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If you need urgent assistance, do not use this service. Call 111, or in an emergency call 999.
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Dermovate Scalp Application contains clobetasol propionate 0.05%, the strongest class of topical steroid, used in short courses for scalp psoriasis that has not settled with milder steroids. Prescribed online by our GPhC-registered pharmacist prescribers if suitable.
A very strong steroid needs a careful check first. Don't use it on an infected scalp (pus, crusting, weeping or spreading soreness) – see a pharmacist or GP. Call 999 or go to A&E if your skin quickly turns red and you develop white, pus-filled bumps that join together – you may also have a fast heartbeat, a high temperature, or feel hot, cold or shivery – or if your face, lips or tongue swell or you struggle to breathe. Flammable: no smoking, flames or hairdryer while it dries.
Order before 3pm — same-day dispatch (MON - FRI)
~5 min consultation
Secure & confidential · Reviewed by a UK prescriber
Suitable age
Adults (18+)
Max per order
1 bottle
Consultation
Included in the price
Dermovate Scalp Application is GSK's scalp formulation of clobetasol propionate 0.05%, a very potent topical corticosteroid – the top tier of the four UK steroid strengths. It comes as a liquid in a nozzle bottle that you apply directly to the scalp through the hair.
It is licensed for short courses to treat scalp psoriasis and other stubborn, frequently relapsing scalp conditions that have not responded well to milder steroids. In NICE's psoriasis guidance, a very potent steroid on the scalp is a later step for adults only, used up to twice a day for up to 2 weeks, after a potent steroid and then a combined calcipotriol and betamethasone product have not given enough control.
Because it is so strong, our GPhC-registered pharmacist prescribers check your scalp history, which treatments you have already tried, and the medicines you take – including ritonavir or itraconazole, which can increase the amount of steroid in your body – before prescribing.
Apply a thin layer to the dry scalp night and morning until it improves, then use it less often. Do not use a hairdryer. Your prescriber will tell you how long to use it; if you need treatment for longer than 4 weeks, a milder steroid is usually considered. Once opened, each bottle should be used within 3 months.
For how clobetasol works and how it compares with other steroids, see how Dermovate works. Always read the leaflet in the pack.
| Active ingredient | Clobetasol propionate 0.05% w/w |
| Steroid strength | Very potent ("very strong") – the highest UK class |
| Brand / licence holder | GSK (Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd) |
| Sizes | 30ml (£16.99) or 100ml (£29.99), nozzle bottle |
| After opening | Use within 3 months |
| Usual use | Night and morning, then less often as it improves |
| Course | Short courses; a milder steroid is usually considered beyond 4 weeks |
| Licensed for | Scalp psoriasis and stubborn scalp conditions not helped by milder steroids |
| Licence age | Over 1 year (short, weekly-reviewed courses in children); we supply adults 18+ |
| Storage | Do not store above 30°C |
| Legal status | POM — Prescription Only Medicine |
UK guidance treats scalp psoriasis in steps, and Dermovate Scalp Application sits near the top.
Step 1 – a potent steroid once a day for up to 4 weeks, such as Betacap or Betnovate Scalp Application (betamethasone) or Elocon Scalp Lotion (mometasone). Thick, stuck-on scale may need softening first, for example with Cocois.
Step 2 – if that isn't enough after 4 weeks, a different formulation of potent steroid (such as a shampoo or mousse) and/or a treatment to remove thick scale first.
Step 3 – if there is still not enough improvement after a further 4 weeks, a combination of a steroid and a vitamin D-like medicine once a day for up to 4 weeks, such as Dovobet Gel or Enstilar Foam.
Step 4 – for adults, a very potent steroid such as Dermovate Scalp Application, up to twice a day for up to 2 weeks, or Etrivex Shampoo, a clobetasol shampoo left on for 15 minutes once a day. Coal tar treatment or referral to a specialist are other options at this stage.
Your prescriber will recommend the step that fits your history.
A 30ml bottle is £16.99 and a 100ml bottle is £29.99. Both prices include the online consultation and the prescription. Your prescriber decides whether Dermovate Scalp Application is suitable and which size is appropriate.
No. Clobetasol propionate is a prescription-only medicine in the UK, so no pharmacy can sell it without a prescription. You can get one from your GP or through our online consultation with a GPhC-registered pharmacist prescriber.
High street pharmacies such as Boots can dispense it only against a prescription. Any website or marketplace listing that sells it without a prescription is not a legal source, because prescription-only medicines must be supplied by a registered pharmacy against a valid prescription.
Your prescriber will advise, based on how much of your scalp needs treating and how long the course is. Each bottle should be used within 3 months of opening, and very potent steroids are meant for short courses, so a smaller bottle is often enough. Do not keep an opened bottle for future flares beyond 3 months.
It is used in short courses for scalp psoriasis and other stubborn, frequently relapsing scalp conditions that have not responded to milder steroids. It helps reduce redness and itchiness while you use it, but it does not cure the underlying condition.
No. Dermovate comes as a scalp application, cream and ointment. If you are looking for a clobetasol shampoo, Etrivex Shampoo contains the same very potent steroid, clobetasol propionate, and is used for moderate scalp psoriasis in adults, applied once a day and left on the scalp for 15 minutes before rinsing.
Make sure your hair is dry if you have just washed it. Apply a thin, even layer to the affected scalp using the nozzle; you can rub it in gently if you wish. Your scalp will feel cool until the liquid dries. Do not use a hairdryer, keep away from flames and smoking, and keep it away from your eyes.
Usually night and morning until your scalp improves, then less often, as directed by your prescriber. Do not use it more often than prescribed or every day for many weeks or months. If treatment is needed for longer than 4 weeks, a milder steroid is usually considered.
Itching, burning, irritation or pain where it is applied may affect up to 1 in 10 people. Skin thinning, stretch marks and visible small blood vessels are uncommon. Very rarely, it can cause an allergic reaction, a form of psoriasis with pus-filled bumps, acne, hair loss or damaged hair, eye problems such as cataract or glaucoma, or effects on the body's own steroid hormones, mainly with long or heavy use. Stop using it and contact a doctor straight away if your scalp gets worse, you develop a widespread rash or your skin swells. Report blurred vision to a doctor.
Do not use it if your scalp is infected, if you are allergic to clobetasol propionate or any ingredient, or on a child under 1 year. It is for the scalp only. Tell your prescriber about any other steroid treatments and if you take ritonavir or itraconazole. We supply it to adults only.
Only if your doctor or prescriber decides the benefit to you outweighs the risk to your baby, using the smallest amount for the shortest time. Ask for advice before using it if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding.
If you have been using it regularly, talk to your prescriber before stopping, because the leaflet warns your scalp condition may get worse if it is stopped suddenly. Topical steroids can occasionally cause withdrawal reactions, usually after long-term use, most often a flare of the original condition.
Repeated short courses can be used to control flare-ups, but each new supply goes through a fresh consultation, so your prescriber can check it is still the right treatment. If you need it often, a milder steroid or a different type of treatment for longer-term control may be more suitable.
Free consultation
Online review by a UK prescriber
Next-day delivery
Order before 3pm where offered
Discreet packaging
Plain outer packaging