Cortisone ointment in pregnancy

One of the contraindications of cortisone ointments is pregnancy. Since it cannot be completely ruled out that some of the active substance may enter the organism, cortisone preparations of any kind should be avoided during pregnancy if possible. If the corticoids penetrate the organism, the unborn child could be harmed.

The newer preparations have a lower risk of the active substances entering the organism. But this cannot be completely excluded. It is safer to consider alternatives together with the doctor.

Cortisone ointment and breastfeeding – is that possible?

Cortisone ointments are contraindicated in the lactation period. The corticoids can pass into breast milk. Even if damage to the infant is not proven, cortisone preparations should be avoided if possible. Advice from the midwife and gynaecologist can offer support and solutions.

Duration of application

The duration of application of cortisone ointments should be as long as necessary and as short as possible. It is important to avoid using them for more than 10 days if the treatment is longer. The longer the duration and the higher the concentration of the application, the higher the risk of side effects.

The size and region of the skin area also play an important role with regard to the duration of application and side effects. In the face and genital area the skin is very thin and sensitive. This means that even a short application of cortisone ointments can cause side effects here.

Many patients are afraid of taking cortisone and using cortisone ointment because of some side effects. However, no side effects are generally to be expected when treating with low-dose cortisone. The external use of cortisone is considered safe; systemic side effects, i.e. those affecting the whole body, are very unlikely.

Nevertheless, for safety reasons the cortisone ointment should not be applied for too long and if possible only on smaller skin areas. Side effects that may occur with the prolonged use of cortisone ointments are thinning of the skin, hyperpigmentation and the emergence of small blood vessels. The thinning and hyperpigmentation disappear again by themselves after the cortisone ointment has been discontinued; the blood vessels may have to be removed with the laser.

However, in the case of systemic overdosage through oral or intravenous administration of cortisone, serious problems may occur. Some patients report symptoms of a disease called Cushing’s syndrome after prolonged use of cortisol. Due to the elevated cortisol level, they suffer from hyperglycaemia and a severe immune deficiency with many, sometimes severe, infections.

In addition, muscle atrophy in the arms and legs can occur with simultaneous fat accumulation on the trunk of the body (trunk obesity). The occurrence of osteoporosis is also possible, as well as wound healing disorders, punctiform skin bleeding and an increase in intraocular pressure. Some patients also report the occurrence of stomach problems due to an inhibition of the mucus production of the stomach cells.

A general disadvantage of preparations containing cortisone is that they can only be eliminated slowly. If they are suddenly discontinued, the symptoms may reappear. For this reason, cortisone ointment should be applied less and less gradually until it is finally omitted completely.