A young woman shared her struggle with a severe skin condition that caused red, bleeding, and oozing skin after being given steroid cream for eczema treatment. Sophie Cooper, 21, experienced intense burning on 95% of her body following three rounds of increasingly potent steroid creams prescribed by her GP to manage her worsening eczema in 2023.
Discontinuing the creams led Sophie to develop topical steroid withdrawal, a reaction often misunderstood when stopping steroid cream usage. Despite not realizing the risk of withdrawal initially, Sophie later learned about it from the cream’s packaging but already faced the consequences.
Having become a Miss Great Britain Kent finalist, Sophie remains determined not to let her skin condition hinder her. However, her skin issues persist, affecting her ability to work and even carry out daily activities like showering, which feels excruciating due to the skin’s sensitivity.
Sophie’s condition, known as topical steroid withdrawal, is a topic widely discussed on social media platforms like TikTok, with the hashtag #TSW amassing over 1.1 billion views. Despite this, only 34% of UK dermatology clinicians acknowledge TSW as a distinct issue, leaving sufferers like Sophie feeling frustrated and overlooked.
Struggling with relentless itching, nerve pain, and sleep disturbances, Sophie’s quality of life has significantly deteriorated. She now advocates for greater awareness of TSW, emphasizing the need for more research and support for those affected by this debilitating condition.
To support Sophie’s journey to recovery, donations can be made through her JustGiving page.