I'm feeling great today. My skin is nice and calm and my face looks better than it has done in a long time.
There are a lot of people like me going through the effects of topical steroid withdrawal and we are all at various stages in the journey. Some have healed completely, others are in the very early withdrawal stages of the oozing and burning red skin. It is highly appropriate then, that this addiction withdrawal is called Red Skin Syndrome. It amazes me that doctors can deny that Red Skin Syndrome exists, when thousands of people who have come off topical steroid creams have had exactly the same symptom pattern: The red, burning skin, the classic red arm and white palm pattern, as well as the swelling and the oozing. The symptoms of Red Skin Syndrome are so unique that surely nobody could diagnose this as eczema. it is nothing like eczema. This is a side effect of addiction, make no mistake.
Ask anyone who has used topical steroids for a length of time what happens when they try to stop. Their skin goes into a rebound flare and starts to burn. It burns until they put more steroid cream on it. Doctors already recognise conditions like perioral dermatitis and steroid rosacea. These have exactly the same cause as Red Skin Syndrome, a reaction to overuse of steroid creams, which spirals out of control, leaving the user completely dependent on the creams to function.
ITSAN calls on all doctors who understand this condition and are willing to treat it to go on a special register, so that people suffering from the effects of steroid addiction, or Red Skin Syndrome know where to go for help. If you are a doctor, please register your name with ITSAN.org to go on this list and provide much needed help and advice to those going through painful steroid withdrawals.
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