Corticosteroids: The discovery of corticosteroids in the 1950s, and their subsequent incorporation in topical creams and ointments, provided a significant advancement in the treatment of atopic eczema. Thus, the use of topical steroids avoided many of the undesirable side-effects of systemic administration of corticosteroids. Topical steroids control the itching and the rash that accompany atopic eczema.