The results showed that normal routine use of topical corticosteroids does not cause skin thinning, and parents should be reassured.
Routine, long-term use of topical corticosteroids to treat children with the skin condition known as eczema doesn't cause any major negative side effects.
Many parents are concerned about the use of corticosteroid creams or lotions applied to the skin and this can lead to poorly managed eczema in children. The most common fear is that these ointments - which contain steroids such as hydrocortisone or fluticasone - will cause thinning of the child's skin. Some health care providers also share these concerns.
To look into the safety and efficacy of these creams for eczema affected children, 70 Australian children were studied who were treated with enough of the topical corticosteroids applied to the skin to consistently keep them virtually free of eczema, plus a control group of 22 children who didn't receive the medication.
During the study, all of the children were assessed for signs of corticosteroid-related side effects including evaluation for any signs of skin thinning. Their treated and untreated skin was also examined by dermoscopy, a technique which utilizes a mini-microscope to search for even the most subtle signs of topical corticosteroids side effects. There were no differences between the children receiving the medication and those in the control group and no evidence of skin thinning was seen.
The results showed that normal routine use of topical corticosteroids does not cause skin thinning, and parents should be reassured.
Many parents are concerned about the use of corticosteroid creams or lotions applied to the skin and this can lead to poorly managed eczema in children. The most common fear is that these ointments - which contain steroids such as hydrocortisone or fluticasone - will cause thinning of the child's skin. Some health care providers also share these concerns.
To look into the safety and efficacy of these creams for eczema affected children, 70 Australian children were studied who were treated with enough of the topical corticosteroids applied to the skin to consistently keep them virtually free of eczema, plus a control group of 22 children who didn't receive the medication.
During the study, all of the children were assessed for signs of corticosteroid-related side effects including evaluation for any signs of skin thinning. Their treated and untreated skin was also examined by dermoscopy, a technique which utilizes a mini-microscope to search for even the most subtle signs of topical corticosteroids side effects. There were no differences between the children receiving the medication and those in the control group and no evidence of skin thinning was seen.
The results showed that normal routine use of topical corticosteroids does not cause skin thinning, and parents should be reassured.
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