Woman documents ‘horror movie’ eczema condition on TikTok

When Josie North and her brother, Harry, created their own party game inspired by a house fire in their family home, it looked like the only way was up.

The pair founded Hot House Games and co-created “Hit Send”, a game that challenges players to send risky or funny texts for points, with YouTube collective the Sidemen.

After the game failed to sell as many units as they had hoped upon its launch, the siblings, from Bridgnorth, were determined to create better products, but their plans were hit by a setback.

North had been experiencing rash-like flare-ups on her skin since 2021. Despite treatment with steroid creams, the condition spread across her body and caused debilitating pain.

“From there, my life was never the same again… and this is the first time, this summer, looking in the mirror, that I recognise this person again,” said North, who has spoken about her journey on TikTok., external

“I’ve been in and out of hospital, A&E, looked quite literally like something of a horror movie, many a time.”

She said it meant that her brother had to do a lot of “heavy lifting” with the business during times when she could not physically work.

“I came off an immunosuppressant early last year… and I had to go into hospital… I could hardly walk; my parents had to hold me up.”

“They had to feed me with a teaspoon because I couldn’t even open my mouth wide enough to properly eat; I was just in horrific, horrific pain.”