Background: Topical steroid-dependent face (TSDF) is a concerning issue in India, due to the unrestricted availability of topical steroid-containing products over-the-counter. The prevalence of TSDF in India may be indicative of an unspoken obsession with fairness that is still rampant in our society. Managing this condition is a significant challenge for dermatologists. Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate patients who misused topical steroids to achieve fairer skin, clinically as well as by dermoscopy, And to characterize the dermoscopic features of TSDF and to correlate them with clinical findings. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted among 50 patients presenting with TSDF, who attended the dermatology outpatient department of our institute, after obtaining approval from the institutional ethics committee. Patients aged 11 years and above, of either gender, were included. Patients using topical corticosteroids for a known disease where it is indicated and with comorbidities with cutaneous changes that could mimic TSDF were excluded. Results: Out of 50 patients, 13 were males and 37 females. Erythema was the most common morphology (88%). The most common dermoscopic feature was diffuse red areas (98%) followed by telangiectasia (96%). Limitations: Lack of histopathological correlation is the limitation of our study. Conclusion: Obsession with fairness prevalent in our society leads to the use of unscrupulous means to attain it, like irrational use of topical corticosteroids. This can lead to an alarming entity known as TSDF. Dermoscopy can act as a contemporary instrument for the early detection of TSDF and is helpful for patient education.
Manoj et al. (Thu,) studied this question.