Clobetasol (clobetasol propionate) is a very strong topical steroid — a cream, ointment, lotion or scalp application used for serious inflammatory skin conditions. It belongs to the most potent class of topical corticosteroids, roughly up to 600 times stronger than the mild hydrocortisone sold over the counter. It works by switching off the immune and inflammatory activity in the skin, quickly calming the redness, itching and thickening of severe skin disease. Familiar brands include Dermovate and Tenovate; our copy of the NAFDAC register lists many active clobetasol products.
In the NAFDAC register
117 registered products
from 65 registration holders
What it costs online
Our sampling found 3 listings (August 2026) — every one of them Dermovate, listed at ₦13,350–₦49,850. That is Dermovate's price, not the molecule's — one brand's price cannot honestly stand for a molecule the register lists under many, so no market-wide figure is shown.
Brands of Clobetasol in Nigeria
Comes as
- Cream0.05%· 15 makers
- Gel0.05%· 3 makers
In combinations: Clobetasol + Ketoconazole + Neomycin · Clobetasol + Miconazole + Gentamicin · Clotrimazole + Clobetasol + Neomycin
Those 117 products from 65 registration holders include combination products and older listings; below are the most common brands.
| Brand Name | Manufacturer | Strength | Form | NAFDAC Reg. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timovate Cream | Akso Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited | 0.05% | Cream | A4-100157 |
| Dodovate Cream | Everdestiny Pharmaceutical Ltd | 0.05% | Cream | A4-100340 |
| Betasol Lotion | Shalina Healthcare Nigeria Limited | 0.05% | Lotion | A4-7774 |
| Vineal Cream | Vixa Pharmaceutical Company Limited | 0.05% | Cream | B4-6553 |
Clobetasol Price in Nigeria
Clobetasol prices in Nigeria vary by brand, strength, and where you buy it. Confirm the current price with a licensed pharmacy, and always check the product is NAFDAC-registered before you pay.
We show a price here once it appears in our monthly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies (MedPlus, HealthPlus), or when we have a reliable market figure. For now, confirm the current price directly with a licensed pharmacy.
How to Verify Your Clobetasol is Genuine
- 1Check the NAFDAC registration number on the pack — for example, Timovate Cream (Akso Pharmaceutical) carries A4-100157 in our copy of the register.
- 2Verify any clobetasol brand's number with our NAFDAC checker.
- 3Be extremely cautious of unlabelled 'toning' or 'lightening' mixtures sold in markets — many secretly contain clobetasol or other potent steroids; the absence of a NAFDAC number and ingredient list is a warning sign.
- 4Buy clobetasol only from a registered pharmacy and, ideally, on a prescription for a diagnosed skin condition — not as a cosmetic.
- 5Inspect the tube and carton for a clear batch number, expiry date, the 0.05% strength, and clean printing; a genuine NAFDAC-registered clobetasol is a medicine for skin disease, not a beauty product.
Where to Buy
Buying Clobetasol by the carton
Cartons are bought at Nigeria's four open drug markets. Each guide names the sellers there you can contact, and how to buy safely:
No shop we list has Clobetasol on its confirmed product list yet — the market guides still tell you where the trade happens and how to buy there safely.
Wherever you buy, buy only from licensed pharmacies and verified distributors — not roadside vendors — and verify the pack's NAFDAC registration before you pay. Buying Clobetasol in bulk or for resale? See how to buy medicines in bulk in Nigeria safely.
Need Clobetasol in bulk, or can't find it near you?
Tell us what you need and we'll connect you with a verified, NAFDAC-registered source.
What is Clobetasol?
Prescribed properly — a thin layer, to a defined area, for a short course under medical guidance — clobetasol is a valuable treatment for conditions that weaker steroids cannot control: severe eczema and dermatitis, psoriasis, lichen planus and lichen sclerosus, discoid lupus, and some stubborn scalp conditions. For someone with genuinely severe skin disease, it can bring fast, real relief.
The serious problem in Nigeria is a different one: clobetasol is one of the steroids widely misused in skin-lightening ('toning' or 'bleaching') creams, either sold openly as a 0.05% cream and applied all over the body, or mixed into unlabelled lightening products. Used this way — over large areas, on the face, for months — a super-potent steroid does lasting harm: it thins and damages the skin, causes stretch marks, spider veins, acne and permanent discolouration, brings on steroid rosacea and a rebound 'red skin' when stopped, and, absorbed through wide areas of skin, can disturb the body's own hormones and even raise blood sugar. Applied to the face long-term it can also worsen infections and contribute to glaucoma and cataracts. This page explains clobetasol's real medical uses and warns plainly against using it to lighten the skin — that is not what it is for, and it causes damage that is often irreversible.
