As we get older our skin begins to thin, sometimes it seems like every little bump leaves a bruise – or worse – a skin tear. I was recently asked what can be done about thinned skin in the groin, which came about due to using steroid creams in that area to combat eczema. Eczema is an allergic skin condition that produces itchy, thickened, red areas on various parts of the body. It tends to come and go and often occurs in conjunction with other allergic conditions such as asthma. Conventional medicine sometimes treats eczema flare-ups with topical steroids, but the strongest of these are contraindicated for use on thin-skinned areas of the body (including the groin) because they can lead to precisely this problem: skin thinning (atrophy) as well as a change in color (depigmentation), and acne-like eruptions. Often, affected skin returns to its normal thickness naturally over time, but in some cases, it can persist for years. Newer, topical drugs called ‘topical immunomodulators’ or TIMs are now available to treat eczema and do not cause skin-thinning with long-term use.