Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) is a rare condition that can develop after you stop using a topical steroid medication. It is also known as Topical Steroid Addiction (TSA) or Red Skin Syndrome (RSS) . TSW is a reaction that can happen when your body is used to receiving a steroid medication, but it’s suddenly stopped. This can result in a cluster of painful symptoms, including burning, weeping, flaking, shedding, peeling, spreading, swelling, redness, wrinkling, and more. The symptoms of TSW can be debilitating and can cause difficulty moving around due to having especially sensitive skin. TSW Syndrome comes with severe secondary complications, requiring multiple daily interventions for a protracted period of time. Many sufferers are bedridden and housebound for months to years before symptoms abate. The mechanism behind TSW remains unclear, but one hypothesis is that the phenomenon is due to “a rebound effect caused by the sudden absence of TCS leading to increased nitric oxide (NO) levels and exaggerated vasodilation of cutaneous blood vessels” . If you think you have TSW, especially if you are feeling ill, please see your GP urgently and request an urgent referral to a dermatologist.