Topical Steroid Damaged Face: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Corticosteroids are one of the anti-inflammatory drugs that are used widely by dermatologists. Significant local adverse effects can happen if topical corticosteroids (TCs) are used incorrectly. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of facial TCs misuse and its adverse effects. This was cross-sectional research: a self-reported questionnaire was distributed among a population of Saudi Arabians aged 16 years and above who were using TCs consecutively. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26. A total of 611 participants were enrolled in the survey: 401 (65.6%) were university graduates, while 187 (30.6%) were below high school level of education. The number of participants using TCs was 279 (45.7%), while 332 (54.3%) did not use steroids topically. The most used TCs were Mometasone furoate 0.1% cream (18.2%), followed by Fusidic acid/Betamethasone cream (16.7%). A total of 46 reported facial TCs’ side effects. Peeling (52.2%) was the most reported side effect, followed by redness (41.3%). In conclusion, the use of facial TCs among the Saudi population is not uncommon (16.5%). A large population are not aware of the side effects of the unsupervised use of TCs. An effort should be made to increase awareness of the adverse effects of TCs.