Hydrocortisone cream belongs to a group of medicines named topical cortiscosteroids that work by calming inflammation that occurs from skin conditions and reactions in order to calm the inflammation the cream alters the bodys responses to inflammatory reactions therefore reducing swelling redness and itching hydrocortisone cream alleviates itching and irritation for up to 12 hours and promotes the healing of insect bites mild to moderate eczema detergent hands nickel allergies plant al