Woman says common medication left her bedbound with skin ‘like an elephant’
Rosemary Hook, 29, says she was prescribed steroid creams for eczema since she was three months old and believes she developed topical steroid withdrawal
Rosemary Hook has had life-changing treatment for her skin condition
A woman claims she was left confined to her bed with “oozing”, elephant-like skin – so severe she became “unrecognisable” – following 28 years of steroid cream use for eczema, which she suspects triggered topical steroid withdrawal. Rosemary Hook, 29, says she’s been prescribed steroid creams for eczema since she was three months old, at progressively stronger doses, and maintains the medication’s information leaflets recommend limiting use to one week at a time.
Following her relocation to London in 2016, she reports her condition took a dramatic turn for the worse – her skin became red and inflamed all over her body, she started losing hair in clumps, and the discomfort left her unable to move.
After researching on social media, she became persuaded she was trapped in a “vicious cycle” of topical steroid withdrawal (TSW), convinced the medication was aggravating her symptoms while making her “dependent” on it.
For a decade she says she suffered with “alien-looking” skin, alongside depression and anxiety, and alleges her GP brushed aside her worries, prescribing immunosuppressants to help control the symptoms, including a chemotherapy medication.
When her situation worsened further in 2025, she travelled to Thailand that December for plasma therapy – which she describes as “life-changing” and says she can finally recognise herself once more.
At £200 per session, she now faces up to five years of continued treatment, and has launched a fundraiser to ensure she can continue receiving it. Rosemary, who works as a technician at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, said: “My skin became thickened in places, almost like an elephant skin texture, but at the same time incredibly fragile.
“I had deep cracks in areas, and even small movements could cause the skin to split or tear, so basic things like getting dressed were painful.
“There was also large, constant flaking and shedding throughout the day, and I was dealing with ongoing irritation, including areas that would ooze or bleed, which made it physically exhausting to manage.
“It changed my appearance so much that I didn’t recognise my own face or body at times, and that made me incredibly anxious about leaving the house or being seen.”
Rosemary revealed she’s been using steroid cream for her widespread eczema since she was just three months old.
Throughout the years, she was given increasingly stronger creams, though she noted they didn’t appear to make “much of a difference”.
After relocating to London in 2016, her skin experienced a “big flare up”, turning extremely red, painful and inflamed.
Seeking solutions, she conducted her own research and discovered others on social media discussing topical steroid withdrawal – believed to be a severe withdrawal reaction to the long-term use of steroid creams. Rosemary believes this is behind her condition, though she claims medical professionals have declined to provide an official diagnosis, instead prescribing immunosuppressants, including a chemotherapy medication.
Her symptoms, including red and inflamed skin across her entire body, have persisted for a decade, causing excruciating pain and at times leaving her unable to move.
Prior to this, she described herself as “active and sporty”, with no mobility problems whatsoever.
Over the years, she has experienced significant hair loss, and has found herself unable to manage simple everyday activities like washing and preparing meals.
She has been confined to bed on multiple occasions and has been forced to take extended periods off work.
She said: “I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression – I was isolating myself so much because of the way I looked and because I wasn’t able to physically move, I was just in complete survival mode for a very long time.”
She explained that she had attempted to discontinue her medication to observe her skin’s response, but it would “instantly” deteriorate, which she felt demonstrated her skin was “completely dependent” on it.
She said: “The rebound effects, of my skin burning and being so red, made me give in and use them again so it was like a vicious cycle until they stopped working entirely.”
Throughout the years, she has consulted “countless” specialist dermatologists in London, and claims she was “dismissed and laughed at” when voicing concerns that the steroid creams were causing additional harm. She said: “On the labels of my creams it says that they should only be used for the maximum of one week at a time.
“GPs have told me I’m not looking after myself properly, and that I’m deliberately trying to make myself unwell.
“People tend to look at me in public because of my skin, and it does look quite alien at times.”
More recently, Rosemary has discovered support groups on social media and found TikTok accounts where fellow sufferers document their journeys under the TSW hashtag.
She said: “There are thousands and thousands of people with the same experiences as me, but it’s so under-researched and the NHS don’t really recognise the condition.”
Since summer 2025, Rosemary’s condition has deteriorated significantly, with her skin becoming “bright red and swollen” and taking on the texture of “elephant skin”, frequently cracking and weeping.
While researching on social media last year, she discovered a clinic in Thailand providing Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) therapy.
The treatment utilises ionised gas which purports to encourage skin regeneration, diminish inflammation, and destroy pathogens.
She commenced treatment in Thailand in December 2025, at a cost of £200 for a full-body session weekly.
She said: “It’s been amazing so far, and pretty life-changing – I can now recognise myself in the mirror.
“I can be fully independent again in terms of daily activities.
“My skin is getting so much stronger without any medication.
“There’s a long way to go – it’s easily triggered by irritants and I can’t really go anywhere here in Thailand because of the heat and the sweat.”
She faces two months of weekly appointments before returning to the UK to pursue treatment at a specialist clinic, where sessions will gradually become less frequent.
However, her medical team estimates she’ll require treatment over the next five years, ultimately tapering to just a handful of sessions annually.
The cost of her treatment has placed a “financial burden” on her, though she noted her employer has granted her medical leave.
She’s launched a fundraising campaign with a £6,000 target to support her future medical needs.
She said: “It would just take all of the worry away, if I met the target, and would mean I’d get my life back.”
The NHS website advises that individuals who’ve been using topical corticosteroids long-term should consult their GP to review their treatment plan, where they may be recommended to discontinue use gradually to prevent a withdrawal reaction.
People who cease using topical corticosteroids after prolonged continuous use, typically beyond 12 months in adults, may experience a withdrawal reaction that can occasionally be severe.
To visit Rosemary’s fundraising appeal, go to www.gofundme.com/f/help-rosie-heal-from-topical-steroid-withdrawal.
