours following intravenous and oral dosing of hydrocortisone tablets" in healthy adults, so roughly 90% of a dose clears within about 8 hours and nearly all within ~12 hours. Hydrocortisone is not a prodrug, but its half-life measures how fast the drug leaves the blood, not how long its effects last: as a short-acting glucocorticoid its biological (tissue) effect on the body persists well beyond blood clearance, and this short plasma half-life is why oral replacement is usually dosed 2-3 times a day. Because hydrocortisone is metabolized in the liver, significant liver impairment can slow clearance; the label does not give a specific half-life adjustment for age, kidney, or liver function. Half-life is not the same as a drug-test detection window.
ALKINDI SPRINKLE (hydrocortisone) oral granules — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed ↗Half-life is how long the body takes to clear half a dose. It is not the same as how long a drug test can detect it, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Locoid Lipocream?
Hydrocortisone Butyrate Cream (lipid), 0.1% contains hydrocortisone butyrate, a non-fluorinated hydrocortisone ester, for topical use. Hydrocortisone butyrate is a corticosteroid.
What kind of drug is hydrocortisone butyrate?
The FDA classifies hydrocortisone butyrate as a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids mimic the body's natural stress hormone cortisol: they enter cells and bind a glucocorticoid receptor that switches off genes for inflammatory chemicals, calming swelling, redness, and an overactive immune response. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
How long does hydrocortisone butyrate stay in your system?
The elimination half-life of hydrocortisone butyrate is about 1.5 hours — that is how long the body takes to clear half of a dose. This is the plasma (terminal) elimination half-life; the FDA label states "The terminal half-life of hydrocortisone is about 1.5 hours following intravenous and oral dosing of hydrocortisone tablets" in healthy adults, so roughly 90% of a dose clears within about 8 hours and nearly all within ~12 hours. Hydrocortisone is not a prodrug, but its half-life measures how fast the drug leaves the blood, not how long its effects last: as a short-acting glucocorticoid its biological (tissue) effect on the body persists well beyond blood clearance, and this short plasma half-life is why oral replacement is usually dosed 2-3 times a day. Because hydrocortisone is metabolized in the liver, significant liver impairment can slow clearance; the label does not give a specific half-life adjustment for age, kidney, or liver function. Half-life is not the same as a drug-test detection window. Half-life is not the same as how long a drug test can detect the drug, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.
Can you take hydrocortisone butyrate with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run hydrocortisone butyrate against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is hydrocortisone butyrate sold under?
We track 2 hydrocortisone butyrate-containing products in the U.S.: Locoid and Locoid Lipocream. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does hydrocortisone butyrate come in?
Across the brands we track, hydrocortisone butyrate is currently marketed as topical and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic hydrocortisone butyrate?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled hydrocortisone butyrate product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Hydrocortisone Butyrate: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/hydrocortisone-butyrate
- MLA
- “Hydrocortisone Butyrate: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/hydrocortisone-butyrate.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for hydrocortisone butyrate on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.