[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-568577-105":53,"doc-detail-568577-en":120},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":113,"head_meta":115,"extra_data":117,"updated_unix":119},105,"en","choosing-topical-corticosteroids-clinical-guidance-for-potency-delivery-vehicle-indications-and-safety","Choosing Topical Corticosteroids - Clinical guidance for potency, delivery vehicle, indications, and safety","","Topical corticosteroids are among the oldest and most effective therapies for dermatologic conditions, but success depends on correct diagnosis and careful selection of potency, delivery vehicle, application frequency, treatment duration, and potential side effects. Evidence of effectiveness is strong for select disorders such as psoriasis, vitiligo, eczema and atopic dermatitis, while other indications have limited support. Guidance emphasizes matching steroid type and vehicle to the specific disease, including diagnostic testing to rule out fungal mimics.",{"@graph":63,"@context":112},[64,80,95],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":46,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/paper-templates/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/choosing-topical-corticosteroids-clinical-guidance-for-potency-delivery-vehicle-indications-and-safety/568577/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"author":82,"headline":59,"publisher":85,"fileFormat":88,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":89,"datePublished":89,"encodingFormat":88,"isAccessibleForFree":90,"interactionStatistic":91},"DigitalDocument",{"name":83,"@type":84},"Hazel","Person",{"url":68,"name":86,"@type":87},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-13",true,{"@type":92,"interactionType":93,"userInteractionCount":4},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":94},"ViewAction",{"@type":96,"mainEntity":97},"FAQPage",[98,104,108],{"name":99,"@type":100,"acceptedAnswer":101},"What determines whether topical corticosteroids will work safely and effectively?","Question",{"text":102,"@type":103},"Treatment success depends on accurate diagnosis and selecting the steroid’s delivery vehicle, potency, frequency of application, duration of therapy, and awareness of side effects.","Answer",{"name":105,"@type":100,"acceptedAnswer":106},"Which skin conditions have established evidence for topical steroid effectiveness?",{"text":107,"@type":103},"Evidence supports several conditions, including psoriasis, vitiligo, eczema and atopic dermatitis, phimosis, acute radiation dermatitis, and lichen sclerosus.",{"name":109,"@type":100,"acceptedAnswer":110},"Why should clinicians avoid steroid-antifungal combinations in many cases?",{"text":111,"@type":103},"Combinations are generally avoided to reduce the risk of tinea infections, since steroids can worsen fungal disease when the diagnosis is incorrect.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":114,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":86,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":116,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":118,"site_id":56},568577,1791871472,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":121},{"doc_id":118,"user_id":122,"nickname":83,"user_avatar":123,"doc_module":9,"category_id":45,"category_name":46,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":124,"file_id":125,"file_url":126,"file_type":127,"file_size":128,"view_count":4,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":129,"language":130,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":131,"faqs":132,"seo_title":133,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":119,"read_time":73},137441390410,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/2000252f4ab5702993?_k=1776741390130283984","Choosing Topical Corticosteroids  \nJONATHAN D. FERENCE, PharmD, Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and Nursing, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania ALLEN R. LAST, MD, MPH, Racine Family Medicine Residency Program, Medical College of Wisconsin, Racine, Wisconsin  \nTopical corticosteroids are one of the oldest and most useful treatments for dermatologic conditions. There are many topical steroids available, and they differ in potency and formulation. Successful treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis and consideration of the steroid’s delivery vehicle, potency, frequency of application, duration of treatment, and side effects. Although use of topical steroids is common, evidence of effectiveness exists only for select conditions, such as psoriasis, vitiligo, eczema, atopic dermatitis, phimosis, acute radiation dermatitis, and lichen sclerosus. Evidence is limited for use in melasma, chronic idiopathic urticaria, and alopecia areata. (Am Fam Physician. 