Red Skin Syndrome: Finding Relief Through a Steroid-Free Skincare Regimen

It can be perplexing to learn that your worsening skin condition is caused by your medical prescription. But this is what happens with red skin syndrome (RSS), a skin condition caused by the prolonged use or withdrawal of topical steroids to manage inflammatory skin disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis.

While topical corticosteroids (steroids) are the recommended prescription to ease symptoms associated with inflammatory skin conditions, heavy use causes dependence.

Withdrawal from the steroids thus causes an adverse side effect: RSS, also known as topical steroid withdrawal.

Therefore, it’s imperative to find relief for red skin syndrome through a steroid-free skin care regime. Continued use of topical steroids makes it harder to manage the condition since steroids further damage the skin and increase dependence.

Instead, a natural remedy such as emu oil can provide relief with its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties. When used alongside a holistic skin care routine, emu oil improves your skin’s health and minimizes red skin syndrome’s symptoms.

So, with that said, let’s further discuss:

The symptoms associated with RSS
Conventional management of RSS
Emu oil skin benefits and how they ease RSS symptoms
Tips on how to incorporate emu oil products into your daily skincare regime

Uncovering the Symptoms and Traditional Remedies for Red Skin Syndrome

woman with red inflamed skin

Symptoms of RSS vary from person to person, but commonly include:

Worsening rash in areas where topical steroids are applied
Bright red, inflamed skin patches
Severe burning and itching
Cracked skin
Loss or thinning of hair

Sometimes the symptoms may include skin peeling, stretch marks, and pimple-like bumps that resemble acne. These symptoms are worse than they sound and can cause great discomfort during activities such as bathing or sleeping.

If you’ve been using topical steroids for a long time, you’ll experience these symptoms within a few days or weeks of discontinuing usage.

A study by the National Eczema Association revealed that withdrawing steroid use after long-term inappropriate use of highly potent topical corticosteroids also causes RSS.

Ironically, dermatologists traditionally recommended the use of systemic steroids (oral steroids) to provide relief for RSS. Appropriate use of topical steroids can also help suppress inflammation and lessen the damage caused by RSS symptoms.

Once your skin’s health has improved, topical steroid use is withdrawn gradually by decreasing the application frequency and using a lower-strength steroid.

However, some people still experience a rebound of RSS even after slowly cutting off steroids.

Using steroids, therefore, creates a vicious cycle of applying them to prevent flare-ups, experiencing RSS after stopping, and using them again to manage RSS.

The good news is you don’t have to be caught in this never-ending cycle of steroid use. The ideal remedy for RSS is to discontinue the use of topical steroids and follow a personalized skin care routine with natural products that:

Are free from allergens and irritants, which can trigger skin inflammation
Soothe RSS symptoms, such as itching and inflammation
Nourish and moisturize your skin

Full recovery can take longer, but a steroid-free life is absolutely worth it.

Emu Oil: A Natural Remedy for Red Skin Syndrome Relief

bottle of pure emu oil
Emu Joy Emu Oil

Organic and pure Emu oil is a natural oil made from the body fat of emus, large flightless birds native to Australia.

The oil has a high content of fatty acids, such as oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acid. These fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce swelling and promote faster wound healing.

Fatty acids also help hydrate the skin since they have small molecules that penetrate easily and deeply into your skin. Their antioxidant properties also boost cell growth, rejuvenating the skin, giving it a healthy glow.

How Emu Oil Can Ease Symptoms of Red Skin Syndrome

Moisturizes dry skin: Organic emu oil contains a high level of fatty acids that easily penetrate past the skin’s barrier for deep moisturizing. This improves hydration and prevents water loss, which soothes the dry skin caused by RSS.
Manages inflammatory skin conditions: Therapeutic grade Emu oil eases symptoms of inflammatory skin disorders, such as dermatitis and eczema. A study conducted on its efficiency in managing dermatitis revealed that the oil significantly reduced skin redness and itchiness.
Reduces inflammation: Emu oil’s anti-inflammatory properties help decrease inflammation from RSS, minimizing the redness caused by inflamed blood capillaries beneath the skin’s barrier.
Improves collagen production: Emu oil has been shown to improve the production of collagen, which provides structure and support for new skin cells and helps rebuild damaged skin tissues. Collagen also stimulates the growth of blood vessels that supply nutrients to the skin, promoting faster wound healing.
Stimulates hair growth: Studies have shown that emu oil stimulates hair follicle growth, increasing hair volume and restoring receding hairlines.
Soothes aches and pains: Emu oil helps relieve pain caused by dry, cracked, and itchy skin from RSS. Its natural anti-inflammatory properties help reduce swelling, soreness, and stiffness in muscles and joints.

