Manchester mum battling unbearable eczema left unrecognisable to her own kids

Emily Beatty
-Credit: (Image: Jam Press Vid/@emilyjanebeatty)


A young mum from Manchester had everything to look forward to as her wedding day quickly approached, and with her second baby on the way, but a rare skin condition suddenly changed her life and left her unrecognisable to her own children.

Emily Beatty, a 34-year-old mum of two started noticing that she was experiencing a dry and itchy face, but simply put it down as a symptom of her pregnancy, believing that it would soon heal.

But, Emily, who suffers with eczema, later discovered that the issue was actually caused by a rare condition, topical steroid withdrawal (TSW), a type of skin inflammation that causes an extreme skin reaction.

Describing her emotions as the condition began to worsen, Emily said: “The pain and discomfort was unbearable. I just couldn’t cope anymore, as the skin around my eyes was sore, wrinkly and panda-like. The eczema, and later TSW, had consumed my face, neck, chest and arms – and my entire body at one stage."

She said the physical impact of the condition left her in such a fragile place mentally that she could no longer face marrying her husband, adding: “I didn’t want to marry my husband in this condition and while he reassured me that it didn’t matter what I looked like, to me, it meant everything. I wouldn’t have been able to wear my wedding dress through the discomfort it would cause (either).”

Emily Beatty
Despite still suffering with the condition, Emily felt well enough to go ahead with her wedding -Credit:Jam Press/@emilyjanebeatty

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But, thanks to successfully managing to track down immunosuppressant, Emily was able to reduce the inflammation and regained her confidence.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it, my skin was completely clear. With just 13 days until we were due to fly to Cyprus for our wedding, we were finally able to tell all our guests that it was absolutely going to happen.

“I understand that it’s not a long-term fix and may be seen as simply putting a plaster over the issues – but when you have a family, a mortgage, a job and you’re feeling at your lowest, you sometimes have no choice.

“I have zero regrets and I can honestly say our wedding day was the best day of my life.”

Emily has recalled being aware that the steroid creams she used back in 2020 to help treat her eczema could give her withdrawal symptoms, but she had no idea they would be that severe: “I knew that my body would have to get worse before it could get better – but nothing could have prepared me for the months of suffering I was about to endure.

Emily Beatty
Emily is now trying to raise awareness about the condition -Credit:Jam Press Vid/@emilyjanebeatty

"One month into withdrawal I was unrecognisable. I could not regulate my temperature at all and was cold all the time.

“I would often put the hair dryer on under the duvet until it would overheat to seek warmth. Two months in, I had to get pain relief from my GP because I was suffering so terribly with nerve pain."

But now, Emily is eager to raise awareness of the condition and inform people about the impacts of certain eczema treatments that can be potentially harmful, she said: "This condition is not recognised enough in the medical world, and as a health professional myself, I find this a bitter pill to swallow.

“I don't deny the use of steroids is needed in some instances, but I do believe more research needs to be done into the use and long-term effects of topical steroids.

“I know that more people are becoming aware of its dangers, but there is still a long way to go in terms of raising awareness."