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Worried Hydrocortisone has discoloured skin - Please help!

9 replies

Clairedev · 23/07/2012 00:24

Hi there
My 17 month old baby recently developed a red rash on his cheeks when the weather was warm. I thought it was a heat rash but the rash did not go for over a week so I went to my GP who said it was a touch of eczema and prescribed him with Fucidin H 1% Hyrdrocortisone cream and Dermal moisturising cream. He said to use them twice daily, 10 minutes apart. I collected the creams from the chemist and asked how long I should use the cream for and was told 'until it clears up'. I began to use them and after a few days the redness went and looked a lot better, however, the following day it looked bad again so I continued with it and it seemed to keep clearing up and then going red again. I used the Hydrocortisone for about 21 days as I didnt realise it was a strong cream, until a friend told me and I became very worried. I have noticed that my babies skin has lightened in colour, he has 2 round lighter patches where we must have been applying the Hydrocortisone on his cheeks. I'm very worried about it, I can't sleep thinking about it. I went back to the GP and he told me not to worry and the colour should come back in 1-2 months. Has anyone else experienced this? Have I done damage to my babies skin? Is Hydrocortisone 1% safe to use on a 17 month old's face and for 3 weeks??? Please any advice/information would be much appreciated!

OP posts:
KissMyEmbroideryHoop · 23/07/2012 00:49

1% is very weak...my nephew has used it since he was a baby on and off and he is just fine! He is 8.

Of course it is safe...the pale patches are new skin from where the older damaed skin as been replaced. It will fade.

I have also used Hydrocortisone on and off and have had no trouble.

greenbananas · 23/07/2012 06:41

DS had nasty eczema as a tiny baby, and we used a much stronger cream than that for much longer than that. His pale patches all disappeared quite quickly and his skin now looks completely normal. Please don't worry.

Clairedev · 23/07/2012 07:54

Thanks for your replies, I've been so worried as read somewhere that it can cause permanent discoloration. I was worried I'd used it for too long in one run. Did you use it on your babies faces?

OP posts:
greenbananas · 23/07/2012 08:07

Yes, all round his eyes and mouth particularly. There was a big pale patch on the left side of his mouth for ages and I did worry about having thinned his skin permanently, but all is well Smile

greenbananas · 23/07/2012 08:08

(Realised I have contradicted myself about the pale patch around his mouth... it lasted a couple of months and it felt like forever but it did clear up)

Clairedev · 23/07/2012 09:08

Thanks so much for getting back to me. That's really reassured me, I will try not to worry now.

OP posts:
Aleyna66 · 08/03/2020 21:11

My two month old baby got rashes behind the ear..my dr advised same medication and her ears looks fairer than her face..My sister applied that cream on my babys face too and she has many small fairer patches on skin I'm super worried..I don't think its reversible..my baby is three month old now...no any changes..I just used it for 3,4 days two times a day..

Lalalslal · 23/06/2021 01:47

I know this is years later but I am now worried about my LO - did it ever clear up and the skin return to normal?

MsJohnston786 · 05/02/2022 20:43

I to have a LO that is experiencing the same issue. She had a bad rash around her cheeks and lips that looked awful and her grandmother used hydrocortisone on it that seemed to reduce the rash but created light patches where applied. We stopped immediately when we saw the patches and have since been using different skin creams like aquaphor and another eczema cream for babies that is said to work wonders on skin. I honestly have seem a difference the more I use the different eczema creams on the light spots but it's been a month now and the patches are still there. I hope it goes completely away soon. 😞

Happy to see this thread though because I to thought I ruined her beautiful complexion permanently this gives me hope 💗 💖

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