Hi friends, I will give you complete information about skin creams containing Steroids.
What are Steroids
In the history of modern medical treatment, the usage of steroids began in 1950, and today date, steroids are being used in dermatology and treatment of skin problems as one of the most effective treatments available Steroids are available in pill form, and they are also available in the form of topical creams and ointments.
How Steroids are Used in Skin Care
Steroids are used to treat many skin diseases, such as eczema and allergy, and these disorders are treated only via steroids. For these diseases, steroids reduce the dryness of the Skin and also reduce redness and itching, and if the Skin is constantly weeping fluids, then steroids help to arrest that also.
Secondly, steroids treat many skin diseases, such as Psoriasis, Seborrheic Dermatitis, and Fungal Infections. In these disorders/diseases, other medicines are used with steroids to lessen or relieve inflammation and itching.
Suppose steroid creams and ointments are used correctly and safely by following a strict regime and using the correct quantity. In that case, these compounds are very beneficial and effective in treating skin diseases. Unfortunately, in today’s day and age, steroids are being used. Heavily misused in the form of Fairness Creams Steroid Creams are NOT Fairness creams or skin-lightening agents.
And if they are used to lighten Skin or get fair Skin, you can suffer serious side effects in your Skin and body besides severe mental/psychological side effects.
These side effects happen more to people who use creams containing High Potency Steroids on their face and private parts for extended periods.
That is why whenever you decide to purchase a Fairness Cream, you must carefully examine the ingredients of the cream, and the names that I am listing here should not be a part of your Skin Lightening creams and should not be used for getting fair or lighter Skin at all.
The names of some commonly misused steroids are – Betamethasone or Betnovate. This cream is one of the most rampantly misused steroid creams to get fair Skin.
Besides this, there are Clobetasol, Mometasone & Fluocinolone, all of which are potent steroids, and using these for treating fungal infections, melasma, and psoriasis is also quite common.
Harmful Effects of Steroid Fairness Creams
Now I will tell you what happens due to the misuse of steroid creams by the side effects on our Skin and body. Towards the end, I will also tell you how you can reverse the damage caused to your Skin due to steroid creams.
Firstly, If you have been applying steroid creams continuously on your face for more than 2-3 weeks, then the Skin in that area gets thin and can also develop stretch marks, and if you stop using steroid creams on thin Skin abruptly, some improvement can happen.
But if stretch marks once form, then they are often permanent. If you use this cream for many days, then the Skin gets thin, and the small blood vessels in the lower layers of the Skin thus start showing clearly on the surface.
This also makes the Skin look reddish. If you have pimples or acne or are suffering from rosacea and apply steroid creams on the Skin, the infection only spreads further.
The skin surface on which this cream is applied for a long period can begin to develop hairs, and Skin also begins to darken. Usually, the area around the mouth gets dark relatively fast. Pregnant and nursing mothers and small children should never apply steroid creams without a proper doctor’s consultation and assessment.
If you stop using steroids after many days of continuous usage, the Skin gets red in that area, starts to burn, itch, and dry out, gets inflamed, and in some severe cases, the Skin develops weeping sores.
All these side effects can occur from 1 week after stopping the steroid creams and last until several months after stopping usage. Once you stop using steroid creams and these withdrawal reactions begin to take place on the Skin, people get terrified, and instead of not using them, they revert to using them with a vengeance.
How to Stop Using Steroid Creams Safely
If you have been using steroid creams for a long time and want to stop using them, I will tell you the correct procedure. First, these creams, or any other fairness cream, should never be stopped abruptly.
Instead, you should reduce their application quantity and frequency in a graduated way daily. In this way, you should slowly wean your Skin off steroids and stop applying them after a week or ten days of tapering them down. You must not apply soap on your face during this tapering-down period.
You should only use cool water 3-4 times a day to wash your face. If your face starts itching or redness appears, apply emollients such as White Vaseline, Pure Coconut Oil, or Cetaphil Moisturising Cream 3 times daily.
If the itching, redness, or inflammation does not entirely die, you can take 1 tablet of 10mg of Cetrizine at night before bed. If the swelling and pain are too much, you can take 1 tablet of Paracetamol 500 or 1 tablet of Crocin.
You will see that your Skin starts returning to normal in 2-3 weeks. Many people experience these side effects and withdrawal symptoms for quite some time. Still, even then, besides Vaseline, Coconut Oil, or Cetaphil Moisturising Cream, you should not apply anything else on the Skin.
