General use
Topical corticosteroids should not be applied to areas of your skin that are currently being affected by an ongoing bacterial, fungal or viral infection. This is because they could make the symptoms of the skin infection worse.
Pregnancy
Mild, moderate and potent topical corticosteroids are considered safe to use during pregnancy. However, using potent topical corticosteroids during pregnancy is not usually recommended. Research has found that they increase the risk of giving birth to a baby with a low birth weight.
Breastfeeding
Mild, moderate and potent topical corticosteroids are also considered safe to use when breastfeeding. However, if you have applied topical corticosteroid to your breasts you should wash it off before feeding your baby.
It is uncertain whether very potent topical corticosteroids are safe to use while breastfeeding. As a precaution their use is not recommended.
Children
Children can safely use mild to moderate topical corticosteroids. Potent and very potent topical corticosteroids are not usually recommended, particularly in very young children, because they carry a greater risk of causing side effects than in adults.
However, exceptions can be made if your child has very severe symptoms and it is felt that the benefit of treatment outweighs the risks of side effects. For example, potent topical corticosteroids are sometimes recommended for treating cases of severe atopic eczema, usually under the supervision of a dermatologist (skin care specialist).
