What is Topical Steroid Withdrawal? and why should you care?

What is Topical Steroid Withdrawal? and why should you care?

Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome (TSW) results from prolonged and inappropriate use of potent steroid creams, commonly prescribed for eczema and other skin conditions.

Symptoms include: Red or darker burning skin, flaking or peeling skin, body temperature dysregulation, skin infections, pustules ,environmental allergies, food sensitivities due to an overactive immune system, and depression due to both discomfort and the physical appearance of the skin.

TSW occurs when cortisone creams reduce the body's natural anti-inflammatory hormone production, leading to dependency and withdrawal symptoms upon cessation.

Prevention involves addressing underlying causes and opting for safe, natural alternatives.

Recovery from TSW takes time but can be expedited with proper protocols. While steroids have their place in acute conditions, THEY ARE NOT a sustainable solution for chronic skin issues.

Now with the science out of the way, why should you care? When it comes to the medical side of things, in my experience both, from years in the health care industry and as a mother, we all just want a solution, and one that acts fast!

Us parents just want our kids to stop suffering and the doctors just want to find a solution to resolve the issue for hysterical parents.

Unfortunately that often leads to unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics and topical steroid creams. 

They say only use it when its really bad, but let's be real! anything wrong is bad! Steroid creams should really ever be used for a maximum of 7 days, because after that your body starts developing a resistance which lead to more use of the cream or even increasing the strength, which leads to more resistance and so on and so forth!

Not to mention thinning of the skin!

it's a vicious circle that you wished you had never jumped on to begin with.

Fortunately for us living in 2024 there are natural alternative solutions in our grasp that does not put our precious babies at risk of any horrible symptoms from using steroid cream.
In a study by Kasrae et al., 104 babies in Iran with eczema were split into two groups. One group was treated with 1% hydrocortisone cream, while the other group received human milk for topical application for 21 days. By day 21, 81.5% of babies using human milk and 76% using hydrocortisone had healed. The study suggests that human milk is just as effective as hydrocortisone for treating eczema, with similar results. Plus, it's easy to use and doesn't have any side effects or cost as much.
These results are astounding! this means that treating eczema with breastmilk is more effective than using a topical steroid cream AND there are no risks or any side effects!
We need to be screaming this from the top of the hills to all mothers out there!
There is definitely a shift happening where the consumer demands better AND safer options. Breastmilk and colostrum are slowly but surely making a stand in the beauty and personal care industry like "Milk made skin" and " the cream colostrum collection".
Yours truly has combined the magic of your liquid gold with some of the most soothing and effective natural ingredients known to heal and treat irritated skin.
Lait Labs kit combines all of the equipment and ingredients for you to craft the most perfectly adapted cream for YOUR baby!
Click below to LEVEL UP your parenting game!
Back to blog