Eczema Files: Systemic Steroids

Dear Anxious,

So you've been living with eczema you whole life, eh? I bet your doctors told you when you were younger, not to worry, that you would grow out of it. And, let me guess, it only got worse. 

So, you've been waiting your entire life for a miracle cure... something to ease the pain of constant itching and soreness... something to rid the embarrassment of rashes and hyper- pigmentation.

Well, I am here to give you good news and bad news. The good news is that there is a miracle cure for extreme, chronic eczema, they are called Systemic Steroids.

The bad news is: all miracle cures have side effects. 

When steroids are taken orally or injected into a muscle they are called systemic steroids, since they affect your entire body.  The systemic steroids are made to mimic cortisol, your body's natural hormone, and suppress the activity of the immune system. 

A person who is having a reaction due to chronic, contact eczema may have many open lesions, cuts and scars on the surface of their skin.  Unfortunately, when molecules enter their body through these openings, the immune system begins treating many of the molecules as if they are invaders. The molecules may just be additives from soaps and detergents or fragrances from lotions and conditioners. The immune system rushes a host of white blood sells to the area of contact and begins an unnecessary healing process similar to the formation of a scab.

Well, by suppressing the immune system, we can slow down or stop the unnecessary scabbing and rashing that occurs in the skin of people with eczema.

And, often systemic steroids return the skin cells to normal without signs of hyper-pigmentation. (No sorry, I haven't figured out the science behind that one, yet.)

Now, here's the bad news. The side effects of long term steroid usage:

--Obesity (The redistribution of fat in your body)

--Osteoporosis (The thinning of your bones. Take calcium! Take vitamin D!)

 --Glaucoma and Cataracts (Eye problems)

--High Blood Pressure

--Heart Disease

Think you want to take steroids short term? Well there are side effects for that too. After you stop taking steroids, your body goes through withdrawal and often can't even produce/regulate it's own natural cortisol.

It's a sticky situation.

Just remember, there are no miracle drugs. Everything you do has an effect. You can't just let your eczema bubble over, rash, lichenify, and leak... you'll catch an infection so quick. And your immune system will be so used to fighting off things that aren't really invaders, it won't know what to do when a real threat enters your body.

But while curing the infections with antibiotics, and lessening the inflammation with steroids, you are creating short term and long term hazards as well.

It's a tough road. Talk with your dermatologist closely. It's your health!

Love,

Lhea J.