What is Clobetasol used for?
In Nigeria, Clobetasol is commonly used for:
- Severe eczema and dermatitis that milder steroids have not controlled
- Psoriasis — short, targeted courses
- Lichen planus and lichen sclerosus
- Discoid lupus erythematosus and other severe inflammatory skin conditions
- Severe scalp inflammation such as resistant seborrhoeic dermatitis (scalp preparations)
- Not for acne, not for simple rashes, not for fungal infections, and never as a skin-lightening or 'toning' cream
Dosage
IMPORTANT
Always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions. The information below is for general reference only.
Adults
Clobetasol is applied as a thin film to the affected area only, usually once or twice a day, for the shortest course that controls the condition — often no more than 1 to 2 weeks, and generally not exceeding the amount your prescriber specifies (commonly no more than about 50g a week). It should be used on a defined patch of diseased skin, not spread over large areas or healthy skin, and treatment is stopped or stepped down to a weaker steroid as the condition improves. A doctor or pharmacist should direct both how much and how long.
Children
Clobetasol is generally avoided in children because their thinner skin absorbs far more of it, raising the risk of both skin damage and body-wide steroid effects. It is used in children only under specialist dermatology supervision, on small areas for short periods.
Elderly
Older skin is thinner and more fragile, so clobetasol should be used sparingly and briefly, watching for bruising, thinning and tearing of the skin.
Use clobetasol only on the skin condition it was prescribed for, only for as long as advised, and stop by tapering rather than abruptly to avoid a rebound flare. Avoid the face, underarms and groin unless a doctor specifically directs it — the skin there is thin and absorbs the most. Do not use it under occlusive dressings or over large areas without medical advice. Above all, do not use clobetasol, or creams that contain it, to lighten or 'tone' your skin: the damage — thinning, stretch marks, discolouration, infection and hormone effects — builds silently and is often permanent.
Side Effects
Common side effects
- •Burning, stinging or itching where it is applied
- •Thinning of the skin with continued use
- •Stretch marks (striae), especially in skin folds
- •Spider veins (visible small blood vessels)
- •Acne or worsening of acne, and 'steroid rosacea' on the face
- •Changes in skin colour — lightening or, later, uneven darkening
Serious side effects — seek medical help immediately
- Permanent skin thinning, fragility and easy tearing with prolonged use
- Steroid-dependent 'red skin' — a severe rebound flare when a long-misused steroid is stopped
- Widespread absorption from large-area or long-term use suppressing the body's own steroid production (adrenal suppression), which can raise blood sugar and cause a Cushing's-like picture
- Masked or worsened skin infections — fungal, bacterial and viral — because the steroid quietens the warning signs
- On the face: glaucoma and cataract from long-term use near the eyes
- Severe allergic contact reaction to the cream
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if the skin becomes thin, marked with stretch lines or spider veins, or more inflamed rather than better; if a treated area develops signs of infection (spreading redness, pus, pain); or if stopping a long-used cream causes a severe burning red flare. If you have been using clobetasol or a lightening cream containing it over large areas for a long time, do not stop abruptly on your own — see a doctor, because your body may need help while its own steroid production recovers.
Warnings & Precautions
Do not take Clobetasol if you have:
- Untreated skin infections — bacterial, fungal (ringworm, candida) or viral (herpes, chickenpox)
- Acne, rosacea and perioral dermatitis (clobetasol worsens them)
- Use on the face, underarms or groin except under specific medical direction
- Known allergy to clobetasol or the cream's ingredients
- Use as a skin-lightening or cosmetic 'toning' product
Drug interactions
- •Other topical products on the same area — apply separately and as directed
- •Occlusive dressings or tight coverings — greatly increase absorption and side effects
- •Skin-lightening products (hydroquinone, mercury-containing creams) — combining steroids with these compounds the harm
- •Very little systemic drug interaction when used correctly on small areas; the risks come from large-area or long-term absorption
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
In pregnancy, potent steroids like clobetasol are used only when necessary, on the smallest area for the shortest time, because large-area use may affect the baby's growth; milder steroids are preferred. If used while breastfeeding, do not apply it to the breast where the baby feeds, and wash any treated area that the baby might contact. Use in pregnancy or breastfeeding should be guided by a doctor.
Related Resources for Clobetasol
Guides, articles, and tools related to Clobetasol and other dermatology medicines in Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •NAFDAC Greenbook — the official database of all products registered with Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Brand-level NAFDAC numbers for Clobetasol on this page were cross-referenced against the Greenbook.
- •British National Formulary (BNF) dosing and interaction guidance for Clobetasol.
- •Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health).
Daily puzzle: Meddle — pair five brands with their medicines. New game at midnight.