Beauty therapist almost dies after developing a deadly form of a common skin condition
A young woman was left fighting for her life after an infection caused her common skin condition to become deadly.
Bryony Bateman, 21, from St Neots, Cambridgeshire, had been diagnosed with psoriasis four years ago, which caused red, flaky patches on her skin.
But a skin infection had caused her to develop erythrodermic psoriasis, which took over 98 per cent of her skin.
Doctors battled to keep her alive after her body had went into a state of shock as a result of the condition.
But after overcoming the odds and managing to battle back from the brink of death, she chose to use her experience to help others find a way of coping.
She has since become an internet sensation, using social media to recommend products and provide fashion advice.
Bryony Bateman, 21, had been diagnosed with psoriasis four years ago. But a skin infection had caused her to develop erythrodermic psoriasis, which took over 98 per cent of her skin
Miss Bateman said: ‘It was like I was burning from the inside. My body was in a state of shock because my skin was so dry that my body had no hydration at all.
‘I was literally shedding sheets of skin, it was agony.
‘It was life threatening and without the emergency treatment they gave me, it could have been a different story.
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‘It was a really horrible experience but it made me more determined to make other people aware of psoriasis and how dangerous it can be.’
Miss Bateman, who now works as a beauty therapist, began suffering symptoms of psoriasis at the age of 17 when she developed a rash on her stomach.
Doctors initially told her that she was allergic to washing powder. But when it failed to heal, she began searching online for clues as to what was causing her symptoms.
Doctors battled to keep her alive after her body had went into a state of shock as a result
Realising she had psoriasis, she demanded to be referred to a dermatologist who confirmed her suspicions, diagnosing her at the age of 18.
She said it used to keep her up at night because it was so itchy, forcing her to wear socks on her hands to stop herself from scratching her skin.
Since her diagnosis, she has been prescribed a number of antibiotics and steroid creams to try and reduce her symptoms.
But she found her condition would flare up on occassions – once so badly that her body went into shock as her immune system attacked her skin.
Doctors had to put her on a drip to keep her hydrated, smothered her in steroid cream and gave her morphine for the pain.
Not wanting to let the condition rule her life, she began scouring the internet for solutions to treat it.
She tried a range of methods before figuring out that sea salt baths and having sun beds helped her.
She was shocked to find little help for psoriasis sufferers, despite it affecting two per cent of the UK population.
Her condition used to keep her up at night because her skin was so itchy, forcing her to wear socks on her hands to stop herself from scratching
Miss Bateman added: ‘I was astonished to find there was nothing out there to help people like me.
‘All I was finding was shocking pictures of women in their 50s which without being funny, didn’t relate to me who was only just starting out with the condition.
‘I found that sea salt baths and having sun beds helped me, and I learned how to cover my face so my skin looked flawless.
‘I wanted to get this out there to help other young sufferers like me to prove that life does go on.
WHAT IS ERYTHRODERMIC PSORIASIS?
Erythrodermic psoriasis is an inflammatory form of the condition that often affects most of the body surface.
It is a rare, occurring once or more during the lifetime of 3 percent of people who have psoriasis.
It ‘throws off’ the body’s chemistry, which causes protein and fluid loss than can lead to severe illness.
People with severe cases often require immediate medical treatment.
The body may not be able to maintain its temperature. This can produce shivering episodes. Erythrodermic psoriasis also can bring on pneumonia and heart failure.
It can occur abruptly at the first signs of psoriasis or it can come on gradually in people with plaque psoriasis.
The reason erythrodermic psoriasis appears is not understood. However, there are some known triggers, including sunburn, infection and alcoholism.
Source: National Psoriasis Foundation
‘It’s given me the confidence to carry on and helps me cope and come to terms with it.’
She decided to start her blog dedicated to psoriasis after she received an anonymous message from a girl who wanted to kill herself because of her psoriasis on her face.
Miss Bateman filmed herself applying make-up and put it onto her YouTube account before sending a link to the girl.
She responded thanking her and told her that ‘it gave her hope’ to carry on in life.
After learning that she could pass the condition on to any children she may have in the future, she is hoping to raise awareness of what psoriasis is.
She added: ‘Everyone knows what eczema is but no-one really knows about psoriasis is because it’s not talked about.
‘I want stop people feeling ashamed about having it and learn to be proud of knowing how to manage it properly.
‘As much as it hurts I want to give people the strength to get through it and stay positive.’
To see her posts, follow @bryneenee on Instagram, or search Bryneenee on YouTube and Twitter.
Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, said: ‘Erythrodermic psoriasis is a dermatological emergency.
‘By definition, over 90 per cent of body surface area is affected and the skin is no longer able to perform its functions effectively.
‘Patients are unable to control their body temperature, are at high risk for infection and lose fluid and protein through their skin.
‘This is an extremely serious condition that requires urgent hospital admission.’