Eczema Side effects 

Prolonged use of topical corticosteroids is thought to increase the risk of side effects, the most common of which is the skin becoming thin & fragile . Because of this, if used on the face or other delicate skin, only a low-strength steroid should be used. Additionally, high-strength steroids used over large areas, or under occlusion, might be significantly absorbed into the body, causing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression . Finally by their immunosuppressive action they can, if used without antibiotics or antifungal drugs, lead to some skin infections . Care must be taken to avoid the eyes, as topical corticosteroids applied to the eye could cause glaucoma or cataracts.

Because of the risks associated with this type of drug, a steroid of an appropriate strength should be sparingly applied only to control an episode of eczema. Once the desired response has been achieved, it should be discontinued & replaced with emollients as maintenance therapy. Corticosteroids are generally considered safe to use in the short- to medium-term for controlling eczema, with no significant side effects differing from treatment with non-steroidal ointment.

However, recent research has shown that topically applied corticosteroids did not significantly increase the risk of skin thinning, stretch marks or HPA axis suppression . Further, skin conditions are often under-treated because of fears of side effects. This has led some researchers to suggest that the usual dosage instructions should be changed from 'Use sparingly' to 'Apply enough to cover affected areas,' & that specific dosage directions using 'fingertip units' or FTU's be provided, along with photos to illustrate FTU's.