Last Reviewed: August, 2026
Introduction
Recalled products (UK)
Uses
Concerns
Mitigating Illicit therapy
Globally, dermatological conditions are the fourth most prevalent cause of morbidity. Not all patients are relieved of their disease with licensed medication and this leaves room for patients to experiment with alternative treatments, some of which may be unregulated.
Unregulated medications may be effective, yet potential hazards are not taken into consideration with their use, especially as people often believe over-the-counter (OTC) products are safe. This includes unregulated medications that contain topical steroids, many containing potent or superpotent agents. Social media endorsements are often used to promote their use.
Some studies have shown that a significant proportion of patients do not experience complete symptom resolution with licensed topical steroids (eg, 33% in a 2020 study of 400 patients) which can contribute to patients utilising unregulated treatments.
Various countries have attempted to curtail this issue by regulating alternative medication. For example, Table 1 displays OTC topical treatments that have been recalled by the United Kingdom’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSSA) as they were discovered to contain high potency topical steroids.
Table 1. Products that were found to contain unlabelled steroids by the UK OPSSA
Name | Undocumented steroid(s) | Country | Alert date | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Purec Egyptian Magic Whitening Face & Body Lotion (2301-0119) | Betamethasone dipropionate, Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 01/02/23 | |||||||||||||||||
SWP+ Skin Whitening Body Lotion (2301-0118) | Betamethasone dipropionate, Clobetasol propionate | United Arab Emirates | 01/02/23 | |||||||||||||||||
Kojic Clear Cream with Lemon sold via eBay (2301-0158) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 16/02/23 | |||||||||||||||||
Kojic Clear Lotion with Papaya (2306-0076) | Clobetasol propionate | Nigeria | 26/06/23 | |||||||||||||||||
LA LA LA Huile Eclaircissante 100ml Skin Lightening Oil sold via eBay (2306-0087) | Clobetasol propionate | Cameroon | 07/07/23 | |||||||||||||||||
Caro White Intensive Care Lightening Beauty Cream sold via eBay (2306-0089) | Clobetasol propionate | Côte d’Ivoire | 07/07/23 | |||||||||||||||||
Dermiron-Plus Cream (2312-0106) | Betamethasone valerate | India | 31/01/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Bliss GVS Pharma Funbact-A Steroid Cream (2312-0054) | Betamethasone dipropionate | India | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
PTS Packers and Providers Pvt Surfaz-SN Triple Action Cream (2312-0059) | Betamethasone dipropionate | India | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Wau Wa Eczema Herbal Cream (2312-0063) | Betamethasone dipropionate | Ghana | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Fabrique Par Rodis White Secret Unifying Complexion Serum (2312-0055) | Clobetasol propionate | Togo | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Esapharma Movate Steroid Cream (2312-0053) | Clobetasol propionate | Italy | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Vixa Skineal Steroid Cream (2312-0052) | Clobetasol propionate | Nigeria | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Benek's Fashion Fair Cream (2312-0051) | Clobetasol propionate | Italy | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
CT Cosmetics Extra Pure White Gold Glowing, B.S.C. Black Spot Corrector (2312-0049) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
White Moon Neutrotone Steroid Cream (2312-0047) | Clobetasol propionate | Italy | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Gandour Light & Natural Carotone Skin Lightening Cream (2312-0043) | Clobetasol propionate | Côte d’Ivoire | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
H Cosmetiques CI L'abidjanaise Cream (2312-0042) | Clobetasol propionate | Côte d’Ivoire | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Uniparco Pure White Cosmetics Gold Glowing (2312-0041) | Clobetasol propionate | Senegal | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
SIVOP Parfums & Cosmétiques Clair-Liss Lightening Body Cream (2312-0036) | Clobetasol propionate | Côte d’Ivoire | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Irodis B.B. Clear Skin Lightening Cream (2312-0035) | Clobetasol propionate | Togo | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Front Pharmaceutical Tydineal Steroid Cream (2312-0060) | Clobetasol propionate | China | 19/03/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Pharmaderm Skinclear Multi Vitamin Cream (2406-0049b) | Clobetasol propionate | Ghana | 14/06/24 | |||||||||||||||||
TiaTio Concentrated Serum (2406-0049a) | Clobetasol propionate | Ghana | 14/06/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari Naturalle Carotonic Extreme Glow Renewing Face Serum SPF 15 sold via Amazon and eBay (2406-0073) | Clobetasol propionate | France | 08/07/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari Clarifying Cream sold via eBay (2407-0043) | Clobetasol propionate | France | 24/07/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari Extreme Active Intense Dark Spot Corrector sold via eBay (2407-0041) | Clobetasol propionate | France | 26/07/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari Extreme Active Boosting Gel sold via eBay (2407-0039) | Clobetasol propionate | France | 26/07/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari Exclusive Active Intense Tone Boosting Body Milk sold via eBay (2407-0038) | Clobetasol propionate | France | 26/07/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari Extreme Active Intense Body Milk sold via eBay (2407-0037) | Clobetasol propionate | France | 26/07/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Naomi Triple Action Cream (2402-0226) | Betamethasone dipropionate | Canada | 01/08/24 | |||||||||||||||||
White Secret Skin Lightening Lotion (2406-0120) | Clobetasol propionate | Togo | 08/08/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Pro Light Skin Lightening Beauty Cream (2406-0123) | Clobetasol propionate | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 08/08/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse Intense Extreme Rejuvenating Face Serum sold via eBay (2411-0082) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 14/11/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse Multi-Action Extreme Glow Revitalizing Face Serum (2411-0080) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 14/11/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse Night Radiance Face Cream (2411-0087) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 14/11/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse Active Intense Tone Boosting Gel (2411-0078) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 14/11/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse Active Intense Unify & Illuminate Argan & Carrot Oil Tone Boosting Cream (2411-0076) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 22/11/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse Active Intense Tone Boosting Cream (2411-0079) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 22/11/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse On-The-Go Spot Corrector (2411-0089) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 28/11/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Makari De Suisse Active Intense Unify & Illuminate Dark Spot Corrector Serum (2411-0088) | Clobetasol propionate | Unknown | 09/12/24 | |||||||||||||||||
Uniparco Light Up Dark Spots Correcting Serum 30ml (2407-0104) | Clobetasol propionate | Senegal | 17/01/25 | |||||||||||||||||
These agents are often promoted to alleviate, treat or achieve:
Several issues arise with the use of off-labelled medication use.
Uninformed side effect risks
Interactions with other medication
Limited Testing
Lack of physician-patient relationship
Vigilant oversight of OTC/non-regulated medication
Education
Strengthening the doctor-patient relationship
Arrangement of steroid testing by regulatory authorities when clinical suspicion arises.
