Long-term Hydrocortisone Topical Application -- Bad?

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I've been using an OTC version of Hydrocortisone steadily for like a year almost.

I regularly put it on parts of my face's skin where hair is thinned out a bit. I noticed it seems to slowly help regrow hair.

But until recently I hadn't factored in side effects. At some points I used it almost every single day on various parts of my face (eyebrows, top and bottom; hairline; beard to moustache connection; moustache; etc.).

I read that there can be side effects of using this for far too long and some may involve cortisol increases and skin thinning but not sure of any others (wondering if anxiety or other similar effects could be a result of using this too much).

Should I quit applying this? I'm using coconut milk and oil now and think I should use that for keeping hair in good shape as opposed to corticosteroid creams.
 

lampofred

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I actually don't think it's that bad in small amounts. It's anti-estrogenic. But using thyroid/pregnenolone/progesterone is probably much better in the long-run because they would have the same anti-inflammatory effect of cortisol without the catabolism.
 
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Very very bad.

Do you think it can mess up cortisol significantly and create a chain of negative effects from there, like anxiety or etc.?

I actually don't think it's that bad in small amounts. It's anti-estrogenic. But using thyroid/pregnenolone/progesterone is probably much better in the long-run because they would have the same anti-inflammatory effect of cortisol without the catabolism.

I don't use it for anything anti-inflammatory personally -- just for the ability to enhance hair growth slowly.

And how do I know about the state of my thyroid anyways? Is this something that can be done at home?
 
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i know someone who used it topically for years on his scrotum for a skin condition, and became sterile.
 
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i know someone who used it topically for years on his scrotum for a skin condition, and became sterile.

Wow. But I'm definitely careful of what I'd rub there. :D :D

What effects do you think it could have on the face then, possibly?

I know skin thinning is one side effect, but I don't seem to notice any difference when it comes to that. I'm more worried about how the topical application could create other hormonal/endocrine/etc. affects that go beyond the surface from too much use.
 

lampofred

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I don't use it for anything anti-inflammatory personally -- just for the ability to enhance hair growth slowly.

And how do I know about the state of my thyroid anyways? Is this something that can be done at home?

I think that's why it enhances hair growth. It counters the effect of inflammatory substances like prolactin which turn off hair growth. And I'm pretty sure if you're losing hair at all, your thyroid is not in great condition. Temperature and pulse rate are good ways to measure thyroid status according to Dr. Peat, and improving thyroid is what all of Peat's articles are about.
 
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I think that's why it enhances hair growth. It counters the effect of inflammatory substances like prolactin which turn off hair growth. And I'm pretty sure if you're losing hair at all, your thyroid is not in great condition. Temperature and pulse rate are good ways to measure thyroid status according to Dr. Peat, and improving thyroid is what all of Peat's articles are about.

Ah. Didn't notice that about the hair. But I'm not really losing hair like that -- just kind of use it to help on tiny areas of, say, the brows and such that are thin like on the top and edges; and also the hairline as I have a widow's peak that I don't really like but not like balding or anything.

But I'm thinking I shouldn't continue as I don't know what I'm possibly affecting and there are probably other things that can work just as good or similar to it, like maybe coconut oil/milk and microneedling to help stimulate hair growth and such.
 
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Nokoni

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You can see some photos of the consequences of using topical steroid cream here: Red Skin Syndrome image gallery, stories of healing I've been through it and it is very unpleasant. Nearly seven years since I stopped using and some skin issues still haven't gone completely away.
 
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You can see some photos of the consequences of using topical steroid cream here: Red Skin Syndrome image gallery, stories of healing I've been through it and it is very unpleasant. Nearly seven years since I stopped using and some skin issues still haven't gone completely away.

I think I've seen some of those before and knew of possible rashes/etc. I was mainly worried about if it would have more internal effects, like hormone-related.

I'm definitely going to stop using at as often now or altogether even maybe.

Thanks for all the input though.
 

IVILA

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How would you recover from it if you used to use it for a year or so?
 

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