Key takeaways
Mupirocin cream is a generic, prescription topical antibiotic for bacterial skin infections like impetigo.
Apply a thin layer three times a day, avoiding the eyes, nose, mouth, and other mucosal surfaces.
With a free SingleCare coupon, mupirocin cream can cost as little as $31 per 15 g tube.
If you have a bacterial skin infection, your healthcare provider may recommend topical treatments available over the counter (OTC) or by prescription. One prescription option is mupirocin, a topical antibiotic used to treat certain bacterial skin infections. Mupirocin comes in cream or ointment form.
What is mupirocin cream?
Mupirocin cream is a prescription topical antibiotic used to treat certain bacterial skin infections. It usually comes in a 2% strength and is applied directly to the skin. Brand-name Bactroban cream has been discontinued, but generic mupirocin cream is still available at pharmacies. Mupirocin is also available as an ointment, including the discontinued brand Centany. The cream is mainly used for certain infected skin injuries, while the ointment is commonly used for impetigo. Mupirocin cream is prescription-only and is not available over the counter.
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What is mupirocin cream used for?
Mupirocin cream is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat secondarily infected traumatic skin lesions, such as small cuts, scrapes, and sores, caused by susceptible strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, two common types of skin bacteria. Mupirocin ointment, not cream, is FDA approved to treat impetigo caused by these same bacteria.
Healthcare providers may choose between mupirocin cream and ointment depending on the infection and the affected area. Elizabeth Rubin, MD, says, “The ointment is generally more occlusive. Consequently, it tends to be used preferentially for lesions that are dry or crusty. Conversely, the cream is easier to spread, making it preferable for application to larger or more wet areas of skin.”
Other mupirocin uses
Clinically, mupirocin is commonly used in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), particularly in cases of impetigo. Treatment with mupirocin can control symptoms in more than 85% of impetigo cases, including some involving MRSA.
Mupirocin ointment may also be used off-label for nasal MRSA decolonization, but mupirocin cream should not be used inside the nose. Mupirocin has also been studied for other off-label uses, such as infections associated with ear tubes. However, mupirocin is not appropriate for every skin infection, so a healthcare provider should evaluate the condition and prescribe the right treatment.
How do you use mupirocin cream?
Use mupirocin cream exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. According to the drug label, you should:
- Wash your hands before applying the cream.
- Use a clean cotton swab or gauze pad to apply a small amount to the affected skin.
- Apply mupirocin cream three times a day for 10 days, unless your healthcare provider gives you different instructions.
- Cover the treated area with clean gauze if needed, unless your provider tells you to leave it uncovered.
- Wash your hands after applying mupirocin cream.
Apply mupirocin cream only to the affected area of skin. It is not for internal use, and you should avoid getting it in your eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina.
Mike Daniels, DPM, president and chief medical officer at WeTreatFeet Podiatry in Baltimore, Maryland, says, “Patients always need to wash their hands before and after applying it. I tell patients this repeatedly because they forget.”
Dr. Rubin says overuse of mupirocin should be avoided, along with applying it to extensive areas of skin without a physician’s recommendation, because both may increase the risk of irritation or contribute to resistant organisms.
How much mupirocin cream should you apply?
Apply a small amount of mupirocin cream, about 0.5 grams or enough to cover the affected area in a thin layer. Depending on the size of the affected area, this may look like a pea- or fingertip-sized amount. Dr. Daniels says, “More is not better. I’ve had patients slather it on thinking it’ll work faster, and it doesn’t; you just waste the tube.”
Apply mupirocin cream with a clean cotton swab or gauze pad, not your fingers. Avoid using other lotions, creams, or ointments on the area unless your healthcare provider says to.
How long should you use mupirocin cream?
Mupirocin cream is typically applied three times a day for 10 days. Complete the full 10-day course, even if your skin looks better sooner, because stopping early may make the infection harder to treat and contribute to antibiotic resistance. “Finish the full course even if it looks better in a couple of days,” Dr. Daniels says. “Stopping early is how resistance builds, and trust me, mupirocin-resistant staph is a real problem now.”
Don’t use mupirocin longer than prescribed. If your symptoms don’t improve after three to five days or if they worsen at any point, contact your healthcare provider.
What are the side effects of mupirocin cream?
Mupirocin cream may cause side effects, although not everyone experiences them. The most common side effects, although infrequent, can include:
- Headache
- Burning, stinging, itching, and rash at the application site
- Nausea
- Mouth ulcers
- Abdominal pain
- Hives
- Dry skin
Less common but serious side effects include severe allergic reactions (hives, difficulty breathing, swelling), secondary infections, and Clostridium difficile (C. difficile)-associated diarrhea. Stop using mupirocin cream and seek medical help right away if you develop trouble breathing, swelling, severe diarrhea, or signs that the infection is getting worse.
