Hydrozole Cream: Uses, Price in Pakistan, How to Use and Side Effects

Hydrozole is one of the most searched skin creams in Pakistan. People buy it for ringworm (daad), itching (khujli), rashes in the groin and between the toes, and, too often, for pimples and "fairness". It is cheap and easy to find, but it is a medicine with a steroid in it, and it works well only for the job it was made for.

Here's what it is, what it treats, how to use it, and when you should use something else.

What is Hydrozole cream?

Hydrozole is made by Haleon Pakistan (the consumer health business that split from GSK, which is why many pharmacy sites still list it under GSK). Each tube contains two active ingredients:

• Clotrimazole 1%, an antifungal. It kills the fungi and yeasts behind ringworm, jock itch, athlete's foot and candida rashes.
• Hydrocortisone 1%, a mild corticosteroid. It reduces itching, redness and swelling.

The usual pack is 20g. The steroid is what makes the itch settle in a day or two, and it is also why the cream is meant for short courses only.

What is Hydrozole cream used for?

Hydrozole is for fungal skin infections that are also inflamed: red, swollen or very itchy.

• Ringworm on the body (tinea corporis): round or oval patches with a raised, scaly edge.
• Jock itch (tinea cruris): an itchy red rash in the groin and inner thighs, very common in hot, humid weather.
• Athlete's foot (tinea pedis): itchy, peeling or cracked skin between the toes.
• Yeast rashes in skin folds (candida intertrigo): under the breasts, in the armpits or in tummy folds.

If the rash is fungal but not very itchy or red, a plain clotrimazole cream does the job without the steroid.

It does not treat acne, melasma, dark spots, eczema on the face or bacterial infections. For pimples, see our best acne cream in Pakistan guide.

How do you use Hydrozole cream?

1. Wash the area with water and a mild soap, and dry it completely, especially between the toes and in skin folds. Fungi grow in damp skin.
2. Apply a thin layer to the rash and about 2 to 3 cm of normal skin around it, where the infection is spreading.
3. Use it twice a day, morning and night.
4. Wash your hands afterwards, so you don't spread the infection to other parts of your body.
5. Stop after 7 days. If the rash isn't fully gone, switch to a cream with clotrimazole only for another two weeks, or see a doctor.

Why only 7 days?

The steroid calms the itch quickly, so the rash looks better long before the fungus is gone. If you stop then, it comes back. If you keep using the steroid cream for weeks, the steroid weakens the skin's defences and the infection can spread. The usual plan is a short course of the combination, then the plain antifungal until two weeks after the skin looks normal.

What are the side effects of Hydrozole cream?

Used for a week on the body, side effects are uncommon. The ones to know about:

• Burning, stinging or redness where you apply it, usually mild and short-lived.
• Allergic reaction: a rash that gets worse, swells or blisters. Stop and see a doctor.
• With long or heavy use: thin, shiny skin, stretch marks, visible veins and lighter patches. These come from the steroid and are the reason for the 7-day limit.
• Ringworm that changes shape: steroid creams used on ringworm for weeks can make it spread and look unusual (doctors call this tinea incognito), which makes it harder to diagnose and treat.

Who should not use Hydrozole without a doctor?

• Children, especially babies in the nappy area. The skin there is thin, and a nappy works like a covering that pushes more steroid into the skin.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is often used in pregnancy, but a doctor should decide.
• Anyone putting it on the face, eyelids, or broken or infected skin.
• Rashes that are not clearly fungal. Many itchy rashes are eczema, allergy or scabies, and need different treatment.

Hydrozole vs steroid "mix" creams: why the steroid matters

In Pakistan, a lot of creams sold for daad and khujli mix an antifungal with a strong steroid, such as clobetasol or betamethasone, sometimes with an antibiotic as well. They stop the itch fast, so people keep using them, and doctors across South Asia now see a large number of ringworm cases that are widespread, keep coming back and respond poorly to treatment, with steroid creams as one of the main causes.

Hydrocortisone, the steroid in Hydrozole, is the mildest one used on skin. That makes Hydrozole a much safer choice for a short course than any cream containing clobetasol, betamethasone or another strong steroid. If a cream for ringworm lists clobetasol, ask your pharmacist for a plain antifungal instead; our Clobederm guide explains what clobetasol is actually prescribed for. The same strong steroids turn up in "whitening" creams; our melasma guide explains why that is dangerous on the face.

Hydrozole cream price in Pakistan, and alternatives

Hydrozole (Rs 299 for 20g) and Barresten HC (Rs 325 for 30g) contain the same two ingredients. Barresten HC costs a little more but has a bigger tube; check the strength on the box, as packs are labelled differently. Many other local brands sell clotrimazole with hydrocortisone too; check the label says hydrocortisone, not clobetasol or betamethasone.

For the second stage of treatment, or for a fungal rash that isn't itchy, a cream with clotrimazole 1% only is enough and has no steroid.

How to stop fungal infections coming back

Fungal skin infections spread in heat, sweat and shared fabric, which is why they are so common in Pakistan's summers.

• Keep skin dry, especially the groin, feet and skin folds. Dry thoroughly after a bath.
• Wear loose cotton clothes and change sweaty clothes and socks quickly.
• Don't share towels, combs or clothes, and wash them in hot water if someone at home has ringworm.
• Treat everyone and everything: athlete's foot often spreads to the groin, and pets can carry ringworm.
• For dandruff and scalp itching, a medicated shampoo works better than cream. See our Conaz shampoo guide.

See a doctor if the rash covers a large area, keeps returning, is on the scalp, face or nails, or hasn't cleared after two to four weeks of treatment. Widespread or stubborn ringworm often needs antifungal tablets.

How we wrote this guide

We checked Hydrozole's ingredients and price on the DRAP price index, Healthwire and Oladoc, and Barresten HC's price on the DRAP price index, on 8 November 2026. The usage advice follows standard guidance for clotrimazole with hydrocortisone creams. We don't take payment from Haleon, Barrett Hodgson or any other brand mentioned here.