A woman says 30 years of taking steroid cream for her eczema has left her with oozing skin so painful it feels like an electric current is running through it.
Hotel receptionist Ellen Vorsselman, 30, from Kampen in the Netherlands, has suffered from eczema since she was a baby.
While her parents tried a variety of treatments, including homeopathy and oil baths, none cured Ellen’s red and itchy rashes.
She was prescribed with a steroid cream, which dealt with her symptoms whenever flare ups struck throughout her childhood and into adult life.
Now, she is in agony after giving up the cream.
(Image: mediadrumworld.com / @ellensecze)
She said: “It feels like an electric current is running all through my body, creating an unbearable itch and severe pain at the same time.
“I feel like my skin is dry and greasy all at once, with dry patches and ooze right underneath them.”
A year ago, Ellen started to notice that she needed a lot more of cream to treat her eczema.
(Image: mediadrumworld.com / @ellensecze)
With her skin condition not showing any signs of improvement, Ellen discovered she was most likely suffering from topical steroid withdrawal – a condition where the skin becomes too dependent on the use of steroid creams.
In February 2021, Ellen decided the best way to overcome the problem was to completely stop taking the steroid cream.
But her skin has become worse than ever before.
Since going cold turkey, the 30-year-old has suffered from unbearable itching that has spread to her face, neck, back, arms, and fingers.
It has also caused a severe pain that feels like an electric current running through her body.
On top of this, Ellen has bone-dry skin that cracks and oozes, leading to painful sores.
(Image: mediadrumworld.com / @ellensecze)
Some nights, she finds it almost impossible to sleep. It has had a detrimental effect on her mental health.
When she returned to her dermatologist to try and find a solution, Ellen was once again offered steroid creams. She refused, and has not returned to the health professional since.
Ellen hopes her painful condition will heal naturally in time.
(Image: mediadrumworld.com / @ellensecze)
(Image: mediadrumworld.com / @ellensecze)
When she’s in public, Ellen feels incredibly self-conscious about the way she looks. But she says she’s only received one comment from a stranger, who told her “not to scratch”.
Since stopping taking her steroid cream, Ellen has joined an online community of others who suffer from topical steroid withdrawal, and says the support she has received has kept her going through the most difficult moments.
She said: “My parents had a hard time dealing with my eczema ever since I was a baby. They would try everything, from homeopathic treatments to oil baths, and finally decided to use steroids on my skin.
“Although eczema is very uncomfortable, up until a year ago, I was able to manage the symptoms quite easily. I don’t know what triggered it but I started needing more and more steroid creams in order to calm my eczema down.
“My boyfriend had been trying to convince me to quit steroids for a few years already and on February 8, 2021, I figured it was time.
“At first, I didn’t know that I had topical steroid withdrawal. I just thought my body would need a few days, maybe weeks, to get used to life without steroids, but little did I know I had embarked on a long journey.”
Ellen goes through phases or ‘flares’ when the condition becomes more painful. This happens around once a week, and she then experiences a very short period of calm, non itchy skin.
(Image: mediadrumworld.com / @ellensecze)
She said: “During a flare, I barely get any sleep at night which is definitely not helping my mental health. It is so hard to think about anything else or to find relief.”
She added: “Every time I’m in that calm period, I’m hoping that the worst is over, but topical steroid withdrawal healing isn’t linear and neither is my journey.
“I try very hard to take it day by day and to not let the bad days get in the way of my motivation to heal.
“On my last visit to a dermatologist, I got prescribed different steroid creams but I don’t want to do that anymore, so I have not been back there since.
“I have been seeing a naturopath who has helped me find some supplements to help with the symptoms.
“However, as time goes on, I am more and more convinced that the only thing that will heal me is time.”
(Image: mediadrumworld.com / @ellensecze)
Ellen hopes that if her skin clears up, she can be an inspiration for those also wanting to cut out using steroid cream.
By sharing her ordeal, Ellen wants to educate others about the dangers of applying strong steroid creams longer term.
“Please be informed of what you put on your skin,” she said. “Our bodies have amazing healing powers, but it takes courage, time, and effort to get there.
“Even though I’m still flaring very regularly, I am hopeful that I will heal completely one day soon.
“I will come out of this stronger than ever, no matter how long it takes.”