Supiroban is a mupirocin 2% ointment or cream, a topical antibiotic. It treats impetigo, infected cuts, grazes and small skin infections caused by Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. It is applied for a short defined course — usually no more than ten days — to limit resistance.
What is Supiroban?
Supiroban contains mupirocin 2%, available as an ointment and as a cream (mupirocin calcium). It is a Schedule 2 medicine, and the same ingredient is sold as Bactroban.
Mupirocin is unusual among antibiotics. It blocks isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, an enzyme bacteria need to assemble proteins. No other antibiotic in common use works this way, which means cross-resistance with other antibiotic classes does not occur — an organism resistant to penicillin or erythromycin is not thereby resistant to mupirocin.
It also breaks down rapidly once absorbed, so it is effective on the skin and essentially useless internally. That is why it exists only as a topical preparation.
Mupirocin is highly effective against staphylococci and streptococci — the organisms behind most skin infections — including many MRSA strains. That last point explains its other, quite different role: eradicating Staphylococcus aureus carried in the nose, which is done with a specific nasal formulation, not this one.
Because mupirocin is one of few reliable topical options against resistant staphylococci, preserving it matters. Resistance does develop with prolonged or repeated use, which is the reason for the short defined courses.
What is Supiroban commonly used for?
Supiroban treats localised bacterial skin infections:
- Impetigo — the crusted, honey-coloured sores common in children, usually around the nose and mouth.
- Infected cuts, grazes and small wounds.
- Infected insect bites and scratches.
- Folliculitis — infected hair follicles.
- Small boils, in some cases.
- Infected eczema, in limited areas, alongside eczema treatment.
- Secondarily infected minor skin conditions.
The common thread is small, localised and superficial. A cream applied to the surface treats what it can reach.
Where a topical antibiotic is not the answer:
- Spreading infection. Cellulitis — redness spreading outward, warmth, swelling — needs oral antibiotics such as flucloxacillin, not a cream.
- A collection of pus. An abscess or a large boil needs drainage. Antibiotics reach bacteria through the bloodstream, and the inside of an abscess has little blood supply, so neither cream nor tablets will clear it alone.
- Extensive impetigo, or impetigo not responding within a few days, which usually needs oral treatment.
- Fungal infections, which need an antifungal such as Fungistop Topical instead — a common and easily made mistake, since a fungal rash and a bacterial one can look similar.
Impetigo is contagious, which matters practically: keep towels and flannels separate, wash hands after applying, and keep a child home from school until the sores have crusted over or 48 hours of treatment have passed.
How Supiroban fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Treats |
|---|---|---|
| Topical antibiotics | Mupirocin (Supiroban), fusidic acid | Impetigo, infected cuts, folliculitis |
| Topical antibacterials for burns | Silver sulfadiazine (Silbecor) | Burns, ulcers, pressure sores |
| Topical antifungals | Clotrimazole (Fungistop Topical, Canex V) | Fungal skin infection |
| Antifungal + steroid | Clomaderm | Inflamed fungal infection |
| Oral antibiotics | Flucloxacillin, amoxicillin | Spreading or deeper infection |
Identifying whether a rash is bacterial, fungal or inflammatory is most of the battle in skin treatment — they look more alike than they behave. See the skin, wound and topical medicines hub.
What to check before using Supiroban
Use it for a short defined course — generally up to ten days, and often less. Do not keep a tube in the cupboard and apply it to any sore or scratch over the following months. That habit is precisely how mupirocin resistance develops, and it erodes one of the few topical options that still works against resistant staphylococci.
Clean the area first, apply a small amount thinly up to three times daily, and wash your hands afterwards.
Do not use it in or near the eyes.
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if:
- The infection is spreading, or there is redness moving outward from the site.
- There is pus or a swelling under the skin suggesting an abscess.
- You have a fever, or feel generally unwell.
- The area is large, or there are many separate sores.
- You have diabetes or a weakened immune system — the threshold for review should be lower, and any foot wound in diabetes needs assessment.
- The medicine is for a newborn.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding, and do not apply it to the nipple area while breastfeeding unless directed.
- You have kidney disease and the area to be treated is extensive — the ointment base is absorbed and this matters in large-area use.
- There has been no improvement after three to five days.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
If it has not worked within three to five days, stop and get it looked at. That is the single most useful rule with this medicine. Non-response usually means one of three things: the infection is deeper or more extensive than it appeared and needs oral antibiotics; it is not bacterial at all; or the organism is resistant. Continuing a cream in any of those cases wastes time while the problem progresses.
Mild stinging, burning or itching on application is common and usually settles. Increasing redness, a spreading rash or worsening discomfort means stop.
Do not share the tube, and do not use someone else’s.
Do not use leftovers on a future problem. Skin infections are not interchangeable, and using an antibiotic on something that turns out to be fungal or inflammatory delays proper treatment.
Cover the area if it is weeping or if a child is likely to scratch and spread it.
Seek medical attention for spreading redness, warmth or swelling; red streaking away from the site; pus or a tender lump under the skin; fever or feeling unwell; sores that keep appearing or recur after treatment; any infected wound in someone with diabetes; or a rash with facial swelling or difficulty breathing.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Supiroban used for? Localised bacterial skin infections — impetigo, infected cuts and grazes, infected insect bites and folliculitis. It contains mupirocin 2%.
Is it the same as Bactroban? The active ingredient is the same — mupirocin. The brand differs.
How long should I use it? A short defined course, generally up to ten days. Prolonged or repeated use encourages resistance.
Why should I not keep it for next time? Skin infections are not interchangeable, and casual repeated use drives mupirocin resistance — which matters because it is one of few topical options effective against resistant staphylococci.
Can I use it on a fungal rash? No. It is an antibiotic and has no effect on fungi. Fungal rashes need an antifungal, and the two can look similar — ask if unsure.
It is not getting better. What now? Stop after three to five days without improvement and get it assessed. It may be deeper than it looks, not bacterial, or resistant.