Can You Use Benadryl Cream With Xyzal?

In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not it is safe to use Benadryl cream and Xyzal together.

Question

I take Xyzal every morning. I have mosquito bites on my legs. Will it be safe to use Benadryl cream?

Asked by Mandamac On Jun 17, 2021

Answered by
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff

Published Jun 17, 2021
Last updated Mar 29, 2024

Key points

  • Benadryl cream is minimally absorbed as long as it’s not used on broken skin or a large area of skin.
  • There isn’t much data to support using topical Benadryl cream. You might want to try hydrocortisone instead.

Hi and thank you for your great question. I always appreciate when my patients ask me to double check that their OTC medications are safe together, especially if it’s two medications from the same class.

Levocetirizine (or by the brand Xyzal) is a “second or third generation” (depending on who is doing the classification) antihistamine. It works by binding to histamine receptors in the body so that histamine can’t bind to them. This helps to reduce the symptoms typically caused by allergies or histamine release. It is generally well tolerated and lasts about 24 hours.

Benadryl cream is a combination of diphenhydramine (an antihistamine) and zinc acetate. It is typically considered safe to use this with Xyzal or really any other antihistamine. Benadryl cream is usually not very well absorbed into the skin unless it is used over a very large area of the skin or applied directly on top of an open wound.

As long as your mosquito bites aren’t covering both of your legs completely, you shouldn’t absorb much of it, so it should be safe to use (i.e. won't interact with Xyzal).

You might want to reconsider using it though. There is very little evidence to show that topical diphenhydramine works well to treat bug bites.

In fact, I was not able to find any placebo controlled studies using topical diphenhydramine to treat bug bites. A topical steroid such as hydrocortisone (or under the brand Cortizone 10) is the usual recommended treatment for an uncomplicated bug bite and has a bit more evidence to support its use. Other products, like Sarna, are quite effective.

If you see good results with Benadryl cream, great! If not, you might want to try hydrocortisone or something like Sarna instead.

Thanks for reaching out to us and I hope this helps.

References

About the Pharmacist

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD

Dr. Brian has been practicing pharmacy for over 13 years and has wide-ranging experiences in many different areas of the profession. From retail, clinical, program development, and administrative responsibilities, he's your knowledgeable and go-to source for all your pharmacy and medication-related questions! Dr. Brian Staiger also has herbalist training and educational certificates in the field of medical ethnobotany. Feel free to send him an email at [email protected]! You can also connect with Dr. Brian Staiger on LinkedIn.

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