Fucibet cream

Fucibet Cream 30g is a prescription-only combination cream for eczema that has become infected.

  • Combines fusidic acid 2% (antibiotic) with betamethasone valerate 0.1% (potent steroid)
  • For infected atopic, discoid, stasis, contact and seborrhoeic eczema
  • Calms inflammation and itching while clearing the bacterial infection
  • Start a short online consultation — a UK prescriber reviews every request before it is approved and dispatched
  • GPhC-registered UK pharmacy (1126145) — discreet, tracked delivery

£19.99

Fucibet cream 30g tube — fusidic acid 2% and betamethasone valerate 0.1% for infected eczema
Fucibet cream 30g tube — fusidic acid 2% and betamethasone valerate 0.1% for infected eczema

Fucibet cream is a prescription-only (POM) treatment for eczema that has become infected. It combines two active ingredients in one cream: fusidic acid, an antibiotic that clears the bacteria commonly found in weeping or crusted eczema, and betamethasone valerate, a potent topical steroid that calms the inflammation and itching underneath. To order it through Bury Healthcare Online, click Start Consultation — a short medical questionnaire is reviewed by our UK prescriber before the cream is approved and dispatched.

What is Fucibet cream?

Fucibet is a white cream made by LEO Laboratories, supplied in a 30g tube. Each gram contains:

  • Fusidic acid 2% — a topical antibiotic that is highly active against Staphylococcus aureus and streptococci, the bacteria that most often infect broken eczema
  • Betamethasone valerate 0.1% — a potent topical corticosteroid that reduces redness, swelling and itching

Because betamethasone is a potent steroid, Fucibet is noticeably stronger than over-the-counter hydrocortisone and stronger than moderately potent combinations such as Trimovate cream. That extra strength is why it is only available on prescription and why courses are kept short.

What is Fucibet cream used for?

Fucibet cream is licensed for eczematous skin conditions where a bacterial infection is confirmed or suspected:

  • Atopic eczema (including infantile eczema) that has become infected — typically weeping, crusting, or suddenly worse
  • Discoid eczema — the coin-shaped patches that often crack and pick up infection
  • Stasis (varicose) eczema on the lower legs
  • Contact eczema caused by irritants or allergens
  • Seborrhoeic eczema with secondary infection

It is not the right treatment for acne, rosacea, perioral dermatitis, cold sores or other viral skin problems, or for infections that are the primary problem rather than a complication of eczema — impetigo on its own, athlete's foot and ringworm need different treatments.

How does Fucibet cream work?

Infected eczema is two problems at once. The betamethasone half of Fucibet switches off the exaggerated inflammatory response, easing itch, redness and swelling within days. At the same time the fusidic acid half stops the staphylococci multiplying in the damaged skin barrier. Treating both together is why a plain steroid cream often fails on infected eczema — and why a plain antibiotic cream fails to settle the itching and inflammation.

How to use Fucibet cream

  • Apply a small quantity to the affected area twice a day and rub in gently
  • A course should not normally last longer than 2 weeks — keeping treatment under 14 days reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance and steroid side effects
  • Wash your hands after applying (unless you are treating your hands)
  • Take care near the eyes — do not let the cream get into them, and tell your prescriber about any blurred vision
  • Only use it on the face or in skin folds if your prescriber has specifically advised it
  • Do not smoke or go near naked flames — fabric that has absorbed paraffin-based creams catches fire more easily, so wash clothing and bedding regularly

Side effects of Fucibet cream

Used correctly for a short course, Fucibet is well tolerated. The most commonly reported side effect is itching at the application site. Others include:

  • Mild burning, stinging, irritation or dry skin where the cream is applied
  • Contact dermatitis or worsening of the eczema (stop and seek advice if the rash spreads)
  • Rarely, redness, hives or a more widespread rash
  • With prolonged or repeated use — skin thinning, stretch marks, visible small blood vessels or lightening of skin colour, which is why courses are kept short
  • Rebound flares (topical steroid withdrawal) can follow long or repeated courses, especially on the face and in skin folds — another reason to stick to short courses on prescriber advice

Who should not use Fucibet cream?

