What a ‘fingertip unit’ is
A fingertip unit (FTU) is a simple, standard measure: the amount of cream or ointment squeezed from a normal tube onto an adult's fingertip — from the very tip to the first crease. One FTU is about half a gram (0.5 g), and it's enough to cover an area equal to two adult palms. It turns the vague ‘a bit of cream’ into something you can actually picture and measure.
What a ‘thin layer’ means
The other common instruction: apply a thin layer — enough that the skin glistens, then gently smooth it in. Not a thick, visible smear, and not so sparse the skin stays dull. ‘Glistening’ is the target. Apply with clean hands, in the direction the hair grows, to the affected areas your doctor specified.
Different body parts need different amounts
Because areas differ in size, the number of fingertip units differs — a child's whole arm needs more FTUs than a small patch on the cheek. Rather than memorize charts, know that the specific number of fingertip units for your child is usually in the product's information leaflet (often with a body diagram), and confirmed by your doctor. This guide explains the concept; your doctor and the leaflet give the numbers for your child's age, the cream's strength, and the areas being treated.
The two mistakes to avoid
- Using too little — out of steroid worry (see our honest look at steroid-cream fear), many parents under-apply, and the flare simply doesn't clear. Enough to make the skin glisten, over the affected area, as directed, is the point.
- Using too much, too long, or on the wrong areas — slathering it on, or using a body-strength cream on the face/eyelids, is the other extreme. Delicate areas need gentler options (see non-steroid creams) and your doctor's specific say-so.
The order of application
A common, sensible approach many doctors advise: apply the medicated cream to the affected areas first (a thin, glistening layer), let it absorb for a little while, then apply moisturizer over and around it to the rest of the skin. But follow your own doctor's specific instructions — plans vary.
The takeaway
‘How much’ doesn't have to be a mystery: a fingertip unit (~0.5 g, covers two palms) and a ‘glistening thin layer’ are the standard yardsticks. Use enough to actually treat the flare, on the areas and for the time your doctor specified — and let the leaflet and your doctor fill in the exact numbers.
Use the treatment as it's meant to be used
Under-treating out of uncertainty prolongs flares. Ollowen helps you see whether a flare is settling — so you and your doctor know if the plan is working.
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Sources
- National Eczema Society. Topical steroids (incl. the fingertip unit).
- NHS (patient leaflet). Steroid use in managing your child's atopic eczema.
- Review. Strategies for using topical corticosteroids in children and adults with eczema.
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