Topical Medications Quantities - FINGERTIP UNIT (FTU) 



How do we know how much cream a patient will need for the rash on their leg? Sometimes pharmacy companies or insurers provide guidance on what size tubes should be dispensed depending on the affected area, and sometimes the topical product comes with its own measuring tool. In all other instances, here’s the tool you can use that’s recommended by the AAD. A fingertip unit represents 0.5 grams and covers 2% BSA. Then using the rules of 9 to estimate BSA of different body parts, we can figure out how much of the topical product is needed. This can actually be very accurate, but it’s always important to follow up with the patient after the first supply is used up (if it’s a chronic condition) to adjust the supply to fit their needs.



Jarred Prudencio, PharmD - https://www.instagram.com/ambcarerx



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