I'm sure you're aware of the standard hydrocortisone warnings:

"Topical corticosteroid use may inhibit local immune response rendering the skin more susceptible to infections.
Local adverse effects of hydrocortisone application may commonly include burning, itching, or irritation. Long-term use of potent topical corticosteroids may result in skin atrophy and thinning."

For the people who used it and said it worsened their condition, I'm not sure if they used it for more than a couple weeks or not. I've never used it, and have found coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, shea butter, and hempseed oil all to be soothing and softening of the crusts (and have used them long enough to know they don't worsen the condition, even though they are not stand-alone cures to my condition).

What's your diet/alcohol/smoke consumption like, by the way? Take a look at this page on an anti-inflammatory diet (which recommends doing an elimination diet):

http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/803649/the-anti-inflamma...


You might be one of the "lucky" ones and just have some allergy, in which case you could resolve your condition within half a year's time. I would definitely get allergy testing done, and a biopsy perhaps if the allergy test or Elimination Diet turns up nothing.

Peace,
C.S.

MikePylon,

This may be to late for you appointment today. But the first thing you should do is get a biopsy and culture. And make sure its a "punch biopsy". Thats when they go down a bit deeper.

Dont worry about it. It will heal fine and it really doesnt hurt that bad. I think it is a very necessary step. I think it should be everyones first step. Even if it shows nothing like most peoples' do (but not everyones!) it will still eliminate many of the most common hypotheses.