Re: Steroids - can Majorie/someone explain....?

[Guest guest]

Bridget, here's what I know: both oral and topical steroids reduce

skin inflammation by identical mechanisms. (Topicals do so without

most of the systemic effects of steroids, but they both clearly cause

longterm skin problems we all dread).

In general, steroids and non-steroids, hormones, vitamins, fatty

acids, other medications, etc. reduce inflammation by impacting on

one or more of the cells and/or factors

involved in prostaglandin, complement, cytokine, and other immune-

mediated reactions that for whatever reason have been set off in the

local area (in this case, the skin and related structures).

How's this for an analogy -- in bowling, imagine that striking down

the seven pin is the equivalent of an inflammatory reaction. You can

prevent the seven pin from falling in two ways: either never throw

the ball down the alley, or prevent other struck pins from striking

down the seven pin. So, we can prevent inflammation in two ways:

either prevent the cause of the inflammation in the first place

(prevent rosacea), or prevent the manifestation of inflammation by

interfering with the progressive steps that ultimately lead to

inflammation (prevent the manifestation of rosacea's inflammation by

preventing the release of cytokines and prostagladins and other small

molecules). The latter is what is discussed in the above paragraph,

the process of not toppling the seven pin by not hitting or stricking

down other key pins in the formation.

There's a difference between acute physiologic stress reaction that

might occur after a sleepless night or a fast, and a chronic

physiologic or emotional stress reaction that typically causes skin

to worsen. I don't have a quick answer for you, but when I have time

I'll look around and let you know if I come up with anything

relevent.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

>

> I know personally that my rosacea had a major inflammatry

component. Topicals are completely out of the question.

>

> I wonder if someone may explain to me exactly how steroids reduce

inflammation in the skin? Also how do Non steroidal antiinflammatries

differ? Please in very simplistic terms.....

>

> I have personally tried aspirin, the first time I took it a lot of

the inflammation was reduced. Now though, it has no effect. I have

relied on oral steroids bu,t obviously, despite them working wonders

they have serious side effects e.g skin thinning (atrophy..sp??).

>

> I have mentionned before that no sleep helps my skin (ok only works

after one night up) and also no food- Someone suggested to me that

the body produces more cortisol under these conditions. I wonder if

Majorie or someone can confirm that and also if cortisol in the blood

stream has similar effects on the skin as the steroids applied

topically and taken orally?

>

> Thanks

>

> B

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get a bigger mailbox -- choose a size that fits your needs.

>

> http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail_storage.html

>

>

[Guest guest]

Bridget, here's what I know: both oral and topical steroids reduce

skin inflammation by identical mechanisms. (Topicals do so without

most of the systemic effects of steroids, but they both clearly cause

longterm skin problems we all dread).

In general, steroids and non-steroids, hormones, vitamins, fatty

acids, other medications, etc. reduce inflammation by impacting on

one or more of the cells and/or factors

involved in prostaglandin, complement, cytokine, and other immune-

mediated reactions that for whatever reason have been set off in the

local area (in this case, the skin and related structures).

How's this for an analogy -- in bowling, imagine that striking down

the seven pin is the equivalent of an inflammatory reaction. You can

prevent the seven pin from falling in two ways: either never throw

the ball down the alley, or prevent other struck pins from striking

down the seven pin. So, we can prevent inflammation in two ways:

either prevent the cause of the inflammation in the first place

(prevent rosacea), or prevent the manifestation of inflammation by

interfering with the progressive steps that ultimately lead to

inflammation (prevent the manifestation of rosacea's inflammation by

preventing the release of cytokines and prostagladins and other small

molecules). The latter is what is discussed in the above paragraph,

the process of not toppling the seven pin by not hitting or stricking

down other key pins in the formation.

There's a difference between acute physiologic stress reaction that

might occur after a sleepless night or a fast, and a chronic

physiologic or emotional stress reaction that typically causes skin

to worsen. I don't have a quick answer for you, but when I have time

I'll look around and let you know if I come up with anything

relevent.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

>

> I know personally that my rosacea had a major inflammatry

component. Topicals are completely out of the question.

>

> I wonder if someone may explain to me exactly how steroids reduce

inflammation in the skin? Also how do Non steroidal antiinflammatries

differ? Please in very simplistic terms.....

>

> I have personally tried aspirin, the first time I took it a lot of

the inflammation was reduced. Now though, it has no effect. I have

relied on oral steroids bu,t obviously, despite them working wonders

they have serious side effects e.g skin thinning (atrophy..sp??).

>

> I have mentionned before that no sleep helps my skin (ok only works

after one night up) and also no food- Someone suggested to me that

the body produces more cortisol under these conditions. I wonder if

Majorie or someone can confirm that and also if cortisol in the blood

stream has similar effects on the skin as the steroids applied

topically and taken orally?

>

> Thanks

>

> B

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get a bigger mailbox -- choose a size that fits your needs.