Incorporating Emu Oil Products to Your Skincare Regime

Emu Joy emu oil products
Soothe My TSW Kit (for Topical Steroid Withdrawal)

To effectively manage RSS, follow a daily skin care routine that hydrates, moisturizes, and soothes your skin.

It’s also important to pay attention to your specific symptoms and use products that specifically address them.

For example, if you have a severe RSS case with reddening all over your body, consider using a heavy cream or ointment. Cream and ointment have a higher oil content, which locks moisture in and creates a skin barrier that keeps irritants out.

At Emu Joy, we make 100 percent natural products that soothe and nourish irritated skin. Here’s a skin care routine with Emu Joy emu oil products to help you manage RSS:

red skin syndrome relief photo snippet

Step 1 - Use a Gentle Cleanser

While showering, use a gentle cleanser to remove oil, sweat, and dirt. Gentle cleansers are formulated with mild ingredients that help retain moisture and balance the natural oils on your skin.

Emu Oil Soap is one such cleanser. It contains 100% pure emu oil and calendula oil, which moisturize and soothe sensitive skin.

The soap is also free from added fragrances, sulfates, alcohol, and parabens, which can aggravate irritated skin.

Use lukewarm water to shower and bathe, as it will help hydrate your skin. Hot water strips out your skin’s natural oils and further irritates skin sensitive from RSS.

The ideal way to tell if the water is too hot is to check if it radiates steam. Lukewarm water doesn’t generate steam and is slightly warmer than your body. For preciseness, use a thermometer to confirm the water temperature lies between 98 and 105º F.

Step 2 - Moisturize Your Skin

Apply moisturizer within three minutes of showering while your skin is still damp to lock moisture in and prevent dryness. Moisturizing also soothes your dry skin, easing itching and irritation caused by friction from clothes on sensitive skin.

Use a cream-based moisturizer like Soothe My Skin in the morning to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. Soothe My Skin contains a rich blend of natural ingredients that will help rejuvenate your skin, including:

Emu oil
Aloe gel
Evening primrose oil
Calendula and chamomile extracts

You can alternatively use a pure natural oil such as emu oil to hydrate and revitalize your skin.

Step 3 - Replenish and Nourish

After moisturizing your skin, nourish it with products that specifically address and ease your symptoms.

For example, if you’re experiencing an intense burning sensation, apply the Banish My Pain balm to the affected areas to relieve pain and itching.

The balm contains emu oil and camphor, which help reduce inflammation and soreness. It’s also made with arnica, a perennial herb that has pain-relieving properties.

If you have dry, cracked, and itchy skin, keep your skin moisturized and hydrated during the day using the On the Go Skin Soother Stick. This stick balm easily fits into your pocket, purse, or backpack and helps soothe dry and itchy skin.

Step 4 - Protect From Sun Damage

Wear sunscreen before stepping out to protect your delicate skin from sun damage.

Emu Oil has natural sunscreen qualities thanks to its high content in fatty acids, which help shield your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. Its antioxidant properties also protect the skin against photoaging, a premature aging process caused by sun damage.

Combine pure emu oil with a sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher to protect your skin adequately.

Find Relief From Red Skin Syndrome With Emu Joy Products

Start your steroid-free skincare routine by purchasing Emu Joy’s Soothe My TSW Kit. This soothe kit contains pure emu oil and emu oil soap that help manage RSS:

Pure Emu Oil can help moisturize and replenish your skin, while also protecting it from sun damage.

We ethically source our emu oil from a small family farm on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, so you’ll be getting the absolute best.

What’s more, all of our products are free of parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, petroleum, fragrance, and color additives.

“Pure ingredients, ethical humane practices & excellent customer service is the reason I will only use Emu Joy from now on.”
- Marie T

The table below outlines a few steps you can add to your daily skin care regime to incorporate emu oil products.

Step	Morning Routine	During The Day	Night Routine
Cleanse	Emu Oil Soap	Emu Oil Soap	Emu Oil Soap
Moisturize	Soothe My Skin	Pure Emu Oil	Soothe My Skin
Nourish	Banish My Pain	On the Go Skin Soother Stick	Pure Emu Oil