Betamethasone is a corticosteroid that doctors use to treat skin conditions that cause inflammation and itchiness. People can use injectable or topical betamethasone.
Betamethasone is available in different formulations, which range in potency from medium to super potent. Doctors will choose the most suitable betamethasone product for a person depending on their skin condition and the area of the body that it is affecting.
Keep reading to learn more about betamethasone types, uses, and side effects.
Betamethasone is a type of steroid called a corticosteroid. It is available in two different forms: injectable and topical.
The following table lists the different forms of betamethasone along with their doses in milligrams per milliliter (mg/ml) or percent.
| Drug | Form | Generic name | Dose |
| Celestone soluspan | injection | betamethasone
acetate and
betamethasone
sodium phosphate | 6 mg/ml |
| betamethasone dipropionate | lotion | betamethasone dipropionate | 0.05% |
| Diprolene | ointment | betamethasone dipropionate | 0.05% |
| Diprolene AF | cream | betamethasone dipropionate | 0.05% |
| Luxiq | aerosol foam | betamethasone valerate | 0.12% |
| Sernivo | spray | betamethasone dipropionate | 0.05% |
| betamethasone valerate | cream | betamethasone valerate | 0.1% |
| betamethasone valerate | ointment | betamethasone valerate | 0.1% |
| betamethasone valerate | lotion | betamethasone valerate | 0.1% |
Share on Pinterest Doctors may prescribe betamethasone to treat various skin conditions.
Depending on its form, doctors will prescribe betamethasone for a variety of reasons.
Among other indications, people can receive injectable betamethasone to control:
- severe allergic reactions
- sudden episodes of severe arthritis
- sudden attacks of multiple sclerosis
Betamethasone is also available as a cream, foam, spray, lotion, and ointment. A doctor will prescribe one of these five formulations depending on the affected area of the body and the type of skin condition.
The following table lists the pros and cons of ointments, creams, and foams.
| Type | Pros | Cons |
| ointment | covers or coats the skin better than creams and lotion
appropriate for thick lesions
| not suitable for hairy areas of the body as it may cause folliculitis
leaves a greasy residue on the skin |
| cream | less expensive
does not leave a residue
can help dry out skin conditions that are oozing | does not cover or coat the skin as well as an ointment |
| foam | works well on the scalp | more expensive |
Doctors classify topical steroids by both their formulation and the strength of the active ingredient.
As some corticosteroids are stronger than others, doctors classify these drugs into seven classes according to their strength. The classes range from I to VII, where class I is the strongest and class VII is the weakest.
Betamethasone dipropionate is a stronger corticosteroid than betamethasone valerate:
| Super potent (class I) | Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% gel or ointment |
| High potency (class II) | Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% lotion |
| Medium to high potency (class III) | Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% cream |
| Medium potency (class IV and V) | etamethasone valerate 0.1% cream, lotion, or foam |
Doctors will use betamethasone to treat various skin conditions that cause inflammation and itchiness. They will recommend betamethasone dipropionate spray for plaque psoriasis in people 18 years and older but will prescribe lotions for skin conditions that affect hairy areas of the body, including the scalp.
People typically use betamethasone aerosol foam to treat skin conditions of the scalp.