Use Bactroban cream or ointment for the full amount of time prescribed by your doctor or as recommended in the package even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely healed. Avoid your eyes, nose, mouth, and lips when applying Bactroban. If medication gets in any of these areas, wash with water.
Watch for signs of improvement in 3 to 5 days. If your condition gets worse or does not improve, see your doctor.
A separate formulation, Bactroban nasal ointment, is available for nasal use.
Before taking this medicine
You should not use Bactroban cream or ointment if you are allergic to mupirocin.
To make sure Bactroban is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
kidney disease.
Do not use Bactroban on a child without medical advice. The cream should not be used on a child younger than 3 months old. The ointment may be used on a child as young as 2 months old.
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known whether mupirocin topical passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. If you apply this medicine to your breast or nipple, wash the areas thoroughly before nursing your baby.
