Adverse Effects of Fluorinated Steroids Applied to the Face

The application of potent, fluorinated steroids to the face for periods of several months or more may be contraindicated when used widely or indiscriminately. Three distinctive syndromes occur in the patients who are nearly always adult women: (1) steroid rosacea, (2) perioral dermatitis, and (3) steroid-induced acne. Initial improvement of the original condition—often a trivial disorder—is followed by aggravation and emergence of one of these distinctive entities. Treatment is effective and consists of oral administration of tetracycline and exclusion of steroids. (JAMA229:60-62, 1974)