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There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and at least one of your friends dating someone you don’t like. Maybe your friend’s partner is pretentious, or blunt to the point of rudeness, or they make fatphobic or racist or sexist comments that bother you, or maybe they’re just downright unpleasant. Either way, we’ve all been there. And while you may be getting the secondhand ick, know that this — however unfortunate — is a common experience. But when do we, if ever, get the go ahead to confront our friends over their controversial partner?

According to skin influencers on TikTok, topical steroid creams are being ‘illegally sold’ in some black Afro hair and beauty supply stores, affecting black women in particular. Angela Mavalla, a pharmacist and skincare educator, has been sharing TikTok videos garnering thousands of views, encouraging black women to stop purchasing topical steroid creams from these shops – as they are meant to be prescription-only treatments used with appropriate guidance from a doctor. When used incorrectly, the creams can make potentially make skin symptoms worse and harder to manage. “Though these creams tend to address issues like acne and eczema very quickly, because of their potent nature, the skin becomes addicted to it and will flare up badly once you stop using them,” said Mavalla. “A lot my clients – [who are black women] – that I consult privately, were coming to me with issues relating to topical steroid use, such as having terrible flare-ups because they had stopped using the cream, and needed help with tapering off them. “I began making content based on these creams, mainly to warn people of them, and found that these TikTok’s would go viral in a short space of time, with lots of people relating to it, and giving their own testimonials of how the creams damaged their skin,” Mavalla added. “I have seen instances of accidental skin bleaching, worsened eczema and hyperpigmentation, topical steroidal withdrawal and addiction, and worst of all, a crippling low self-esteem and self image. It’s awful. “The first point of call when it comes to steroidal creams should always be a pharmacy. Pharmacists are always willing to help, advise and where necessary, signpost to the most appropriate medical profession, such as a dermatologist.” Dr Unnati Desai, the national GP lead, as well as safeguarding lead for GP services and dermatology lead at Nuffield Health, acknowledged that it can take sometimes take time to correctly diagnose these conditions, and might require a biopsy. It might also take a longer period of time to get symptoms under control, as skin conditions may require trying multiple different treatment regimes to find the one that suits each individual person, as well as getting to grips with individual triggers. What are topical steroid creams and what should they be used for? Doctors prescribe topical steroid creams to treat a wide range of skin complaints – but it’s important to have proper assessments first. “They are topical medications (synthetic corticosteroids) that have an anti-inflammatory action on the skin, by suppressing the skin immune system and constricting the blood vessels of the skin where applied,” Desai told the PA news agency. “They are used for dermatological conditions that result in inflamed, itchy or irritated skin – e.g. eczema, psoriasis, lichen simplex, lichen planus, lichen sclerosus and other autoimmune dermatoses.” Why do people experience topical steroid withdrawal after using steroid creams? When used incorrectly, topical steroids may have potentially significant side-effects. And as Desai warned: “Stopping any steroid treatment suddenly can often result in a flare-up of the condition, which may be worse than the original presentation.” There are some obvious signs and symptoms to look out for to figure out if you are experiencing topical steroid withdrawal, such as red, burning skin and a lumpy, papulopustular rash. “When using a steroid cream to get a dermatitis flare-up under control, especially when a more potent steroid cream has been used for a prolonged period of time, it is necessary to slowly come off the steroid cream and wean your skin off treatment by either reducing the potency of the cream, or the frequency [of application],” said Desai. “This gives the skin time to adjust to coming off the steroid cream slowly, but also clarifies whether the skin condition is coming under control with treatment. “Sometimes, severe dermatoses require long-term use of a medication to be controlled, in which case your doctor will consider alternative treatment modalities.” What damage can it do to your skin?Desai added: “Long-term use of potent steroid creams is not recommended, as there may be some systemic absorption, which can result in suppression of your body’s natural cortisol hormone at the worst. “In most cases, it is the long-term impact on the skin itself that is the concern, as regular or long-term use of steroid creams can impact the skin integrity and thickness, resulting in thinning of the skin, stretch marks, increased hair at the site of use, enlarged skin blood vessels and bruising. “Using a steroid cream when there is an underlying infection present on the skin will make the infection worse, or using steroid creams on the face can result in other chronic skin conditions, such as perioral dermatitis or other acneiform eruptions. “Occasionally, an allergy can develop to components within the cream that can make the dermatitis worse.” How can people remain safe? Desai stressed the importance of only using topical steroid treatments under the appropriate supervision of a qualified clinician. “In addition, as most chronic inflammatory skin conditions tend to result in drier skin, self-care at home with soap substitutes and emollients is important,” she said. “This includes gently cleansing the skin one to two times daily maximum (over-washing will negatively impact the skin barrier function, as will long hot bubble baths), and using unscented emollients (medical grade skin creams designed to gently hydrate the skin), which will better protect the skin and may, depending on the skin condition, make a flare-up less frequent or less severe. “If a steroid cream is needed, a doctor will recommend the amount of cream to be used according to the size of the area affected. We use the ‘Finger Tip Unit’ (FTU) – one FTU is the amount of topical steroid that is squeezed out from a standard tube along an adult’s fingertip – as a method of advising each patient how much cream they need to use with each application.” Read More House of the Year 2023 shortlist revealed by Royal Institute of British Architects Fatima Whitbread supporting new fostering campaign, as research finds ‘misconceptions put people off’ 5 key coat trends to complete your autumn/winter wardrobe 12 ways to weave some woodland wonder into your home Hibernation mode: 5 small self-care adjustments to make before the clocks change 13 possible cancer symptoms you should get checked out

