NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Corticosteroid creamsand ointments are often recommended for soothing a sunburn, but anew study suggests they are unlikely to help.

Topical corticosteroids, like hydrocortisone and betamethasone,are effective for inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema.Sunburns are the manifestation of an inflammatory reaction todamage from UV light, but studies have come to conflictingconclusions as to whether corticosteroid creams, lotions andointments can help cool the burn.

For the new study, published in the Archives of Dermatology,researchers recruited 20 healthy, sun-sensitive volunteers to testwhether topical corticosteroids could offer quick sunburnrelief.

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