“If redness, swelling, pain, or discharge increases, they should visit their physician,” Dr. Rubin says. “A fever or an acute spreading wound would indicate an immediate need to assess whether oral antibiotics or alternative diagnoses exist.”
Even mild side effects should be reported to a healthcare provider for monitoring or evaluation.
Precautions when taking mupirocin cream
Mupirocin cream should be used only as prescribed. As with any antibiotic, prolonged or improper use may lead to the overgrowth of bacteria, fungi, or other microbes that do not respond to mupirocin, which could result in another infection.
Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding before using mupirocin cream. Although topical mupirocin is not expected to be highly absorbed into the bloodstream, there is limited safety information in pregnant and breastfeeding people. If mupirocin cream is applied to the nipple area while breastfeeding, it should be washed off before nursing.
People with kidney disease should also ask their healthcare provider whether mupirocin cream is appropriate. Even though only a small amount is expected to enter the bloodstream, mupirocin is eliminated through the kidneys.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about your health, skin infection, or how to use mupirocin cream safely.
Are there OTC alternatives to mupirocin cream?
Yes, in certain cases. Over-the-counter (OTC) alternatives to prescription mupirocin cream include bacitracin (a single-ingredient antibiotic), Polysporin (bacitracin and polymyxin B), and Neosporin, also called triple antibiotic ointment (neomycin, bacitracin, and polymyxin B).
“There aren’t perfect over-the-counter substitutes for mupirocin because it’s prescription-strength and covers MRSA (which most OTC products don’t),” Dr. Daniels says. These OTC products are generally appropriate for minor cuts and scrapes to prevent infection, but aren’t proven equivalents to mupirocin for treating active bacterial infections like impetigo or MRSA skin infections.
OTC topical antibiotics differ in their active ingredients. Bacitracin contains a single antibiotic, while Neosporin contains three. Products containing neomycin may carry a higher risk of contact allergy, which can cause redness, itching, or blistering at the application site. A systematic review found contact allergy to neomycin in about 3% of adults and 4% of children.
If you’re using an OTC product and your skin infection is spreading, worsening, or not improving, talk to your healthcare provider. They can assess for secondary infections or complications and recommend the appropriate treatment. “If there’s real infection (pus, spreading redness, warmth), skip the OTC stuff and see a provider,” Dr. Daniels says.
How much does mupirocin cream cost?
The cost of mupirocin cream varies by pharmacy, insurance coverage, and whether you use a prescription discount card. The average retail price of mupirocin cream is $268 for one 15 g tube of 2% cream without insurance.
Enter your ZIP code on the SingleCare mupirocin cream coupon page to compare prices at pharmacies near you. With a free SingleCare prescription discount card, you can pay as little as $31 for one 15 g tube of 2% cream, a savings of up to 80% off the retail price.
Expert takeaway
“Mupirocin cream costs about four times as much as mupirocin ointment, so we do not prescribe it much,” explains Chad Shaffer, MD, member of the SingleCare Medical Board, “but it may be preferable in some situations when it is easier to apply.”
Frequently asked questions
How quickly does mupirocin work?
Mupirocin should work within three to five days of proper use. If you don’t notice improvements within this timeframe or symptoms worsen at any point, contact your healthcare provider.
Is mupirocin an antibiotic?
Yes, mupirocin is a topical antibiotic in the pseudomonic acid class, unrelated to other common antibiotic classes.
Is mupirocin available over the counter?
No, mupirocin is not available OTC in the U.S. You need a prescription for mupirocin.
Can you use mupirocin cream on an open wound?
Mupirocin cream may be used on minor open wounds, like cuts or scrapes, with secondary bacterial infections. Always ask your healthcare provider before using mupirocin.
The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Jul. 9, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy. Visit our coupon page for updated drug prices at pharmacies near you.
- Determination that BACTROBAN (Mupirocin) nasal ointment, 2%, was not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2025)
- Mupirocin cream, DailyMed (2023)
- Secondarily infected wounds and dermatoses: A diagnosis and treatment guide, Antimicrobial Wound Management in the Emergency Department (1999)
- Mupirocin ointment, DailyMed (2025)
- Mupirocin, StatPearls (2024)
- Prevalence of contact allergy to neomycin in dermatitis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Contact Dermatitis (2025)
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