In recounting the diagnosis, management and cure of 4000 corticosteroid addicted atopic dermatitis patients I feel like I am in a futuristic movie with a split screen simultaneously showing two similar populations. One population is now in the present consisting of suffering patients who go on to CURE – albeit through a prolonged period of time, exhibit no rash and need no further treatment. They get there by ceasing all steroid usage. This contracts with the other screen of the same exact type of patients but now in a retro-medieval setting where the practitioners in an undisciplined, negative, and nihilistic way minister to the patients with all modes of potions and lotions and herbs and pills, and always some new remedy coming out of the drug company cauldrons. No one gets better. And the suffering continues.
Dupilumab – Horror Movie
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About the Author: Dr Marvin Rapaport, MD
In 1978 I initiated and set up the contact and photo dermatitis clinic at UCLA. There was a need to evaluate a large group of patients who exhibited severe eczematoid rashes, especially on the face. Patients were referred from all over Southern California. All patients underwent a lengthy history and examination. Further evaluations included blood studies, allergy patch testing, special sunlight (photo) testing and skin biopsies.
From the start it was apparent that most patients experienced a mild dermatitis on various parts of the body that progressively worsened. Their histories always included numerous doctor visits, multiple physicians, and therapy consisting of an increasing amount of corticosteroids.
My testing failed to reveal any specific culprit chemicals, cosmetics, perfumes, workplace or recreational exposures. It became increasingly clear that the physician’s therapy, the corticosteroids, was invariably causing the problem.
I wrote 7 scientific articles that were published in the most august peer-reviewed dermatologic journals and I gave many lectures at various dermatology meetings. To this day an unfortunate reluctance exists on the part of most physicians to accept this simple concept.
