Hydrocortisone on groin/upper thigh/scrotum

[psiwind]

Hi, I seemed to have fully treated a chronic jock itch I've had for months as I no longer have a positive KOH Test, but I may have gotten eczema on the area and I believe my scrotum is lichen simplex. How long can I apply hydrocortisone to the area safetly? Twice a day for 2 weeks or once a day for one week?

[Paxiled]

I thought I posted an answer here, but a lot of posts are getting taken down so maybe that happened for some reason.  Cortisone is never safe.  It is sometimes necessary, but if it isn't necessary, don't use it.  It can cause immune system problems that make it more likely problems like skin conditions become chronic or get worse.  This is more of a problem with internal than external use.  At this point, you are self-diagnosing, so you have no idea what's going on, as you say you "may" have these things.  Eczema is often just a term thrown around and doesn't always mean a whole lot other than the skin is dry and having some sort of vague problem.  Because you took so long to get rid of your ringworm, using cortisone might just bring it back by disrupting again the beneficial organisms that prevent fungal infections.  But also do know that if you used antifungals they don't kill the eggs and if the eggs hatch you have the problem again.  So either get diagnosed or do nothing and see what happens is what I would suggest because ringworm is a bear to get rid of and you don't want to go and do something that might bring it back.  If it's irritated, try something gentle like aloe vera.  If it's itchy, that's a sign the ringworm isn't in fact gone.  What I did when I had this problem was, after the antifungals, which I had to do twice because it came right back, as that's what antifungals often make happen, I discovered that applying garlic oil at the first sign of itching was enough to take care of what was left without causing any further die-off of protective organisms.  I don't say that so you run out to do that. frankly getting pure garlic oil is pretty hard to obtain unless you juice some fresh garlic yourself or really know your supplements, but it is to say, don't start applying anything that affects your protective organisms unless a doctor says you have something and you don't know there are other methods out there to deal with remnants of an infection.  Peace.