Adverse effects from topical steroids.

The introduction of topical corticosteroids greatly expanded the practitioner's dermatologic armamentarium and at the same time augmented the list of local and systemic iatrogenic diseases with which he must deal. A recent review of the literature was undertaken to determine the adverse effects seen with topically administered corticosteroids. These were found to be arbitrarily assignable to eight categories: pilosebaceous, atrophic, therapeutic, immunologic, cosmetic, endocrinologic, oculonasal, and allergic. A brief discussion of the individual entities seen in each category as well as the etiology, when known, and treatment, if any, are included in this discussion.