Eczema: Should I avoid exposing skin treated with corticosteroid cream to direct sunlight?

I%26#039;ve heard that if you use corticosteroid cream on your skin for eczema, you shouldn%26#039;t expose the skin to sunlight/daylight. Is this true? Two people now have told me to only use corticosteroid cream at night to avoid light exposure. Any insights here?|||Actually,it does matter when you use corticosteroids because the use causes de-pigmentation and thinning of your skin.If you use them and expose youtrself to sunlight,your skin will lack protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun(since the melanocytes are inhibited by the corticosteroid)and you get a lot of damage-this is especially true in people of African descent.Prolonged use of steroids can therefore predispose you toskin cancer as well as Cushing%26#039;s syndrome etc.


So limit your use of them,and never use during the day and also,use a sunscreen and moisturiser in the daytime to protect your skin from its effects.|||check here:





http://www.nationaleczema.org/home.html|||Call or visit your local Pharmacy and tell them what you are using, they will be able to give you ACCURATE instructions for using these products.|||It doesn%26#039;t matter when you use the corticosteroid cream, as it is the physical changes it causes in your skin that cause problems. I strongly suggest using sunblock (baby sunblock is formulated for sensitive skin) and just going about your business. Sunlight actually helps eczema, so maybe you will be able to start cutting down on steroids soon anyway. Good luck.|||I am an atopic dematitis patient(eczema);I have had this condition for over 40 years,which is most of my life.You should not expose your skin to direct sunlight if you are using the corticosteroids or an antihistamine;you really should be using a sunblock all of the time,even when you are indoors!When my flare ups were bad,I had to use the cream several times a day;if you get wet or sweat you have to repply the cream so there is no way that you can avoid light exposure.





Go to mywebmd.com and look up atopic dermatitis and go to the website of The National Eczema Association for information.