Easy bruising, bleeding under the skin and skin tears, and steroids

[Wheezycat]

I am now in the group that gets all of the above. My friend calls it steroid skin. Though not now for nearly a year, I have taken a fair amount of oral steroids, which I know can cause all this. But does anyone know whether the steroids in inhalers also are culprits even though the dose is so much lower. Any ideas?

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I bruise very easily still and I'm no longer on pred as it doesn't generally work. I am on a steroid inhaler (high dose) plus a small dose of hydrocortisone for adrenal insufficiency and a steroid nasal spray. So it seems like it is possible to get the bruising etc off pred - I really thought it would stop!

[Wheezycat in reply to Lysistrata]

Interesting! It is not so frequent yet for me, but now when I am doing more gardening it is happening, and yesterday I found I had a bleeding skin tear when I got in, goodness knows from what! And the other day I had quite a patch of bleeding under the skin.....from lifting the tooth brush??? However, I have a feeling that once you get it it it stays. My friend who now gets lots of tears told me she now uses Q10 cream which possibly seems to help.

[Yatzy]

Yes, I recognise all the steroid skin problems. I’m taking Seretide 250, a steroid Included inhaler, and persist with the problems, with prednisolone infrequently these days, though was a much heavier ‘user’ in the past.

I’d love to be rid of these unsightly skin problems, thin skin too on my forearms, but I’m reluctant to change the Seretide though GP says I could try. Changes have never worked for my asthma in the past.

[Minushabens]

I think (although don't know for sure) the steroid per se is to blame but that because dosage via tablet is so much higher than via inhaler that they are the probable culprit. I don't know if everyone is the same but with me, it's my forearms & lower legs that are worst affected. Plus I get occasional bleeds in my eyes (not painful nor do they affect my sight, they just look a bit unsightly). My arms are terrible especially now when I'm wearing t-shirts - even a minor bump into something & I can end up with significant bleeding.

I had to see a specialist a little while ago about a non-lung issue, & he was talking about my arms - he'd obviously seen my records & straight away said that'd be the prednisolone causing me to have skin like tissue paper.

[Wheezycat in reply to Minushabens]

Yes, that sounds familiar. Mind you, in my case, age will not help, though I feel I am a little ‘young’ for this. I can remember my mother having these issues - no asthma, no steroids but she was 95!

I absolutely take your point about strength of oral steroid compared with inhaled, but as I happily haven’t needed the oral ones for a year I also do wonder whether inhaled steroids can compound the issue over time.

[Tenderspore in reply to Wheezycat]

I am in the upper age bracket and my legs are dreadful. I felt its all due to inhaler steroids. I am sorry for anyone having these issues but do feel relieved, having read these comments, that it is just because of the steroids. For me, breathing is difficult anyway, so I would rather (at my age) have unsightly legs which can be covered and be able to breath

[Wheezycat in reply to Tenderspore]

Oh, yes, I agree! I wouldn’t consider reducing unless my asthma was OK with less. It is OK just now but wasn’t for several months, so my inhaler strength was increased.

[Evie3]

I think the inhalers contribute....thats why they like to get u on the lowest but to keep u stable. I am more worried for my bones. Now osteopenic. Should b taking what sounds like an horrendous pill.....which I know would upset my stomach as so intolerant. One to speak to the doc about after lockdown as dont want to break bones☹️

[Wheezycat in reply to Evie3]

Good point! Somehow it has never so far been an issue, but, yes, it could creep up on me. And yes, more concerning. But as skin tears (just had my first one) can get infected and nasty it can became a bit of an issue, and need to be treated with care. It looks fine so far, by the way.

[Singinglouder]

My mother’s skin went like this in her 70s (not steroid related), and I researched at the time whether there was anything we could do to improve it. The answer seemed to be moisturise, moisturise, moisturise, preferably starting about 10 years earlier...

[Wheezycat in reply to Singinglouder]

Yeah, I am learning late......I have not always been completely hopeless, but I eventually got out of the habit. So working on that one.

[Singinglouder in reply to Wheezycat]

Well, in theory I found out in plenty of time, and did start off well, but I'm not exactly brilliant at moisturising myself these days. Time to get back into the habit, I think.

[peege]

Absolutely yes!

My skin was terrible for a few years whilst on Seretide 500 in wintertime but at least my asthma was controlled. I have many scars to prove it.

Fast forward, my inhaler was changed first to Sirdupla which didn't work then to Fostair, after 18 months I realised my skin hadn't ripped for a while and I wasn't getting half as many bruises on arms and legs. Its staggering the difference. In the past couple of weeks I've had a few bruises on lower arms, dog related, and I know it's due to taking a double dose of Fostair at night as prescribed, for winter months. Regarding steroid tablets, I hate them and have taken it only two or three times in ten years. Don't let anyone tell you that there's not enough steroid in inhalers to affect your skin! Best regards, Peege

PS I was in my fifties.

[Wheezycat in reply to peege]

Interesting! Yes, it does accumulate, and that made me wonder. But 2018-2019 I ended up on prednisolone a good few times. After the last time they also ‘insisted’ on Montelukast to help improve the situation, they (asthma nurses) started getting concerned. And the last 12 months I haven’t needed them. Bliss!

