[ ARC forum 2 ]

Nasty effects.

Written by Paul B. at 16 May 2002 10:34:48:

As an answer to: Re: Lord of the phimotic ring? written by mp at 16 May 2002 00:59:04:

> What are the "possible underirable effects"?

The most obvious of these is the development of "Thrush" (Candida Albicans) or some other fungal infection.

Let me explain some things here. Steroids do not either "make" the skin stretch, nor "make" skin grow. In fact, they suppress growth. They suppress the operation of the body's defence systems, which is good where the problem for which they are prescribed is over-activity of the immune system as is in fact the cause of many skin rashes, in which the skin grows too fast and fails to develop the proper "connections" between cells which make it robust, as a result becoming thickened, scaly, flaky and cracked (fissured).

Suppression of the immune system allows (some) infections, particularly fungi, to develop where they would not normally, but since the body's reaction is suppressed, there is not the same inflammation as normally happens with infection, so application of a steroid may appear to be healing a skin rash, but in fact make it worse.

The action of the steroid in slowing down or suppressing the body's normal process of developing scar or normal connective tissue, is what makes it useful for stretching, but it can be a close balance - if there is infection present (such as "Thrush"), it might cause more harm than good.

Finally, there is a danger that someone may use a fluorinated steroid (Betamethasone, Triamcinolone) continuously for too long (possibly because there is some other infection present, and every time it is ceased the problem appeared to get worse, so they become "addicted" to the cream), and cause more-or-less irreversible atrophy (thinning) of the skin ("stretch marks").

These concerns need not stop you using the cream, but you should aim to put it only on the very spot where you wish the stretching to take place, and only enough to rub in to that spot, to avoid it getting elsewhere.


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