Mupirocin ointment for skin – Complete Guide

Mupirocin (BACTROBAN) ointment is an antibacterial indicated for the topical treatment of impetigo due to susceptible isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus.

It is not known if mupirocin ointment is safe to use in children under 2 months of age.

Mupirocin ointment shouldn’t be used in patients with known hypersensitivity to mupirocin or any of the ingredients of mupirocin ointment.

Before using mupirocin ointment, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions including if you:

• have kidney problems

• are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if mupirocin ointment can harm your unborn baby.

• are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if mupirocin ointment can pass into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you can use mupirocin ointment while breastfeeding.

• Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take, including prescription, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Do not mix mupirocin ointment with other lotions or ointments.

• Mupirocin ointment is for use on the skin. Do not get Mupirocin ointment in your eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina.

• Use mupirocin ointment exactly as your doctor tells you to use it.

• Apply a small amount of mupirocin ointment, with a cotton swab, to the affected area 3 times each day.

• It is important that you take the full treatment of mupirocin ointment.

• Wash your hands before and after applying mupirocin ointment.

• After applying the ointment, you may cover the treated area with a clean gauze pad, unless your doctor has told you to leave it uncovered.

• Talk to your doctor if your skin does not improve after 3 to 5 days of treatment with mupirocin ointment.

• If you are breastfeeding and use mupirocin ointment on your breast or nipple, wash the area well before breastfeeding your child.

The most common side effects of mupirocin ointment are stinging or pain, burning, and itching

• Severe allergic reactions: Stop using mupirocin ointment and call your doctor if you have any of the following signs or symptoms of a severe allergic reaction:
  • hives
  • swelling of your face, lips, mouth, or tongue
  • a rash over your whole body
  • trouble breathing or wheezing
  • dizziness, fast heartbeat, or pounding in your chest

• Eye irritation: Do not get the ointment in your eyes. If it does get in your eyes, rinse your eyes well with water.

• Irritation in the area mupirocin ointment is used: stop using mupirocin ointment and call your doctor if you develop an irritation, severe itching, or a rash while using mupirocin ointment.

• Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD): a type of diarrhea that may happen in people who use or have used medicine to treat bacterial infections. The severity of CDAD can range from mild diarrhea to severe diarrhea that may cause death (fatal colitis). Call your doctor if you have diarrhea while using or after you stop using BACTROBAN ointment.

• Risk of absorption of polyethylene glycol through the skin: mupirocin ointment contains polyethylene glycol, which in large amounts can cause kidney damage. You should not apply mupirocin ointment to open skin wounds or damaged skin, especially if you have kidney problems.

• Increased risk of infection at intravenous sites: mupirocin ointment should not be used on skin that is near an IV intravenous site.

Active Ingredient: mupirocin
Inactive Ingredients: polyethylene glycol 400 and polyethylene glycol 3350

Yes, mupirocin ointment can be used to treat hidradenitis suppurativa and is completely safe.

Yes, mupirocin ointment can be used on open wounds and is completely safe.

Mupirocin ointment can take 3 to 5 days to work.

No, Mupirocin ointment can’t be used for treating acne as it is not as effective like other antibiotic treatments such as clindamycin, benzoyl peroxide, and erythromycin. It is often used as a second-line treatment for acne.

Yes, mupirocin ointment can be used to treat eczema and is completely safe. It can also be used to treat eczema on the face.

Yes, Mupirocin ointment can be used to treat rosacea but it is not seen as the first line of treatment.

No, mupirocin ointment won’t work for yeast infections because it is an antibiotic. Yeast infections are caused by anaerobic bacteria, like mycobacteria, mycoplasma, chlamydia, yeast, and fungi so mupirocin ointment won’t be a good option.

There are people that use mupirocin ointment for toenail fungus but it won’t be effective because it is an antibiotic and won’t work for fungus related-diseases.

Yes, mupirocin ointment can be used to treat perioral dermatitis and is completely safe. You can apply the ointment 2-3 times a day and should see results within a few days. There are people who have used this ointment and have had positive experiences with it.

No, mupirocin ointment won’t be effective for seborrheic dermatitis as seborrheic dermatitis occurs mainly because of a fungus called malassezia and mupirocin ointment can treat antibacterial diseases.

No, mupirocin ointment can’t be used to treat jock itch as it is an antibiotic.

Yes, mupirocin ointment can be used to treat folliculitis because of its antibacterial and antibiotic properties.

No, mupirocin ointment cannot be used to treat acne scars as it is used to treat impetigo.

Yes, mupirocin ointment can be used to treat cold sores and is completely safe.

Yes, mupirocin ointment can be used to treat staph acne and staph infections.