Corticosteriods shown to reduce sunburn

Might corticosteroid creams reduce the effect of overexposure to the sun?

A study involved 20 adults who had their backs exposed to ultraviolet rays from a sunlamp. A corticosteroid cream was applied to certain areas of their skin 30 minutes before exposure to the UV rays and to other areas either six hours or 23 hours after exposure; one area of skin was left untreated.

No difference in redness was detected between the areas where the cream was applied after sunlamp exposure and the untreated area. However, skin that was treated before being exposed to the UV rays was less red than skin treated after exposure or not treated.

Burning occurs when exposure to the sun's rays surpasses the ability of the skin pigment melanin to protect the skin from damage.

In everyday use, people generally apply corticosteroid creams after, not before, sun exposure. The study involved a small number of people and did not compare corticosteroid use with other treatments.

The study appears in the May issue of Archives of Dermatology.