Bright, red, hot patch of skin?

[Zippsy]

And you think talking to a one semester EMT at DAN is better?

No, I think talking to the experts in hyperbaric medicine at DAN is better.

edited to add: Actually, I take that back. Talking immediately to anyone with any specific medical training on hyberbaric medicine would be infinitely better than worrying about it for several hours, then posting on a forum and staring at your screen while waiting for a response from anyone - even when the eventual response comes from some OWSI who got a 85% on his dive physiology exam.

 

[fisherdvm]

Don't remember what mine was, basically a super version of hydrocortizone(spelling?), I was cautioned that because of the large area and concentration that I would have it end up in my bloodstream and be very at risk for side effects.

Topical steroids are not photosensitizing. You probably received a class I, superpotent or fluorinated topical steroid (diflorasone, betamethasone dipropionate, halobetasol propinate). If you used it daily for more than 2 or 3 weeks, you will get steroid atrophy (thinning of the skin), telangiectasia (redness and enlargement of small blood vessels), easy bruising, and increased risk of infection.

No, steroids does not cause sun burn, but might make the effect of sunburn worse if the damaged skin is burned.

My guess is, you might have used this steroid for too long, got some steroid induced thinning and redness, and the suit squeeze plus sunburn made it bright red.

Take a photo and let us see it.

But, really, you should have called DAN first, ear syphillis is a very deadly disease.