Can taking prednisone or topical steroids make a rash worse?

Absolutely!: Oral and topical steroids are useful for inflammatory skin conditions like eczema. However, these medications can be harmful and make a rash worse if the rash is caused by an infection. This is most commonly seen when a steroid is applied to a fungal rash (like athlete's foot or jock itch or ring worm). These infections use steroids like gasoline on a fire and cause the rash to worsen quickly.

Yes: Yes, especially if the rash is caused by infection or if there is an allergy to the specific steroid preparation.