Topical Steroid Addiction (TSA) and Facebook

Blog 42 concerns Dr. Aron’s topical steroid homeopathic remedy and claims of cure for Red Skin Syndrome (RSS), the condition that results from overuse of topical corticosteroids. Advocates of Dr. Aron’s program stridently declare on Facebook that all patients who do not follow his treatment are misinformed and undergoing needless discomfort with steroid withdrawal. These homeopathic fanatics are adamant, close minded, and wrong. Dr. Aron’s scientifically flawed approach leads the searching, suffering RSS patients astray and sadly prolongs their daily plight of itching, burning, redness, rash, and inability to function.

It is always the secure who are humble.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Dr. Aron’s step-down approach using less and less steroids with wraps is based on an old idea that was repudiated many decades ago called homeopathy. This treatment approach from the 1800’s is based on the assumption that smaller and smaller doses of medication over time stimulates the body to cure itself and that particles or remnants of the drug will finally cause an end to the disease. It doesn’t.

Podalsky et al in the New England Journal of Medicine discussed homeopathy in a January, 2016 editorial. The crux of the detailed essay is best summarized with the few sentences below: “Founded by Samuel Hahnemann in Germany around the turn of the 19^th century and introduced into the United States shortly thereafter, homeopathy was predicated on such notions as ‘like cures like’ and the ‘law of infinitesimals,’ whereby extraordinarily diluted products that in their original form might have caused symptoms resembling those of the illness in question are administered to patients in a highly individualized fashion.

Withdrawal is the healing treatment protocol for RSS patients. Absolutely total cessation of steroids is the only cure.

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.