2009;79(2):135-140. Copyright © 2009 American Academy of Family Physicians.)  \nTopical steroids are available in a  \nvariety of potencies and prepara  \ntions. Physicians should become  \nfamiliar with one or two agents in each category of potency to safely and effectively treat steroid-responsive skin conditions. When prescribing topical steroids, it is important to consider the diagnosis as well as steroid potency, delivery vehicle, frequency of administration, duration of treatment, and side effects. The usefulness and side effects of topical steroids area direct result of their anti-inflammatory properties, although no single agent has been proven to have the best benefit-to-risk ratio.  \nTable 1. Conditions Treatable with Topical Steroids  \nHigh-potency steroids (groups I to III)  \nAlopecia areata  \nAtopic dermatitis (resistant) Discoid lupus Hyperkeratotic eczema Lichen planus  \nLichen sclerosus (skin)  \nLichen simplex chronicus Nummular eczema Poison ivy (severe) Psoriasis  \nSevere hand eczema  \nMedium-potency steroids (groups IV and V)  \nAnal inflammation (severe) Asteatotic eczema  \nAtopic dermatitis Lichen sclerosus (vulva) Nummular eczema Scabies (after scabicide) Seborrheic dermatitis Severe dermatitis  \nSevere intertrigo (short-term) Stasis dermatitis  \nLow-potency steroids (groups VI and VII)  \nDermatitis (diaper)  \nDermatitis (eyelids)  \nDermatitis (face) Intertrigo  \nPerianal inflammation  \nIndications  \nAn accurate diagnosis is essential when selecting a steroid. A skin scraping and potassium hydroxide test can clarify whether a steroid or an antifungal is an appropriate choice, because steroids can exacerbate a fungal infection. Topical corticosteroids are effective for conditions that are characterized by hyperproliferation, inflammation, and immunologic involvement. They can also provide symptomatic relief for burning and pruritic lesions.  \nMany skin conditions are treated with topical steroids (Table 1), but evidence of effectiveness has been established only fora small number of conditions. For example, high-or ultra-high-potency topical steroids, alone or in combination with other topical treatments, are the mainstay of therapy for psoriasis.1 They are also effective for treating vitiligo involving a limited area of a patient’s skin,2,3 lichen sclerosus,4 bullous pemphigoid, and pemphigus foliaceus.5,6 Alopecia areata, which is usually self-limited, may respond to ultra-high-potency topical corticosteroids, but randomized controlled trials have yielded conflicting results.7,8  \nMedium-to high-potency topical corticosteroids are effective for atopic dermatitis and eczema in adults and children,9,10 as well as for phimosis 11,12 (i.e., foreskin that cannot be retracted) and acute radiation dermatitis.13,14 Topical corticosteroids may be effective for other conditions, but the data to support their use are from small, low-level, or uncorroborated studies. Melasma,15 chronic idiopathic  \nJanuary 15, 2009 ◆ Volume 79, Number 2 [www.aafp.org/afp](www.aafp.org/","cbCaihZs6Y7GP2QT","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaihZs6Y7GP2QT","pdf",160113,6,"English","# Choosing Topical Corticosteroids\n## Conditions Treatable with Topical Steroids\n## Indications and Diagnostic Considerations\n## SORT Key Recommendations for Practice\n## Steroid Vehicles","[{\"question\":\"What determines whether topical corticosteroids will work safely and effectively?\",\"answer\":\"Treatment success depends on accurate diagnosis and selecting the steroid’s delivery vehicle, potency, frequency of application, duration of therapy, and awareness of side effects.\"},{\"question\":\"Which skin conditions have established evidence for topical steroid effectiveness?\",\"answer\":\"Evidence supports several conditions, including psoriasis, vitiligo, eczema and atopic dermatitis, phimosis, acute radiation dermatitis, and lichen sclerosus.\"},{\"question\":\"Why should clinicians avoid steroid-antifungal combinations in many cases?\",\"answer\":\"Combinations are generally avoided to reduce the risk of tinea infections, since steroids can worsen fungal disease when the diagnosis is incorrect.\"}]","Choosing Topical Corticosteroids - Clinical guidance for potency, delivery vehicle, indications, and safety | PDF"]