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.
I take Xyzal every morning. I have mosquito bites on my legs. Will it be safe to use Benadryl cream?
Jun 17, 2021- Benadryl cream is generally safe to use with Xyzal because the cream is not well absorbed through the skin unless applied over a very large area. Topical steroids like hydrocortisone are more effective for treating bug bites than Benadryl cream and have better evidence supporting their use. If Benadryl cream isn't working well for your bug bites, consider trying hydrocortisone or products like Sarna 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 & sources
- Guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis: Section 2. Management and treatment of atopic dermatitis with topical therapies — Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
- Topical antihistamines display potent anti-inflammatory activity linked in part to enhanced permeability barrier function — The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
- Treatment - Insect bites and stings — UK National Health Service
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Antihistamine
- A medication that blocks histamine from attaching to receptors in the body to reduce allergy symptoms.
- Histamine receptors
- Specific sites on cells where histamine attaches and causes allergy symptoms like itching and swelling.
- Histamine
- A chemical in the body released during allergic reactions that causes itching, swelling, and other allergy symptoms.
- Topical
- A medication applied directly to the skin surface rather than taken by mouth or injection.
- Absorbed
- Taken in or soaked up through the skin into the bloodstream.
- Placebo controlled studies
- Research comparing a medication against a fake treatment to prove the medication actually works.
- Topical steroid
- A cream or ointment containing steroid medicine applied to the skin to reduce inflammation and itching.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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