Adverse effects of corticosteroids.

The introduction of corticosteroids has constitutded the most revolutionary event in dermatologic therapy in the last twenty-five years. The effectiveness of topical therapy in well diagnosed and obscure dermatoses led to wide applications by specialists and general practitioners, and resulted in the development of more potent topical steroid preparations. Their enthusiastic acceptance, and often indiscriminante use, has been followed by occasional reports of adverse effects. After the introduction of occlusive topical steroid therapy under plastic wrap, more dramatic therapeutic effects were achieved, but the adverse effects also increased. There is presently an abundance of reports elaborating on systemic and local adverse reactions resulting from topically applied or intralesionally injected steroids. This report summarizes the local side effects of these steroids.