Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW): George Cable’s Story of Pain, Recovery and Hope
“I Had to Have My Mum Bathe Me”: George Cable’s Four-Year Battle with Topical Steroid Withdrawal
Four and a half years of pain, two lost jobs and months spent bedridden. George Cable opens up about the devastating reality of topical steroid withdrawal (TSW), the impact it has had on every part of his life, and how he continues to hold on to hope.
If you have ever struggled with a skin condition, you'll know how much it can affect your confidence, your relationships and your everyday life. But what happens when your skin becomes so painful that even bathing feels impossible, leaving the house feels overwhelming and the future you once imagined seems completely out of reach?
I recently sat down with George Cable, who has been living with topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) for around four and a half years. You may recognise him from TikTok, where he has shared parts of his journey with a growing community of people who understand, or are trying to understand, what life with TSW can be like.
George was incredibly open about some of the darkest moments of his experience. But what struck me most wasn't just the severity of what he has been through. It was his willingness to keep going, his determination to raise awareness and his ability to hold on to the hope that life can be different.
This is his story, in his own words.
“I always knew my skin was different to just eczema”
George's journey began long before he knew what TSW was. He had been using topical steroids since he was a baby, but for around ten years, he used one of the most potent topical steroids available after being diagnosed with eczema and following the advice he received from healthcare professionals.
Like many people, he trusted the medical advice he was given. When you have a skin condition and are prescribed treatment, you naturally expect that treatment to help you. You don't necessarily question it, particularly when you're trying to get your symptoms under control.
As George explained:
“I always knew my skin was different to just eczema.”
Despite this feeling, he continued to follow the advice he had received.
“I put my trust in the doctors and the dermatologists because they were saying to me, ‘It's eczema. It's eczema.’ So I just kept on using it.”
George described how easy it had been for him to access topical steroids, including in large tubes.
Then, at the age of 27, he came across a video on TikTok discussing topical steroid withdrawal. For the first time, he heard someone describe symptoms that felt familiar.
“I thought this person was describing me.”
That moment was significant. After years of trying to understand his skin, he had found information that seemed to reflect his own experience.
For people who feel that their symptoms aren't being understood, finding others with similar experiences can be an important step towards seeking further support. George's story also highlights why conversations about topical steroid withdrawal, its symptoms and the need for appropriate medical guidance matter.
“It's an itch beyond an itch”
One of the hardest things about living with a severe skin condition is explaining to other people what it actually feels like. Redness, flaking and visible inflammation might be what others see, but they don't tell the full story of the pain someone is experiencing.
George described the difference between ordinary itching and the sensations he associates with TSW.
“Eczema, I would say, is itchy, but TSW has this bone-deep itch. It's an itch beyond an itch. And you are clawing yourself.”
He also used an example that makes the intensity of the pain easier to imagine.
“Imagine you fell over and you grazed your knee. That really awful pain that's stinging. Imagine that on every inch, every inch of your body from head to toe.”
Imagine trying to work, sleep, socialise or concentrate when your skin feels like that. Now imagine experiencing it for months and years, without knowing when it will improve.
The physical symptoms are only one part of the experience. When your skin is constantly painful, even basic everyday activities can become exhausting. Sleep can be disrupted, leaving you physically and emotionally drained, and the uncertainty can make it difficult to plan for the future.
It is a reminder that skin conditions should never be judged by appearance alone. You cannot always see the full extent of someone's suffering.
Losing his job, his independence and the life he knew
Before his health deteriorated, George worked in marketing in London. He had a career and a life outside his skin condition, but as his symptoms became harder to manage, maintaining that life became increasingly difficult.
He took time off sick and eventually lost his job.
In an attempt to find relief, George travelled to Thailand for CAP therapy. He experienced an improvement after around eight months, but his symptoms returned after he came back to the UK.
He later secured another job, only for his health to deteriorate again.
The impact was no longer confined to his skin. His finances, relationships, independence and ability to work were all affected.
As George put it:
“It's a 360 experience. Every part of my life has been touched by this condition, from relationships to my finances.”
When a condition affects your ability to earn money and live independently, the pressure can become overwhelming. There is the physical suffering itself, but also the worry about how to pay bills, maintain relationships and rebuild a future when you don't know how your health will be from one day to the next.
One of the most heartbreaking parts of our conversation was when George described what happened in April 2026.
After coming off immunosuppressants, his condition deteriorated to the point that he was bedridden for three months. He needed his mum's help with basic personal care, including bathing.
“I'm 31, and I had to have my mother bathe me. I couldn't even get into the water and my mum had to wash me.”
It's difficult to imagine how vulnerable that must have felt for someone who had previously been living and working independently.
At 31, George should have been able to get on with his life without needing help to wash himself. Instead, his world had become so restricted that something most of us do without thinking required support from his mum.
Sharing an experience like this takes courage. It also helps people understand that severe skin conditions can affect far more than the surface of the skin.
The mental health impact people don't always see
When someone has a visible skin condition, people may notice the redness, the flaking or the inflammation. What they cannot necessarily see is the anxiety, isolation and emotional exhaustion that can accompany it.
George spoke honestly about struggling with his appearance and spending so much of his time inside his bedroom.
“There are days where I hate the way that I look.”
“These four walls of my bedroom is what I see the majority of the time.”
