Post-operative surgical-site infection from skin bleaching: a case report

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Prolonged application of steroid containing cream can pose a serious challenge to users. Apart from making the skin lighter it creates a spectrum of diseases in those that use them as the adrenal glands are suppressed and are unable to secrete more steroids when required.OBJECTIVE: The objective is to report on a patient who presented with severe sepsis after a long period of application of steroids to the skin.METHODS: A patient who has applied steroids to the skin over a prolonged period was followed up during treatment to ascertain the complications that the patient sustained during the period of treatment.CONCLUSION: The patient was found to have developed a pelvic induration without abscess. She also had a large anterior abdominal wall abscess superficial to the external oblique muscle extending towards the left flank.