  • Anyone allergic to fusidic acid, betamethasone or any other ingredient (including cetostearyl alcohol and chlorocresol, which can cause local skin reactions)
  • People with rosacea or perioral dermatitis — a potent steroid makes both worse
  • Skin infections that are untreated or the primary problem — fungal infections, viral infections such as cold sores or chickenpox, and bacterial infections without underlying eczema
  • Skin problems related to tuberculosis or syphilis

Children are more susceptible to steroid absorption through the skin, so Fucibet is used in children only where a prescriber judges it appropriate, in small amounts and for the shortest possible time. If you are pregnant it should only be used when clearly necessary — tell the prescriber in your consultation. It can be used while breastfeeding but must not be applied to the breasts.

How to get Fucibet cream online

Fucibet is a prescription-only medicine, so it cannot be sold over the counter. Bury Healthcare Online is a GPhC-registered UK pharmacy (registration 1126145) and every order goes through a short online consultation:

  1. Start your consultation — click Start Consultation and answer a few questions about your skin and medical history (it takes a few minutes; you can add a photo of the affected area)
  2. Prescriber review — our UK prescribing pharmacist checks your answers to confirm Fucibet is safe and appropriate for you
  3. Discreet delivery — once approved, your cream is dispensed and dispatched in plain packaging by tracked delivery; if it is not suitable, your order is not dispatched and you are refunded

Store the cream below 30°C and discard it 3 months after first opening.

This page is a summary and does not replace the patient information leaflet — always read the leaflet before use. If your skin gets worse, or is no better when you finish the course, contact your pharmacist, GP or NHS 111.

Medically reviewed by Hassan Khan, MPharm, Independent Prescriber — Superintendent Pharmacist, Bury Healthcare Online (GPhC-registered pharmacy 1126145). Last reviewed: July 2026.

Fucibet cream FAQs

What is Fucibet cream used for?
Fucibet cream is used for eczema that has become infected or is likely to be infected — atopic, discoid, stasis (varicose), contact and seborrhoeic eczema. Its two ingredients treat the bacterial infection and the inflammation at the same time. It is not a treatment for acne, rosacea or fungal infections.
Is Fucibet cream a steroid?
Yes. Fucibet contains betamethasone valerate 0.1%, a potent topical corticosteroid — stronger than over-the-counter hydrocortisone and than moderately potent steroids such as clobetasone. It also contains the antibiotic fusidic acid, which is what makes it suitable for infected eczema rather than plain inflammation.
Is Fucibet an antibiotic cream?
Partly. One of its two ingredients, fusidic acid 2%, is a topical antibiotic that is highly active against Staphylococcus aureus, the bacterium most often found in infected eczema. Because it also contains a potent steroid, it is only used where eczema and infection occur together, not as a plain antibiotic cream.
What is the difference between Fucibet and Fucidin?
Fucidin cream contains only the antibiotic fusidic acid, so it treats bacterial skin infection without calming inflammation. Fucidin H adds hydrocortisone, a mild steroid. Fucibet adds betamethasone, a potent steroid — making it the strongest of the three and the usual choice when infected eczema is significantly inflamed.
Can you buy Fucibet cream over the counter?
No — Fucibet is a prescription-only medicine (POM) because it contains a potent steroid and an antibiotic. You can get it on NHS prescription or through a registered online pharmacy after a consultation reviewed by a prescriber, which is how it works at Bury Healthcare Online.
Can you use Fucibet cream on your face?
Only if a prescriber has specifically advised it. Facial skin is thin and absorbs more steroid, so a potent steroid like the betamethasone in Fucibet can cause skin thinning and rebound flares there. Keep it well away from the eyes, and never use it for rosacea or perioral dermatitis.
What are the side effects of Fucibet cream?
The most common is itching where the cream is applied; burning, stinging, irritation and dry skin can also occur. With prolonged or repeated use, steroid effects such as skin thinning, stretch marks or visible blood vessels can develop, which is why courses are kept to two weeks or less.
How long should you use Fucibet cream for?
Apply a small amount twice a day until the skin settles — a single course should not normally last longer than two weeks. Limiting treatment to 14 days reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance and steroid side effects. If the skin is no better, go back to your prescriber rather than continuing.
Is there a Fucibet ointment?
No — in the UK Fucibet is only made as a cream. Searches for "Fucibet ointment" almost always mean the cream. If you were prescribed an ointment, it was more likely Fucidin ointment, which contains the antibiotic (as sodium fusidate) without the steroid.
Can Fucibet cream be used for acne or fungal infections?
No. Steroids can make acne worse, and Fucibet contains no antifungal ingredient, so it will not clear athlete's foot, ringworm or thrush — a steroid can actually let a fungal infection spread while masking it. Those conditions need a dedicated antifungal treatment instead.

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