Eczema & Steroids: Balancing Clear Skin Benefits with Potential Health Risks (2025)
Kate learned about topical steroid withdrawal when her son Alex stopped growing, and she took him off his eczema cream. Alex’s eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, began in infancy with small, itchy patches on his wrists and hands—a condition Kate, a seasoned nurse, was familiar with. Following the doctor’s advice, she applied a mild corticosteroid cream. The relief was temporary. As weeks turned into months, the rash persisted and spread, leading doctors to prescribe stronger steroid creams. While Alex experienced brief relief, the condition worsened each time the topical steroids were reduced. Kate came to suspect that the topical steroids did more harm than good, and she noticed Alex had been wearing the same-sized clothes for an unusually long time. His growth chart confirmed stalled growth—an acknowledged side effect of prolonged steroid use. An endocrinologist diagnosed Alex with linear growth retardation and advised stopping the steroids, though his dermatologist insisted su...