[peege in reply to Wheezycat]

In my case it's definitely not the tablets. I'm reverting to my one puff at night so I'm sure the recent skin bruising g will improve. P

[horseblister]

I was put on Prednisolone in 1969 and at the time my Consultant introduced me to two elderly ladies with these problems and he said if I lived , I would have skin like theirs. He only expected me to live a few weeks at the time.When I get admitted to hospital the doctors are always amazed at my old blue steroid cards that are older than they are.

[Wheezycat in reply to horseblister]

Oh, goodness! Well, I am glad your consultant was proved wrong!

[CDPO16]

I bruise if you look at me. My husband says he could easily be accused of abuse if the authorities saw me 😁. My skin also tears very easily.

I am on a very high dose of steroid inhaler with occasional courses of prednisolone. I have osteoporosis too but frankly being able to breath as well as possible is what matters most to me. I do moisturise but have never found it to be of much use in a preventing tears and bruising.

[watergazer]

My bruises and paper thin skin seems to have started with my change of inhaler though could have been a coincidence. I was changed from symbicort to fostairnexthaler. I haven’t had prednisone for a couple of years. Hate my skin now. X

[Wheezycat in reply to watergazer]

Interesting. I was on Symbicort for four years, and my bruising and bleeding started then. Not so often, but quite definite when it happened. Now in warm weather I do gardening and cover my arms less so they are definitely more exposed. I too am now on Fostair Nexthaler, 200/6. I don’t hate my skin, though I don’t love the way it looks generally, so I feel sorry for it.........and try to remember to moisturise morning and evening. Our current need to wash hands constantly have made my hands look papery, at least until I have applied more cream.

[watergazer in reply to Wheezycat]

I’m constantly massaging coconut oil on mine at the mo and trying to build up muscle a bit. Seems to be helping a little. 🌈 have a lovely day x Anita

[Wheezycat in reply to watergazer]

And you! Tanya

[Singinglouder in reply to Wheezycat]

This morning's text from the NHS coronavirus service said to wash my hands for at least 20 seconds after contact with anything from the outside and moisturise after - first time I've seen that included.

[Katmeg in reply to Wheezycat]

Bruising on symbicort ??? My mom has it small bruises on arms many times even one on stomach

[Yellow75]

Though not from oral steriods, I have bad stretch marks from two pregnancys carrying a 9 lb and 9lb 8 baby, I'm quite petite. However, I had very bad eczema as a baby/toddler and had steriod creams applied to stomach area. I think combination of two has led to my issue. I can see why long term oral steriods may also do same.

[hainsy52]

I have been on prednisolone now for 11 years not being able to get below 30mg daily sometimes as high as 60mg ,I am on various inhalers also,my consultants have always said that the side effects were due to the oral steroids,I know they have said my bones would start to repair if I could get off the pred but not sure if the skin would repair itself,

[Wheezycat in reply to hainsy52]

Interesting! But it seems quite a few develop the problem even if they have only occasionally, or even rarely, been on oral steroids. Hope the situation improves for you! It must be hard work!

[su-mo]

Started with chronic asthma in 1970 when 2 separate pharmaceutical companies tried to kill me. I. E. Two Anaphylaxis near death experiences: One was with Aspirin: Second was Desensitizing Injections.., and Although having spent nearly 40 years on periodic courses of Prednisolone and multiple Inhalers and numerous doses of Antibiotics I have managed to break free of the dreaded medication and now take" Natural" Supplements These consist of Probiotic Capsules with prebiotic food Proteolytic & Digestive Enzymes Vit D3 + K and Vit C with Zinc. I now have good skin, normal blood pressure,no aches or pains, walk,run, cycle 40+ miles per week and hopefully built up my immune system to cope with dreaded viruses. At 75 years young I thank God I was given the right information at the right time. Trust this gives hope to all those suffering the tyranny of permanent medication

[Wheezycat in reply to su-mo]

I am glad that works for you, but goodness, you are taking a lot! It must cost you a fortune!

[su-mo in reply to Wheezycat]

Costs less than a cup of coffee per day and I could get cheaper from other suppliers but stick with the ones that I find work for me. Also eat more oily fish ( sardines cost pennies) and I do porridge with blueberries (frozen cheaper) Soups and stews, lots of veg. and cut out high sugar items and refined carbohydrates, also try to cut down on dairy. Worth a try if it preserves your skin and heart and brain! N B one treat square of 80% dark chocolate per day

[Tunbury41]

Same as may others I’m on seretide 250 twice a day thin skin is listed as a side effect I bruise purple on forearms and shins everywhere else normal colour bruises i had a very bad tear on my shin and it’s now left an inch long raised scar which I’m treating with tea tree oil. I have also found something called Bruise MD used for post op bruising. I only got it over the weekend and tried it on my arm that I caught on a tree whilst mowing the lawn and it seemed to take the colour out of the middle and is working it’s colour out. Previously I tried arnica which was quite good but since found out there was only 9% arnica in it so now got one with 35% arnica so I’m going to be trying both I’m very embarrassed about my arms and legs especially now nice weather is here I have tattoo make up so when I wear summer clothes I cover them with it to take the boldness away hope this helps

[Wheezycat]

So far I am not struggling more with these marks than I had before this started, but it may well catch up with me. I am curious your use of tea tree oil. That is something I would avoid as I have a strong tendency to react on many things that smell. Sadly many essential oils have a very strong smell. As for the other things do let us know how they work out as that sounds interesting. My friend uses q10 oil and it looks promising.