Former Vice President Mike Pence says he expects to call out former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during this month’s Republican presidential debate for not insisting on a national abortion ban

Maria Menounos and husband Keven Undergaro have welcomed their first baby via surrogate after a decade of fertility issues and Menounos’ battle with pancreatic cancer. On Wednesday (19 July), the 45-year-old journalist revealed to Us Weekly the name of their baby girl: Athena Alexandra. Their bundle of joy was born on 23 June in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, via surrogate. “It was the most special moment of my life,” Menounos recalled to the outlet. “The doctor literally grabbed her and hiked her onto me. I sat with her on my chest, and Keven and I kept looking at each other like, ‘Oh, my God.’ It was just pure joy.” “It was like Christmas morning times a million,” she said. Menounos announced she and her husband Undergaro, 55, were expecting their first child together in February. But just one month prior, she learned she had a 3.9cm mass on her pancreas, later confirmed to be a stage 2 neuroendocrine tumour. “Athena is our miracle baby,” Menounos said. “I’m so grateful for her.” Speaking to Us Weekly, the former E! News correspondent opened up about her 10-year-long fertility journey, and revealed the surprising celebrity who helped her find a surrogate. Menounos previously did three rounds of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments before she opted to have a baby via surrogate. It wasn’t until her first surrogate fell through that her lawyer, Andrew Vorzimer – who Kim Kardashian had connected her to – put her in touch with a surrogate search service. “I give her so much credit,” Menounos said about Kim Kardashian. “She helped us get started and guided me through the fears and the process. She was the first to know we were pregnant! We were at a gala, and I couldn’t resist telling her. She’s such a chill, calm person. Anytime I had questions or needed advice, her responses were instant. I had really leaned on her a lot.” After her pancreatic cancer diagnosis, the TV presenter underwent surgery to remove the tumour on her pancreas, along with parts of her spleen, a fibroid, and 17 lymph nodes. Now, Menounos revealed that she feels “amazing” after surgery, which left her with a C-section scar, despite not delivering a baby on her own. “I’ve had a lot of low moments, so I’ve had a lot of practice in overcoming them,” she said, when asked how she managed to stay positive battling cancer while preparing for her baby girl. “You have to come out of the victim mentality.” “Everyone asks, ‘Why me?’ And my thing is, ‘Why not me?’ That helps me get out of things faster,” she continued. “I just beat this tumour because I found it early, and other people don’t, so I’m lucky. I try to focus on how I want to feel rather than the other stuff. It takes a minute; it’s not easy.” Not only has Maria Menounos battled – and survived – pancreatic cancer, but she previously underwent surgery to remove a brain tumour in 2017. That same year, she and her husband tied the knot after nearly 20 years of dating. Read More Maria Menounos says her tumour ‘doubled in size’ after doctors overlooked first symptoms of cancer Maria Menounos reveals pancreatic cancer symptoms that doctors dismissed Maria Menounos reveals she underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer while expecting baby girl Maria Menounos says her tumour ‘doubled’ after first cancer symptoms were overlooked Mother sparks debate over parent who wouldn’t give daughter cake Gemma Atkinson announces birth of second baby in heartwarming Instagram post

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