What is the difference between hydrocortisone cream and hydrocortisone valerate

Topical Steroid Potency Chart

Curious about the potency of topical steroids? Perhaps your health care provider prescribed you a treatment and you’d like to know how potent it is.

Table of Contents Show

Topical Steroid Potency Chart
Steroid Potency Chart
About Psoriasis
Treatment & Care
What Can You Get Over-the-Counter?
Is hydrocortisone valerate stronger than hydrocortisone?
What is hydrocortisone valerate used for?
How strong is hydrocortisone valerate?
How long can you use hydrocortisone valerate?

Below you will find a chart of topical steroids classified by their potency. Both the brand names and generic names are listed.

Are you looking for non-steroid or over-the-counter options? While topical steroids require a prescription from a health care provider, there are over-the-counter and non-steroid treatment options available to you without a prescription.

NPF's Seal of Recognition has a searchable list of products like shampoos and moisturizers, and even household items, all of which are made or intended to be non-irritating to your sensitive skin.

Steroid Potency Chart

This chart is for educational use only. Please read the full prescription insert for known side effects, precautions, or warnings. Also, please talk with your health care provider for the specific dose and frequency that is right for you. The National Psoriasis Foundation does not endorse any specific treatment for psoriatic disease.

Potency Strength	Brand Name	Generic Name
Super-potent Ultra-high	Diprolene Ointment, 0.05%	Augmented betamethasone dipropionate
Cormax Cream/Solution, 0.05%	Clobetasol propionate
Clobex Lotion/Spray/Shampoo, 0.05%	Clobetasol propionate
Olux Foam, 0.05%	Clobetasol propionate
Olux E Foam, 0.05%	Clobetasol propionate
Temovate Cream/Ointment/Solution, 0.05%	Clobetasol propionate
Topicort Topical Spray, 0.25%	Desoximetasone
Psorcon Ointment, 0.05%;	Augmented diflorasone diacetate
Psorcon E Ointment, 0.05%	Diflorasone diacetate
Vanos Cream, 0.1%	Fluocinonide
Cordran Tape, 4mcg/sq. cm.	Flurandrenolide 4 mcg/cm2
Lexette Foam, 0.05%	Halobetasol propionate
Ultravate Cream/Ointment, 0.05%	Halobetasol propionate
Ultravate Lotion, 0.05%	Halobetasol propionate
Bryhali Lotion, 0.01%	Halobetasol propionate
High	Cyclocort Ointment, 0.1%	Amcinonide
Diprolene Ointment, 0.05%	Betamethasone dipropionate
Diprolene Cream/Lotion, 0.05%	Augmented betamethasone dipropionate
Topicort Cream/Ointment, 0.25%	Desoximetasone
IMPOYZ Cream, 0.025%	Clobetasol Propionate
Topicort Gel 0.05%	Desoximetasone
Florone Cream, 0.05%	Augmented Diflorasone diacetate
Florone Ointment, 0.05%	Diflorasone diacetate
Lidex Cream/Gel/Ointment/Solution, 0.05%	Fluocinonide
Halog Ointment/Cream, 0.1%	Halcinonide
Elocon Ointment, 0.1%	Mometasone furoate
Cyclocort Cream/Lotion 0.1%	Amcinonide
Diprolene AF Cream 0.05%	Betamethasone dipropionate
Diprolene Lotion 0.05%	Betamethasone dipropionate
Psorcon Cream, 0.05%	Diflorasone diacetate
Cutivate Ointment, 0.005%	Fluticasone propionate
TRIDERM	Triamcinolone acetonide 0.5%
Moderate (Medium)	Luxiq Aerosol Foam 0.12%	Betamethasone valerate
Topicort LP Cream, 0.05%	Desoximetasone
Synalar Ointment 0.025%	Fluocinolone acetonide
Cordran Ointment, 0.05%	Flurandrenolide
SERNIVO Spray, 0.05%	Betamethasone Dipropionate
Westcort Ointment, 0.2%	Hydrocortisone valerate
Elocon Cream/Lotion, 0.1%	Mometasone furoate
Kenalog Cream/Ointment, 0.1%	Triamcinolone acetonide
Kenalog Spray, 0.2%	Triamcinolone acetonide
CREAM: BETA-VAL/BETADERM; LOTION: VALISONE/BETA-VAL	Betamethasone valerate 0.1%
Cloderm Cream, 0.1%	Clocortolone pivalate
Synalar Cream 0.025%	Fluocinolone acetonide
Capex Shampoo	Fluocinolone acetonide
Derma-Smoothe/FS	Fluocinolone acetonide
Cutivate Cream/Lotion 0.05%	Fluticasone propionate
Cordran Cream/Lotion, 0.05%	Flurandrenolide
Locoid Cream/Lotion/Ointment/Solution, 0.1%	Hydrocortisone butyrate
Pandel Cream, 0.1%	Hydrocortisone probutate
WESTCORT Cream	Hydrocortisone valerate 0.2%
DermAtop Cream/Ointment, 0.1%	Prednicarbate
Low	Aclovate Cream/Ointment, 0.05%	Alclometasone dipropionate
LOTION, CREAM, OINT: DESOWEN; GEL: DESONATE/DESRX; FOAM: VERDESO 3	Desonide 0.05%
Synalar Cream/Solution, 0.01%	Fluocinolone acetonide
LOTION, GEL, CREAM, OINT: CORTIZONE 10; SOLUTION: SCALPICIN/TEXACORT 7	Hydrocortisone 0.5% - 2.5%
Cetacort Lotion, 0.5%/1%	Hydrocortisone
Cortaid Cream/Spray/Ointment	Hydrocortisone
Hytone Cream/Lotion, 1%/2.5%	Hydrocortisone
Micort-HC Cream, 2%/2.5%	Hydrocortisone
Nutracort Lotion, 1%/2.5%	Hydrocortisone
Synacort Cream, 1%/2.5%	Hydrocortisone

For Patients: Please read the full prescription insert for known side effects, precautions, or warnings. Also, please talk with your provider about the specific dose and frequency that is right for you.

About Psoriasis

Psoriasis affects more than 3% of the US adult population. That is more than 7.5 million US adults.

Learn about psoriasis

Treatment & Care

Learn about different treatment options for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and talk to your doctor about what might be right for you.

Treament & Care for Psoriasis

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What Can You Get Over-the-Counter?

While topical steroids require a prescription from a health care provider, there are over-the-counter treatment options that may help reduce the symptoms you are experiencing.

Learn about options that do not require a prescription

The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is a 501(c)(3) organization governed by a Board of Directors and advised on medical issues by the Medical Board and the Scientific Advisory Committee.

National Psoriasis Foundation education materials are reviewed by the NPF Research Team and by lead Medical/Scientific advisors as appropriate and are not intended to replace the counsel of a health care provider. The Foundation does not endorse any medications, products, or treatments for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis and advises you to consult with a physician before initiating any treatment.

Last updated on 10/25/2022 by the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Is hydrocortisone valerate stronger than hydrocortisone?

This new nonfluorinated steroid was found to be as effective as the fluorinated beta-methasone valerate cream (0.1 percent) and significantly more effective than hydrocortisone cream (0.1 percent) and the placebo cream base.

What is hydrocortisone valerate used for?

Hydrocortisone valerate topical is used to help relieve redness, itching, swelling, or other discomfort caused by skin conditions. This medicine is a corticosteroid (cortisone-like medicine or steroid).

How strong is hydrocortisone valerate?

Studies performed with Hydrocortisone Valerate Cream USP, 0.2% indicate that it is in the medium range of potency as compared with other topical corticosteroids.