Living with eczema by Kat S.

I’ve had eczema since I was a child.

Since then, I was promptly prescribed oral steroids, with the intention from my doctor that this would help. Ever since, living with eczema has been an additional challenge on top of the twists and turns that life already has. I’ve been prescribed an endless list of creams and medications from both the western and traditional Chinese methods of treatment. An exhaustive list of treatments, one could say. Only to be finally prescribed with topical steroids, to maintain my skin only somewhat.

Up until a couple of months ago, topical steroids were a temporary solution, until they no longer helped anymore.

My skin grew more inflamed and flared up further. My skin began to burn. Showers were something out of a nightmare. Creams that used to provide some temporary relief were suddenly contributing to this burning sensation. My body stopped responding to the topical and oral steroids, and I was left with a body in complete freak out mode.

This lasted for months. Months of not wanting to look at mirrors. I found myself ugly, spending days crying in my bed and being in pain to just smile. This isn’t a new phenomenon; my skin problems have always been an insecurity of mine. I often wonder when there would be a day I wouldn't itch, or be told not to itch, or that I would no longer be in pain. It was only then that I took the time to research and concluded that many commercial skincare products I had previously relied on contained ingredients that may have further exacerbated my eczema.

Thank you to Kat for sharing her story so openly. If you live with eczema, a GP or dermatologist can help you find the care that is right for you.