Oxymetazoline (topical)

FDA label, Mayne Pharma, topical, effective 2026-07-13. Full label on DailyMed

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From MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Quoted from the FDA label. Product labels differ by manufacturer and change over time; confirm against the label for the product you are using.

Dosing in kidney impairment

This label has no separate kidney-impairment dosing section. Check warnings and clinical pharmacology in the full label.

Drug interactions

Check oxymetazoline (topical) against a medication list
Label text (3 paragraphs)

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS

7.1 Anti-hypertensives/Cardiac Glycosides Alpha-adrenergic agonists, as a class, may impact blood pressure. Caution in using drugs such as beta-blockers, anti-hypertensives and/or cardiac glycosides is advised. Caution should also be exercised in patients receiving alpha 1 adrenergic receptor antagonists such as in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, benign prostatic hypertrophy, or Raynaud's disease.

7.2 Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors Caution is advised in patients taking MAO inhibitors which can affect the metabolism and uptake of circulating amines.

Contraindications

None. None. ( 4 )

Safety data

Reported adverse events (FAERS)

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Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System via openFDA

Liver injury (LiverTox)

LiverTox has no chapter for oxymetazoline (topical). Check the label's hepatic warnings.

Pregnancy and lactation

Pregnancy

8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary There are no available data on Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride Cream use in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage. A literature article describing intranasal decongestant use in pregnant women identified a potential association between second-trimester exposure to oxymetazoline (with no decongestant exposure in the first trimester) and renal collecting system anomalies [see Data ] .

In animal reproduction studies, there were no adverse developmental effects observed after oral administration of oxymetazoline hydrochloride in pregnant rats and rabbits at systemic exposures up to 3 times and 73 times, respectively, the exposure associated with the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) [see Data ] . The estimated background risks of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population are unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Clinical Considerations Fetal/Neonatal Adverse Reactions Following repeated use of oxymetazoline hydrochloride solution nasal spray for the treatment of nasal congestion at a dose 5 times higher than recommended, one case of fetal distress was reported in a 41-week pregnant patient. The fetal distress resolved hours later, prior to the delivery of the healthy infant. The anticipated exposures for the case are 8- to 18-fold higher than plasma exposures after topical administration of Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride Cream. Data Human Data No adequate and well-controlled trials of Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride Cream have been conducted in pregnant women.

Across all clinical trials of Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride Cream, two pregnancies were reported. One pregnancy resulted in the delivery of a healthy child. One pregnancy resulted in a spontaneous abortion, which was considered to be unrelated to the trial medication. A literature article summarizing the results of exploratory analyses of intranasal decongestant use during pregnancy identified a potential association between second-trimester exposure to oxymetazoline hydrochloride solution (with no decongestant exposure in the first trimester) and renal collecting system anomalies.

Animal Data Effects on embryo-fetal development were evaluated in rats and rabbits following oral administration of oxymetazoline hydrochloride during the period of organogenesis. Oxymetazoline…

Breastfeeding (LactMed)

Although no information exists on the use of oxymetazoline specifically during breastfeeding, very little should reach the infant through breastmilk because of the local administration and limited absorption into the maternal bloodstream. It is recommended over oral systemic decongestants such as pseudoephedrine during breastfeeding. Topical use on the face is unlikely to present a risk to the nursing infant.

Source: LactMed: Oxymetazoline (NICHD, public domain)Revised Feb 15, 2025

Supply and cost

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