Filmmaker shares journey of steroid withdrawal and redefining strength

Briana Banos has endured over a decade of physical and emotional strain from topical steroid withdrawal (TSW), a condition that altered her career trajectory, her relationship with her own skin, and how she champions others facing similar struggles. The filmmaker and writer, whose documentaries Preventable: Protecting Our Largest Organ and Still Preventable bring attention to the issue, addressed the National Corticosteroid Stewardship Summit in Washington, DC, to explain why steroid dependency has become a public health issue—and how her personal experience forced her to redefine what strength means.

TSW remains poorly understood, yet its impact is widespread. Medical records show that topical corticosteroids are used in 59% of atopic dermatitis office visits, positioning them as one of the most prescribed treatments for eczema and related conditions. For Banos, the crisis began when the steroids meant to control her mild childhood eczema triggered a severe withdrawal reaction.

The physical effects, relentless itching, widespread inflammation, and skin deterioration, were agonizing, but the psychological toll lasted far longer. The withdrawal shattered that control. “I couldn’t hide it,” she said. Instead, she transformed the experience into advocacy, using her platform to educate others about steroid dependency and patient empowerment in healthcare.

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Her resilience, she clarified, isn’t a trait she was born with; it developed from enduring an unchosen hardship. This mindset now fuels her work, which includes collaborations with skincare companies and, starting in 2027, a PhD program focused on using observational documentary methods to study the emotional burden of TSW. The initiative aims to create resources for patients, healthcare providers, and medical students.

Her evolving self-image reflects a deliberate shift. Yet over time, she’s moved away from the pressure to achieve flawless skin, a standard she now views as unattainable and potentially harmful.

She noted that strangers’ comments are rarely personal. For Banos, redirecting that energy into art, storytelling, and purposeful work has been essential.

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Creativity has been her lifeline. Dance, once a cornerstone of her life, now takes a secondary role to filmmaking and visual art like painting and pottery. Her documentaries serve as both emotional release and a call to action.

Banos’ advocacy reaches beyond personal storytelling into direct partnerships with healthcare professionals, where she stresses the need for better education on steroid dependency. At the summit, she pointed out that many dermatologists and primary care physicians remain unaware of TSW as a potential consequence of prolonged topical steroid use. This highlights the need for updated clinical guidelines.

The physical and psychological scars of TSW have also influenced her approach to patient care. She frequently hears from individuals struggling with withdrawal who report feeling dismissed by doctors who attribute their symptoms to anxiety or noncompliance. “People tell me, ‘My doctor said I was imagining it,’” she recalled. To address this, she has collaborated with dermatologists to create patient resources, including a checklist of warning signs for steroid dependency and a guide for handling conversations with skeptical healthcare providers. These tools aim to equip patients with the confidence to advocate for themselves.