Help me heal from TSW with the purchase of a CAP machine

Hi everyone,

I’m currently going through something called Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) — a condition that’s extremely painful, life-altering, and still not widely understood. It’s the result of using high-potency topical steroid creams over many years which were prescribed from early childhood to manage chronic eczema - I was told they were safe, even when used long-term.

Over the course of my life my skin has built up a tolerance to the steroid creams, which meant stronger steroids, more frequent application, and worse flare-ups in between applications, severely impacting my life in every aspect.

The steroid creams have completely damaged my skin making it extremely thin, impairing my skin's natural healing abilities, and disrupting my immune system’s natural function. Due to my tolerance to the steroids I had to choose whether to start the strongest potency class of steroid cream or stop the creams altogether. After an incredible amount of research I chose the latter having discovered a specialised therapy called Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) therapy in Thailand, after seeing hundreds of other people heal their skin here with great success: https://www.instagram.com/thailandcapcommunity?igsh=MWtlYXU5YXhlbHcwbQ==

When I arrived in Thailand and finally stopped using steroids, my skin went into shock — severe burning, oozing, shedding, and reacting to even the smallest environmental triggers. For around 2 months I was bed-bound, unable to sleep, eat, clean myself, or wash clothes and I had bad bacterial infections on my skin and fungal infections on my skin and nails.

CAP is a non-invasive, medical-grade technology that uses ionized gas (plasma) to kill bacteria, reduce inflammation, stimulate cell repair, and support natural skin regeneration. It’s also used to help heal other skin trauma such as burns and diabetic wounds.

I’m trying to raise money to buy my own CAP machine — the same technology used in my current therapy - purchased from the clinic, so that I can continue healing from home in the UK, and then manage my skin going forward for the rest of my life. In order to be eligible to buy the machine the clinic needs to see, over a substantial period of time, that your body responds positively to the therapy, which mine is.

I’ve managed to gather around £26k which has covered all the costs for me to receive therapy here for approximately 10 months, but the machine is simply out of reach financially, and it’s something I know will completely change the course of my recovery and enable me to return to life in the UK and return to work, while managing my skin going forward without relying on steroid creams.

Having access to a CAP machine would be completely life changing and give me a chance to live a normal life for the first time where I can physically play sports, attend events, wear shorts etc (everything I either couldn’t do because of my bad skin, or wouldn’t do because of being insecure about my skin condition).

A CAP machine is £22,810. Securing this machine is not just a choice for me, it’s the only way forward towards real recovery and if I was to return to the UK without a machine my skin will regress again to the point where I won’t be able to work, sleep, eat or enjoy any activity someone with normal skin can do.

I’m very early on in my therapy but I’m already making good progress - I have a public instagram where I’m sharing my journey and more information - @tsw_palmer:

https://www.instagram.com/tsw_palmer?igsh=aXZ6YXc5bW1oNmRj&utm_source=qr

And finally, I hope this helps to raise awareness of TSW - something thousands of other eczema sufferers are experiencing, including young children which is heartbreaking. The medical profession worldwide are refusing to fully recognise this as a condition, let alone a pharmaceutically caused condition.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and if you are in a position to be able to donate any amount, small or big, I truly appreciate it and am so grateful. If unable to, please share my page as much as possible to help raise awareness of this condition.

Thank you,

George