Corticosteroid ointments. Safe hormones.

In medical practice for external therapy, hormonal drugs have been used since the middle of the last century. The effect surpassed all expectations. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis and psoriasis as a result of treatment disappeared quickly enough. However, as further practice has shown, corticosteroid ointments bring only a short-term relief with a subsequent relapse, and are also addictive. After Sinalar treatment, the resumption of psoriasis symptoms was observed in 90% of patients on day 3-28.

That's why experts today with great care appoint such drugs for topical application and recommend only short-term course treatment. As the condition improves, the doses of the drug are reduced, and then abolished completely.
Categorically it is not recommended to use corticosteroid ointments on large areas of the skin.
With long-term use, the following side effects of the drugs are possible: decreased immunity, increased blood pressure, loss of potassium and, as a consequence, the development of osteoporosis, growth retardation, bone fragility, decreased adrenal function.

Corticosteroid ointments - names and brief characteristics

Sinalar (Great Britain) in composition is as close as possible to Dexamethasone and Prednisolone. It is especially effective in the treatment of inflammatory dermatoses, even for cases when other corticosteroid ointments did not give the necessary results.

Method of application: application under a polyethylene film, with replacement of applications once in 2-3 days. The duration of use of the drug, as a rule, does not exceed one month. One-time use of ointment is also allowed.

Lokakorten (Switzerland) on pharmacology is close to Sinalar. Has an anti-inflammatory effect, reduces itching. The drug is applied a thin layer under the occlusive dressing. The duration of the course is one to two weeks.

Lokasalen - combines the components of the previous preparation and salicylic acid in a concentration of 3%. The course of treatment is 30-40 days.

Ultralan is superior to Sinalar in its anti-inflammatory effect and is more convenient to use. The maximum course of therapy is three weeks.

Apulein (from Gedeon Richter, Hungary) is available in the form of creams and ointments. The active substance budesonite quickly penetrates through the skin and is easily excreted. Studies show that this drug less often has a side effect on the body, in comparison with its counterparts.

Glucocorticosteroids ointments in pediatrics

Preparations containing hormones almost always cause parents some fear. Doctors say that you should not be afraid of such treatment. With impeccable observance of the doctor's recommendations, there is no threat to the child's health of a new generation of corticosteroid ointments. However, it must be remembered that uncontrolled use of the drug is unacceptable. Self-medication in this case can significantly aggravate the patient's condition, lead to increased relapses.

Hormonal ointments are used in exceptional cases, if other types of treatment have not yielded results.

Conditionally, corticosteroid ointments can be divided into three groups: strong (Dermoveit), medium (Celestoderm, Flucinar, Beloderm), and weak (Hydrocortisone, Prednisolone).

Such funds are used for a short course, with a gradual decrease in the doses of the drug.

For example, the first days the amount of ointment should be the size of a pea. The skin is lubricated twice a day. Then the amount of money is reduced by half. The next step - ointment is used once a day.

To further reduce the concentration of the drug, the drug is mixed with baby cream, first in half, then two-thirds and so on, until complete withdrawal.

It is recommended to begin treatment with weaker means.

The above scheme is approximate. Specific recommendations can only be given by a doctor.