>

> http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail_storage.html

>

>

[Guest guest]

Bridget, here's what I know: both oral and topical steroids reduce

skin inflammation by identical mechanisms. (Topicals do so without

most of the systemic effects of steroids, but they both clearly cause

longterm skin problems we all dread).

In general, steroids and non-steroids, hormones, vitamins, fatty

acids, other medications, etc. reduce inflammation by impacting on

one or more of the cells and/or factors

involved in prostaglandin, complement, cytokine, and other immune-

mediated reactions that for whatever reason have been set off in the

local area (in this case, the skin and related structures).

How's this for an analogy -- in bowling, imagine that striking down

the seven pin is the equivalent of an inflammatory reaction. You can

prevent the seven pin from falling in two ways: either never throw

the ball down the alley, or prevent other struck pins from striking

down the seven pin. So, we can prevent inflammation in two ways:

either prevent the cause of the inflammation in the first place

(prevent rosacea), or prevent the manifestation of inflammation by

interfering with the progressive steps that ultimately lead to

inflammation (prevent the manifestation of rosacea's inflammation by

preventing the release of cytokines and prostagladins and other small

molecules). The latter is what is discussed in the above paragraph,

the process of not toppling the seven pin by not hitting or stricking

down other key pins in the formation.

There's a difference between acute physiologic stress reaction that

might occur after a sleepless night or a fast, and a chronic

physiologic or emotional stress reaction that typically causes skin

to worsen. I don't have a quick answer for you, but when I have time

I'll look around and let you know if I come up with anything

relevent.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

>

> I know personally that my rosacea had a major inflammatry

component. Topicals are completely out of the question.

>

> I wonder if someone may explain to me exactly how steroids reduce

inflammation in the skin? Also how do Non steroidal antiinflammatries

differ? Please in very simplistic terms.....

>

> I have personally tried aspirin, the first time I took it a lot of

the inflammation was reduced. Now though, it has no effect. I have

relied on oral steroids bu,t obviously, despite them working wonders

they have serious side effects e.g skin thinning (atrophy..sp??).

>

> I have mentionned before that no sleep helps my skin (ok only works

after one night up) and also no food- Someone suggested to me that

the body produces more cortisol under these conditions. I wonder if

Majorie or someone can confirm that and also if cortisol in the blood

stream has similar effects on the skin as the steroids applied

topically and taken orally?

>

> Thanks

>

> B

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get a bigger mailbox -- choose a size that fits your needs.

>

> http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail_storage.html

>

>

[Guest guest]

Bridget, here's what I know: both oral and topical steroids reduce

skin inflammation by identical mechanisms. (Topicals do so without

most of the systemic effects of steroids, but they both clearly cause

longterm skin problems we all dread).

In general, steroids and non-steroids, hormones, vitamins, fatty

acids, other medications, etc. reduce inflammation by impacting on

one or more of the cells and/or factors

involved in prostaglandin, complement, cytokine, and other immune-

mediated reactions that for whatever reason have been set off in the

local area (in this case, the skin and related structures).

How's this for an analogy -- in bowling, imagine that striking down

the seven pin is the equivalent of an inflammatory reaction. You can

prevent the seven pin from falling in two ways: either never throw

the ball down the alley, or prevent other struck pins from striking

down the seven pin. So, we can prevent inflammation in two ways:

either prevent the cause of the inflammation in the first place

(prevent rosacea), or prevent the manifestation of inflammation by

interfering with the progressive steps that ultimately lead to

inflammation (prevent the manifestation of rosacea's inflammation by

preventing the release of cytokines and prostagladins and other small

molecules). The latter is what is discussed in the above paragraph,

the process of not toppling the seven pin by not hitting or stricking

down other key pins in the formation.

There's a difference between acute physiologic stress reaction that

might occur after a sleepless night or a fast, and a chronic

physiologic or emotional stress reaction that typically causes skin

to worsen. I don't have a quick answer for you, but when I have time

I'll look around and let you know if I come up with anything

relevent.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

>

> I know personally that my rosacea had a major inflammatry

component. Topicals are completely out of the question.

>

> I wonder if someone may explain to me exactly how steroids reduce

inflammation in the skin? Also how do Non steroidal antiinflammatries

differ? Please in very simplistic terms.....

>

> I have personally tried aspirin, the first time I took it a lot of

the inflammation was reduced. Now though, it has no effect. I have

relied on oral steroids bu,t obviously, despite them working wonders

they have serious side effects e.g skin thinning (atrophy..sp??).

>

> I have mentionned before that no sleep helps my skin (ok only works

after one night up) and also no food- Someone suggested to me that

the body produces more cortisol under these conditions. I wonder if

Majorie or someone can confirm that and also if cortisol in the blood

stream has similar effects on the skin as the steroids applied

topically and taken orally?

>

> Thanks

>

> B

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get a bigger mailbox -- choose a size that fits your needs.

>

> http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/mail_storage.html

>

>