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#Otc corticosteroid cream skin#
These tend to occur with long-term use of topical steroids.Diseases & conditions Everyday care Darker Skin Tones Cosmetic treatments Public health programs Find a dermatologist Go to AAD Homeĭermatologists team up to improve patient care.If it does occur, it often goes away when the treatment is stopped.It is less likely to occur with the mild or moderate topical steroids or if sterioids are only used for a short course.This tends to occur with the potent or very potent topical steroids, if a plastic covering is used or if steroids are used often or long term.Tell your doctor if this feeling continues.It usually improves as your skin gets used to the treatment.This may happen when you first start applying the treatment.Like all medicines, topical steroids can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Therefore it is usually recommended only in areas of very thick skin such as the palms of your hand and soles of your feet. Covering the treated area with plastic after applying a topical steroid increases the absorption of the steroid, but may also increase side effects. In some instances, your doctor may ask you to use plastic to cover treated areas.Read more about fingertip units (external link) . View a useful video on FTUs in the resources column on this page.This should cover an area equivalent to your two palms (as shown in the image). One FTU is the amount of topical steroid that is squeezed out from a standard tube along an adult's fingertip (the distance from the tip of the adult index finger to the first crease).The amount of topical steroid that you should apply is commonly measured by fingertip units (FTUs).Creams or ointments are rubbed gently into the affected skin until they have disappeared.Use topical steroids as instructed by your doctor, who will explain where, how frequently and for how long to apply the medication.Very potent topical steroids are up to 600 times as potent as hydrocortisone.These steroids are available as combined products with an antibiotic such as Viaderm KC®, Betnovate C®, Fucicort®.These are used for severe inflammation.Potent topical steroids are 100 to 150 times as potent as hydrocortisone.Moderate topical steroids are 2 to 25 times as potent as hydrocortisone.These can be purchased from the pharmacy without a prescription but it is best to talk to a pharmacist to make sure it is the best option for you.These steroids are also available as combined products with an antibiotic or an antifungal such as Micreme H®, Pimafucort®.These are usually used to treat mild skin conditions such as inflammation (redness) associated with nappy rash or mild atopic eczema in children.

There is much greater absorption where the skin is thin, for example, eyelids, genitals and skin creases, compared to thicker skinned areas, such as palms of your hands and soles of your feet. A steroid that works on the face may not work on the palm, and a potent steroid used for the palm may cause side effects if applied to the face.Topical steroids are absorbed at different rates from different parts of the body.Generally in adults, a strong product is used to get a problem area (other than the face) under control, then a moderate or mild product may be used to maintain that control.The stronger the product the more likely it is to cause side effects, so generally the mildest steroid that will work is used.Your doctor will decide on the correct strength for you depending on your condition, age and the area of your body being treated.Topical steroids have varying potency and are generally grouped into four categories depending on their strength:.

There are many types and brands of topical steroids available in New Zealand.
