Fluocinolone Acetonide Coupons & Prices

A fluocinolone acetonide coupon from Rx.com can lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter for this common prescription corticosteroid, which is used to calm the redness, swelling, and itching of steroid-responsive skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and contact dermatitis. Fluocinolone acetonide is the generic form of brands like Synalar, and generics are usually the lower-cost way to fill it, but the cash price still swings a lot from one pharmacy to the next, and the cream, ointment, solution, oil, and shampoo forms are all priced differently. Enter your ZIP code above to compare today's fluocinolone acetonide price across more than 60,000 pharmacies and print, text, or email your free discount card before you go.

What is fluocinolone acetonide and how does it work?

Fluocinolone acetonide is a synthetic fluorinated corticosteroid (a glucocorticoid) applied to the skin or scalp. Corticosteroids work by quieting the inflammatory response in the skin, which eases the redness, swelling, scaling, and itching that come with steroid-responsive skin conditions. It is FDA-approved for the relief of the inflammatory and itching manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses, which in everyday terms most often means eczema (atopic dermatitis), psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, and lichen planus.

It comes in several forms, each with its own approved use:

• Cream, ointment, and topical solution (0.01% and 0.025%) - for corticosteroid-responsive skin conditions; sold generically and under the brand Synalar.
• Topical oil 0.01% (Derma-Smoothe/FS) - a body oil indicated for atopic dermatitis in adults and children, and a scalp oil indicated for psoriasis of the scalp in adults.
• Shampoo 0.01% (Capex) - indicated for seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp.
• Combination cream (Tri-Luma) - fluocinolone acetonide 0.01% combined with hydroquinone and tretinoin, for melasma of the face.

A completely separate product line of fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implants is used by eye specialists for diabetic macular edema and chronic non-infectious uveitis of the back of the eye. Those are surgical eye products, not the topical skin medicines most people are searching for, and they are priced and dispensed very differently.

Fluocinolone acetonide cost and coupon savings

Fluocinolone acetonide is available as an FDA-approved generic, so it is already one of the more affordable prescription topical steroids, and most people paying cash will do better with the generic than with a brand such as Synalar, Capex, or Derma-Smoothe/FS. There is no manufacturer copay savings card for the generic. But "generic" does not mean "one price": the cash price for the same tube or bottle can differ substantially between two pharmacies on the same street, and it also depends on the form (cream and ointment are typically cheaper than the oil, shampoo, or combination cream), the strength, and the package size your prescription calls for.

That variation is exactly why comparing matters. Rx.com checks fluocinolone acetonide prices at more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies, including the big chains, grocery and warehouse pharmacies, and independents, then shows you the discounted cash price at each one. Enter your ZIP code above to see today's price near you, and bring the free Rx.com coupon to the counter. The discount is for cash-paying customers and cannot be combined with insurance, so if you do have coverage, it is worth asking the pharmacist to run both and charge you whichever is lower. If your provider wrote for a specific form, ask whether a different form or a larger tube would cost less per use before you fill it.

How fluocinolone acetonide compares to other topical steroids

Topical corticosteroids are usually ranked by potency, and fluocinolone acetonide sits in the low-to-medium range depending on its strength (0.01% or 0.025%) and its vehicle (ointments push a given steroid to the stronger end, while solutions, oils, and shampoos are generally milder on the skin). That middle position is why prescribers often choose it for larger areas or for longer-running rashes, rather than reaching straight for a high-potency steroid.

Related topical corticosteroids your prescriber may consider, roughly from milder to stronger:

• hydrocortisone and desonide - low potency, often used on the face or on thin skin and in children
• triamcinolone acetonide and mometasone furoate - medium potency, very common alternatives for eczema and psoriasis
• fluocinonide and betamethasone dipropionate - higher potency, for thicker or more stubborn plaques
• clobetasol propionate - among the strongest, reserved for short courses on resistant areas

All of these are available as generics, and all of them vary in price by pharmacy, so if your prescriber gives you a choice it is worth comparing before you fill. Only your prescriber can decide which potency is right for your rash and the part of the body it is on.

Safety, side effects, and things to tell your provider

Topical fluocinolone acetonide has no boxed warning. The most common problems are local: burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, acne-like eruptions, lightening of the skin, allergic contact dermatitis, and, with longer use, thinning of the skin (atrophy), stretch marks, and heat rash. Enough steroid can be absorbed through the skin to affect the body as a whole, which can cause reversible suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, Cushing's syndrome, high blood sugar, and sugar in the urine. That risk goes up with higher potency, treating a large area, using it for a long time, covering the area with occlusive dressings, or applying it to broken skin. Children absorb proportionally more because of their skin-surface-to-body-weight ratio, so they face a greater risk of HPA suppression and slowed growth.

Use it exactly as directed: do not bandage, cover, or wrap the treated area unless your provider tells you to, and avoid the eyes, face, groin, and underarms unless your provider specifically directs otherwise. Do not use it on an untreated skin infection, and let your provider know if a rash is not clearing or seems to be getting worse. The Derma-Smoothe/FS oil formulations contain refined peanut oil, so tell your provider if you have a peanut allergy. The intravitreal eye implant forms carry their own separate risks, including cataract, raised eye pressure or glaucoma, and eye infection. This page is general information, not medical advice; talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your specific condition, other medicines, and how long to use this one.