If eczema doesn't improve after a week or comes back soon after stopping treatment with a topical steroid, you may need a stronger steroid or additional treatment. Initially, you could use topical steroid creams for eczema that contain over-the-counter hydrocortisone. These creams can control itching and reduce redness and swelling. There is no simple cure for discoid eczema, but medications can help ease symptoms.
Dr. Peter Lio, a dermatologist at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago and a member of the NEA board of directors, takes an alternative approach to deciding when to prescribe topical steroids and at what concentration. The NEA warns that overusing moderate-to-high-potency topical steroids and then abruptly stopping them can cause “topical steroid withdrawal syndrome,” which can cause burning, stinging, swelling, skin tenderness, black-like bumps and pustules, as well as bright red skin in people with light skin.
