Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common types of dermatitis, often referred as eczema. Although I have not suffered this condition personally, thanks to my work I know plenty of people who struggle to keep this condition controlled.
For all of them I've made a short introductory guide to the world of atopic dermatitis treatments:
How to Treat Atopic Dermatitis
Let's see; in there you'll find more information about two of the main products used for this skin condition treatment: emollients and topical steroids. If you've read my previous posts, you'll see that I have talked about some of the negative effects of these steroids, so I would recommend you reading that article too.
You’ll see that you can also leave your comments on that page. Feel 100% free to do it, you know I’d love to hear about you to share thoughts about coping with the different types of dermatitis. Take care!
How is Atopic Dermatitis Treated?
What Are The Side Effects of Topical Steroids?
When seeking medical treatment for our dermatitis problem, we are always advised by our doctor to use topical steroid. They work well to lower the skin inflammation but at the same time, they have negative side effects everyone should know about!
Let’s take a look at them:
Skin atrophy. When you use steroids over and over again you can cause skin thinning and changes in the connective tissue of dermis. You’ll notice this effect when you see the skin shiny and lax. I noticed this on the skin around my nose and I had to stop using steroids for a while to recover its state.
Tachyphylaxis. This refers to the tolerance the skin has to steroids with repeated use. After some time of steroid treatment, you’ll notice that in order to see results, you’ll need higher amounts of steroids.
Steroid Rosacea. This effect appears on fairly skinned people with rosacea.
Stretch Marks. This stretch marks appear on places where skin touches skin. These marks – result of steroid use are permanent. They can also cause itching requiring a low strength steroid.
Glaucoma. This is a disease that damages your optic nerve because of pressure inside the eye. There are studies that show this link, although the relation is not well understood.
Alteration of Infection. Steroids can null the ability to fight bacteria and fungal infections on the skin. If you put steroids on a fungal infection you can in fact worsen the condition.