Steroid creams - confusion - positive or negative?

06/08/2011 by spindlygiraffe.

Firstly I have to reinforce I have no medical knowledge - just personal experiences and bits of info I have heard.

As a child I used hydrocortisone 1% almost like a moisturiser on myself.  I had a range of steroid creams including dermovate and dermovate NN.  I had no fear of using them as they were what worked.  It was suggested that I tried PUVA treatment but as I was so young and the side effects were not that clear, my Mum decided best not to go for it. (Naturally we had also tried homeopathy, epogam/evening primrose oil and everything under the sun.)

Now as a parent I agonise over how much steroid creams I use on James.  I certainly do not have a fear of them.  I know he needs them and that they bring his eczema to a manageable level.  However, in the back of my mind…..

When James was a baby, the GP told us to apply a thin layer of hydrocortisone - I have to say I heard “Apply it until it clears up.”  I hated putting anything on his skin which had been perfect those first few weeks of life, but believed that the cream would clear it up.

We used lots of different steroid creams.  A year ago after a long time of his eczema having a really negative influence on his life, a dermatologist said to use Elocon until it cleared up - on his face, everywhere, not just for 5 days, but until it was better.  The relief that it brought………

However, that was temporary.  There is talk of ‘thinning of the skin’ - which few people really seem to understand (non-medics).  I think it is ‘early ageing’, like when old people have skin that is almost translucent.  In my head I imagine I can see this more on hands than on faces, where maybe they would age and look shinier.

Thinning the skin, looking older, I can deal with.  Reading up about ‘Steroid red skin syndrome’ seems more worrying.  As a parent, I just want to do what is right for my child.  I want him to be safe and certainly not come to harm because of something I am doing.  However, the steroid creams have brought relief.

I appear to be lucky and do not appear to have suffered side affects.  How would I cope if my son did suffer consequences due to the creams I have put on him.

It makes me wonder if other methods of steroids would be better.  As I have already say I have no medical knowledge.  James has had steroid tablets for his eczema (before he had finished the course his eczema was getting worse again).  I used to take prednisolone tablets frequently for my asthma, as well as being on steroid inhalers.  Obviously these have side effects, I barely remember what they can be…. I think they might include ‘increased appetite’, at least that is what I tell myself as I tuck into the crisps in the evening!  What I am thinking is that the same negativity does not seem to surround the usage of all steroids?  Maybe it does and it is just my lack of knowledge.

Why stop there with the confusion over good and bad creams?  Protopic 0.1% - another great one!  Try this one as it is not steroid based.  Excellent!  Must mention though that he should be kept out of direct sunlight.  As I’m writing this I’ve just searched protopic and seen that 0.1% should not be used on children under 16.  He is only 4 years.  Again, something else to be concerned about.

I hate the ‘not knowing what to do for the best’.  We’re down to using protopic on his face 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  However, I discovered my husband has put it on his face tonight.  On his body we are using Synalar 1 in 4 dilution.  It seemed to be great for a while.  His skin is slowly, but progressively getting itchier again.  His hands are horrendous.  I’ve stuck good old Elocon on them again.  However, they are still awful.  He’s digging them, scratching, rubbing, biting. 9 days until our next dermatology appointment.  I always have great hope for the appointment and the nurse we are seeing is always trying new things with him.

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