When leaving the house feels difficult, it can become harder to maintain friendships, meet new people or take part in activities that once brought you happiness. You can begin to feel as though life is happening around you while you're stuck watching from the sidelines.
There is also the emotional burden of not knowing when things will change. When symptoms persist for years, it can be difficult to imagine a future in which you feel comfortable in your own skin again.
George also spoke about the importance of men being able to talk openly about their experiences and emotions.
“I don't think there should be a taboo, especially in the space of being a man.”
I think this is particularly important. Nobody should feel that they have to hide their suffering or pretend they are coping because they are expected to be strong. Being honest about how a condition affects you is not weakness. It takes courage, and it can help other people feel less alone.
“I had to do my own research”
George also discussed his experiences trying to find answers and appropriate support.
He felt that the healthcare professionals he saw did not recognise what he believed was happening to his skin, and he described being offered more topical steroids. This led him to research other options, including ciclosporin, and seek help from a private dermatologist.
“I had to do my own research.”
His journey has involved exploring different approaches, including CAP therapy, red light therapy and no moisture treatment.
Every person's experience of a skin condition is different, and what one person chooses to explore may not be suitable for someone else. George's account highlights how important it is for people to feel heard when discussing persistent symptoms, and to have access to clear information about their treatment options.
It is also important to distinguish between sharing a personal experience and making medical recommendations. TSW can be difficult to distinguish from other skin conditions, and symptoms can have different causes. Anyone concerned about topical steroid use or experiencing worsening skin symptoms should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional before changing or stopping prescribed treatment.
For George, finding information and connecting with people who understood his experience became an important part of his journey.
Finding hope when healing feels impossible
Perhaps one of the most powerful parts of George's story is that, despite everything he has experienced, he still talks about the future.
He wants to work again. He wants to ride his bike, travel and spend time with people without his skin dictating what he can and cannot do.
And he wants to dance.
“I can't wait to dance. I can't wait to have a boogie on a dance floor somewhere.”
It's such a simple thing, but that is what makes it so powerful. When illness takes away your independence, the things you once considered ordinary can become the things you dream about most.
George also explained how his experience has changed the way he thinks about health.
“My skin is my gift. We take it for granted because it just exists. But when it's so so ill and sick, it's changed my whole perception of health.”
There is something incredibly moving about that perspective. George isn't pretending that what he has been through is easy, and he isn't suggesting that hope makes the pain disappear. He is recognising how much he wants to reclaim the everyday parts of life that many people don't think twice about.
His story is a reminder that someone can be struggling enormously and still have things to look forward to. Hope doesn't have to mean knowing exactly when things will get better. Sometimes it means continuing to believe that your current circumstances do not have to define your entire future.
“Find the community as quick as you can”
If there is one message George particularly wants people experiencing TSW to hear, it is the importance of finding people who understand.
He wishes he had found the community sooner.
“The one thing that I really wish that I had done, probably in the beginning, was find the community as quick as you can because honestly, it changed everything.”
When you're dealing with something that other people may not understand, connecting with someone who recognises what you're describing can make a huge difference. It can help you feel less isolated, give you space to talk openly and remind you that you are not the only person trying to navigate this experience.
Of course, no two journeys are identical, and online communities cannot replace individual medical care. But having people who understand the emotional and practical challenges can provide valuable support.
George knows what it feels like to reach a point where you wonder whether things will ever improve.
“There have been so many times that I thought, ‘I'm never, ever going to heal. This is my body for life now.’ But it's not.”
He followed that with a message of hope:
“I promise you it's not forever. Yes, it's been four and a half years, but I know this is not forever.”
For anyone currently struggling, I hope George's openness helps you feel seen. His story is not a promise that everyone's symptoms will follow the same course, and healing can look different for different people. But his determination to keep going, even after years of pain and setbacks, is a powerful reminder that there is still room for hope, connection and a future beyond the hardest days.
George's story deserves to be heard
What stayed with me after speaking to George was not simply the severity of his symptoms, but the courage it took to talk about them so openly.
He has experienced pain, isolation, financial uncertainty and the loss of independence. Yet he is still willing to share his story in the hope that someone else might recognise their own experience, find a supportive community or feel less alone.
That is what makes his story so important.
Raising awareness starts with listening to people who live with these experiences every day. It means making space for difficult conversations, acknowledging the impact that skin conditions can have on someone's whole life, and encouraging people to seek appropriate support when they need it.
Thank you, George, for trusting me with your story and for being willing to share such personal experiences. I hope you get to enjoy that dance floor, the bike rides, the travelling and all the everyday moments you've been looking forward to.
And to anyone watching from their bedroom, struggling through another difficult day: you deserve support, you deserve to be heard, and you do not have to face everything alone.
Watch the full interview with George on YouTube to hear more of his story in his own words, and follow George on TikTok to keep up with his journey and the awareness he continues to raise around TSW.
Medical disclaimer: This article is based on George's personal experiences and is intended for information and awareness only. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional medical advice. Topical steroid withdrawal can be difficult to distinguish from other skin conditions, and the causes of skin symptoms can vary. Do not stop or change prescribed medication without speaking to a qualified healthcare professional. If your symptoms are severe, worsening or causing significant distress, please seek medical support.
