Etrivex 500 micrograms/g shampoo

Etrivex shampoo is used to treat moderate scalp psoriasis in adults.

Can I buy Etrivex shampoo online?

Etrivex shampoo is available via The Online Clinic following a short consultation with one of our doctors. Next day delivery is available on this medication. Please complete the online consultation form to start.

What is Etrivex shampoo?

The active ingredient in Etrivex shampoo is clobetasol propionate, which is a corticosteroid. There are 500 micrograms of clobetasol propionate in 1 g of shampoo. Clobetasol propionate is classified as a very potent corticosteroid. The shampoo is a topical corticosteroid preparation, for use on the skin surface.

Topical corticosteroids such as Etrivex shampoo reduce the inflammation, itchiness, and redness of skin conditions. Etrivex shampoo is used to treat moderate scalp psoriasis in adults. Scalp psoriasis is caused by a disorder of the body's immune system (the defence system). This condition causes the scalp's skin cells to produce too rapidly, which results in a build-up of skin cells on the skin surface, and leads to scaly, flaky patches or thick, crusty patches of skin on the scalp.

This medicine also contains 100 mg alcohol (ethanol) per gram (10% w/w), which can cause a burning sensation on skin that is damaged.

How to use Etrivex shampoo

Etrivex shampoo is only for use on the skin's surface.

Your doctor will inform you exactly what to do, including how much Etrivex shampoo to use, how often to use it, and how long to use it. The doctor should regularly review your progress while using Etrivex shampoo.

Usually, about 7.5 ml (that is about half a tablespoon) is used a day, which is enough to cover all the scalp. After washing your hands, Etrivex Shampoo is applied directly to the dry scalp once a day, ensuring that the affected areas are covered and massaged. Only use enough Etrivex shampoo to cover your dry scalp. If more shampoo is needed for hair washing, use a regular shampoo. Then, wash your hands again. After 15 minutes, rinse and dry the hair.

It is important to note the following when using this medication:

• (1) only use the shampoo on the scalp as directed - it is not to be used as a regular shampoo, body wash, shower gel, or bath foam;
• (2) do not cover the scalp while it is being treated (i.e., with a shower cap), as clobetasol propionate may pass through the scalp's skin and adversely affect the body;
• (3) immediately rinse the shampoo off any other skin areas (e.g., face, armpits, genitals, damaged skin areas);
• (4) if any shampoo gets in the eyes, thoroughly wash them with water and see a doctor if any irritation persists;
• (5) if you have any unusual discomfort, then thoroughly rinse the hair and see a doctor as soon as possible;
• (6) thoroughly rinse the hair to avoid interaction with hair colour dye to prevent changes to hair colour.

Treatment is not usually longer than 4 weeks. Inform the doctor either if improvement of the condition is seen or no improvement is seen by the end of treatment. Worsening of the skin condition can occur when treatment is stopped early or at the end of the course (especially after long periods of use). In those cases, inform your doctor.

Who can use Etrivex shampoo?

This product is for use by adults, and by children and adolescents (aged 2-18 years). However, use by anyone below 18 years of age needs to be monitored each week before continuing treatment. Check with your doctor if planning a pregnancy, pregnant, or breastfeeding before using the shampoo.

Do not use Etrivex shampoo if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to clobetasol propionate or any of the other constituents in the shampoo; have any form of skin infection (i.e., bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic); have weeping wounds on the scalp; on the eyes or eyelids (due to the risk of glaucoma and cataracts).

Before starting Etrivex shampoo treatment, consult a doctor if you currently use any other medications that contain corticosteroids or control the immune system (e.g. autoimmune diseases or after transplants). Your doctor must be told about all your current, recently-taken, and possibly future medicines that are either on prescription or are non-prescription.

Etrivex shampoo side effects

Many side effects of Etrivex shampoo are more likely to occur if you have been using the shampoo for longer than the treatment course, over a long time period or left the shampoo on the scalp for over 15 minutes. Also, side effects of Etrivex shampoo are more likely to occur if you have used more than the recommended daily dose or used it on body areas other than the scalp.

Stop using Etrivex shampoo and seek a doctor's advice quickly if your skin condition worsens, or your eyelids, face or lips become swollen (this may indicate an allergic reaction/hypersensitivity or a skin infection). Also, see a doctor if you experience visual disturbances such as blurred vision or start to get bone pain or any previous bone symptoms worsens.

Etrivex shampoo commonly causes a burning sensation and inflammation of the hair follicles. Stop using Etrivex shampoo if signs of local intolerance to the medication appear, including burning sensation and redness to the treated areas, and only resume treatment when these symptoms disappear.

Most side effects are uncommon and these include endocrine disorders; headache; hair loss; eye irritation, stinging/burning, tight sensation and/or glaucoma; and/or skin discomfort/pain, itching, hives, dryness, tightness, rash, acne, allergic contact dermatitis, oedema, thinning, and/or small blood vessels beneath the skin surface become visible.

Etrivex shampoo should only ever be used on the scalp and never on the face or on other areas of the skin as it can cause:

• (1) skin thinning;
• (2) perioral dermatitis - a spotty, red rash around the mouth;
• (3) worsening of rosacea - a kind of rash that causes flushing (erythema), with papules and/or pustules.

Leaving the shampoo on the scalp for longer than 15 minutes or using large quantities of shampoo may cause:

• (1) skin thinning so that the skin damages more easily;
• (2) the active ingredient to pass through the scalp's skin and adversely affect other body areas (this may particularly occur during pregnancy and in children); this can also happen if you cover the scalp, such as with a shower cap, during the 15 minutes of treatment.

Continuously repeating the course of Etrivex shampoo over a long period of time may cause:

• (1) changes in skin colour;
• (2) hair growth;
• (3) noticeable stretch marks;
• (4) bruising.

References

Etrivex 500 micrograms/g shampoo. Galderma (U.K) Ltd., London, NW1 2DX, UK. Apr 2024.