What The Papers Say: Can some patients' bodies become 'addicted' to topical steroids?

Emily Bennett's 9-year-old son's history of eczema began when he was 6 or 7 months old. At first, the pediatrician recommended over-the-counter hydrocortizone creams. When that didn't help, he was prescribed a topical corticosteroid cream, but his eczema continued to worsen.

In February, when he had a big "flare," as a resurgence of eczema is called, his mother says she noticed something different. "This isn't eczema anymore," she said to herself. Her son's skin was red in a way it hadn't been before.