Don't use steroid creams rashly - it could weaken your bones

DPA
·1 min read
Using too much steroid cream for too long could put you at risk of osteoporosis or major osteoporotic fracture (MOF), scientists have found. Christin Klose/dpa
Using too much steroid cream for too long could put you at risk of osteoporosis or major osteoporotic fracture (MOF), scientists have found. Christin Klose/dpa

Topical corticosteroids or steroid creams are widely used to treat common skin irritations and rashes such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.

But rub on too much for too long and you could be putting yourself in danger, according to Taiwanese scientists and doctors, who are warning of "elevated risks of osteoporosis and bone fractures associated with osteoporosis."

For their study, published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and based on information from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, the researchers dug into data from around 160,000 osteoporosis and major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) cases dating from between 2017 and 2020.

They said they "found clear dose–response relationships between long-term use of topical corticosteroids and osteoporosis and MOF."

"This study emphasizes that using topical corticosteroids to treat inflammatory skin conditions should be done very carefully and clinicians should be aware of these potential side effects," said Chia-Yu Chu of National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine.

"Susceptible populations" - particularly "women and young people" - should be cautious about long-term use, according to the team.

Steroid creams have long come with health warnings: misuse not only worsens some conditions, such as acne, it can atrophy skin by reducing its collagen.