Mupirocin vs Fusidic Acid: Which Antibiotic Works Better for Skin Infections?

When you have a stubborn skin infection like impetigo or a infected cut, your doctor might reach for either mupirocin, a topical antibiotic that blocks bacterial protein synthesis, commonly used for staph infections including MRSA or fusidic acid, a similar topical antibiotic that stops bacteria from making essential proteins, often prescribed for minor skin infections in Europe and Australia. Both are applied directly to the skin, both fight staph, and both are used when oral antibiotics are overkill. But they’re not the same—and knowing the difference can save you time, money, and unnecessary side effects.

Here’s the thing: mupirocin, often sold as Bactroban, is the go-to in the U.S. for MRSA carriers and nasal decolonization. It’s highly targeted, works fast, and resistance is still rare when used correctly. fusidic acid, available as Fusidin or Fucidin, is cheaper in many countries and commonly used for small boils or infected eczema. But it’s more likely to cause resistance if used alone or for too long. That’s why doctors in the UK often pair it with another antibiotic like corticosteroids. Neither is a cure-all. Mupirocin can irritate sensitive skin. Fusidic acid can cause redness or itching. And neither should be used for deep infections—those need pills.

What do real patients actually use them for?

You’ll find mupirocin in many households because it’s the standard for treating nasal staph before surgery or for recurrent boils. Fusidic acid pops up more in Europe for minor cuts, scrapes, or infected hair follicles. If you’ve been told to apply a cream to your nose for a week before a procedure, that’s likely mupirocin. If your child got a sticky yellow crust on their face and was given a tube of cream, that’s probably fusidic acid. Neither is meant for long-term use. Both are short-term fixes for localized bugs. The real difference? Availability and resistance patterns. In the U.S., mupirocin is the default. Elsewhere, fusidic acid is common because it’s cheaper and has been around longer.

What you won’t find in the posts below are comparisons of these two to oral antibiotics like cephalexin or clindamycin—those are for bigger infections. These posts focus on the topical level: how these creams and ointments actually work in real life, when they fail, what side effects you might miss, and how to avoid making resistance worse. You’ll see how people manage impetigo at home, why some prescriptions don’t work, and what to do if the cream doesn’t clear up after a few days. This isn’t about theory. It’s about what happens when you put the tube on your skin and wait to see if it helps.