Naseptin is an antibacterial nasal cream containing neomycin and chlorhexidine. It is prescribed to clear staphylococcal bacteria carried inside the nostrils — most often to stop recurrent nose infections, crusting and nosebleeds, or before surgery to reduce the risk of a wound infection.
What is Naseptin?
Naseptin is a Schedule 4 cream containing two antibacterial agents:
- Neomycin — an aminoglycoside antibiotic, listed in the South African Medicine Price Registry at 3,250–3,275 IU per gram.
- Chlorhexidine — an antiseptic, at 1 mg per gram.
The registry carries the same product under two entries, one expressing the ingredients as the salts (chlorhexidine hydrochloride and neomycin sulphate). They are the same formulation described two ways.
The pairing is deliberate. Neomycin is an antibiotic that acts against a range of bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus; chlorhexidine is a broad antiseptic that works by disrupting bacterial cell membranes. Together they cover more than either alone, and the antiseptic component makes resistance less likely to develop over a short course.
Despite being a cream, Naseptin is a nasal preparation. It is applied inside the nostrils, not to the skin generally. That distinction matters, because the purpose is not to treat the skin surface but to clear a reservoir of bacteria that lives in the front of the nose.
What is Naseptin commonly used for?
The nose is where Staphylococcus aureus naturally lives in roughly a third of people. Usually that is harmless. Sometimes it is not, and Naseptin is used to reduce or clear that carriage:
- Recurrent staphylococcal nose infections — persistent soreness, crusting or scabbing inside the nostrils that keeps coming back.
- Recurrent nosebleeds in children, where crusting and bacterial colonisation at the front of the septum are part of the cycle.
- Recurrent boils, styes or skin infections elsewhere on the body, where the nose is acting as the source that keeps reseeding them.
- Before surgery, particularly orthopaedic and cardiac procedures, to reduce the chance of a staphylococcal wound infection.
- Household or contact decolonisation, occasionally, where infections keep passing between family members.
- Impetigo around the nostrils, in some prescribing.
It is used as a defined course, typically around ten days, applied several times daily. It is not a treatment you continue indefinitely, and it is not a general-purpose antibiotic cream for cuts or grazes.
How Naseptin fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Nasal decolonisation | Naseptin (neomycin + chlorhexidine), mupirocin nasal | Clearing bacteria carried in the nostrils |
| Topical antibiotics | Fusidic acid, mupirocin | Treating localised skin infection |
| Antiseptics | Chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine | Reducing bacterial load on skin |
| Topical steroids | Betamethasone (Clomaderm) | Inflammatory skin conditions, not infection |
| Antifungals | Clotrimazole (Canex V) | Fungal infection |
| Oral antibiotics | Flucloxacillin, co-amoxiclav | Infection that is spreading or systemic |
Naseptin belongs to the first row, which is a small and specific corner of skin care. Mupirocin nasal ointment is the main alternative and is often preferred where resistant organisms are suspected. See the skin and wound care hub.
What to check before using Naseptin
Naseptin contains arachis (peanut) oil. This is the check that matters most. It should not be used by anyone with a peanut allergy, and caution is advised in people with soya allergy. If peanut allergy applies to you or your child, tell the prescriber — mupirocin nasal ointment is an alternative that does not contain it.
Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:
- Have a known allergy to neomycin or chlorhexidine. Neomycin sensitivity is relatively common with repeated topical use.
- Have a perforated eardrum or known hearing problems. Aminoglycosides can damage hearing, which is why this cream is for nostrils and not for ears.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Are treating a young child — it is used in children, but under direction.
Using it:
- Apply a small amount to the inside of each nostril with a clean fingertip or cotton bud, then press the sides of the nose together and release to spread it.
- Use it as prescribed — usually four times a day for ten days, but follow your own instructions.
- Complete the course, even if crusting settles after a few days. Stopping early is the most common reason carriage returns.
- Keep it out of the eyes.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Side effects are usually local and mild — stinging, itching or a burning sensation inside the nose.
Stop and seek advice if the inside of the nose becomes more inflamed, red or itchy during the course. Contact sensitivity to neomycin is well recognised and can look like the infection worsening when it is in fact a reaction to the treatment.
Get emergency help for swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a widespread rash — particularly relevant given the peanut oil content.
Naseptin is not intended for use in the ear canal, in the eye, or on large areas of broken skin, where more neomycin can be absorbed.
Contact your doctor if:
- Symptoms are not improving by the end of the course.
- Infections keep recurring after treatment. Repeat courses are sometimes needed, but recurrent staphylococcal infection also warrants looking for an underlying reason.
- Nosebleeds continue despite treatment, or are heavy.
- There is spreading redness, swelling, pain or fever around the nose or face, which suggests infection needing oral antibiotics rather than a cream.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Naseptin cream used for? Clearing staphylococcal bacteria carried inside the nostrils — for recurrent nose infections and crusting, recurrent nosebleeds in children, recurrent boils, and before some surgery.
What does Naseptin contain? Neomycin, an antibiotic, and chlorhexidine, an antiseptic. It is Schedule 4 in South Africa.
Can I use it on my skin or in my ear? No. It is a nasal preparation. Neomycin should not be used in the ear canal, particularly with a perforated eardrum.
Is it safe with a peanut allergy? No. Naseptin contains arachis (peanut) oil. Tell your prescriber, who can consider mupirocin nasal ointment instead.
How long is a course? Usually around ten days, applied several times daily. Follow the instructions you were given and finish the course.
Why has it been prescribed before my operation? To reduce staphylococcal bacteria in your nose, lowering the risk of a wound infection afterwards.