Hello everybody ! My name is Arthur Chapelle, I’m 23 year old and I am a French music student living in Amsterdam. Today I am reaching out to you because, for the last 6 months, my life has been put in pause by a very debilitating condition called TOPICAL STEROID WITHDRAWAL. An illness caused by the long term use of steroid medications to treat eczema, making my body unable to function without them and leaving me in agonizing 24/7 pain.

Topical Steroid Withdrawal :

« Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome is characterized by red, itchy, burning skin that can appear after ceasing topical steroid treatments, or even between treatments. Topical steroids are effective for a period of time to treat the skin condition. As time passes, however, applying topical steroids results in less and less clearing. The original problem escalates as it spreads to other areas of the body. This “progression” is often mistaken for worsening eczema, contact dermatitis, an infection, or an allergic reaction. » - ITSAN

How did I get addicted to steroid medications ?

I have had a mild eczema since a very young age. My doctor at that time prescribed me some steroid creams and told me to use them « even after the eczema rash is gone ». So as a 7 year old I was very dedicated to apply what the doctor had told me to do. However, the rash would always come back.

During my teenage years, my eczema spread to new areas and became more severe. Therefore I was prescribed more potent steroids to suppress my immune response. Without realizing it, at 18 year old, I was using the most potent steroid creams available all over my body. Following the recommendations from doctors telling me that these creams were safe to use.

This spiral went on until 2023, were my body stopped reacting properly to the treatment and my skin went out of control. I then desperately researched « incurable severe eczema » online and I found out about TSW and steroid addiction. I couldn’t believe what I was reading…. I was fully addicted to this medication.

My life recently :

After discovering this condition, I decided to stop cold turkey all steroids creams. Within two weeks, my life became a total nightmare. I developed a full body rash, burning red, cracky, oozy, full of wounds, and itchy to the bone. My sheets are covered in blood every morning. I lost 5kg in 20 days and had terrible thermoregulation issues. I also regularly suffer from infections.

All of this left me bed bound for few months, physically unable to play guitar or even go to school. I’ve had to drop out from this master program I just got into. The isolation have been quite extreme. If I’m still here today, its because I have an amazing girlfriend that took care of me in this constant struggle.

Today, most of the medical community doesn’t recognize this illness as a real thing and gaslight sufferers. Even though thousands of people around the world are in my situation ! The treatments options are very limited, except time. But it will take years for my body to naturally recover from these damages, which means years in pain with a burning skin.

Why do I start this GoFundMe:

Despite all this mess, there exists one treatment that has proven its effectiveness in healing steroid damaged skins.

I am happy to announce that around May/June, I’ll be starting a treatment in Bangkok called « CAP TREATMENT » (Cold Atmospheric Plasma)

How does CAP work ?

This is an emerging medical technology that reverses the damages of steroid creams by triggering the growth factors of the skin cells and increase regeneration rate. On top of accelerating the healing of the skin, the machine kills bad bacterias and fungus that can be present.

Why Bangkok ? CAP treatments only available in Bangkok, the UK and Singapore. The UK clinic is full and it is way cheaper for me to be treated in Bangkok. Also, the owner of the clinic has more than 15 years of experience treating this illness and his a master in what he does. I got in touch with lots of his patients through social media who are now recovered and have an amazing skin.

Unfortunately this all come with a cost that I can’t afford because I am physically unable to work.

From the estimations of the clinic and the experience of other patients, I’ll need 5-6 months of weekly sessions to be able to enjoy life to it’s fullest again, which is much better than years of slow recovery.

Here is a breakdown of the costs :

Here is a link with all the infos about this treatment .

I’ve never done a crowdfunding before and I know times are hard for a lot of people at the moment.

But know that every donation counts and is a step toward my healing, toward me getting my life back together. Especially toward me being able to go back on stage playing music, which I miss this so much…

Thank you for your generosity and attention. Sending a lot of love to you all <3

Arthur Chapelle

Bonus : GUITAR LESSONS & PRIVATE CONCERT

As some of you know, I am a Jazz Guitar master student at the Conservatory Van Amsterdam and I’d love to give you back in my own way.

So if you have a guitar at home and want to impress your friends, or have more specific questions about improvisation, writing etc. DON’T HESITATE ! ;)

For an :

Private Concert :

For very generous donors living in Amsterdam area or Paris, I am offering a private duo Jazz concert in your house for any donation of 500€ or more.